In an average week the centre is now visited by over 150 local women.

Moshoda at the City Gateway Women’s Project

Moshoda heard of City Gateway when her daughter came on one of our youth training courses. She was a quiet and shy lady who first took an assertiveness course before daring to take further qualifications such as ICT, food safety and nutrition. Within months she had built the confidence to speak to the Mayor, promote the centre to other women and even be interviewed for a local newspaper article. Her remarkable outreach ability comes from her willingness to share her own story of how getting out of the house to gain skills and meet others, has helped her conquer depression and grow in confidence.

Her story, which includes being married at thirteen and bringing up four children, inspires the women to find their voice, be motivated to acquire new skills and confidence, which will help them bring up their children, raise their self esteem and get work. The project’s successful growth has come by building trust - some women are drawn to the centre through activities such as keep fit classes, gardening and craft projects but the majority say they enrolled because either a friend or a volunteer outreach worker told them about it.

City Gateway Women's Project, Lansbury Lodge, 117 Ricardo Street, Poplar, London, E14 6EQ. Tel: 020 7515 7878