Making a splash at the European Parliament!

sarah — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:13:16 +0100

Shabana Abdool shares her experiences of lobbying the European Parliament on the EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement which causes vast environmental damage in north-west Africa...

If you look on a world map, the small, zigzagged area of land situated on the western coastline of North Africa can be easily overlooked, just as easily as many fail to realise that this strip of desert remains to this day, as the last colony of Africa. I, like many others knew nothing of the occupied territor...

I want to make a difference!

sarah — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:46:35 +0100

Nishaat Ismail shares why she has decided to volunteer for MADE in Europe...

As I sat in my living room last Ramadan watching a fundraising appeal on TV, it came to me that surely there is more that I can do as a young Muslim than merely donating some money through a channel. I thought about all the people that went out on the streets during the month of Ramadan with buckets trying to raise money; sadly there are many people who get annoyed with fundraisers that are doing street colle...

Inspired to campaign

sarah — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:22:42 +0100

Sadiqa Jabbar shares her thoughts on the recent global poverty campaign training MADE in Europe ran in partnership with FOSIS.

One of the objectives I had for the weekend campaign training workshop was to enhance my current skills set whilst also developing new ones such as actively taking part in discussions and exploring the concept of campaigning. Of course I will always hold my strong opinions and ideas about things, but unfortunately these remain just that, opinions and ideas; ...

Climate Change talks – did anything actually happen?

sarah — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:54:14 +0100

MADE in Europe volunteer Abi Lee-Carter sums up the outcomes of the recent climate change talks which took place in Durban.

Last week marked the prolonged, somewhat drawn out end to the Durban Climate Conference aka COP17. If it all seems a bit complicated, then read on because we at MADE in Europe have decided to provide you with an abridged version of the COP17’s shenanigans. Don’t worry, there’s no need to thank us, it’s the least we could do!

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Children's messages of love

sarah — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:58:57 +0100

Wasim Mir, one of the 2011 Bosnia: The Journey volunteers ran an assembly at Palmers Green Madrasah...

Volunteering with MADE in Europe certainly has its perks and on November 26th I was given the intriguing task of engaging 60 young students aged between 5 and 16 from a Saturday School in Palmers Green Mosque, North London. My objective was to update them on the project we undertook in Bosnia earlier in 2011 and raise general awareness of the plight of the Bosnian people.

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My mother is my rock

Nadeem Javaid — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:07:33 +0100

MADE in Europe Project Officer Sadia Kidwai interviewed Shaynul Khan, Assistant Executive Director at London Muslim Centre, about why he’s At Our Mothers’ Feet. London Muslim Centre is the first mosque to host the At Our Mothers’ Feet exhibtion, which will be up in the foyer until 9 December

To the untrained eye, Shaynul Khan might just seem like another young Muslim activist – bursting with energy, and frequenting all the usual Muslim community events. But anyone who has been invo...

Got any plans for 28 November?

sarah — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:58:22 +0100

You may well have decided to stay in, feet up with remote control in hand, but while you do, the 195 governments that make up the Conference of Parties (COP), plus international charities and organisations will be meeting to discuss the problem of climate change of our planet.

It’s that time of year again and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) prepares to hold its 17th annual Conference of Parties (COP17). This year COP17 delegates are heading to the...

Toolkit time! Have we made a difference?

sarah — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:25:06 +0100

MADE in Europe intern Tamanna Ali shares her thoughts on MADE in Europe's recently launched Campaign Toolkit

On the 1st of November, I was privileged to attend the Islam in Action: Ultimate Campaign Toolkit launch, in the House of Lords. This was an exciting opportunity for me not only to come to the House of Lords for the first time but to be inspired by a room full of buzzing people and listen to three of MADE in Europe’s campaigners speak about their experiences.

Amaz...

Beautiful people. Beautiful country

Nadeem Javaid — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:08:02 +0100

2011 Bosnia & Herzegovina: The Journey volunteer Tabassam Hameed shares his thoughts on why you just can't miss next year's programme!

Before being immersed in its universe, I had an expectation that living in Bosnia would have a transformative impact on my life. I was aching to escape the confines of an everyday, repetitive, life-sapping existence; and so when the opportunity to volunteer in Bosnia came up, I felt instinctively that this was the time and this was the place.

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You don’t need to be a superhero to save our planet!

sarah — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:42:42 +0100

Rida Hisan, age 16 from the Eat of the Good Things project talks about taking part in her first ever publicity stunt!

Publicity stunt? Seems fun, shouldn't be that hard. That was my first thought. I guess I can be forgiven seeing as I've never been to, seen or taken part in one. So on Sunday, the 'Eat of the Good Things' gang met up in the London Muslim Centre. At midday we were all ready. The placards were ready and looked wonderful. The film crew were ready and our superheroes,...

