Zahra Ibrahim

Zahra Ibrahim is the director of Excel Women’s Association, a user led charity which supports women by providing a safe space within Barking and Dagenham. The Excel Women’s Centre, where the charity is based, has its origins in 1995, when Ibrahim and a few other local women began monthly meetups as a self-help group. Originally a child refugee herself, it was fitting that Zahra Ibrahim would be instrumental in establishing a charitable concern that drives for social change. The attendees would share their concerns and help each other reach resolutions. The unofficial meetups continued until 2013, when the Centre was formally founded.

Now, the quality of Excel's services has been promoted to enable it to assist women from surrounding boroughs, including a range of individuals across the age spectrum. Excel Women’s Centre is a community hub with an open-door policy. In October 2020, Zahra appeared on a Leaders Council of Great Britain & Northern Ireland podcast, discussing the importance of leadership and the impact it has had on her career to date.