Community development

Moroccan womens' group - Al-Hasaniya

As well as providing direct support, the Group provides small grants for local specialist community groups who also work with our residents. We do this through our charitable trusts and community funds, which provide financial support to successful applicants. Our funds help these invaluable organisations – and our residents – to flourish.

Moroccan women’s group, Al-Hasaniya, is just one of the 52 voluntary organisations that Kensington Housing Trust’s community fund has helped over the past three years. In 2006 the group, in partnership with Meanwhile Gardens, developed an elaborate Moroccan-themed community garden. Recognising the social and environmental benefits of their creation, Kensington Housing Trust agreed to fund a part-time gardener to work with the Moroccan women, helping them to maintain the area and develop their horticultural skills.

“The women here wanted a space where they could sit and relax – a home away from home,” explains Zakia Chentouf, Manager of Al-Hasaniya. “We decided to give it an Arabic-Moroccan feel. We’ve got olive trees, Moroccan tiling, traditional plant pots – all kinds of things. A lot of hard work has gone into this, so having a gardener here to work with the women is great. The community fund is quite a godsend to be honest. We’re a small organisation so it’s good to know there’s a pot of money available for people like us.”

< Back to other projects