Karibu African Women’s Group – Case Study
Based in Ipswich, Karibu African Women’s Group provides information, advice and help to African women and other BME client groups, as well as running Supplementary Schools for BME children.
Karibu was awarded a grant from the Realising Ambitions Fund to deliver three activity programmes in personal development and wellbeing, principally but not exclusively for BAME women in Ipswich including; Exercise and Dance; Mindfulness; and Healthy Cooking. The sessions help participants to become physically healthier whilst also enhancing their mental health and wellbeing with practical exercise, dietary guidance and with relaxing and therapeutic mindfulness techniques.
Originally, twenty sessions of each were planned, but due to Covid-19, all face-to-face meetings stopped in March. The dance and exercise sessions and mindfulness were adapted and delivered via Zoom, while the healthy cooking classes were postponed. Overall, 29 participants have regularly attended the sessions so far – six males and 23 females.
“I have found the sessions very useful and educational at the same time, what with the breathing exercises focusing and channelling relax techniques for the mind, as well as the body learning to deal with various situations as they arose and dealing with them in interesting ways. Also focusing on massage with the hands rubbing the bottom of the thumb. I suppose having these different attributes to apply to everyday life, excellent.” – a participant
“It was nice and good to hear how others are coping through different mechanisms. Thank you for the opportunity to learn new things.” – a participant
We at Karibu are very grateful to Realising Ambitions Fund for sponsoring our cooking, mindfulness, dancing and exercise programme. It gave us the opportunity of tackling health inequalities and improving the wellbeing by empowering our users to make changes in their behaviour and lives. It afforded us the opportunity of laying good foundation in promoting good health by improving our diet, exercise and laying the basis of mental wellbeing. With the outbreak of COVID 19, we moved to zoom sessions which was God’s sent. We stayed together, supported one another and dealt well with what would have been total isolation for our members. It is so gratifying to see members coming together, encouraging, supporting and sharing ideas during a difficult time for humanity. On behalf of Karibu, thank you Realising Ambitions.