Makani

Who we are

At Makani, we are passionate about working with women seeking sanctuary to overcome trauma, fight for rights, and to transform lives and the world around us. Our vision is a world of freedom, equality and dignity for all refugee women and girls.

We work in Lebanon with Syrian and Palestinian women, and in the UK with women from all over the world. 

Our arts projects include theatre and craft therapy, filmmaking and feminist embroidery. We also facilitate access to training, education and income generation opportunities, and run workshops on parenting support and on women’s rights in a context of rights for all. 

Our flagship Oshana project provides refugee women in Lebanon with a dignified income, a supportive community, and a creative outlet for trauma through embroidery and crochet - and has built a reputation for beautiful design and impeccable craftsmanship. 

Makani was founded in 2022 and officially registered as a charity in June 2024. One of our co-founders has her own lived experience of displacement; both have worked for many years supporting women who have been forced to leave their homes. 

We are a young but ambitious organisation that has rapidly grown over the past two years, with the accompanying increase in income. We are driven by our passion for a better world for women seeking sanctuary.

Our culture and values

As a charity with a strong emphasis on mental health, we foster a supportive and inclusive working environment. We are friendly and flexible. Our team members enjoy working with Makani because we care about each other and are passionate about what we do.

Our values:

Feminism

Courage

Compassion

Dignity

We believe in:

Refugee women’s inherent strength. 

The power of supportive female communities. When women support each other, anything is possible.

Dignity not dependence. We don’t give hand-outs, we provide opportunities.

Art’s ability to heal, empower and transform lives. 

Artistic excellence. We create a platform for displaced women to show the world what they are capable of.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

We are proudly led by people with lived experience of displacement. We exist to champion gender and migrant justice, and this is inherent in all we do, not just at the level of policies and procedures (though we have those too), but in the way we live our values on a daily basis.