How we are improving life for Bangladeshi women in Essex
For many people in Colchester, Salma Ahmed is a trusted, familiar face, one of the women working tirelessly to improve life for Bangladeshi women and families across the area.
Salma and her team meet at Community360’s headquarters, Winsley’s House on the High Street, the exact location where the group formed in 2001. It is more than a room. It is a safe, welcoming space where women can come for a conversation, practical support, and help to connect with local services.
“It has been hugely beneficial to have a relationship with Community360,” Salma says. “It helps us to support women and also to take our charity forward.”
Reaching out for help can feel daunting, especially when someone is already under pressure. In the reception area at Winsley’s House, Salma recently met with a Bangladeshi woman alongside Community360 CEO Cris Huddleston. Together, they talked through what support might help most – including ideas for accessing a laptop and other essentials to set up a home.
“At a time when someone needs it, it’s important there’s a place to reach out,” says Cris. “And importantly, that it’s within this community.”
Salma’s own story is rooted in the journeys so many British Bangladeshi families recognise. Her father and uncle migrated to England in the 1970s. Her mother joined them in the 1980s, and Salma moved to England when she was nine, arriving with her eldest sister and two younger brothers.
In her early twenties, Salma’s commitment to community work was inspired by Jahanara Loquema, Director of the Bangladeshi Women’s Association Essex. and a shared determination to improve quality of life for ethnic minority communities. She began to notice how many people were becoming socially isolated and how difficult it could be to access support, particularly when language was a barrier. Too often, services were not designed with the community in mind.
In 2001, local Bangladeshi community members in Colchester came together to identify what was needed most, and Salma helped shape what would become the Bangladeshi Women’s Association Essex (BWAE). She has been part of the Management Committee from day one and has played a key role in developing projects, supporting women, and helping the organisation grow.
Alongside her work in early years education, Salma is now a Project Officer for BWAE’s Community Ambition Programme. She is passionate about being a voice for the Bangladeshi community and strengthening representation on the issues that matter most.
Salma is also keen to acknowledge the many people who have supported BWAE over the years, helping the organisation develop into what it is today.
More recently, Salma has become a Trustee and Treasurer for Community360.
Find out more about the Bangladeshi Women’s Association Essex (BWAE)
BWAE began in 2001 when founder Jahanara Loqueman attended a local meeting about health services after seeing a leaflet at the library. She shared how her daughter had been failed by a lack of culturally sensitive support.
Inspired by her daughter’s words, “Mum, if you want to do something for the Bangladeshi community, you can,” Jahanara brought women together to discuss local needs. The first meeting took place in August 2001 at 15 Queen Street, Colchester (now Community360). The group later focused specifically on Bangladeshi women and, in 2019, became Bangladeshi Women’s Association Essex (BWAE) CIC.
Charity’s Contact details
info@bwae.co.uk
07878810779
