About us

Welcome to The Zahra Circle!

The Zahra Circle CIC is a community initiative supporting the wellbeing, confidence and personal development of girls and young women.

We create safe and uplifting spaces where young women can build meaningful friendships, strengthen their faith, and grow in confidence and resilience.

Through workshops, wellbeing sessions and community events, we support girls to better understand themselves and develop the emotional and spiritual tools needed to navigate life’s challenges.

Our Vision

We envision a generation of young women who feel confident in their identity, connected to their faith, and supported by a strong community of sisterhood.

What We Offer

• Faith-centred talks and spiritual classes

• Wellbeing and personal development workshops

• Creative reflection sessions

• Sisterhood gatherings and social events

• Mentorship and personal growth opportunities

• Female-only sports and confidence-building activities

Who We Support

We support girls and young women aged 8–25, creating spaces where they can:

• Build meaningful friendships

• Strengthen their faith

• Grow in confidence and identity

• Feel a strong sense of belonging within their community

Our Values

Everything we do is rooted in the principles of:

• Faith

• Sisterhood

• Growth

• Compassion

• Service

How we started

The Zahra Circle began as a small community initiative created to provide a safe and welcoming space for girls to connect, build friendships and grow together.

Originally launched as The Teen Sisterhood Project, the first gatherings focused on simple activities that encouraged connection, confidence and a sense of belonging within the community.

These early events showed how much young women valued having a consistent space where they could feel supported, understood and inspired.

As the community continued to grow, the initiative was re-launched as The Zahra Circle, expanding its vision to support girls and young women aged 12–25.

The new chapter focused on combining faith, personal development, wellbeing and sisterhood, offering workshops, talks and creative gatherings designed to nurture both the heart and mind.

A Thriving Community

Today, The Zahra Circle offers a wide range of programmes that support the wellbeing and development of girls and young women.

From wellbeing workshops and sports activities to social events and reflective learning spaces, our initiatives are designed to build confidence, encourage positive friendships and help young women grow into their potential.

Meet the Team

  • A woman wearing a brown hijab and matching brown outfit, taking a selfie inside a house near a door with glass panels.

    Aliyah Hussain

    Founder & Executive Lead

    Aliyah is an accredited counsellor and clinical supervisor with over nine years of experience working across the NHS, private practice and community organisations.

    She founded The Zahra Circle to create safe and nurturing spaces where young women can grow in confidence, build meaningful friendships and strengthen their wellbeing. Her work combines professional therapeutic knowledge with a deep commitment to community service.

  • Neon sign with the text 'The Zahava Shop' written in purple and white, with a large infinity symbol behind the text.

    Aaishah Chaukria

    Co-Founder & Finance Lead

    Aaishah plays a key role in shaping the structure and sustainability of The Zahra Circle. With extensive experience working with children and young people through Islamic education programmes, she is passionate about nurturing learning and sisterhood.

    As Finance Lead, she ensures the organisation operates with transparency, structure and long-term sustainability.

  • Neon sign with the words "The Zahnarz Chic

    Adeeba Qaiser

    Director of Health & Wellbeing

    Adeeba is a clinical pharmacist with over 16 years of experience and a strong passion for holistic health and wellbeing.

    Through The Zahra Circle she supports programmes that promote physical, emotional and lifestyle wellbeing, helping young women build healthy habits and confidence.

  • Neon sign reading "The Zahnarbra Shop" with a heart shape surrounding the text.

    Fatihah Alim

    Director of Youth Engagement & Events

    Fatihah is passionate about creating safe spaces for young women to learn, connect and grow. She brings experience in community volunteering, youth work and event organisation, ensuring that The Zahra Circle’s programmes are engaging and meaningful.

  • Neon sign reading 'The Zahnarzt & Chock' with a large flower outline around the text.

    Ruqayya Hussain

    Marketing & Social Media Lead

    Ruqayyah supports the growth of The Zahra Circle through digital outreach and community engagement. She manages the organisation’s online presence, helping connect young women to events, inspiration and learning opportunities.

  • Neon sign with the words 'The Zahara Shock' and a large heart outline, lit in purple and white.

    Rifat Rehman

    Safeguarding Lead

    Rifat ensures safeguarding and wellbeing remain at the heart of all Zahra Circle activities. She oversees policies and procedures to ensure that every event and programme provides a safe and supportive environment.

  • Neon sign that says "The Zahara Shake Cafe" with a stylized strawberry graphic

    Mariam Chaudhry

    Wellbeing & Creative Development Lead

    Mariam is a qualified physiotherapist and author who works with women and young people to support physical and emotional wellbeing.

    She leads creative and reflective sessions that encourage confidence, self-expression and personal growth.s here

  • Susie Lukic

    Head Coach, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

    Susie Lukic is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt and experienced competitor who has won multiple medals at national and international competitions.

    As Head Coach at The Zahra Circle, she leads sessions that help girls and young women build strength, confidence and resilience through martial arts while learning practical self-defence skills in a supportive environment.

  • “Feeling part of a community”

    -Event participant

  • "No one judges you"

    -Event participant

  • "It’s so lovely to see how much genuine care there is for us"

    —Bjj student

  • “I liked meeting new sisters and getting to know each other! the environment was very welcoming and friendly”

    - Event participant

  • “I met new people and made friends”

    - Event participant

  • “I really enjoyed the BJJ and the Mr T's welcome events”

    - BJJ Student

  • “Doing BJJ helps me, especially since I am struggling a lot mentally so it helps me get out of the house and get some exercise Item”

    -BJJ student

  • “Amazing community filled with lots of support!”

    -Event participant

  • “I would describe The Zahra Circle as 'Empowering' “

    -Event participant