Nanaimo Women Helping Women is raising awareness and valued items for vulnerable women in need on the Mid Island. (Kerri Isham)

By Ian Holmes

taking action

New advocacy group for vulnerable Nanaimo area women gains early traction

Nov 7, 2021 | 6:44 AM

NANAIMO — A local woman decided to harness online chatter about a popular Netflix series into tangible positive change.

Kerri Isham, a Nanaimo based sexual health educator, was moved by the series MAID, based on the true story of a young mother fleeing an abusive relationship and struggling to make ends meet.

Isham set up a Zoom meeting with other like-minded women nearly three weeks ago with the goal of helping local women victimized by intimate partner violence.

She said thinly resourced and under funded non profits are restricted in their ability to help marginalized women, which led to the formation of Nanaimo Women Helping Women.

“We’re really wanting to take some of the weight and the pressure off front line workers so that they can do their job and we can help them to do their job with more ease,” Isham told NanaimoNewsNOW.

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Donations targeted for vulnerable women are piling up in Isham’s garage, including clothing, gift cards, toiletries and food.

“Our goal is a 24-hour turnaround time after a request is made to delivering whatever help is required.”

Women requiring help or can lend a hand to Nanaimo Women Helping Women can email Isham at: Kerri@powerupeducation.com.

A new private Facebook page, already several hundred female members strong, is coordinating different ways to help women in a timely fashion.

Some of the members have fled violent relationships and understand how best support women in their dire time of need, Isham said.

“I think what I was hoping for was that people may look at this who live in other communities and say ‘this is something that I can offer in my community,’ and start their own Facebook group or their own collaboration.”

She said intimate partner violence is amplified by the worsening housing crisis causing abused women to continue suffering in silence.

“We need to really remove the stigma from this and make people really feel safe to reach out for support.”

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes