Luton, June 2024 — In a modest community centre in High Town, Luton, a group of women gather every Thursday morning. Some wear hijabs, others colourful shalwar kameez, and a few come straight from the school run with toddlers in tow. The room hums with chatter, laughter, and the sound of Urdu mixing with English. This is not just a social club — it’s part of a growing wave of community health and wellbeing initiatives being led by Pakistani women themselves.
“This is our space,” said Shabana, a mother of four who helps organise the weekly sessions. “For years, many of us stayed quiet about health issues. But now we are coming together, sharing, and finding solutions. It makes such a difference.”
Building Confidence Through Health Awareness
The initiatives range from nutrition workshops to exercise classes, and even mental health awareness discussions — areas that many women in the Pakistani community once found difficult to access.
“We talk about diabetes, blood pressure, and healthy eating in a way that everyone understands,” explained Nusrat, a volunteer who translates information into simple Urdu and Punjabi. “Doctors sometimes use difficult words. Here, women ask freely, they share their experiences, and they don’t feel judged.”
For women like Ayesha, attending has been life-changing. “I never used to leave the house on my own,” she admitted. “I was shy and didn’t think I needed exercise. Now I walk here every week, I’ve lost weight, and my confidence is better. Even my children notice the difference.”
Tackling Mental Health Stigma
Alongside physical health, these women are also breaking barriers around mental health — a subject often whispered about in the community.
“People used to say, ‘Don’t talk about depression, just pray and it will go away,’” said Rashida, who facilitates support circles. “Of course, prayer is important, but talking also helps. Women come here and realise they are not alone. That in itself is healing.”
Workshops invite professionals, but the real power lies in peer support. “When you hear another woman say she also feels anxious, you don’t feel weak anymore,” explained Iman, a young mother attending for the first time.
Generations Working Together
One of the most striking features of these initiatives is the mix of generations. Grandmothers attend alongside younger women, sharing both traditional knowledge and learning new approaches.
“My nani told us about home remedies,” laughed Samina, a university student volunteering at the centre. “She still swears by haldi doodh (turmeric milk), but she also listens when the nurse talks about modern treatments. It shows we can have both — tradition and science.”
This bridging of generations strengthens community ties and ensures that health education reaches across families.
Partnerships and Growth
The projects often collaborate with local NHS teams and charities, but leadership remains firmly in community hands. “We want this to be by us, for us,” said Shabana. “Outside help is welcome, but it must respect our culture.”
Local councillors and health workers have praised the initiatives. One NHS liaison officer described them as “a vital model for reaching communities who might otherwise miss out on important health messages.”
A Broader Impact
Beyond health, these gatherings foster solidarity. Women share recipes, child-rearing tips, and sometimes simply a cup of chai. “The friendship itself is therapy,” said Nusrat. “When women are strong, the whole family becomes strong.”
In Luton, where over a quarter of the population identifies as Pakistani or of Pakistani heritage, such initiatives are shaping the future. They show that health and wellbeing are not just medical issues, but community ones — best addressed when women take the lead.
As the Thursday session came to a close, the women tidied away cups and toys, laughing and promising to see each other next week. “We started small,” said Shabana, smiling. “But now, people are noticing. This is the power of women — quietly changing lives, one meeting at a time.”
لوٹن کے ہائی ٹاؤن کے ایک کمیونٹی سینٹر میں پاکستانی خواتین نے صحت اور فلاح و بہبود کے حوالے سے نئی روایت قائم کر دی ہے۔ ہر جمعرات کو درجنوں خواتین اکٹھی ہوتی ہیں، جہاں وہ ذیابیطس، بلڈ پریشر، غذائیت اور ذہنی صحت پر بات کرتی ہیں۔
شبانہ، جو چار بچوں کی ماں ہیں اور ان سرگرمیوں کو منظم کرنے میں مدد دیتی ہیں، کہتی ہیں:
“یہ ہماری جگہ ہے۔ پہلے ہم صحت کے مسائل پر بات کرنے سے جھجکتے تھے۔ اب ہم اکٹھے ہوتے ہیں، تجربات بانٹتے ہیں اور حل تلاش کرتے ہیں۔ اس سے بڑا فرق پڑا ہے۔”
یہ پروگرام خواتین کو اعتماد دلاتے ہیں۔ عائشہ کہتی ہیں: “میں کبھی اکیلے گھر سے نہیں نکلتی تھی۔ لیکن اب میں ہر ہفتے یہاں آتی ہوں، میرا وزن کم ہوا ہے اور اعتماد بھی بڑھ گیا ہے۔”
ذہنی صحت کے حوالے سے بھی رکاوٹیں ٹوٹ رہی ہیں۔ رشیدہ بتاتی ہیں: “پہلے کہا جاتا تھا کہ ڈپریشن کا ذکر نہ کرو، صرف دعا کرو۔ لیکن یہاں خواتین سمجھتی ہیں کہ بات چیت بھی علاج ہے۔”
یہ اجتماعات نسلوں کو جوڑتے ہیں۔ نانی کی گھریلو ٹوٹکوں کی کہانیاں اور نرس کی جدید معلومات دونوں ایک ساتھ چلتی ہیں۔ طلبہ بھی رضاکارانہ طور پر حصہ لیتے ہیں، تاکہ پیغام زیادہ سے زیادہ لوگوں تک پہنچ سکے۔
مقامی NHS اور چیریٹی ادارے تعاون کرتے ہیں، لیکن قیادت خواتین کے ہاتھ میں ہے۔ اس سے خواتین کو نہ صرف صحت کے حوالے سے فائدہ ہوتا ہے بلکہ دوستی، ہنسی خوشی اور ایک دوسرے کا سہارا بھی ملتا ہے۔
یہ چھوٹے چھوٹے اقدامات لوٹن کی پاکستانی برادری کو مضبوط کر رہے ہیں۔ جیسا کہ شبانہ نے کہا:
“ہم نے چھوٹا سا آغاز کیا، لیکن اب لوگ ہمیں پہچان رہے ہیں۔ یہ خواتین کی طاقت ہے — جو خاموشی سے زندگیاں بدل رہی ہیں۔”
