Yasmine Youssef
Yasmine Youssef is one of our Elite Members. She is the Program Director for Nisa Homes, the first transitional housing group in Canada. The organization aims to provide safety, shelter, and support to Muslim women, children, immigrants, and refugees experiencing domestic & mental abuse, poverty, and homelessness.
Her passion for social work encouraged her to join Nisa Homes in 2015. She has consistently put her efforts for the sustainable growth of the organization to help establish homes in four cities across the country. The home empowers at-risk women and children, giving hope to millions of homeless individuals.
In 2015, Nisa Homes started as volunteer-based project by the National Zakat Foundation. The primary goal was to start the shelter project for Muslim women facing domestic abuse. At the time, Youssef was part of the volunteer-run initiative. Since then, she has worked tirelessly to make this volunteer-run project into what it is today.
The initiative was taken in response to the gap between the most vulnerable and marginalized members of society. Research was conducted which reveals that there is a dire need to have a model that provides safe shelters, mental health & support services, and opportunities for Muslim women and children who have encountered homelessness, trauma, and domestic violence. The home nurtures hope, rebuilds broken lives, and gives dignity to the needy.
As part of its mission, the organization provides a comfortable, safe, and supportive environment for women and children to explore their cultural identity and directly interact with their community. The home strives to help women and children develop their sense of self and personal identity. It also allows them to feel protected and supported as they develop the tools necessary to achieve self-sustainability.
Nisa Homes have assisted thousands of women and children through its programs and services to rebuild their lives after experiencing homelessness or trauma. The registered charity organization has opened nine shelters in Canada, with the 10th located in Hamilton.
There are many stories and each story has a different aspect that touches her heart. One of her favorite stories is about a mother with eight children who were on the road side in the freezing rain of harsh Canadian winters, crying and asking for help. They didnt speak English. That night, Youssef got a call from the police department at around 10:00 pm and got to know the entire situation. She then gave Vancouvers Nisa Homes address and met the family there. The mother and her children had nothing except the clothes on their backs. Their clothes got soaked wet and cold from being outside in the rain.
At the time, Vancouvers Nisa Homes had one bedroom available, and all they had to adjust there. They made a semi-comfortable sleeping place on the floor for the children. They didnt have the clothes for the kids because they were from different age groups, so they dried off their wet clothes for the night. She decided to figure out the rest of the things next day.
According to Yasmine Youssef, a major goal of the home is to help and empower women to be able to heal from trauma, feel safe and more comfortable, and feel like they can get back on their feet without their abusers.
As a mother who is also trying to tame her enthusiastic toddler, Youssef is playing an influential role in tackling social stigmas and raising awareness about violence against women. Besides, she helps and empowers women to make them feel like they are not alone.
At CAIC, we are honored to have her on the board as our elite member and hope that she will inspire us to dedicate ourselves to help the marginalized population of our society.
