International Women’s Day Celebration
International Women’s Day Celebration
Event Date: Saturday, 7th March 2026 (5:00 PM - 9:00 PM)
Venue: St. James, Moss Side (95a Princess Road, M14 4TH)
Attendance: 24 female attendees in the hall (23 community participants and 1 young female volunteer), with a total of 29 families reached and supported
Beneficiary Groups: Sudanese women who had previously experienced social isolation, residing primarily in the Manchester City Council area (86%) and neighboring boroughs such as Salford, Oldham, and Trafford (14%)
Objective: To empower Sudanese women through networking, cultural exchange, and bridging the gap with local services while providing a safe, inclusive space that celebrates women's achievements
Funding Source: Manchester City Council IWD Grant Fund, supplemented by ESCA-UK internal resources and in-kind support
Impact Highlights: 100% of participants made new connections; 94% gained new knowledge about local services; successfully implemented an innovative "Split-Care Model"; and forged new strategic partnerships.
Introduction
The Eastern Sudan Community Association (ESCA) successfully delivered its planned International Women’s Day event on March 7, 2026. The event was designed to empower Sudanese women by fostering long-term community connections, celebrating cultural heritage, and bridging the gap between the community and local leadership in a safe and inclusive environment.
Event Highlights and Innovations
1. The "Split-Care" Model
To address childcare barriers and ensure the event was 100% women-led and managed, ESCA-UK introduced an innovative "Split-Care Model" in coordination with community fathers.
Fathers hosted children over the age of 4 at the main hub, while younger children were cared for on-site.
This strategic move allowed mothers to manage the program with full focus and professional autonomy for the first time.
Because of this model, the event successfully reached 29 families, including 5 mothers who experienced last-minute emergencies but whose children still participated in the organized activities with the fathers.
2. Civic Engagement and Leadership
A major highlight was the presence of Councillor Erinma Bell and guest speaker Selamawit Reda, who served as inspiring role models. Both delivered formal addresses and joined the participants during the community meal, providing a highly valued opportunity for informal, supportive dialogue and bridging the gap between local leadership and the community.
3. Cultural Heritage: Traditional Sudanese Coffee Corner
The event featured a traditional Sudanese coffee corner showcasing the heritage of women from Eastern Sudan. This served as a focal point for intergenerational storytelling and networking, allowing participants to connect over shared traditions while discussing modern challenges, thereby tackling social isolation and preserving cultural identity.
Measurable Impact and Outcomes
The impact of the event was exceptional, as evidenced by the feedback survey:
100% Satisfaction: All respondents rated the event as satisfactory to excellent.
Social Cohesion: 100% made new connections or reconnected with others.
Safe Space: 94% felt the event provided a "definitely safe space" to express their views.
Service Awareness: 94% gained new knowledge about Council, Police, and Health services.
Sustainability: 12 participants pledged to volunteer for future ESCA-UK initiatives.
Strategic Partnerships and Funding Resilience
ESCA-UK demonstrated high institutional resilience, despite the IWD Grant Fund covering the core delivery costs. Because the grant funds arrived on March 24th (after the event date), the association utilized its own internal resources and volunteer support to cover all immediate costs without delay.
Furthermore, the event fostered critical partnerships:
Manchester Refugee Support Network (MRSN): MRSN generously provided the venue at St. James free of charge. In recognition, ESCA-UK used £75 of the grant as a symbolic donation to contribute toward MRSN's operational and utility costs, cementing a long-term strategic partnership.
International Women’s Peace Group: As a direct result of the networking at this event, ESCA-UK representatives Fatima Ahmed and Afrah Noureldin attended a subsequent event hosted by Mahtsen, where they established new strategic connections with the International Women’s Peace Group.
Privacy and Safeguarding
Throughout the event, ESCA-UK maintained a high standard of privacy. In line with GDPR, no photos of children were included in documentation, and the wishes of participants who
preferred not to be photographed were fully respected, which contributed to the high metric of participants feeling safe.
Conclusion
The International Women’s Day 2026 event was a resounding success that not only empowered the women of the Sudanese community but also strengthened ESCA-UK’s capacity to deliver high-impact, inclusive, and professional community programs. ESCA-UK remains incredibly grateful to the Manchester City Council for the grant that made this lasting legacy possible.
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Empowering East Sudanese through education and inclusion
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Mission
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