Connections
Stitched with L❤ve

Come learn how to knit, crochet and embroider with us!
Free sessions will be taught in Arabic, Dari, and Somali.
All materials will be provided and delivered before the first session.
Available for Muslim Women/Newcomers aged 50+ !

Stitched poster

Program Overview

Across many cultures, Muslim women have been taught embroidery and other handiwork from their mothers or grandmothers. Connections Stitched With Love will bring together senior Muslim women (50 or over) over Zoom or in person once per week to learn how to knit, crochet, and embroider.

Connections Stitched with Love will contribute to empowerment and reducing the social isolation of senior women by:

  • providing opportunities to meet new women, and make new friends
  • connecting women to share daily lives and lived experiences
  • sharing and learning amongst women of different faiths
  • introducing them to a new hobby/pastime
  • building self-confidence and self-worth
  • supportinga sense of accomplishment from learning a new skill and producing beautiful creations.

The program is being offered in Arabic, Dari, and Somali from October 2022 – March 2023.

To learn more about the program, please email or call our Executive Director Karen Scott at execdirector@muslimchildrensaid.com or (289)-355-8522.

Arabic Program

Our Arabic program is already underway. To register for the next cohort, please fill out the Google Form

Meet Our Program Leader - Ekbal Al Khatib

Ekbal Al Khatib 1

Ekbal Al Khatib

Farihan Abbas 2

Farihan Abbas

I’m Ekbal Al Khatib and I am delighted to be the Program Leader for the Arabic cohorts for the Connections Stitched with Love program.

I am originally from Syria. I came to Canada with my family six years ago to live a new and safe life away from the harsh war, carrying with me my small dreams and the only crochet needle that I was able to take from my home.

Because of my passion for crochet, I would like to teach all the ladies this art with love. I thank the Canadian government and the New Horizons for Seniors program (NHSP) for supporting the program and the ladies who will participate. They’re contributing to women’s empowerment. We’ll all make new friends, learn new skills, feel less isolated, and build self-esteem and self-confidence.

Ekbal is assisted by Farihan Abbas. Farihan is one of our placement students for 2022 – 2023 who is enrolled in the Social Service Worker Program at Centennial College.

Ekbal has been out shopping for the beautiful ladies in the program and she and Karen have made deliveries all across the GTA and beyond. We have participants from Scarborough, East York, Toronto, York Region, Mississauga, Oshawa, and St. Catharines.

New connections have already been made and the ladies have already been hard at work learning basic crochet stitches and to make distinctive bookmarks.

Dari Program

Our Dari program will be starting in mid-November. To register, please fill in the Google Form

Somali Program

Our Somali program will begin in late November. Check back in a few days to learn more.