Samin and Nusaybah - South Asian Heritage Month 2024

Our next South Asian Heritage has a unique focus on a mother daughter relationship and Samin and Nusaybah's faith and culture shapes their behaviours and values regarding physical activity. Read on to understand how the positive impact Samin has had on Nusaybah and how she in turn wants to be inspirational to the next generation of young Muslim Women.

Samin (Mother)

"Faith wasn't always at the forefront of my life, but since I developed my spiritual self, it's everything to me. My faith (Islam) encourages me to always strive for betterment, in every sphere of my life. Making a conscious effort to be physically active is just an extension of that, as this makes me a happier and healthier woman and to be honest, it helps in making me a better Muslim. Praying, fasting, looking after my family, working and caring for my community is all easier when I stay active, as it really impacts my mental health for the better too. Developing our little club (Loughborough Female Fitness) and a campaign to stay active while fasting - Ramadan Recharge- was just another extension of this. I felt that society puts too much pressure on being active in a certain way and while wearing certain clothes, paying for expensive gym memberships etc while I have always enjoyed being active in the simpler ways, by simply stepping out of my front door and connecting with nature, wearing whatever I feel comfortable in. I hope I can always work in reminding us all that faith and physical activity has a much stronger connection than we realise; faith helps in motivating us to be more active and activity strengthens us mentally, physically and spiritually.

Nusaybah (18 year Old Daughter)

From when I was young, my mum was always an enthusiast for the outdoors, taking us on walks in nature, family bike rides and outdoor play areas. Therefore, I always felt comfortable with being physically active regardless of my religion, gender etc. In addition, growing up, my mum always wanted me to explore the same sports as my brothers too (whether that be swimming, tennis, cricket) and there was never a difference in what sporting activities they were allowed to partake in compared to me! My mum always encouraged me to sign up for multiple events on sports days and to always play in competitions for my tennis club. Therefore as a girl, now in my late teenage years, I feel comfortable and confident in sporting environments and I am passionate to be a leader and an example for the next generation of young girls, as I want them to have someone to look up to, mirroring the example my mum set for me by normalising a Muslim hijab wearing girl playing sports!

South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) first took place in 2020 and runs from the 18th of July to the 17th of August each year. SAHM seeks to commemorate, mark and celebrate South Asian cultures, histories, and communities. The month seeks to understand the diverse heritage and cultures that continue to link the UK with South Asia. For more information please visit: https://southasianheritage.org.uk/about-the-south-asian-heritage-month/ Here you will find a wealth of information and resources about SAHM and how you can get involved celebrating the amazing communities and people across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland who are of South Asian Heritage.