Naima is a survivor. As a child she witnessed domestic abuse and was sexually assaulted as a child. She has lived through different forms of abuse and assault whilst in foster care and raped as a young woman. She knows the impact that abuse and violence has on an individual and has fought very hard to be the person she is today. Having battled with her own mental health and PTSD, she learned to reach out for help and willed herself to strive forward. It is a process and a challenge to this day. A proud show of strength that we know many people can relate to. She credits much to her foster dad, who showed her what trust and kindness looks like, and inspired her to complete a plastering course, which she did in August 2020. She carries the qualities he instilled in her into Rebuilding Lives UK. Kindness and compassion.

Shortly after completing her plastering course Naima went to look at a job and met “Suzanne”, a lady who had suffered domestic violence at the hands of her ex partner and who was living in the destruction he had reaped on her home. Suzanne had planned to use her income support to pay for repairs to create a safe and whole environment for her children. Once Naima saw the devastation, she refused any payment and in her words said, “I just saw a survivor”.

Naima began fundraising in order to pay for materials and her actions garnered media attention and an interview on Jeremy Vine’s BBC2 radio show. From there the public rose up in their support and donated to her cause, sparking the founding of Rebuilding Lives UK with a goal to help as many survivors as possible