S.I.S.T.E.R.S News

SISTERS announces 2011 Scholarships

2010-12-04T18:38:00.000-08:00

In an effort to highlight the academic and civic achievements of young Muslim women in the DC Metropolitan Area, S.I.S.T.E.R.S initiated this scholarship in 2007. S.I.S.T.E.R.S aims to recognize and assist deserving students to achieve their higher education goals.

All applications must be received by March 31, 2011. Click here for the application with instructions as to how to apply for this scholarship. If you have further questions, do not hesitate to contact us at sistersinformation@gmail.com. You will notified only if you are chosen to receive the scholarship.

Hijab: More Than A Headscarf

2010-11-19T14:11:00.000-08:00

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

Sisters in Solidarity to Educate, Respond & Serve (SISTERS)

PRESENTS
Hijab: More Than a Headscarf

A Modesty Workshop for our young Muslimah

(ages 13 -24)

1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

CAIR

453 New Jersey Avenue SE

Washington, DC 20003

Discussion on the inner & outer characteristics of hijab
Know your rights at school & on the job
Demonstration on the various ways to wear hijab
A Picture of Modesty
(Showcase of Modest Attire)
Hijab Swap
Ice Breakers
Giveaways!!!!

Support Our Sisters Expo

2010-08-11T07:24:00.000-07:00

The first annual Support Our Sisters Expo took place at ADAMS Center in Sterling, VA this past Saturday. According to the event’s organizers, Sisters in Solidarity to Educate, Respond & Serve (SISTERS), the goal was to showcase the efforts of some of our local Muslim businesswomen. “We intentionally kept table rental price low [only $25] because this wasn’t about raising money as much as it was about promoting women-owned and operated businesses” Laurie Jaghlit, SISTERS’ Chairwoman explained. “Just within our small organization we have women doing remarkable things and we knew if we reached out to the local communities, we would find more of the same…and we did.”

Even though the temperatures outside reached over 100 degrees, a steady stream of shoppers filled the bazaar area. The vendors included those selling clothing, hijabs, jewelry, skin products, magazines, toys and an array of delicious delicacies at the SISTERS bake sale tables. Several businesses offering services were also represented including a real estate agent, a Quran school, and home health services. Two new area businesses were also in attendance; the Nur Café, a Center for Art, Fitness and Enrichment (CAFÉ) scheduled to open in September, 2010 in Falls Church, VA as well as a wellness studio and boutique located in the Tyson’s area. Hip Muslim Mommas, an organization for young mothers/families was another group present at the Expo. They have a network of young Muslim families in the Fairfax/Loudoun County areas who offer organized playgroups, mom’s night out and other events aimed at young families.

Along with the bazaar, the Expo offered several business-related workshops. Sr Inayat Sahin presented a workshop entitled, Turning your Passion into a Business. She shared with the attendees how she took her love for the environment and all that is green and turned it into her business, Beyond Green Living, a consulting company that teaches families how to “go green.” The room listened intently to Sr. Zainab Alwani expound on the lives and works of famous Muslim businesswomen throughout history. From some of the wives of the Prophet (pbuh) to various waqfs (endowments) set up and maintained by Muslim women, the audience learned how women run businesses were not only allowed, but also played a vital role in the development of the early Muslim communities. Finally, Sr Nadhira Al Khalili, staff attorney for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) presented a “Know your Rights” workshop focusing on issues concerning women in the American workplace.

“The event was well received by the community and we look forward to doing it again in the future,” said Laurie Jaghlit. If you have a woman-owned business or organization and would like to be contacted about future SISTERS Expos, please email your contact information to sistersinformation@gmail.com. Please include the type of business/organization as well as a phone number.

SISTERS 4th Annual Tea: Success and Scholarship

2010-05-21T07:09:00.000-07:00

By Laila Shaheen

Women’s empowerment and the means to achieve it were highlighted between sips of fragrant teas and cucumber sandwiches at the Sisters in Solidarity to Educate, Respond and Serve fourth annual fundraising tea last month at the Dar al Noor mosque in Manassas, Va. More than 80 ladies were in attendance as SISTERS honored the efforts of Karamah, an organization of Muslim Women lawyers dedicated to human rights.

