Calgary’s Maskan Family Association raise funds for women’s shelter

An art auction was held as part of a fundraiser for Maskan, a shelter for women and children fleeing domestic violence. (Darren Wright, CTV News)

The Maskan Family Association, which offers shelter to women and children fleeing domestic violence, held its annual Grand Iftar Fundraiser Saturday night at the Rio Banquet Hall in northeast Calgary to help pay off its mortgage.

The organization offers shelter for any woman but is geared towards helping newcomers with unique cultural needs, said Maskan advisory board member Dr. Sameena Bajwa, in an interview with CTV News.

“It is the first shelter for women where we provide services especially catering towards the needs of immigrant people from the Muslim population,” Bajwa said.

“Women who are new to Canada find it difficult to navigate the system, to secure the help they need, and that is exactly where Maskan comes into play.”

She said the shelter, which has been open for six years, has eight beds which are always full.

“(Calgary) police contact us whenever there is a need – so over the years, it has been hundreds (of women and children)," Bajwa said.

“It has a very warm, welcoming environment and it’s cozy and women feel at home.

“There’s always at least one woman who has children who is fleeing the home,” Bajwa said.

“The shelter provides a very nice environment for those children,” she added. “We also have people who give halal food and groceries – they make sure the supply of chicken and meat is always there."

Paying off mortgage

Bajwa said the organization is raising funds to pay off its mortgage so that it can look for a bigger facility to accommodate more people.

She said there was initially resistance in her community to the venue but that fundraising has grown from $15,000 at the first fundraiser to around $100,000.

“That really speaks for itself that Maskan has provided the services which we need,” Bajwa said.

For more information about Maskan, go here.

With files from CTV’s Darren Wright