Islam Awareness Project – by Sylvie Belbouab

Islam Awareness Project – by Sylvie Belbouab

1 October – 30 November 2022

Preview Friday 7 October 5pm – 7pm

IAP is a project linked to the East London mosque, the main work is delivered by volunteers who support and welcome new Muslims in their faith and those interested in Islam. Very often, when a person converts to the faith, they feel isolated or even rejected by their own families, IAP aims to connect women together.

They meet every Saturday in East London mosque for a regular circle but also organise trips and conferences. In the past few months, they took groups to the seaside, lavender field and Gilwell park. During Ramadan, they prepare food and invite people to join in the break of the fast. The group is very diverse and multi-cultural.

Here is a short story about a special well-being retreat organised in June 2022. During the retreat, the women bonded through fun activities such as water sports, fire camps and games. This was captured by photographer Sylvie Belbouab, who also converted to Islam more than 20 years ago.

About Sylvie

Photographer Sylvie Belbouab is a Muslim woman who has spent more than 20 years in East London. For the past five years, she has been capturing events, activities and portraits of various women. Working with charities and community centres, she delivers photography workshops alongside her documentary work to support people to use the medium as a form of expression and improve well-being.

Instagram: @gbs10_portrait

Instagram: @stories_from_newham