About Us

About Project Salama

Providing culturally sensitive, trauma-informed care since our founding

What SALAMA Means

The name SALAMA was chosen with intention. In Swahili, it means safe, carrying the meanings of safety, security, and integrity. Across other languages and cultures it carries the same powerful message of peace.

Our charity understands the importance of safety within relationships. We offer a safe space should abuse happen in relationships, and we specialise in working with ethnic minority communities, understanding the profound impact of culture on all relationships.

Safe / Secure
Swahili
سلام Peace
Arabic
Shalom / Peace
Hebrew
Peace
Jewish (Sephardic)
Safety & Integrity
Across cultures
Security
Universal meaning

Who We Are

A charity built on compassion, cultural understanding, and a commitment to ending abuse

Everyone we support is seen, heard, and supported — regardless of their background, language, or culture.

Project Salama founding principle
Safe Confidential Culturally sensitive Free

We aim to support individuals to live a life free from abuse. We raise awareness of cultural norms that may encourage abuse, and we fight against these so we can encourage relationships that are safe, secure, and peaceful for all.

We provide emotional and practical support to help people who face challenging situations compounded by abuse. We help them understand their rights and seek the help they need. We refer individuals for any assistance required, from housing to social services and counselling.

We also support individuals affected by post-separation abuse, working to empower those we help to reclaim their lives and their futures.

Our CEO, founder, and trustees are committed and passionate about raising awareness of domestic abuse and building a community where everyone we support is seen, heard, and supported.

Our Vision

The society we are working to create

A society where every individual lives free from fear, abuse, and oppression — where homes are places of safety, respect, and equality.

We envision empowered communities that recognise the signs of domestic abuse, respond with compassion, and stand united against all forms of violence.

Through awareness, education, and advocacy, we strive to create lasting change so that those we support are not only protected, but supported to rebuild their lives with confidence, independence, and hope.

Diverse hands clasped together in support, representing community solidarity across cultures

Our Mission

Addressing mental health inequalities at the heart of our work

At Project Salama, our mission is to empower and support those affected by domestic abuse by providing safe, confidential, and culturally sensitive services that restore dignity, rebuild confidence, and create pathways to independence.

Abuse trauma can have devastating and long-lasting effects on mental health, often leading to anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and difficulties in forming safe relationships. Survivors may experience hypervigilance, low self-esteem, and emotional numbness, which can affect their ability to heal and rebuild their lives.

We recognise that survivors, especially those from refugee, migrant, and minoritised backgrounds, face additional barriers such as stigma, language challenges, and limited access to culturally sensitive support. Addressing mental health inequalities is at the heart of our work.

Through trauma-informed programmes, community-based support, and culturally inclusive initiatives like Chai and Chat, we create safe spaces where people can connect, share, and recover — ensuring everyone is seen, heard, and supported with compassion.

Our Objectives

Three pillars that guide everything we do

Relief & Practical Support

To provide relief to those currently, or having previously, suffered from domestic abuse, providing support services that help individuals and families access legal support and rebuild their lives, confidence, mental health, and self-esteem.

Raising Awareness

To raise awareness of the negative impact that domestic abuse has on families and individuals, including the devastating effects of post-separation abuse and coercive control, which continues long after a relationship ends.

Legal Advocacy

To work with solicitors and barristers where possible to support individuals affected by post-separation abuse, particularly financial abuse that impacts their ability to fund divorce or child contact cases, ensuring abusers cannot use the courts as a tool of control.

Post-separation abuse is a form of coercive control that continues long after a relationship ends, and can include financial, psychological, and child-targeted harm designed to maintain power over a survivor.

We deliver evidence-based recovery programmes including the Freedom Programme and VOICE Training. See all our services →

Our Approach

We are proudly:

Trauma-informed
Culturally competent
Faith-aware
Survivor-led
Safety-focused

We provide high-risk advocacy, therapeutic interventions for adults and children, structured recovery programmes, and specialist training across healthcare, faith, and community settings.

Our Commitment

Project Salama is committed to:

  • Challenging harmful practices and breaking cycles of abuse
  • Protecting children and vulnerable adults
  • Supporting refugee, migrant, and minoritised communities
  • Raising awareness across diverse sectors
  • Challenging the stigma that prevents people from seeking help
  • Promoting safeguarding excellence and gender equality
  • Amplifying community voices
  • Working collaboratively with communities and partner organisations to create lasting change

We believe every individual deserves to live free from fear, control, and harm, and to know they are not alone. We work every day to ensure everyone has access to the protection, respect, and opportunities they deserve.

About Our Team

At Project Salama, our strength lies in our multidisciplinary team of highly trained, trauma-informed professionals who are deeply committed to supporting those affected by domestic abuse, sexual violence, honour-based abuse, and harmful practices.

We work with compassion, cultural sensitivity, and professionalism to ensure that every individual who comes to us feels safe, heard, and supported.

A Specialist, Survivor-Centred Team

Our team includes:

  • Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs)
  • Independent Domestic & Sexual Violence Advisor (IDSVA)
  • Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs)
  • Young Persons Violence Advisors (YPVAs)
  • Older Persons Violence Advisors (OPVAs)
  • Qualified Therapists, including Children’s Play Therapists
  • Mental Health Practitioners
  • Recovery Programme Facilitators
  • Specialist Trainers and Educators
  • Safeguarding Leads
  • Community Outreach Workers
  • Dedicated Volunteer Peer Support Workers
  • Committed volunteers with lived and professional experience

Our Volunteer Peer Support Workers

Our Volunteer Peer Support Workers play a vital role within Project Salama. Many bring lived experience alongside specialist training, offering compassionate, relatable, and empowering support to individuals navigating recovery. They help reduce isolation, build trust, and strengthen community connection.

This breadth of expertise allows us to provide holistic, wraparound support tailored to women, children, young people, men, older adults, and families.

Our Leadership

Our CEO, founder, and board of trustees are committed and passionate about raising awareness of domestic abuse and ensuring everyone has access to the support they deserve, regardless of their background, language, or culture.

We are a registered UK charity, governed with transparency and accountability.

Registered Charity Number: 1198736

Volunteer With Us

Volunteers are at the heart of what we do. Many of our peer support workers bring lived experience alongside specialist training, offering compassionate, relatable support to people navigating recovery.

We welcome expressions of interest from people who share our values and want to make a difference in their community — whether that’s through direct support, events, or community outreach.

Express Interest

Ways to Get Involved

  • Peer Support Offer empathetic, one-to-one support to people who have experienced abuse, drawing on your own lived or professional experience.
  • Events & Fundraising Help us run community events, awareness days, and fundraising activities that keep our services free.
  • Community Outreach Represent Project Salama in your community, helping raise awareness and signpost people to our services.

Ready to Talk?

Our team is here for you: confidential, judgement-free, and available in 16+ languages.