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HISTORY

Niswa was established in 1990 to provide resources, information and support for the growing number of Muslim families in Southern California. Niswa, which means “women in community” in Arabic, is a 501(c) (3) community-based, social service agency based in Harbor City, California that works toward the well-being of South Asian, Afghan, and Middle Eastern immigrant women.

Although South Asians, mainly from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, began arriving in the United States around 1965, the population grew in the 1980s due to the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, which eased entry into the US for family members and low-skill laborers. California became the preferred destination for most of the recent immigrants, followed closely by New York, New Jersey and Illinois (US Census). Between them, the newcomers spoke 15 different languages, each with varying dialects, and practiced different religions, mainly Hinduism and Islam. There were no community-based organizations in Southern California working with the South Asian population and organizations that served the larger Asian Pacific/Islander community lacked the cultural and linguistic capabilities to reach diverse South Asian groups. It was during this time that Dr. Shamim Ibrahim, a psychologist and counselor with the L.A. Unified School District, began to receive phone calls from local women’s domestic violence shelters to translate for South Asian clients seeking services. Interpreting for South Asian women and families exposed enormous health disparities and gaps in linguistically and culturally appropriate services for new immigrant families, especially Muslim women who tend to come from very traditional and conventional environments. Based on this information, Dr. Shamim Ibrahim, along with a small group of committed individuals, created Niswa.