Have you heard the news? Sakeenah Canada just opened the first long-term housing project for Muslim women and children in all of Canada, located in Windsor. While operating 8 transitional homes nationwide, this is Sakeenah’s first long-term housing unit. But what’s the difference?
A transitional home is a temporary housing solution for women and children escaping abuse and trauma. Our transitional homes are shared living spaces that can accommodate 8-12 clients, consisting of different families, depending on the location. On-site staff and caseworkers provide clients with food, essentials, and necessary mental and emotional support through counseling and therapy.
Our long-term housing program is intended for a single family affected by domestic violence and homelessness, enabling them to live more independently without continuous support staff. A caseworker remains assigned to work with these clients, focusing on helping them achieve sustainable independence by acquiring the necessary skills and income over the course of 12-18 months.
The cost of living is rising all across the country, and many cities are impacted by the housing crisis which disproportionately affects women and certain racialized groups. Coupled with the fact that many women are financially dependent on their partners, more and more women are being forced to stay in abusive situations out of fear of homelessness or poverty. Long-term housing projects like this help provide alternative safe, secure housing.
Our long-term housing program is situated in a secure two-bedroom apartment unit in Windsor, conveniently located near public transit, schools, and masjids. Statistics indicate over 1,100 individuals experiencing homelessness in Windsor, with more than 300 people resorting to sleeping on the streets each night. Windsor stands as one of the most diverse cities in the province, having welcomed over 1,700 refugees and asylum seekers last year, a significant number of whom are Muslim.
Sakeenah Canada’s Windsor Apartment aims to address the homelessness crisis in the city by offering temporary housing to Muslim women and children seeking refuge from domestic violence. The independent nature of the unit enables accommodation for families, including those with male children over the age of puberty, a scenario often challenging in shared housing.
We hope this program will be a catalyst for opening more culturally-sensitive long-term housing programs across the country, helping empower families, and providing them with the support they need to become thriving members of our community. You can support our specific long-term housing program in Windsor by donating to our page here.
Sakeenah Canada, a national charitable organization, was founded in 2018 in response to a gap in culturally and religiously sensitive services available for women and children facing domestic violence and homelessness. Since then, our services have expanded to include mental health therapy and counseling. Sakeenah has also started The People’s Market, a food program that helps combat food insecurity, and has become the first licensed foster care agency for Muslim children in all of North America. We currently operate 8 transitional homes across Canada: Toronto, Brampton, Milton, London, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Regina, in addition to the first long-term housing program for Muslim women and children in Canada, in Windsor.
Every night, thousands of women and children in Canada face homelessness, poverty, and trauma. We are on a mission to change that.
While Sakeenah functions at a national level, our head office and The People’s Market operate out of land that is part of the Treaty and Traditional Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, The Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Huron-Wendat and Wyandot Nations.
Sakeenah believes that while a land acknowledgement is the first step, we also understand that land acknowledgements alone are not sufficient to redress the harm caused by centuries of land theft, forced displacement and ongoing acts of settler colonialism. We recognize that this work is ongoing and complex, and we are dedicated to doing our part to create a better future for all.
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