Madinah House
Madinah House is a non-profit company incorporated under the Companies (1995) Act. This was an initiative of a group of Muslims known as “MusServ” who assisted the founder Mr Gayaz Rajab to operationalize his dream of assisting women and children who were victims of Domestic Violence (DV). Gayaz was Guidance officer employed with the Ministry of Education and who heard from and empathized with a number of students who were underachieving due to serious problems at homes assailed by the scourge of DV. He formulated a plan to treat with the situation After years of refining the Plan of Operations Madinah House, MusServ entered a lease arrangement with a benefactor to use her premises in South Trinidad and began operations in June 1999..
The main object of Madinah house as written in the Constitution amended on 6th February 2010 is to provide temporary shelter and a secure environment for female
victims and children who suffer from domestic violence and abuse.
Our vision is to be a non-profit organization that effectively addresses the issue of violence and abuse in families through empowerment of women
Our mission is as follows
The company will exercise the highest ethical and moral standards to;
1 Reduce the effects of family violence through services for survivors
2 Educate the community and support non-abusive self-reliant families
3 Advocate for women’s rights
Our registered address is c/o St. Kevin’s College, 23-25 Prince of Wales Street, San Fernando. Madinah House registered as a Non-Governmental Organization in 2005 and as a Non-Profit organization in 2007. Telephone contacts include 800-SAVE, 657 1055, 652 4153. We have an intake capacity of eighteen.
Over the past ten years we have given temporary shelter up to six months to many women and children. Mature boys are not sheltered. Madinah house is run by a group of female Muslim volunteers and is open to all women of Trinidad and Tobago.
As far as possible we have attempted to be more than just a shelter by providing a sanctuary for the survivors of DV together with supporting services. Services include counselling, client advocacy, schooling, job placement, medical assistance and skills enhancement
This was only possible by the generous donations of individuals and corporate citizens. The Ministry of Social Development began to assist by way of subvention in 2009 to cover recurrent expenditure. We also receive Zakaah for disbursement to those who qualify. Our annual dinner in June/July remains our main fund-raising event. Our building is in urgent need of repairs to the roof, electrical rewiring, washroom and needs repainting.
2014 update for Madinah House
Madinah House continues to give temporary shelter to any woman and her children ( not boys over 12 years ). She is given food, shelter , clothing and counselling. We arrange schooling for the children; assist with accessing government grants and medical care. Computer skills and a variety of crafts are taught, We source jobs and housing to help them to become independent. In 2013 the Network of NGOS for the Advancement of Women honoured us with the Faith Wiltshire Award for delivery of care to survivors of Domestic Violence
The following persons were elected at the Annual General Meeting held on Saturday 22nd March, 2014 at the Charlieville A.S.J.A. Primary School.
Director/ President – Lydia Choate
Director/ Vice President – Waheeda Caliph – Rajab
Director/ Treasurer – Joan K. Adam
Director/ Secretary – Zuryda Edoo
Director/ Asst. Secretary – Fariel Ali –Bharatsingh
Public Relations Officer – Shaffina Mohammed
Asst. Public Relations Officer – Sherima Aligour
Head of Home Management – Rihana Mohammed
Other Board Members : Rasheeda Ibrahim,
Aleena Karamath,
Soraya Ali,
Zinnet Khan- Ramdeen,
Natasha Narine,
Nicey Mohammed and
Afezah Baksh – Lobban