In September 2015, a group of refugees and their friends met to start a not-for-profit association – now a Deductible gift recipient charity – Refugees and Partners Incorporated.
They named their new home: Zara’s House, Refugee Women and Children’s Centre as a safe, welcoming and inclusive haven for refugee and migrant women.
Zara’s House first opened in a small, rented office in Jesmond in 2016. But we were determined to find a better home. In 2017, we started a spirited fundraising campaign to secure permanent space. With amazing generosity and widespread support, the old Jesmond Anglican church was purchased, creating a permanent home for Zara’s House and Newcastle’s community of women from migrant and refugee backgrounds.
Today, Zara’s House continues to grow, working towards a financially sustainable future through the help of donors and sponsors and with the continued support of volunteers, it remains a place of welcome and strength for communities from refugee and migrant backgrounds in Newcastle.
