NEED & IMPACT
Why Hablo RISE Exists
The Somali community in the UK is relatively recent, with significant migration from the late 1980s onwards.
As the first generation grows older, a new generation of British-born Somali women are navigating identity in a different context shaped by both cultural heritage and growing up in the UK.
Many women are balancing:
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Cultural expectations
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Faith and family structures
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Exposure to wider society and opportunities
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Personal identity and independence
For some women this can lead to:
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Isolation and loneliness
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Anxiety and emotional distress
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ostracisation or shunning from family/community
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Leading double lives
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Nowhere to turn
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For many women, these experiences remain unspoken meaning they are living with :
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Undiagnosed or unsupported mental health needs
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Depression and emotional distress
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Self-medication and harmful coping mechanisms
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Stigma, shame and fear of being exposed
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Low engagement with mainstream services
What the Data Shows
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Over 7,000 people die by suicide each year in the UK
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Suicide and mental health data is not consistently recorded by ethnicity, meaning Somali women are often invisible in national statistics
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Research highlights high mental health need but low use of services within Somali communities
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Studies also report stigma, misunderstanding, and barriers to accessing support as key factors
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There have been anecdotal reports of rising suicide rates within Somali communities in London, although these are not always reflected in national data, this does not mean absence of harm — it reflects a gap in recognition, reporting.
Hablo RISE helps to reduce pressure on already stretched systems and services by:
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Reducing isolation and stigma
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Increasing access to culturally relevant support
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Supporting early intervention before crisis
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Strengthening understanding between Somali communities and professionals.
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Isolated or disconnected from family and community
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Stigmatised or misunderstood
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Unable to access mainstream services