Specialized women's shelter offers Calgary immigrants and refugees safe haven

A new transitional home for immigrant women and children fleeing domestic violence will give them help and support while respecting their different religious and cultural needs, with help delivered inlanguages they speak and understand.

For some newcomersanew life in Canada often doesn't go as planned, withrelationships and families facing extreme pressuresthat can sometimes end in violence andrelationships turning bad.

Immigrant women want to leave violent situationsbut sometimesdon't know where to go to get help,or try mainstreamsheltersonly to find their religious and cultural needs aren't beingmet or understood by staff and fellow clients.

Some evenend up goingback to abusive relationships.

"Those women, they contact us and they get help," said Aneela Azeem, president of the Canadian Pakistani Support Group, the organization behind the project, a quiet family home on a sleepy suburban street.

The group has spent the last three years setting up a transitional home for women, called Maskan,where all of their unique needs can be met while they receive the help, education and support they need in the right environment forthem.

"It's more cultural based so that comfort is there. They get halal food and different vegetarian foods and places to pray, it's safer" said Azeem.

The project is funded through private donations and fundraising drives in the community.

The provincial government is providing some funding in the form of grants to help the education side of the project, helping to prevent family violence in the first place through seminars,workshops and materials.

"We're promoting gender equality and healthy relationships, youth empowerment,teaching women how to be financially independentalong withESLclasses,"said Azeem.

"Staff will connect them with all the resources, they will try to get them financial help, housing and counselling, trying to help them move on."

The pilot project has capacity for six adults and four children who can stay for a maximum of four weeks while they work out their next step, with lots of help.

"Women empowerment is my passion. Since I have been an immigrant I clearly understand how new immigrants, even thoughthey are often highly educated, go through so many challenges," saidFarida Mhowala, project coordinator and facility manager.

"I'm really proud," said Mhowala.

Although it's been designed primarily for immigrants, any woman who needs helpfrom any background can access the home.

"The dream behind it was to help the community. In our religion it says to help others so we are trying to do our best and give back to the community," said Hatif Basharat, manager with the Canadian Pakistani Support Group.

The home just had its official opening last week and will start helping women right away.

The organization says it hopesto open more shelters like this one in other parts of the province.