Our Story
In 1997 Mariam Bhabha, the first Chair of the Federation of Muslim Women, assembled a group of women to discuss issues pertaining to the Muslim community, specifically women and children. This small group of women decided to hold monthly Sunday meetings to discuss more of these issues in detail.
By 1998, this group of pioneering women were motivated to incorporate as The Federation of Muslim Women (FMW), as it became apparent that there was a need for an organization that was run by women for women. The intent of the group was to discuss topics in the community and to strategize ways they could make real change happen. The women came from various ethnic and national backgrounds and claimed other identities such as professor, student, homemaker, race relation’s officer, grandmother, accountant, and computer scientist.
The Board of Director’s initial aims were ambitious. They displayed a wide range of goals and objectives, which included a Muslim women’s shelter, and an education center for women and children. Due to limited resources, they had to set realistic goals. For many years, FMW worked hard at the grassroots level to educate the Muslim and mainstream communities about Muslims and to alleviate poverty. As new organizations emerged supporting Muslim women, FMW took a renewed direction focused on advocacy, education and empowerment.
FMW believes that its work is important, as it provides a voice to those who are voiceless and a face for those who are hidden. Marking 25 years in 2023, FMW is taking a specific direction with its launch of the Legacy Scholarship Program.
Over the years, FMW has been fortunate to have worked with many partners on various projects. FMW looks forward to establishing new collaborations and expanding its membership as it defines and implements its critical path for the coming years.