Susan Riker, the development director explained Karamah’s goals.

“The program believes in the empowerment of Muslim women within their own spiritual and cultural contexts. In its judgment, only this approach will enable women to address and successfully eradicate the social ills in their communities,” Riker said. “For this reason, KARAMAH seeks to develop a comprehensive, just, and thoughtful Islamic jurisprudence, which takes into account the current concerns of Muslim women worldwide. To this end, KARAMAH has rooted its work in the best of the classical Islamic jurisprudential tradition.”

Karamah (which means, “dignity”) strives to achieve their goals through education and scholarship, with a focus on Islamic law and leadership development. Members of the group publish research papers, host lecture series and conduct seminars on various issues facing Muslim women globally. They also participate in various human rights and peace initiatives. Recently they hosted a lecture on the impact of Islamic law on global development.

One of their most intense programs is the law and leadership summer program. It is held each year in Washington D.C. and in Brussels. The program brings together more than two dozen participants from across the globe. The program’s goal is “to develop a global network and grassroots movement of Muslim women leaders so that they may share ideas, expertise and knowledge to collectively create beneficial change in their communities and countries. Women leave the workshop equipped with the legal tools they need to articulate their rights within their own religious and cultural contexts, as well as the leadership and conflict resolution skills needed to negotiate change using non-confrontational methods.,” Karamah’s communications officer Jina Hassan explained.

“The days were packed with inspirational lectures and a wealth of information," said Farhana Shah, who attended the camp in 2006.

Shah was most impressed by the message of the program. “Besides the laws and legalities information, it teaches humility. Unlike western feminists who like to throw a "gotcha" with their facts, Karamah's leadership program says,’ here is the evidence, but be gentle when using it; you don't want to demean anyone.’ This is the way of the Quran.”

This was a message repeated by fellow guest speaker and the summer program’s coordinator, lawyer Mais Abousy. She reiterated the importance of remembering who your audience is when discussing Islam and to be sensitive of that in the delivery of your message.

Many of the attendees were not familiar with the group’s work. SISTERS’ member, Laura Brown was impressed by what she heard. “This year's highlighted cause, Karamah, was an organization with which I had no familiarity, but after hearing about the incredible work that they do, I was motivated to give a donation.”

Afterwards, the guests were encouraged to donate to help sponsor one participant to the summer program which typically costs $2,500-$4000. To date, more than half of the money has been raised. Insha’Allah, if SISTERS can raise enough money, Karamah has agreed to recognize SISTERS by designating a “SISTERS Fellow” for the summer program. Donations will be accepted until the end of May via paypal on SISTERS website, www.sistersinsolidarity.com or can be mailed to SISTERS.

Donations of business attire were also collected during the tea for the non-profit group Dress for Success. The program provides clothing as well as career tools to women transitioning to the workforce. This collection will continue through May 15th.

SISTERS also awarded their annual scholarships to three very deserving students:

High School Senior winner: Firdoos Mukati from George Mason High School in Falls Church, Va;
College winner: Sumaya Sahin from Prince Georges Community College, Largo, Md;
Graduate winner: Tahmina Ahmad from George Washington University.

As in the previous years, this year’s tea was another success of sisterhood. Al l the guests enjoyed it with many remarking how they now look forward to the annual event.

“Everyone was friendly and warm and I was glad to meet so many lovely sisters with whom I may have otherwise not had the privilege to cross paths,” described Cecilia Hanna, who hopes to attend the event next year. “I love the atmosphere of the teas - a beautiful setting where my lovely sisters push me to know more and do more for our community,” added Laura Brown.

Upcoming events for SISTERS include the Spring Garage Sale on May 15, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on June 5 and the Ramadan Soup Swap.

