SOCOPA – SOMALI COMMUNITY PARENT ASSOCIATION

About Our Services

The Somali Community Parents Association (SOCOPA) was established in 2005 with the goal of helping East African refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants in Unitied Kingdom understand and access essential services, including health, education, immigration, and housing.

We serve as a focal point for the community, providing practical support and leadership to enhance the lives of individuals and families.

Community Awareness – Visit to Gattree Gate Prison in Leicester

SOCOPA Team Members recently paid an official visit to Gattree Gate Prison in Leicester, where several Somali inmates are being held. During the visit, we were able to meet with 5 out of 8 Somali prisoners currently held there and had the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations with them.

Gattree Gate Prison is a Category B facility, meaning it houses prisoners serving long-term sentences of 20 to 40 years. It’s important to highlight that the inmates have access to a range of educational and developmental opportunities:

• Each prisoner has their own private cell.

• There are opportunities to pursue education, including vocational training and university-level studies.

• Prisoners can also work inside the prison and earn up to £2 per day.

• They have access to facilities such as the gym, sports, and other recreational activities.

However, the main need expressed by the inmates was the lack of visitation and contact with the outside Somali community. They emphasized how disconnected they feel and asked for:

• Regular visits to stay updated about the Somali community outside.

• Cultural and entertainment materials such as Somali songs, poetry, stories, and folk tales.

• Messages and greetings on special days like Eid, Somalia’s Independence Day, and other major community celebrations.

They shared that during their 15–20 years of incarceration, we were the first Somali organization to visit them, which they deeply appreciated. As a token of goodwill, we brought Somali sweets (xalwo), biscuits, and dates. They were overjoyed—one of the inmates said, “I haven’t tasted xalwo in 20 years.”

They urged the wider Somali community to take responsibility for visiting Somali prisoners across the UK, pointing out that even the deceased are visited and prayed for, while they are alive and in great need of social contact and support.

The inmates also explained that UK prisons operate differently from one another, each with its own rules. They mentioned there are prison magazines and services like GemaRecords and Amazon for Prisons, but they do not provide Somali-language books or media. They estimated that there are over 700 Somali prisoners across various UK prisons, which presents a huge potential for Somali content creators and businesses to reach this underserved audience—especially through digital cultural and literary products.

On the religious front, they expressed no major concerns, as they have access to a regular imam for Friday prayers and four annual visits from Muslim organizations that bring food and deliver sermons.

Waxaan jeclaan lahayn inaan idinla socodsiino in xubno ka tirsan ururka SOCOPA ay dhowaan booqasho rasmi ah ku tageen Xabsiga Gattree Gate ee magaalada Leicester, halkaas oo ay ku xiran yihiin maxaabiis Soomaali ah. Intii booqashadu socotay, waxaan fursad u helnay inaan la kulanno 5 kamid ah 8 maxbuus Soomaaliyeed oo halkaas ku xiran, oo aan la yeelanay wada hadal qiimo leh.

Xabsiga Gattree Gate waa xabsi heer Category B ah, taasoo micnaheedu yahay in lagu hayo maxaabiista lagu xukumay xukuno dheer oo u dhaxeeya 20 illaa 40 sano. Waxaa muhiim ah in la xuso in maxaabiistu ay haystaan fursado waxbarasho iyo horumarineed oo kala duwan:

• Qof walba wuxuu leeyahay qol gaar ah oo uu ku nool yahay.

• Waxaa la heli karaa fursado waxbarasho oo ay ka mid yihiin xirfado, tababaro, iyo waxbarasho jaamacadeed.

• Maxaabiista ka shaqeeya gudaha xabsiga waxaa maalintii la siiyaa ilaa £2.

• Waxay heli karaan adeegyo kale sida gym, ciyaaro, iyo madadaalo kale.

Si kastaba ha ahaatee, baahida ugu weyn ee ay maxaabiistu noo sheegeen waxay ahayd in loo yimaado, lana booqdo. Waxay dareemayaan go’doon iyo xiriir la’aan ay kala kulmaan bulshada Soomaaliyeed ee bannaanka. Waxay codsadeen:

• Booqashooyin joogto ah si ay ula socdaan xaaladda bulshada dibadda.

• Qalab dhaqameed iyo madadaalo sida heeso, gabayo, sheekooyin, iyo qisooyin Soomaalida ah.

• Fariimo iyo salaamo maalmaha ciidaha, maalinta xoriyadda Soomaaliya, iyo munaasabadaha kale ee muhiimka u ah bulshada Soomaaliyeed.