'Walden' and Willowbrook

sarah — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:04:36 +0100

Zaynab Abdullah from the Eat of the Good Things project talks about their trip to Willowbrook, a halal organic farm in Oxford...

An efficient and valuable man does what he can, whether the community pay him for it or not.’ This was said by Henry David Thoreau. I quote him, because my choice of reading seems to be in perfect sync with the activities in my life. On Saturday, on a trip to Willowbrook Farm in Oxford with the EGT crew, I had been reading Thoreau’s ‘Walden’. It is an acco...

MADE Ramadan competition results!

sarah — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:13:30 +0100

You may remember about 2 months ago the MADE in Europe staff engaged in a fierce, knuckle baring, blood and guts battle to see who could be the Most Ethical of Them All.

Okay, maybe not quite.

We had a small scale and sedate staff competition running throughout the month of Ramadan. This holy month of abstinence and change seemed the perfect time to instil some good habits into our daily routines. Staff members pledged to give up the excesses which are typical of London life...

A thought for animal welfare

sarah — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:00:38 +0100

After a very productive (and exhausting) day at Spitalfields City Farm on Saturday, Sunday was an opportunity to take a break from farming and focus more on campaigning workshops. We spent the day at the London Muslim Centre in Whitechapel, at MADE in Europe’s HQ offices.

A 10am arrival at the LMC ensured we had enough time to get through everything planned for the day. After we got there, we waited a few minutes for others to arrive, and then got straight into the nitty gritty stuf...

Stories of Somalia

sarah — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:48:02 +0100

Hanna Abdi, an Ultimate Campaigner runs a workshop for women from her local Somali community about global maternal health as part of the At Our Mothers' Feet campaign...

Saturday the 3rd September was written in my diary, and as the days grew closer my nerves began to increase. I was planning to do an event for the local Somali women in my community about maternal health issues, and having never done an event before, it was safe to say I was scared! However with Somalia having o...

Campaigning for a Re:balanced food system

sarah — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 08:21:53 +0100

One of MADE in Europe's Ultimate Campaigners, Anisa Ather shares her experiences of campaigning over the summer around issues of food justice...

As part of the Ultimate Campaigner programme, myself, Zarreen, Abdul Aziz and Hassan chose to use Oxfam’s GROW campaign as inspiration for our own campaign about the imbalanced global food system. After several meetings, we worked out the concept, the design and identified 3 ways in which people can take action. Re:balance was launched!

Making a difference

Nadeem Javaid — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 14:51:15 +0100

The days during this Ramadan is set to be my longest yet. Approximately 18 hours and 24 minutes long. No food. No water. During the summer month of August. But whilst many maybe dreading the lack of food; I cannot help but consider myself lucky. I know that at the end of the day I will be blessed with a feast that many of us expect to have after a long day of fasting. But what about those that don’t even have the means to break their fast with a date?

The crisis in east Af...

MADE in Europe's Ramadan pledges!

sarah — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:48:47 +0100

The month of Ramadan is well underway. Halfway in, almost 2 billion Muslims around the world are undergoing journeys of deep spiritual, emotional and physical change. In the blistering (or rather, slightly damp) heat of the British summer, British Muslims are exercising the ultimate sacrifice by abstaining from refreshing drinks or nourishing food to sustain us through the long, stuffy days.

Ramadan is intimately connected to the notion of change, especially our ability to change ours...

Ramadan, a time for fasting, a time for self-reflection, a time for change.

sarah — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 08:12:00 +0100

MADE in Europe intern Sabiha Teladia reflects on the experiences of other communities around the world this Ramadan...

Fasting in British summer is not an easy feat; 19 or so hours without being able to eat and drink whilst working, travelling and going about the normal business. With only 5 hours during the night to eat, relax and pray taraweeh – the recommended extra prayers conducted by Muhammad, peace be upon him, which takes about an hour or so - Ramadan can be physically demandi...

A day at the farm

sarah — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:19:42 +0100

Aside from my usual 16-year-old summer activities of sleeping far too much, spending unhealthy amounts of time on the internet, and going out with friends, on Saturday 30th July I was off to Spitalfields City Farm in East London for the launch of a new and exciting project called ‘Eat of The Good Things’ run by MADE in Europe.

‘Eat of The Good Things’ is taken from the Qur’anic verse of: “Oh you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you and be grateful to All...

Africa's latest crisis: what's the story?

sarah — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 09:46:01 +0100

The famine in the Horn of Africa is worsening each day as thousands of refugees are starving to death in the scorching heat. Many aid agencies are already raising funds and aid as the African Union estimates that $1bn is needed to help the victims in Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia as well as neighbouring countries.

Throughout history the Horn of Africa has been beset with famine, drought and endless conflict and instability and our communities in the developed world are used to don...

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