Anaka Women's Collective Fundraiser Surpasses £160,000 to Support Families Displaced by Belfast Racist Attacks
In one of the most striking demonstrations of community solidarity seen in Belfast in years, a fundraising campaign organised by the Anaka Women's Collective has raised over £160,000 to provide emergency support for approximately 200 adults and children who have been displaced from their homes by racist attacks. The campaign, which attracted donations from across Northern Ireland, the Republic, and the wider Irish diaspora, has been described as "extraordinary" by the human rights group PPR, and it represents a powerful and practical counter-narrative to the violence and division that has dominated the week's headlines.
Background
The Anaka Women's Collective is a Belfast-based organisation that works with women from minority ethnic and migrant communities, providing support, advocacy, and community development services. Founded to address the specific needs of women who face the intersection of gender-based discrimination and racial prejudice, the collective has been a vital resource for many of the communities most affected by this week's violence. Its decision to launch an emergency fundraising campaign reflects both its deep connections with the affected communities and its capacity to mobilise public support quickly and effectively.
The displacement of approximately 200 people from their homes in Belfast — many of them families with young children who had been living in the city for years — represents one of the most serious humanitarian consequences of the week's disorder. The families affected have lost not just their immediate accommodation but, in many cases, their sense of security and belonging in a city they had come to regard as home. The practical needs are immediate and significant: emergency accommodation, food, clothing, transport, and the kind of pastoral support that helps people navigate a crisis.
The PPR (Participation and the Practice of Rights) human rights group has been working alongside the Anaka Women's Collective to coordinate the response to the displacement crisis, drawing on its experience of community advocacy and its networks across Belfast's civil society. The group's involvement has helped to ensure that the fundraising effort is channelled effectively towards those who need it most.
Key Developments
The fundraising campaign was launched in the immediate aftermath of the displacement of the first families, with the Anaka Women's Collective using social media and its community networks to spread the word quickly. The response was immediate and overwhelming: within 24 hours, the campaign had raised tens of thousands of pounds, and by June 11 the total had surpassed £160,000. The Irish News reported on the campaign's success, noting that donations had come from individuals, businesses, community organisations, and faith groups across Northern Ireland and beyond.
The funds are being used to provide emergency accommodation for displaced families — many of whom have been housed in community centres, church halls, and the homes of friends and neighbours — as well as to cover the costs of transport, food, clothing, and other essentials. The Anaka Women's Collective has been working with local councils, housing associations, and the Housing Executive to identify longer-term accommodation solutions for families who cannot return to their homes.
Chloe Trew of PPR praised the "extraordinary" community response, stating that civil society and volunteers had united to "loudly reject the divisive rhetoric" that had driven the violence. Her comments reflected a broader sense among community organisations that the public response to the displacement crisis — the fundraising, the offers of accommodation, the practical support — represents the authentic voice of Belfast, as opposed to the minority who engaged in the disorder.
Why It Matters
The Anaka Women's Collective fundraiser matters for several reasons. Most immediately, it provides practical support to families who are in genuine need — people who have lost their homes and their sense of security through no fault of their own. The £160,000 raised will make a real difference to the lives of the approximately 200 people affected, covering costs that would otherwise fall on already stretched statutory services or on the families themselves.
But the fundraiser also matters as a statement about the values of Belfast's communities. The speed and scale of the public response — £160,000 raised in a matter of days — demonstrates that the violence and racism of the past week does not represent the majority view in Northern Ireland. It shows that when communities are faced with a clear injustice, they are capable of mobilising quickly and generously to address it.
The involvement of the Anaka Women's Collective and PPR also matters because it demonstrates the capacity of civil society organisations to respond effectively to crises that the statutory sector is not equipped to handle alone. The ability to mobilise community resources, coordinate practical support, and provide advocacy for affected families is a form of social capital that is difficult to quantify but essential to the functioning of a healthy society.
Local Impact
The impact of the fundraiser is felt most directly in the communities where the displaced families are being housed. In areas including East Belfast, North Belfast, and the city centre, community organisations and faith groups have been working to provide temporary accommodation and support, drawing on the funds raised by the campaign. The Belfast City Council has also been involved in coordinating the response, working with the Housing Executive and voluntary organisations to identify longer-term solutions.
For the Anaka Women's Collective itself, the fundraiser has raised its profile significantly and demonstrated its capacity to mobilise public support in a crisis. The organisation is now working to ensure that the momentum generated by the campaign is sustained beyond the immediate emergency, with plans to develop longer-term support programmes for the affected families and to advocate for policy changes that would better protect minority ethnic communities from the kind of violence they have experienced this week.
What's Next
The Anaka Women's Collective has indicated that the fundraising campaign will remain open for the foreseeable future, with additional funds to be directed towards longer-term support for affected families. The organisation is also planning a series of community events to celebrate the solidarity shown by Belfast's communities and to provide a platform for the voices of those who have been displaced. PPR has indicated it will be publishing a detailed report on the displacement crisis and its implications for housing policy and community safety in Northern Ireland.