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Scholarship Winners

2010-04-23T12:36:00.000-07:00

S.I.S.T.E.R.S is pleased to announce the winners of the 2010 scholarships:

The High School winner is Firdoos Mukati from George Mason High School in Falls Church, VA
The College winner is Sumaya Sahin from Prince Georges Community College, Largo MD
The Graduate winner is Tahmina Ahmad who attends George Washingtoin University, DC

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Announces Annual Scholarship for 2010

2009-11-21T15:33:00.000-08:00

In an effort to highlight the academic and civic achievements of young Muslim women in the DC Metropolitan Area, S.I.S.T.E.R.S initiated this scholarship program in 2007. S.I.S.T.E.R.S aims to recognize and assist deserving students to achieve their higher education goals. This year, a one thousand dollar scholarship will be awarded to THREE of the most qualified applicants. One $1000.00 scholarship will be awarded to a high school senior, one to a current undergraduate college student (a student with 12+ credit hours), and one to a sister currently in graduate school (a student with 9+ credit hours). In order to be considered for this award, all applicants are required to meet the following eligibility guidelines:

Be a Muslim female.
Be a D.C. Metropolitan Resident (D.C., Maryland, Virginia)
Currently be enrolled in or accepted to a 2 or 4 year community college, university or graduate school.
For undergraduate category, must be between 17-25 years old.
Have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or better.
Demonstrate an active participation in community service work.
Submit a grade transcript.
Complete a short essay component.
Submit a letter of recommendation.

All applications must be postmarked by March 31, 2010. Click here for the application with instructions as to how to apply for this scholarship. If you have further questions, do not hesitate to contact us at sistersinformation@gmail.com. You will notified only if you are chosen to receive the scholarship. Winner will be announced at our S.I.S.T.E.R.S Tea in April 2010.

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Annual Tea Honors Muslimat Al Nisaa Shelter

2009-03-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

by Laila Shaheen

The following article first appeared in Muslim Link.

Domestic violence is a reality in 10 percent of the homes in the United States regardless of ethnicity, socio-economic status or education. That number includes those living in Muslim homes. Often times, women in abusive relationships who decide to leave will end up homeless. The hard economic crisis that we currently face is another factor in the increasing numbers of homeless women in the US. And again, this includes Muslim women.

On March 14th, Sisters in Solidarity to Educate, Respond & Serve (S.I.S.T.E.R.S) held their 3rd Annual Tea, where they honored one woman who has worked diligently to help alleviate the suffering of Muslim women who find themselves suddenly homeless. Sister Asma Hanif, operates a women’s shelter and clinic, Muslimat Al Nisaa, in the Baltimore area. The shelter offers a safe haven to Muslim women and children. While the concept and dream of opening the shelter was initially that of our late sister, Maryam Funches, Asma has carried on with her dream of her dear friend.

"We don't just provide a home but also services to help [sisters] thrive in this community," explained Hanif. Hanif spelled out how difficult it is to maintain a facility solely for Muslim women, because doing so prevents them from receiving any government grant money. "It's a poor business situation because we can only rely on the Muslim community to keep the doors open. But the sisters who come here are in a vulnerable state and see the shelter as a safe place.” During the question and answer portion of the presentation, Hanif was asked if she thought about opening the shelter to non-Muslims as a form of dawah. While she had considered it at one time, she pointed out that for every non-Muslim she accepted in, she would have to turn away a Muslim sister thus forcing her into a non-Muslim shelter system where her needs may not be met."
Each year, SISTERS honors and highlights the achievement of an organization or a person who is committed to empowering women. Past honorees include Women for Women International, an organization dedicated to helping women in war torn areas rebuild their lives and also, Azizah magazine one of the first magazines focusing on issues that concern Muslim women. This year’s focus centered on domestic violence and homelessness in the Muslim community. This important topic is often times ignored and even down played by community leaders but has recently returned to the forefront of discussion with the horrific death Aasiya Hassan earlier this month by her estranged husband and founder of Bridges TV, Muzzammil Hassan.

As the Tea continued, the issue of domestic violence was further discussed in a presentation by Sister Bonita McGee from the Peaceful Families Project, the only national organization committed to ending domestic violence in Muslim families.

