CCMW Winnipeg Chapter Report- March 2011

Recruitment & Membership

The Winnipeg Chapter was formed just after the 2007 AGM in Toronto. We currently have approximately 12 members, 8 or 9 or which regularly attend meetings. Meetings are held once a month (September to June) at a members home.

Networking, Education and Getting Involved

In early 2010, on recommendation from the CCMW Chapter in Ottawa, we purchased the DVD program, Garments for One Another from the Faith Trust Institute in the United States. We embarked on a staged project to raise awareness about domestic violence in the Winnipeg Muslim community.

1. Chapter members viewed the DVD program in its entirety. Recognizing that we were not equipped professionally to counsel victims of violence in the community, we decided that we needed to seek input on the program from social service professionals who work with this issue.
2. We held 2 viewings of the DVD program for social service providers (womens shelters, womens resource centres, counselors etc.) in Winnipeg. Muslim leaders and organizations were also invited. The Imam and one Muslim social service organization attended. The feedback from all groups was very positive.
3. We held 1 viewing of the DVD program for the Muslim community. Attendance was relatively low (approximately 15 men and women). We had a guest speaker to speak about domestic violence and counseling and several social service agencies set up tables to provide information.
4. The social service providers have expressed an interest in continuing to work with us and particularly in getting to know our Imam and the Muslim community so they can better understand their Muslim clients.
5. We are in the process of planning a viewing of the DVD program to be held at Winnipegs Grand Mosque for anyone interested (Muslim and non- Muslim) in May 2011. The Imam continues to be supportive, and we are attempting to get support from the President of the Manitoba Islamic Association.

Interfaith work

1. The Past Chair and current Chair were invited to attend the Lieutenant Generals Award for the Promotion of Interfaith and Intercultural Understanding dinner.
2. The current Chair was on invited to be on a panel at a public lecture at the University of Winnipeg on "Terrorism & Peaceful Transformation: what Muslims and non-Muslims can do."
3. The current chair has been invited by the Manitoba Interfaith Council to be on a panel on "Expanding your circle of compassion" on March 16, 2011 at the Manitoba Buddhist temple.

Contributing to our Community

1. We volunteer at Winnipegs largest foodbank, Winnipeg Harvest, one evening per month. Members bring their spouses, children, friends etc. to visit.
2. We collected donations and prepared Ramadan hampers to be given to a local womens shelter. The hampers were accompanied by a short letter describing our desire to give during our holy month.
3. We fundraised and provided a group donation to Medicins Sans Frontieres to assist the victims of the Haiti earthquake.
4. We fundraised to purchase toiletries and undergarments for donation to a local womens shelter around the time of Eid Ul-Adha.

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The Winnipeg Chapter was formed just after the 2007 AGM in Toronto. Following a launch event held in January 2008 and attended by Board member, Salima Ebrahim, the Winnipeg chapter has held regular monthly meetings and has successfully recruited 16 members, all of whom are strongly committed to the mission and values of CCMW.

• Meetings are held once a month at a members home. There are always lots of snacks and time to socialize.

Networking, Education and Getting Involved

Due in part to lack of funds at this stage, we have been selective in attending events but have made an effort to get involved in community gatherings and spread the word about our organization.

• We held 2 Family Law workshops last fall. The workshop for legal professionals, mediators and other community members was well attended and also roused some interest from certain social service agencies who are interested in more training or education about Islam and Muslim women. The workshop for Muslim women was also well attended and provided an excellent forum for discussion about family law and interpretation of Muslim law.
• Our members have also attended several other events in the community including the Manitoba Muslim 25th Anniversary Fundraising dinner (to raise money for a local Muslim publication), Creative Retirement Manitoba for a dialogue between Jews, Christians and Muslims and interfaith session at University of Winnipeg.
• We held a Basic Computer Skill Workshop for seniors this spring.

Contributing to our Community

We have focused on volunteering as a group in our City.

• We send groups of volunteers (including our husbands, children, brothers and friends) to volunteer at the local food bank, Winnipeg Harvest, one evening per month.
• Last August, a few members and friends volunteered at a Habitat for Humanity home building project.
• We have for two years in a row fundraised and put together Ramadan hampers that include food basics, treats for kids, toiletries and other household essentials, for 2 needy Muslim families and for 6 other families entering the community after receiving treatment or services from a local womens shelter for abused women.
• We collected donations of prayer scarves and put together a basket of scarves to donate to the local mosque for use by the public.

Future Plans

• The Muslim women who attended the Family Law session have indicated interest in more sessions regarding this subject. We plan to hold informal discussion groups regarding various topics related to Islam and women in the near future.
• We plan to have more computer skills workshops for seniors over the next year.
• Family Bowling night in the near future.



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