Final Word

Syma Ahmed, BME Women’s Project Development Officer at Glasgow Women’s Library, talks to us on the tenth anniversary of the She Settles in the Shields project, which explores the of experiences BAME migrant families, focusing particularly on women

Interview with Syma Ahmed, Glasgow Women’s Library

What would you say were the broad differences between the experiences of women migrants and their male counterparts?

The initial struggles for first generation migrants were survival and learning to cope in an unfamiliar country.They went through considerable emotional and financial hardship, often feeling alone and isolated. Migrant men and women took on traditional gender roles upon arrival in the UK, with men becoming the main breadwinners while women retained their traditional responsibilities of housework and looking after children and the extended family.This allowed migrant men to integrate better into society due to their employment. On the other hand, integration was harder for migrant women due to language barriers, which meant there was a lack of opportunity for personal development and interaction with the outside world.

Migrant families were keen to retain their culture and exercise religious practices through setting up institutions and classes that catered to the needs of men and children, but not women. With men at the forefront, women were working overtime in the background – beyond their caring and teaching roles – to set up community projects to cater for their own needs.

Women’s lives and contributions have always been neglected in society compared to their male counterparts; with migrant women further marginalised in this respect.

What stories from She Settles in the Shields really stayed with you?

She Settles in the Shields is a wonderful project documenting the lives of migrant women who

settled in the Pollokshields.We interviewed over 30 women and I loved listening to every one of them. I felt a great amount of respect for the early migrants who shared their colourful life experience between the two continents. Migrant women experienced many hardships settling in a new country so different to their own, but they were determined for their children to have a better quality of life.Through sacrifice and hard work, they encouraged their children to integrate into Scottish society, while still maintaining their cultural roots.

Growing up in Pollokshields proved beneficial for this project as I was so familiar with the area and community. My first interview was with my own grandmother, Hajira Bibi. I was in awe listening to her life story in its entirety and learned so many new things about her.This is where my love for oral history blossomed and I encourage everyone to take the time out to document the stories of their loved ones.

What makes Glasgow such a great city for a project such as BAME Women’s Project? At Glasgow Women’s Library we take pride in celebrating the lives and contributions of those who have chosen to make Glasgow their home. For the past ten years we have been dedicated to developing the BAME Women’s Project. By offering a space for BAME women to learn, explore their creativity and document their stories, we have been able to work together to create a rich collection of books and archive materials which are representative of the diverse communities that reside in Glasgow.

Website: https://womenslibrary.org.uk