Fatma Zahra
Sakhi for South Asian Women

As the domestic violence program advocate at Sakhi, Fatma Zahra manages many of Sakhi's requests for assistance from survivors of violence. She provides ongoing support, services, resources and translation services within Sakhi's domestic violence program for both new callers and approximately 20 women on an ongoing basis. Fatma is also leading the development of Sakhi's faith-based initiative, which will first focus on three separate arenas: research and resource compilation of faith-based programs, leaders and resources; a compilation of survivors’ beliefs and thoughts behind issues of faith; and cultivation of partnership and collaboration within different faith communities. Fatma has a bachelor degree in history and gender studies with a minor in writing. She is currently pursuing her masters in social work at New York University.

Do you find that your faith either informs or guides your social justice activism? In what ways does or doesn't it?

I believe that the faith experiences shared by domestic violence survivors that I work with inform my social justice activism. Over the 4 ½ years that I have spent at Sakhi for South Asian Women, I have learned how powerful spirituality and faith communities are in relation to domestic violence survivors. For some survivors, faith has been an incredible source of strength and resilience, while others have felt disillusioned by the lack of support for women experiencing violence in their homes. Regardless of women’s experiences with faith, many implore advocates in the domestic violence movement to reach out to more to faith communities. These women strongly believe in empowering communities to learn more and assist survivors. Their insistence is what shapes my social justice work in dialoguing with survivors and faith communities on issues of faith and domestic violence.

Do you find that your faith either empowers or affirms you as a woman? In what ways does or doesn't it?

It is difficult to pinpoint what my faith is and how I practice it, but if I were pressed to answer, I would say that my faith is the women that I work with every day. This is what most empowers me as a woman. I see my work as my faith because of the diversity and openness of the survivors that I work with. Despite religious differences and practices, these women offer amazing strength and support to each other. There is a sense of love and community that I have never seen or experienced before. I interpret this as my faith because this community is a place that I want to believe in. It gives all those that are part of it hope and courage that women can unite to support those experiencing domestic violence and end the cycle of abuse for future generations, like their children.

Who has been the most influential woman in your life?

It would have to be my mother.

Have you ever had a personal "aha" moment? What was it? And what made it so special?

In my last semester of graduate school, I was excited about finishing my program. My intention of entering a masters in social work program was to help make myself a better advocate for the women I work with everyday. I believed that going to school would offer me more professional skills and insights in improving the work I do with domestic violence survivors. While I find my education to be incredibly helpful and important, I realized in just the past few months that my true education was taking place at Sakhi for South Asian Women. My real teachers were the survivors that I interfaced with and my colleagues that understood the struggles in the work.

Although classmates in my graduate program could relate to certain aspects of my work, they could not replicate the powerful community experience that I have been having at Sakhi. The classes I attended and the articles I read would not have meant anything without having a learning environment such as Sakhi. Survivors I worked with were not just clients, but people who shaped the fabric of a community of women addressing violence against women.