Humanitarian organisation co-founder and women empowerment activist, Zohra Ismail Sooliman, was recently honoured at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s graduation ceremony for her achievement of a Masters in Social Science which she obtained following her research on the experiences of Muslim women in polygamous marriages in Durban and its surrounds.
Despite her and her husband’s, Imtiaz Sooliman, commitment to providing relief where it’s needed the most, Ismail Sooliman has also been an advocate for women in dependence and education, continuously encouraging women to pursue their talents and abilities. “We must use our abilities and skills to contribute to the communities we come from to make a difference in their lives,” she said.
Ismail Sooliman has been at the forefront of the Gift of the Givers foundation alongside her husband since it was founded in 1992; also raising her children, four daughters and son, and in the early stages of her marriage had to be the anchor of her family while her husband flew to war zones to deliver aid to those who needed it the most.
She said that after seeing women in polygamous marriages distraught and broken by their husbands taking on a second or subsequent wife, she started a counselling service called the Gift of the Givers Care-line Counselling Service which offers women face-to-face counselling free of charge. This service has grown immensely and is also available telephonically.
“I hoped that by gathering the experience of women who are in such situations for my masters research, I could create awareness in society, particularly amongst men and religious leaders. People will understand and be compassionate towards women who are going through such relationships. It will provide education to them and the communities they come from,” she said.
She advised learners in school and students in university to work hard, be disciplined, determined and keep focused on the end goal. She said she is grateful to her support system of family, friends, work colleagues and her supervisor. Ismail Sooliman plans to continue her work with Gift of the Givers and encourages the public to do and be good, always. Attending her graduation was her husband and daughter who are very proud of Ismail Sooliman’s achievement.
