Raesha Ismaiil
2023
Raesha has a Bachelor of Education and Master of Counselling with Distinction from the University of Canterbury. She is a self-employed educator and mental health counsellor. Raesha has her own private practice called Safehouse Consultancy and Counselling Ltd. She is a lecturer at the University of Canterbury as part of the Faculty of Health Counselling department.
After the loss of her brother during the March 15th terrorist attacks in New Zealand it is her best hope to use this adversity to help bring more community awareness about being a Muslim and what hope and healing looks like in Islam. Raesha promotes and presents workshops that support cultural diversity and inclusion.
Raesha is a trustee for Sakinah Community Trust which is made up of strong empowered women impacted by March 15th 2019. This organisation supports strengthening communities, promoting wellbeing, and building social cohesion.
The inaugural Eradicate Hate Summit was a truly impressive gathering of leaders dedicated to finding lasting and effective solutions to violent extremism. I was particularly moved by the prominence given to survivors and family members of victims of hate and violence throughout the event. Their stories and those of so many others must be at the center of what we do and why we do it.
