Meet Zarifeh: Our Rising Star
Some people bring a sense of calm with them wherever they go. Zarifeh is one of those people. As our Touching Safe Ground Outreach Lead, she has a gentle way of listening and a quiet presence that makes others feel at ease. Watching her work, it’s clear how deeply she cares about the women she supports, and how thoughtfully she holds space for them.
Although Zarifeh, or Zari as many of us know her, has been with Globe Community Project for a short time, her impact has already been significant. At our end of year party, we were proud to present her with our Rising Star Award. It felt like a moment that captured something many of us had already noticed. Her compassion, consistency, and the meaningful difference she makes every day.
Zari works closely with refugee and migrant women through our Touching Safe Ground programme, based at a local GP surgery and an asylum hostel. Her role is centred on care. As she explains, “My role is very people focused. I’m involved in assisting sessions, taking registers, checking in with participants, and making sure women feel safe, welcomed, and supported.” These small but essential moments are at the heart of the work.
What stands out most when seeing Zari in action is her ability to build trust. She understands that this work goes beyond delivering sessions. It is about listening carefully and responding with care.
Touching Safe Ground, she shares, is “a place where you can breathe, rest, and feel safe, even when everything else in life feels uncertain.” Within these sessions, women are gently supported to reconnect with their bodies, their confidence, and their sense of self, while also building community and belonging.
Zari’s commitment to this work is shaped by both lived experience of forced migration and learning. She studied Politics and International Relations at SOAS which helped her understand global inequality, migration, and power structures, but also reinforced the importance of working directly with communities.
Some of the moments that stay with her most are the quieter ones. She notices when women who were once reserved begin to open up, speak more confidently, or support others in the room. As she puts it, “It’s small things, but they make a big difference.” These changes are powerful reminders of why safe and consistent spaces matter so much.
No two days in Zari’s role are the same. Her work might involve preparing for sessions, welcoming women, taking the register, checking in one to one, and supporting activities. She also follows up with women who have not attended for a while and works closely with her manager to make referrals when someone needs additional emotional, medical, or legal support. Throughout it all, she brings patience and care.
Outside of work, Zari values slowing down and staying grounded. Spending time with people she loves, going for walks, listening to music, reading, and gentle movement all help her recharge. Rest and connection are important to her, especially in work that can be emotionally demanding.
Looking ahead, Zari is excited to continue growing the work, strengthening relationships with participants, and being part of developing spaces that feel even more accessible and supportive.
We feel incredibly grateful to have her as part of the Globe Community Project team and inspired by the quiet, compassionate way she supports women and shapes our community.