Waxay nala wadaageen in muddo dhan 15–20 sano oo ay xabsiga ku jireen, annaga aan nahay hay’addii ugu horreysay ee Soomaali ah ee soo booqata, taas oo ay aad ugu farxeen. Waxaan hadyad ahaan ugu geynnay xalwo, buskud, iyo timir, waxaana si weyn loogu riyaaqay. Mid kamid ah maxaabiista ayaa yiri: “Xalwo 20 sano ka hor ayaan ugu dambeysay.”

Waxay bulshada Soomaaliyeed ugu baaqeen in ay xil iska saarto booqashada dadka Soomaaliyeed ee ku xiran xabsiyada UK, iyaga oo tusaale u soo qaatay in dadka dhintay la booqdo oo loo ducaysto, halka iyagu ay nool yihiin oo ay si weyn ugu baahan yihiin xiriir iyo daryeel bulsho.

Sidoo kale, waxay noo sheegeen in xabsiyada UK ay kala duwan yihiin, mid walbana uu leeyahay nidaam iyo habraac gaar ah. Waxaa jira wargeysyo iyo adeegyo online ah sida GemaRecords iyo Amazon Prison Services, balse laga waayo buugaag ama waxyaabo af Soomaali ku qoran. Waxay ku qiyaaseen in in ka badan 700 maxbuus Soomaali ah ay ku xiran yihiin xabsiyada UK, taasoo muujinaysa in la baahan yahay in ganacsatada iyo suugaanleyda Soomaaliyeed ay horumariyaan waxyaabaha dijitaalka ah ee dhaqanka iyo afka Soomaaliga, si ay u gaaraan dadkan maxaabiista ah.

Dhanka diinta, maxaabiistu waxay sheegeen in aysan jirin baahi weyn oo la xiriirta, maadaama ay si joogto ah u helaan imam tukanaya salaadda Jimcaha iyo afar jeer sanadkii oo ay booqashooyin ka helaan hay’adaha Islaamka oo keena cunto iyo muxaadarooyin.

Celebrating Our Team's Hard Work! MP Visits SOCOPA

We were honored to host MP’s Shockat Adam at SOCOPA and showcase the impactful work we do for the community. The presentation was a true reflection of our team’s dedication and passion—thank you to everyone who worked tirelessly to make it a success!

A special recognition goes to our incredible CEO Abdikayf, whose leadership and vision made this possible. Without his guidance, none of this would have been achievable.

Congratulations to the entire team, and thank you to everyone who organised this inspiring meeting. Together, we’re making a difference!

Reviews

I am a Somali mother raising children on my own, and I am very grateful to the SOCOPA community. In March 2025, I want to share how SOCOPA helped me when I had no knowledge or understanding of how to manage things. They supported me and my children, may Allah bless them. Despite not having a partner or income, they helped me and took care of my sick child. They are very compassionate people. I had refused all assistance until I could stand on my own feet, and they supported me with everything—especially with my child, who has special needs. They helped with my child’s school, doctor’s appointments, and the financial support he is entitled to. They filled out all the necessary forms for me, found me a place to live, and helped me get settled. Without their help, my children and I would have been homeless. I am truly grateful and pray that Allah rewards them for their work in serving the community. JazakAllah Khair

I am an asylum seeker from Yemen and I received my refugee status in January 2025. I didn’t know how to set up or access my E-visa, so I came to the SOCOPA Organisation for help. The team at SOCOPA supported me in setting up and recovering my E-visa access. When I first arrived, I was very worried and stressed, but by the time I left, I felt relieved and happy. I am truly grateful for their help. Thank you so much for assisting me with my E-visa. You were very kind and welcoming to everyone. It was really nice of you to support people like me.

I came to Britain from Algeria as an asylum seeker and was granted a residence visa on the 13th of March. After receiving my visa, I was unsure about the next steps until I found SOCOPA. The team at SOCOPA supported me for several hours, helping me with everything I needed. My mobile phone was broken, I had limited internet access, and I wasn’t familiar with computers, but they were very patient and understanding. SOCOPA helped me apply for Universal Credit and register with Leicester City Council’s Homeless Duty Team to arrange accommodation after I leave SERCO housing. They also provided me with a SIM card offering unlimited calls, texts, and 40GB of data for six months. I am truly grateful for the incredible support and guidance I received from SOCOPA during this difficult time.

About Our Services

Community Awareness – Visit to Gattree Gate Prison in Leicester

Celebrating Our Team's Hard Work! MP Visits SOCOPA

Reviews

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