18th July 2018

Refugee Women Connect started life as ‘MRANG’ (Merseyside Refugee and Asylum Seekers Pre and Post Natal Support Group). MRANG was established as a registered charity in 2004 to meet the unaddressed needs of women asylum seekers in Liverpool, with a focus at that time on offering emotional and practical support to pre & post-natal women asylum seekers. Over time MRANG grew and developed, adapting to the changing need of the women it was set up to support and represent. We found that there was a need for support for all women in the asylum process so we widened our reach and offered our services to any woman asylum seeker or refugee and their children. In response to the extending of the dispersal areas we expanded our services outside of Liverpool so we could ensure no women would be alone and isolated. We also engaged more with partners and other stakeholders so we could make better connections for the women to increase their networks and build confidence.

With the change in services MRANG was offering it became clear that the name MRANG was no longer representative and a new more relevant name was needed. Time was spent consulting with service users, staff, volunteers and the board of trustees and thanks to the professional help of Nonconform a name was finally agreed.  On the 1st August 2018 MRANG became known as Refugee Women Connect.  This name was selected because it simply and clearly explains who we are and what we do.  At the request of the women we decided not to use the word asylum, we see that claiming asylum is a process,  for us we recognise all the women we work with as refugees.  The core of what we do is still connecting the women, whether that is connecting the women to us and our services, to information and guidance or to other individuals, organisations or services.  We now feel we have the right name to take us forward and better represent the work our organisation undertakes both now and in the future.

Although we have expanded and increased our services and changed our name we continue the same fight for justice and equality for women asylum seekers and refugees. We hope you will join us in this fight and stand with us and side by side with all women asylum seekers and refugees we represent.