"Abuse is about power and control and the belief that the abuser has a right to do it," explained McGee, a family therapist who has spent much of her career spreading awareness of domestic violence among Muslim leaders. "It is a pattern of behavior that happens again and again. There is a cycle to it." She described five types of abuse - the most common being physical and emotional abuse. However, McGee also went into detail on the lesser talked about forms including financial, spiritual and sexual abuse. She explained that Islam vehemently opposes any form of oppression and since domestic violence uses humiliation, cruelty and brutality to keep a person down, it is explicitly deemed unacceptable.

Some of the attendees were shocked by what they learned at the luncheon. "I had never heard of it," remarked Alexandria resident Halima Maknass, who was attending her first SISTERS event. "I never knew that Muslim women were abused." Others believed the issue is hidden for specific reasons. "I think [domestic violence] goes unnoticed because women who are victims of abuse are often not given the support and encouragement they need," said Saman Hussain.
Hanif and McGee are trying to change that.

During the course of the luncheon, while sipping flavorful teas and nibbling finger foods, the attendees raised more than $1,300 thus exceeding the goal which was to provide the shelter with land line phone and internet service for at least one year. “As Sr. Asma pointed out, the shelter depends solely on the support of the Muslim community, and SISTERS wanted to do our part.” said SISTERS Chair, Laurie Jaghlit. The luncheon was also an opportunity to meet new friends, strengthen sisterhood and network with like-minded women. "It was a fabulous lunch and I got a chance to meet more sisters and see what they all do," stated Sarah Ahmad at the close of the event.

Couponing for a Cause: S.I.S.T.E.R.S Blessings in Bargains Workshop

2009-03-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

by Laila Shaheen

The following article first appeared in Muslim Link.

During these tough economic times when a paycheck doesn’t seem to stretch as far as it once did, SISTERS (Sisters In Solidarity To Educate Respond and Serve) hosted a timely seminar on couponing at Dar-al-Hijrah. Women from across the region filled the room, eager to learn how they might save on their family’s grocery bill.

“Your savings will astound and inspire you and others,” declared Laurie Jaghlit who
conducted the seminar. Using the example of a sister who was able to pay off her car early with the money she saved using coupons, Laurie highlighted some other benefits of couponing. “I have been able to triple what I normally would be able to donate to food shelves using coupons,” stated Jaghlit. Her exuberance over her savings seemed to catch on with many of the ladies who asked poignant questions about the strategies used to maximize savings.

The Blessings in Bargains Workshop was developed for two main reasons: To help sisters learn how to save money, as well as how to use some of their savings to help others by donating to local food banks.

The workshop detailed how to start the couponing process and effectively continue it to where it would become second nature to the shopper. Coupons are found in newspapers, mailers, online, on packages and at the grocery store. If the Sunday paper has more than one manufacture coupon insert, you might even want to buy multiple papers.

Once you have collected all the coupons, the trick is to find a way to organize them in a way that works for you. Laurie showed how she stacks all the same coupons, staples them together, cuts them, and uses several accordion files to store them. Amina Rubin, another couponing sister, showed how she files the inserts, dates them and then only cuts her coupons when she has matched them to a particular store or sale. Amina also explained how to shop at CVS and collect “extra care bucks” and shop with rebates at Rite Aid. She proudly held up her CVS receipt showing that through the course of last year she only spent $60 on over $1500 in purchases.

Once the coupons have been collected and organized, the next step is to shop; but to shop wisely. “Coupons work best if you can tie them to another deal, such as sale items or when the grocery store is doubling or tripling the value of coupons,” explained Laurie.
She then pointed to the tables displaying food and toiletries. “Everything we have here was either purchased for just pennies or was free.” The over 350 items on the tables were collected by four couponing sisters during the last two weeks. Workshop attendees were asked to bring food donations that were added to the SISTERS’ tables, all of which were then donated to Dar al-Hijrah’s food bank. The food bank has seen an approximate 50% increase in applicants of over the past year and the workshop made it clear that using coupons is an affordable and easy way to help stock local food shelves.

SISTERS has also set up a blog at http://www.blessingsinbargains.com to inform shoppers as to where the hot deals are in metro area. Anyone interested in receiving email alerts can sign up on the blog.

