Words from Solmaz Sahin, CCMW Founding Member

Solmaz Akinal was born in the lovely city of Antep in south-eastern Turkey in May, 1933. She married Dr. Fuat Sahin in September, 1954. With three daughters under the age of five and speaking only Turkish, as a young mother she joined her husband in Liverpool England in 1960. The family moved to Canada in 1961, living in towns & cities in northern & southern Ontario prior to settling in Niagara in 1966. Her son Mustafa was born in 1969. Over many years she supported her husband’s Muslim leadership roles (CMCC, IDRF, Niagara community, etc.). In 1982 she became a founding member of CCMW.

An Open Letter from Solmaz Sahin to CCMW

Solmaz Sahin

CMCC asked Dr. Laila Falman to organize Muslim women in Canada. They paid her $2,000 to travel across Canada to meet Muslim women in various communities. In 1982, 18 women gathered in Winnipeg for an initial meeting. We were very grateful to the Winnipeg  Muslim community for hosting us in their homes. Our first meeting was in the Winnipeg mosque. CMCC supported us with $4,000 to get started.

Our hard work paid off. With lots of volunteering, CCMW is alive and well all these years later. We have grown and made many contributions to both Canada and Muslim communities. E.g. our many studies, reports, the book “At Her Mother’s Feet”, and early days of fundraising for the Muslim Camp in Ontario. In the early years, it was rather revolutionary (in Canada) to have an organization by and for Muslim women & their families.

Initially, we met in people’s homes. Later, we were grateful for some government funding that enabled us to meet in hotels. We are proud of our organization. We continue progressing after 38 years. We have come so far, thanks to people putting their hearts & minds into this effort.

I pray for CCMW’s continued success far into the future, thanks to everyone’s hard work.  

Lots of love,

Solmaz Sahin