Collective of migrant women create nearly 1,000 meals for Glasgow's most hungry and vulnerable

The Soul Food Sisters have made almost 1,000 meals to be distributed to Glasgow's most hungry this Christmas.

A group of Glasgow-based migrant women are putting their culinary skills to good use, preparing meals for almost 1,000 of the city’s most vulnerable people this Christmas.

The Soul Food Sisters gave their first batch of home-cooked dinners to people based at the Salvation Army’s Wallace of Campsie Lighthouse, with hundreds more set to receive a meal this week.

Despite being hit hard by Covid-19, the organisation and its supporters managed to pull through thanks to donations and a helping hand to keep the social enterprise afloat.

Djamila Siagh, who is originally from Algeria, is one of the sisters who is hard at work in the kitchen this week to make sure nobody in Glasgow goes hungry over the festive period.

She said: “Without regular income, this has been the most challenging time in Soul Food Sisters’ history.

“Our mission is to bring joy through food, to connect women and communities, and to support Glasgow’s migrant community – but we’ve really struggled to do this while facing cancelled contracts and repeated lockdowns.

“At one point, we didn’t think our organisation would make it to Christmas. But our community has come together to help us – buying meals, merchandise and volunteering to allow us to help the many more people who are lonely, ill, hungry homeless or jobless as a result of the pandemic. We are doing everything we can to help in this time of despair.”

The Sould Food Sisters will be distributing Christmas meals this week across Glasgow.

The collective, which opened its café in the Gallowgate in 2018, is run as a democracy. Each member has an equal say, and all profits are poured back into the business.

“We face more challenges in the New Year as our café, which is our main source of income, will once again close because of another lockdown,” continued Djamila.

“But we made it to Christmas and remain positive. We are working hard to find new ways to bring enough income to support those who need our help.”

To donate to support the Soul Food Sisters, visit their Crowdfunder page here.