The enthusiasm of the sisters continued after the seminar when they decided to form a coupon club to swap coupons and advice. “Savings will be my motivation,” promises Sister Khudija Ilyas a workshop participant. “I feel like I’m paying too much these days for the same products, so I’ll give it a try.” She says her first step will be to buy the Sunday paper. The newly formed coupon club will meet once a month at Dar al Hijrah and focus on saving money, and also serve as a continuing donation source for the food bank, insha’Allah.

If your community is interested in hosting the Blessings in Bargains Workshop or you would like to join SISTERS and the coupon club, please contact SISTERS at sistersinformation@gmail.com.

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Announces Annual Scholarship for 2009

2008-11-13T09:28:00.000-08:00

In an effort to highlight the academic and civic achievements of young Muslim women in the DC Metropolitan Area, S.I.S.T.E.R.S initiated this scholarship in 2007. S.I.S.T.E.R.S aims to recognize and assist deserving students to achieve their higher education goals. This year, a one thousand dollar scholarship will be awarded to a high school senior and one to a current college student. In order to be considered for this award, all applicants are required to meet the following eligibility guidelines:

Be a Muslim female between the ages of 17-24 years old.
Currently be enrolled in or accepted to a 2 or 4 year college/university.
Have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or better.
Demonstrate an active participation in community service work.
Submit a grade transcript.
Complete a short essay component.
Submit a letter of recommendation.

All applications must be postmarked by February 28, 2009. Click here for the application with instructions as to how to apply for this scholarship. If you have further questions, do not hesitate to contact us at sistersinformation@gmail.com. You will notified only if you are chosen to receive the scholarship. Winner will be announced by March 28, 2009.

Help S.I.S.T.E.R.S Continue to Give

2008-04-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

If you would like to help S.I.S.T.E.R.S continue to support fellow sisters through the Scholarship Fund, please don't hesitate to make a donation today!

SISTERS Announces 2008 Scholarship Winners

2008-04-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

This year, SISTERS received applications from many highly qualified young women for our annual scholarship making the final decisions quite difficult. However, the Scholarship Committee came up with their unanimous decisions. The winners this year are Sanam Shahid (H.S) from South Riding, VA and Uzma Ahmed (College) from Ellicott City, MD. Congratulations and best of luck to both girls!

Sanam is a high school senior attending Freedom High School. She has a GPA of over 4.0 and has maintained that standard all through high school, masha’Allah. She has a true activist spirit and has taken the initiative in organizing fundraisers for many worthy causes. She has received the Excellence in Academic and AP Scholar Awards. She plans to study biology. Read her essay here.

Uzma is currently enrolled in the Fast Track Drexel Medical School Program at Rosemont College where she maintains an impressive GPA. She is President of her MSA and a member of the National Honor Society. Her volunteer activities range from helping people with disabilities to working as an intern at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. Read her essay here.

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Announces $1000.00 Scholarship For Sisters

2008-01-07T13:34:00.001-08:00

In an effort to highlight the academic and civic achievements of young Muslim women in the DC Metropolitan Area, S.I.S.T.E.R.S initiated this scholarship program in 2008. S.I.S.T.E.R.S aims to recognize and assist deserving students to achieve their higher education goals. This year, two one thousand dollar scholarships will be awarded to the most deserving applicants. In order to be considered for this award, all applicants are required to meet the following eligibility guidelines. You must:

Be a Muslim female between the ages of 17-22 years old.
Currently be enrolled in or accepted to a 2 or 4 year college/university program.
Have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or better.
Demonstrate an active participation in community service work.
Complete a short essay component.
Submit a letter of recommendation.
Submit a copy of grade transcript.

Click here for the application with the instructions as to how to apply for this scholarship. If you have further questions, do not hesitate to contact us at sistersinformation@gmail.com. You will be notified only if you are chosen to receive the scholarship. The winners will be announced by April 18, 2008.

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Races for the Cure

2007-08-09T06:23:00.000-07:00

In conjunction with CAIR, S.I.S.T.E.R.S participated in the Susan G. Komen National Race for the Cure on June 2, 2007. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the Race for th e Cure, which promotes breast cancer awareness and raises millions to help find a cure.

