Nishkam Sikh Welfare & Awareness Team
Hayes, UK
Our primary function is to unite and transform financially disadvantaged communities by focusing on projects which make a difference to people’s lives in the short term and improve their prospects in the long term. In 2009 Nishkam SWAT trustees discovered over 200 homeless people in our local area, Southall in Middlesex. This problem was deep rooted and complex involving many associated issues such as immigration status, addiction, alcohol and mental health - something we had had no previous experience of dealing with, it was all a whole new world for us. We looked at the council to help, faith leaders, the police and rapidly explored every avenue available to us but ultimately all roads led back to us - we acknowledged we had a shared responsibility to help and to make a positive change in the lives of those living on the streets. We felt compelled to help as our duty as good citizens to serve in the communities we live in. Ironically, we were naive to realise that this project would turn out to be the biggest of all our projects! This was the start of the Homeless Project.
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