Our Story
The Cisarua Refugee Shotokan Karate club was established by Meena Assadi, an Afghan karate champion and now asylum seeker, at the end of 2015, within the first month of her arriving in Indonesia. The club is made up of asylum seekers and refugees currently stuck in Indonesia, waiting to be resettled to a new safe home.
Meena has competed for for Pakistan and Afghanistan at the International level, receiving gold medals for each. In her home country of Afghanistan, Meena started karate classes for women in Jaghoori, Kabul and she attempted to in Helmund. Her popularity and enthusiasm for teaching women backfired when the Taliban started to threaten hers and her families life for the work that she was doing.
This is what led Meena to the shores of Indonesia, seeking a safe home for herself, her husband and daughter.
The project
There are two groups, a women's only group and one open group for men, women and children. Each group trains three times a week and are instructed by Meena.
Between these classes there are 30 students attending. Many other people want to attend but because they must contribute money for the rent of the facility they use, they are not able to join. The money that is raised through this campaign will allow up to 40 more students to join, and it will allow the students currently attending to save their money. (As refugees cannot work, many must either have enough money to last them and their families for up to four years, have friends or family helping to support them or go to detention centres - Every penny counts)
Why it matters
In Indonesia refugees and asylum seekers are not able to work, study or have freedom of movement. Because of this, the lives of refugees in Indonesia is similar to that of individuals living in exile. Moving through each day weighed down by the promise of uncertainty, fear of rejection and memories of traumatic times, people often become depressed and sick. Thanks to groups like the Karate club, a sense of hope and camaraderie is created within the community. Karate gives the participants an outlet to help focus their mind, embrace and understand their bodies, promoting good health in turbulent times and come out of their homes to meet and engage with other asylum seekers and refugees.
Our Team!
Women, men and children of all ages and different backgrounds. All refugees and asylum seeker, waiting to be resettled.