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Announces 2007 Scholarship Winners!

2007-05-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

Sisters in Solidarity to Educate, Respond & Serve (S.I.S.T.E.R.S) received a large number of scholarship applications from a wide range of extremely talented and devoted young Muslim women. We thank all who submitted applications. Initially, we planned on awarding one scholarship to the top student, however, since we received so many quality applications, we decided to award two $1000.00 scholarships this year. We therefore are awarding one scholarship to a high school senior and one to a current college student. We are pleased to announce that the winner of the high school senior scholarship is Salihah Met (Herndon High School) and the winner of the college student scholarship is Saman Hussain (University of Virginia).

Salihah is an accomplished high school senior attending Herndon High School. She is a member of the National Honor Society and an active member of the Herndon High School Step Team. She participates in numerous community service activities including food drives for the needy in the area as well as tutoring. The touching essay she submitted connected life lessons she has learned from her mentally handicapped cousin and how her cousin in many ways, reflects the characteristics of great women in Islamic history including Aisha, Fatimah and Zainab bint Jash.

Saman Hussain, a Fairfax resident, currently attends the University of Virginia and will graduate with a double major in foreign affairs and religious studies. Saman, along with an impressive GPA, has maintained an equally impressive extracurricular life. She is an active member in the MSA, Students Educating and Empowering for Diversity (SEED), Pakistan Students League and the Women’s Leadership Development Program. Representing UVA, she participated in the Women as Global Leaders conference last spring in UAE where women from eighty-seven countries addressed issues to promote women’s rights on a global scale. She has interned with the Justice Policy Institute and the Foreign Service Institute (US Dept. of State). In her essay submission, she associates Hajar’s search for zam zam with her own, often hectic-paced search for herself and for her own zam zam — for life. She discusses the virtues and ideals rooted in Hajar’s personality and how she strives to emulate these qualities in her own life.

We congratulate both young women and wish them continued success in the future.

Click here for their essays.

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Announces $1000.00 Scholarship For Sisters

2007-03-01T14:57:00.000-08:00

Sisters in Solidarity to Educate, Respond & Serve (S.I.S.T.E.R.S ) is pleased to announce their first annual scholarship for sisters. In an effort to highlight the academic and civic achievements of young Muslim women in the DC Metropolitan Area, S.I.S.T.E.R.S initiated this scholarship program in 2007. S.I.S.T.E.R.S aims to recognize and assist deserving students to achieve their higher education goals. This year, a $1000.00 scholarship will be awarded to the most deserving applicant. In order to be considered for this award, all applicants are required to meet the following eligibility guidelines. You must:

Be a Muslim female between the ages of 17-22 years old.
Currently be enrolled in or accepted to a 2 or 4 year university program.
Have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or better.
Demonstrate an active participation in community service work.
Complete a short essay component.
Submit a letter of recommendation.

The deadline for the scholarship application is April 20, 2007. The winner will be notified by May 1^st. Guidelines and Application are no longer available for this scholarship. Please check back with us for next year's scholarship. If you have any questions or would like us to email you an application, email: sistersinformation@gmail.com.

Membership Form

2007-01-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

For anyone who would like to join S.I.S.T.E.R.S, please fill out the form available here.

You can pay your membership dues ($35 a year) through either Paypal (click below)or by mailing payment to:

S.I.S.T.E.R.S
P.O. Box 407

Fairfax Station, VA 22039

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Host Tea honoring Women for Women International

2007-01-04T18:53:00.000-08:00

The article that follows is also featured in the Muslim Link.

By Tracey Abdulwahhab

Muslim Link Contributing Writer

A room full of women were brought to tears on Saturday, December 16th at the ADAMS Center in Sterling, Virginia upon hearing the horrific story of Nyria, a woman who survived the brutal war in Rwanda. Nyria's story, along with the stories of other women survivors of war were read during a fundraiser tea hosted by Sisters in Solidarity to Educate, Respond and Serve (S.I.S.T.E.R.S). The S.I.S.T.E.R.S Tea honored the extraordinary works of Women for Women International, a non profit organization that assists women like Nyria to rebuild their lives and to become active participants and assets to their communities.

