Janine
In a community where mental health remains a taboo topic, the Mon Cafe based in Harehills, serves as a beacon of hope for South Asian women wrestling with anxiety, depression, and trauma.
Cultural barriers can exacerbate these challenges, because issues are often misinterpreted as weakness or spiritual problems.
However, the Mon Cafe is aiming to challenge these stereotypes and combat misconceptions.
It is driven by a passionate team dedicated to empowering women and encouraging open dialogue around mental health concerns within the South Asian community.
The Mon Cafe is one of several services run by the Shantona Women’s Centre which supports women in East Leeds.
It aims to provide a holistic approach to women’s well-being. It offers direct access to a range of support options or connects them with appropriate external services. Women are also able to participate in a number of activities and therapeutic services to increase their confidence, make friends, and access the support they need.
These services include yoga, talking therapies, day trips, and referrals to more specialist services.
Shafia Ali is the manager who oversees the health and wellbeing services at the Mon Cafe. She currently manages several different projects in Leeds, all aimed at improving accessibility to mental health services.
“People thought mental health challenges had more to do with black magic and would instead look at religious healing instead of scientific therapies. To address that, we offer help and support without judging or labelling,” Shafia explained, adding: “Some of these women have issues with education, awareness, and also language barriers. We did a lot of visual work. We encouraged women to speak about their wellbeing and health. It did take a long time for them to open up.
“What I’ve learned through my journey is to be open, accept someone’s belief and culture. Whatever they are saying, it’s not about saying they are wrong. In order to support them, we believe in them and help them to overcome the issues they take on.
“It is all confidential and we also raise awareness and educate women on different aspects of mental health.”
One member, known only as Salma, shared how she has benefitted from the support she has received, explaining that initially she felt too embarrassed to talk about her mental health challenges, but the team at Mon Cafe soon put her at ease.
She explained: “Coming here helped because I used to think I was the only one going through all this but coming here made me realise a lot of women are suffering in one way or another.
“Sometimes we don’t even realise we’re actually going through mental health issues because in my community we don’t talk about these things a lot. Mental health challenges are seen as embarrassing. However, coming here and being with people gives me joy.”
Another crucial service offered by the Mon Cafe is the specialist support for victims of sexual violence. Sexual violence has always been a painful topic for anyone to talk about, especially when there are cultural taboos in which victims are either blamed or dismissed.
Naggina Asaf is the Independent Sexual Violence Advocate at Shantona Women’s Centre, and she works closely with the Mon Cafe to provide drop-in sessions, and support for women that have experienced sexual violence. This includes counselling, supporting women that are reporting sexual assault, and helping them to access other services they need.
Her aim is to help break down barriers to ensure that women get the help and support they need.
She said: “Sexual violence is quite a difficult topic for anybody but there are a lot of stigmas and taboos, particularly within the South Asian community. Sometimes it is easier for women when they see someone who looks like them to overcome some of the barriers and stigma and talk about things that unfortunately do happen in the community.
“Women have a voice, but it’s about helping their voice be heard. It’s important to help them understand how to navigate the criminal justice system as well. That can be daunting and scary for any woman, particularly for South Asian women.”
The Mon Cafe is supported by organisations such as Shantona, Live Well Leeds, Touchstone, Feelgood Factor and Space2. For many of the women that use its services, the Mon Cafe offers a vital source of hope and security.
Hajrah Mirza, a mental health support worker at the Cafe explained that the services it provides are a lifeline for many women. She added: “There’s been such a massive uptake and it’s because of the service that it offers. It is user-led so the ladies decide on what sort of activities they’d like.
“Mental health is a challenge for everyone and it can be difficult for people to open up about the things they are most vulnerable and sensitive about. To overcome that we try to build a lot of trust. The support we can give is to help women get access to other services so that they can overcome those challenges.”
The Mon Cafe is held every Wednesday morning from 9am until 12pm at the Bangladeshi Centre in Harehills, LS8 5AN. For more information, call 0113 2497 120, or visit www.shantona.co.uk. You can also email info@shantona.co.uk.
By Janine Griffiths
