We are sending cash grants to refugee families in Lebanon who have been forced to leave their homes due to the Israeli bombardment. This will enable people in dire need to buy what they need most, be that blankets or food, medicines or nappies. You can help.

As three of the incredible films made by participants during our project ‘Film For Freedom’ are selected to be showcased at international film festivals, we celebrate this huge achievement for our filmmakers.

Reflections on ‘I Am Lysistrata’, by participant Sheila.

In July 2024, a group of courageous, hilarious and talented women seeking sanctuary in London came together to perform their own version of Aristophanes’ famous play ‘Lysistrata’. You can see our incredible cast on stage here.

Reflections on ‘I Am Lysistrata’, by participant Houda Fansa Jawadi.

We are so excited to announce that Makani has been awarded Arts Council funding for our refugee-led theatre project ‘The Women’s Strike: A Refugee Lysistrata’.

Jouhayna was one of ten refugee women who took part in our project ‘Film For Freedom’. Watch her film, a story of her own transformation, here.

“My name is Ahlam, it means “dreams”. For me Makani represents a dream being woven together, like the crochet threads I work with, building a new home, a new life.” Our artisan Ahlam shares her story of divorce, displacement and making dreams come true.

One young woman’s uplifting story of losing her home and education, of early marriage and motherhood, and then turning her life around.

Watch ‘Mira’s Eyes’, a beautiful film by Mona Fattali as part of our project ‘Film For Freedom’. Mona’s film explores how work has helped her find strength, despite all that she has suffered.

With Choose Love’s support, we have collaborated with Studio Kunukku to teach ten Syrian refugee women living in Beirut the craft of block-printing, helping to preserve this traditional under threat and providing employment for vulnerable women.

Through The Dream Project, women like Worrod are being supported to fulfil the career dreams they have been denied due to war and gender oppression.

We are so excited to announce that we have received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund for our project ‘The Women’s Strike: A Refugee Lysistrata’.

The incredible generosity of Makani’s supporters meant that 116 Syrian refugee children living in Lebanon’s camps, whose parents couldn’t afford basic school supplies, could go to school.

Khouloud works with Oshana, which provides craft therapy, community, and financial independence for Syrian and Palestinian refugee women, through the creation and sale of handcrafts.

Displaced women from all over the world shared a stage with award-winning actor Sinead Cusack and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Waad alKhateab, in ‘Film for Freedom’, an evening of film, theatre and conversation in the stunning surroundings of west London’s Leighton House.

Listen to our founders talk to Kait Borsay on Times Radio about Makani, theatre and filmmaking with refugee women.

On the tenth anniversary of the uprising in Syria, our social enterprise project Oshana was featured in this special report, by Waad al-Kateab.

Reflections on a week of theatre workshops, by Niveen.