Women for Women International currently operates in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda and Sudan. Over 30,000 women access its programs every day, benefiting 5.3 million family and community members. Since its founding in 1993, Women for Women International has distributed more than $28 million in direct aid and micro-credit loans (http://www.womenforwomen.org). Women for Women International recently received the 2006 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Award, an annual award presented to an organization that significantly alleviates human suffering.

The organizers of the event brought sisters together for a social gathering, but more importantly, to raise awareness about social issues that impact women. Virginia McKinney, a guest from Michigan commented, "The tea was an eye-opening experience. Usually you only hear about how men are affected by war; rarely do you hear how war affects women and children." Sister Laila Shaheen from Lorton, Virginia was impressed by the turn out, saying "It was a great opportunity to see so many sisters here who really care about making a difference in the world." The donations raised included several one year sponsorships for women to receive training and assistance from Women for Women International programs.

S.I.S.T.E.R.S is a local non-profit, grassroots organization committed to promoting the ties of sisterhood and empowering women through education, outreach and charitable work. S.I.S.T.E.R.S aspires to cooperate with and enhance the efforts of like-minded organizations in order to further contribute to the advancement of women and women's work. For more information about S.I.S.T.E.R.S events or membership, email sistersinformation@gmail.com.

Public Relations/Events

2006-12-19T06:18:00.000-08:00

S.I.S.T.E.R.S’ events highlight the work of individuals and organizations involved in good works on both the micro and the macro level.

On the larger scale, S.I.S.T.E.R.S Fundraising Teas are seasonal events which highlight and raise funds for organizations whose focus is women and women's issues.

The S.I.S.T.E.R.S Annual Expo is an annual exposition which provides an opportunity for Muslim women business owners and entrepreneurs to network and market their products and services. As a part of the Expo, business and financial planning related seminars will also be conducted. The S.I.S.T.E.R.S Expo is a means to support fellow Muslim businesses and establishments as well as educate the community.

Dawah Committee Activities

2006-12-18T18:22:00.000-08:00

"Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining al-ma`roof [i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do] and forbidding al-Munkar [polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden]. And it is they who are successful." [al-Qur'aan, Aal `Imraan (3):104]

The purpose of our committee is to accept Allah’s (SWT) offer and invite others to the beautiful Path of Allah, whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims. However, our immediate focus is on the newest members of our Ummah, the recent reverts to Islam, particularly those sisters who have embraced Islam behind bars, as they are in desperate need of guidance and moral support. To this end, we are planning a trip to the Jessup, Maryland Correctional Institution for Women on January 2^nd to share an Eid dinner with the women.

We are also creating Welcome Packs for new Muslims to distribute to local masajid, consisting of a prayer rug, two-piece prayer garment, a Qur’an, and several brochures on different aspects of the faith, as well as other miscellaneous items. We will gladly accept donations of material to sew more prayer outfits, or if any of you have any extra prayer garments (new) that you don’t need, we would be happy to add them to our collection!

In the March which is National Women’s History Month, we will, insha’Allah, host a series of HERstory seminars, where we will explore in detail the lives of our illustrious predecessors and how these amazing early Muslim women helped shape the glorious history of the Muslim world through their scholarly achievements. This will be a wonderful forum for our daughters to find the best role models to emulate! Move over, Britney, Lindsay, Paris, etal…

Mini Miracles

2006-12-13T09:13:00.000-08:00

Submitted by Laurie Jaghlit

I am a firm believer in mini miracles. Even before I read Heaven on Earth: 15-minute miracles to change the world by Danny Seo, I had been blessed to be at both ends of many miracles and they were more often than not, life changing experiences. How many times in your life have you wished that you had more time to devote to doing charitable work? How many times have you watched a news story and wished you could do something to help. We are all capable of doing great things for others but for a myriad of reasons we stop short. Either we feel we don’t have the experience to take on miracle-making work or maybe we feel our careers or family obligations leave us precious little time for changing the world. Heaven on Earth shows us how we can make a huge difference in the world in less than15 minutes. The needs in our world are great; and the rewards are even greater. Danny Seo also points out that

“when you create a mini miracle for someone in need, you are not doing what life requires you to do, but what your human soul allows you to do best. We all have a natural capacity to be kind and generous; this book will strengthen that innate skill so you can create the most powerful, most meaningful, most effective mini-miracles to make the world a better place and see your own life begin to change for the better.”

