Community pillar Tributes after death of activist
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Hanna dedicated her short life to serving the community. She was energetic, feisty and committed to making a difference
TRIBUTES have been paid to a mum of four who was a “tireless community activist” after she died last month.
Hanna Ahmed died in November after a short battle with illness.
Deputy Mayor Asher Craig has been among those to pay tribute to the campaigner.
Sharing a GoFundMe that has been set up in Ms Ahmed’s memory, Cllr Craig tweeted: “This young Bristol campaigner & community worker lost her short battle with illness last month leaving behind 4 young children & a hole in the heart of our city.
“Her death must not be in vain. Please help if you can.”
The GoFundMe page says: “Hanna Ahmed was an advocate, a human rights champion, a mother, a wife, a sister, a friend, a colleague and a pillar of our community.
“Hanna is gone but she will never be forgotten. She leaves behind a husband and four young children.
“Hanna leaves a huge hole in the community work in Bristol, she was a champion at Refugee Women of Bristol & Forward, a secretary at Bristol Somali Forum and a dedicated wife and mother!
“We are fundraising to support the four young children that Hanna left behind.”
The page states Ms Ahmed – who was in her mid thirties at the time of her death – was a well-loved member of Refugee Women of Bristol, a former trustee and member of staff.
It continues “Hanna dedicated her short life to serving the community, energetic, feisty and committed to making a difference to lives of community members.
“She was always there for our members and colleagues and we will miss her dearly.
“Hanna was trained as a community health advocate and became a campaigner against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and violence against women and girls in Bristol.”
The page says Ms Ahmed’s set up the parenting support group at May Park Primary School in May 2015 to support migrant parents to engage with the school.
“Hanna’s parenting sessions included autism awareness, to educate and empower families,” it continues. “She helped deliver sex education using the Jigsaw scheme, which Ofsted recommended.
“She ran sessions on domestic violence, parenting skills, anti-bullying, maths, English and organised FGM safeguarding conferences.
“The parenting support group became a platform where parents and teachers met to discuss emerging issues for the school.”
Ms Ahmed, the secretary of the Bristol Somali Forum, was employed by Refugee Women of Bristol as the schools’ parent support worker, the pages states, and she facilitated sessions on children’s emotional wellbeing and safeguarding sessions for parents across Bristol.
It adds: “Hanna supported parents from FGM affected communities across Bristol to safeguard their girls against harmful practices. She was concerned with the educational attainment gap and remained dedicated to the wellbeing of our children.
“Hanna was a tireless community activist, supporting safe space for women with multiple issues, understanding the criminal system and mental health and visiting Somali young men in various prisons across the country.
“She visited and connected with prisoners in Isle of Wight, Usk, Channing Wood, and Ashfield, providing advice, supplies and motherly love.
“Even in her hospital bed Hanna was still able to support others. She called Abdul from Bristol Somali Forum and said ‘Get ready we gonna drive to the Isle of Wight a prisoner is coming out. He has been there long time and everything has changed. He has no family. He needs our support. We have to help him’.”