International Women's Day: Rahila Hamid in social care

As International Women’s Day (March 8) draws near, The Argus had the pleasure of speaking to Rahila Hamid, who wants to "bridge the gap between ethnic communities and public services" to help those that need it despite the daily challenges she faces.

Who is Rahila Hamid?

Rahila Hamid, 63, has lived in Newport since the 1980s as she has close family in the UK, moving here from Pakistan after being educated to a high level with an expert grasp of English.

Mrs Rahila Hamid at a formal event. (Image: Rahila Hamid)

She, like other women, had to juggle raising three children and caring for her husband's parents, while pursuing a career in health and social care. This was while she dealt with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease affecting joints in the body, which she was diagnosed with thirty years ago.

Mrs Hamid said: "Like so many other young women coming to the UK after getting married and moving with in-laws, I had to adjust according to their views and expectations. I had some difficulties to start with but the situation got better with time."

She did not allow these challenges to overcome her. Instead, she remained selfless and helped people regardless of their ethnicity or economic status.

Mrs Hamid was featured in the South Wales Argus in July 1997, working for Age Concern (now, Age Cymru) at the time while also giving a speech at the ‘Woman’s Hour’ at Newport Festival in 1997 to celebrate the town's cultural diversity at the time (pictured below).

Mrs Hamid in 1997 on the front page of the South Wales Argus as Newport Festival 1997 celebrates town's cultural diversity. (Image: Rahila Hamid)

After that, Mrs Hamid worked with charities like Age Concern (now, Age Cymru), South East Wales Racial Equality council, Newport Mind, Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team Wales (EYST), Newport Yemeni Community Association and is still actively involved with the University of South Wales research in the Ethnic Minority Research Advisory Group (EMRAG).

Mrs Hamid says: "Newport Mind helped me to build my contacts list but EYST helped me to look at policies.

"It isn't clear to people outside of the communities but there are barriers that these people face. They are worried about who to trust, confidentiality and the risks that come with that.

"What's more is, especially within the South Asian communities, there is an emphasis on 'log kya kehenge'." This translates from Urdu to English as 'what will people say?'.

Mrs Rahila Hamid at a partnership event hosted by Age Alive. (Image: Rahila Hamid)

At these organisations, Mrs Hamid gave her time and energy to help the elderly get back on their feet after being discharged from hospital, finding them suitable accommodation, helping them to feel less lonely, helping asylum seekers deal with complex needs, and at times providing them with a safe space if they have escaped abusive relationships or domestic violence.

Health and social care sector

According to a 2022 study by Social Care Wales, almost 85,000 people were estimated to be working in the health and social care sector.

Residential care for adults accounted for the largest part of the sector, with an estimated workforce of 29,100 people, which is 35% of the total workforce in the sector.

Another finding from the survey was that there were 5,323 recorded vacancies. That is 9% of the total workforce.

Sue Evans, chief executive of Social Care Wales, said: “The high vacancy rate is putting further strain on a sector that’s already under pressure because of increasing demand for social care services, and this in turn means citizens are having to wait longer for advice, assessments and support."

Mrs Hamid took an early retirement in 2021 but still plays an active role in the Gwent community, donating clothes, funds and time to several groups such as Coffee & Laugh, Age Alive, Feed Newport, and places of worship such as Iqra mosque.

Pictured left-to-right: Selima Bahadur, Uzma Khan, Lee Tiratira, Helena Herklots (Older People commissioner for Wales), Matthew (Ombudsman Wales), Rahila Hamid, Fateha Ahmed and Helal Uddin of EYST. (Image: Rahila Hamid)

Severe cases

While Mrs Hamid can't discuss certain cases, she talks about one that allegedly took place in 2018.

"I was introduced to a Muslim lady who was over 70 and had her leg amputated. She was under severe stress but discharged. When I went into the local hospital, she told me 'I'm in pain, I'm in agony'.

"I told her daughter to go get help and she was seen after 10 or 11 hours, after her toes went blue.

"I couldn't believe it. She was an asylum seeker, hesitating to get help."

Cases of hope

Mrs Hamid works with emergency services such as Gwent Police and BAWSO, a support refuge for those that are from black or minority ethnic backgrounds going through domestic violence (not including physical violence).

Mrs Hamid has worked with a range of health and social care facilities around Newport and Gwent to help those in need. (Image: Canva)

"People call us because they trust us, or we can do out-of-hours calls," she said, "some men think it's a personal issue and don't want us to get involved. But it's our duty of care to protect them."

Mrs Hamid has enabled South Asian community members who may not get involved with community events, to help events facilitation. 

"I'm so proud of them and I've guided them. It's not about me, it's our communities and our people."

She hopes her life will inspire younger generations around Newport to get into a similar career of care.

"I can see the progress," said Mrs Hamid, "but more ethnic minorities need to be in higher, decision-making positions.

"Otherwise there is a lack of trust and knowledge like within local authorities, organisations, governors of schools and board members."