We all need to become mini-miracle makers. From time to time, I will share with you mini-miracles from this book as well as from my own experiences. I hope that as time goes on and S.I.S.T.E.R.S progresses, we will be able to add to the list of miracles performed by a small, but dedicated group of women. Please feel free to submit ideas. Remember: It takes many tiny sparks to ignite a huge flame…Let’s get sparkin’ sisters!

Here are a few mini-miracles to get us started:

Donate your airline frequent-flier miles to a children’s organization that helps sick and dying kids. Miracle Flights for Kids will accept your frequent-flier miles and use them to fly sick children to treatment centers and hospitals around the country. Call 702-261-0494 or log on to www.miracleflights.org.
Give up one impulse item each month, like candy or your daily cappuccino, and give the money you save to charity. (Two dollars a day for one year equals a $730 gift to charity.) Use the money to support the charity of your choice.
When you make a donation to a charity that provides you with a postage-paid business reply envelope, put a stamp on it anyway. This saves the charity money, about fifty cents for postage and handling, which can be used for other programs.

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Souk

2006-12-12T08:37:00.000-08:00

As our lives become increasingly routine and we find ourselves stuck in a daily cycle involving kids, husbands, parents and others, many of us also find it difficult to stay in touch with our sisters in Islam. We should find ways to adapt to our respective conditions in order to attempt to reestablish a close-knit community akin to that implemented by the earliest generation of Muslims. In that vein, S.I.S.T.E.R.S has taken advantage of the modern technology at our disposal and started a weblog, S.I.S.T.E.R.S Souk, where you can post items and/or services for sale to one another.

Instead of looking on eBay or Craig’s List, let’s look to each other. Why should we give our second-hand items to the Salvation Army or Goodwill when there might be a sister who could put them to good use?

How many times have you cleaned out your closet and wondered, “What do I do with this hijab I don’t wear any more?” Ask no longer! Just post it on the S.I.S.T.E.R.S Souk webpage.

InshaAllah, by utilizing the S.I.S.T.E.R.S Souk, we will be able to help not only each other but also ourselves as we endeavor to be successful in this life and the next.

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Tea: Honoring the work of Women for Women International

2006-12-12T08:23:00.000-08:00

The first S.I.S.T.E.R.S Tea Party honoring Women and Women's Organizations will be held December 16, 2006 at the ADAMS Center in Sterling, VA. This tea party will, inshaAllah, highlight the work of Women for Women International.

Women for Women International provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting viable civil societies.

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Mission Statement

2006-12-07T19:20:00.000-08:00

S.I.S.T.E.R.S is a non-profit, grassroots organization committed to promoting the ties of sisterhood and empowering women through education, outreach and charitable work. S.I.S.T.E.R.S aspires to cooperate with and enhance the efforts of like-minded organizations in order to further contribute to the advancement of women and women’s work.

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S.I.S.T.E.R.S Announces Annual Scholarship for 2010

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Annual Tea Honors Muslimat Al Nisaa Shelter

Couponing for a Cause: S.I.S.T.E.R.S Blessings in Bargains Workshop

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Announces Annual Scholarship for 2009

Help S.I.S.T.E.R.S Continue to Give

SISTERS Announces 2008 Scholarship Winners

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Announces $1000.00 Scholarship For Sisters

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Races for the Cure

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Announces 2007 Scholarship Winners!

Sponsored Sister

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Announces $1000.00 Scholarship For Sisters

Membership Form

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Host Tea honoring Women for Women International

Public Relations/Events

Dawah Committee Activities

Mini Miracles

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Souk

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Tea: Honoring the work of Women for Women International

S.I.S.T.E.R.S Mission Statement