A POPULAR cafe has teamed up with a community group to provide Bradford women the opportunity to get together and discuss important topics over tea as a way of empowering women and building their self-confidence.
Kunafa Tea cafe on Thornton Road has joined forces with the Muslim Women’s Council to hold a ‘Ladies Tea & Chat’ afternoon every Wednesday.
The programme launched in September and has seen Muslim women of different backgrounds coming together to socialise, eat good food, and voice their opinions on a range of topics.
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Sumaia Sabouni from Kunafa Tea said: “We developed the idea with the Muslim Women’s Council and wanted to bring women together.
“During 12-2.30pm on Wednesday, the café is closed for the event as it is for females only.
“At Kunafa Tea we’re always thinking about what we can do to give back to the community and we felt there was a need for something for Muslim women."
Each week a speaker is brought in to talk about a specific topic. Afterwards, the women debate, share their opinions and discuss the issue.
The restaurant tables are moved into a circle to allow discussion and debate.
Topics such as the environment and what needs to be done as custodians of the earth have been discussed, as well as gut health, grief, and fitness.
The sessions are held during school time, so more women are available to attend and partake in the sessions.
Each session costs £5 for two and half hours of debate, socialising and food made in the cafe.
“While the talk is happening, we are preparing the food, we start off with tea, then starters, mains, and dessert," said Sumaia.
“It’s a really good way to empower women and provide a safe space for them to share their opinions and talk about important topics openly, but it’s also about enjoying yourself and having fun.”
This is an ongoing project and will continue through next year.
Sumaia added:“We’ve had a good turnout so it means people are interested and that there is a need for this kind of work.”
Bana Gora, Chief Executive of Muslim Women's Council said: "We have found the tea and chat sessions to be extremely popular, not just with local women but those from across Yorkshire.
“These events have proven to be much-needed post-Covid, bringing women out of their homes engaging with subjects relevant to themselves and their communities.
“We firmly believe that new migrant businesses such as Kunafa Tea need as much support as possible, especially in this current climate.
"We will be launching sessions in the evening and for the elderly early in the New Year."
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