Attending the first ever Muslim Charities Convention!

Today saw the first ever Muslim Charities Convention come to life, and I was delighted to attend. After a day of impactful discussion, networking, and exchanging ideas, I thought I’d take the time to share my thoughts on today’s gathering of visionaries, advocates, and changemakers which was organised by the Muslim Charities Forum (MCF) . The theme of today’s event, which took place at London’s ILEC Conference Centre , was ‘the blessings of the collective’ which opened up some meaningful discussions around the impact we see when we collaborate towards shared goals.

Muslim Charities Forum (MCF) motto to Support, Connect, and Represent aligns brilliantly with my personal motives as well as our values at Penny Appeal , so it was great to see MCF share their work around fostering opportunities for collaboration between charities both within the Muslim sector and beyond. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the invigorating speeches and panel discussions about opportunities, the balance between professionalism and passions, recognising gender inequality within the sector, and sharing MCF’s commitment to supporting women in the industry.

It was great to hear from MP and Minister for Local Government, Faith and Communities, Sarah Owen, as she shared her insights and expertise on Muslim Charities?and the role of UK faith-based charities. This is something that really resonates with the work we do every day at Penny Appeal, as our commitment as a faith-based charity to consider the principles of our faith and remain transparent with our donors on every level is something we take very seriously.?

After lunch, the first panel of the day began with a discussion around challenges, opportunities, and governance, featuring some incredible panellists such as Director of Policy and Learning, Teresa Dumasy, and Islamic Relief UK Director, Tufail Hussain . I enjoyed other powerful speeches and discussions throughout the afternoon which touched on the impact of climate change, new cyber and safeguarding developments, and alternative fundraising strategies.?A segment I found particularly interesting was a discussion around raising and spending funds here in the UK compared to doing so internationally.

Support for women within the charity sector was a passion shared by all those present, and so it was great to see such value placed on celebrating the achievements of fellow women within the sector. ?

As many will know, the Muslim charity sector has been somewhat behind in electing women in senior roles. However, the turnout of women today is testament to just how far we’ve come but also a reminder of just how much work there still is for us to do, which is why conventions like this are necessary. I’m forever proud and grateful to be the first woman to become CEO of a major Muslim charity in Britain, and I’m so excited to see other charities appointing women in senior positions across the sector.

In his speech, Fadi Itani OBE , CEO of MCF, said ‘bridges are built from both sides’ when addressing the topic of support between Muslim charities and the wider charity sector, this was a very powerful statement and a reminder to us all that team work really does make the dream work. We are stronger together, and this was a feeling shared by all who attended. ?

Reflecting on my experience at the inaugural Muslim Charities Convention event, I must say that it was the sense of unity and joint passion for humanitarianism, especially in such testing times, that really moved me. It was brilliant to share a space with so many people working towards positive change through collaboration and teamwork and it was an honour to represent Penny Appeal, and I hope I did so in true orange style. I hope everyone across my network reading this can take some inspiration from the notion that through collaborative ideas, support, connections, and representation we can create a bright and hopeful future for all.