Soul Sisters: Empowering People

What Soul Sisters: Empowering People does

Soul Sisters: Empowering People is a UK-registered charity (registered in England and Wales) founded in 2020 by Asma Begum and headquartered in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. The organisation is 100% volunteer-led, with a core team of approximately 7 unpaid volunteers, and it supports women and children affected by domestic abuse across peer support, family court advocacy, financial inclusion, and community education. There is no paid staff and no proprietary technology platform; the operating stack is built entirely on commodity SaaS tools (Stripe for donations, Mailchimp for email, Calendly and Eventbrite for scheduling and ticketing, Zoom for online sessions, and WhatsApp for ongoing participant contact), with the charity website as the central surface.

The service portfolio comprises: a Peer Support Programme delivered through the Soul Sisters and Soul Brothers groups; Family Court Support including McKenzie Friend assistance for survivors navigating court proceedings; Workshops and Creative Sessions covering topics such as financial abuse; the Empowering Recovery Through Advice, Advocacy and Digital Inclusion Programme, which adds structured financial advocacy and digital inclusion support; an Education & Awareness Initiative aimed at schools; The Freedom Fund, a dedicated campaign providing direct financial assistance to survivors leaving abusive relationships; and a Positive Policy & Legislative Change workstream. Delivery is hybrid, combining online (Zoom/WhatsApp) and in-person sessions across Greater Manchester community venues.

The business model is that of a small registered charity, funded through a mix of one-off and recurring individual donations (typically £10–£35 one-off, £5–£20 monthly), corporate sponsorship tiers for The Freedom Fund ranging from Community Partner (£5,000+) through Gold to Platinum (£50,000+), event-based fundraising (notably an annual International Women's Day event), grants, and Easyfundraising affiliate revenue. The organisation publishes a 12-month fundraising goal of £161,521.68. Service users are accessed primarily through Greater Manchester local-authority and policing referral channels and through partnerships with GMCA, Rochdale Council, Tameside Council, Greater Manchester Police, and MPs Lucy Powell and Angela Rayner.

Name

Soul Sisters: Empowering People

Legal name

Soul Sisters

Website

https://soulsisters.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Soul Sisters: Empowering People is a 100% volunteer-led UK charity (founded 2020, based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester) delivering trauma-informed peer support, family court advocacy, financial inclusion, and education services to women and children affected by domestic abuse.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic abuse support services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAD

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYBPAGAEAH

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYEDAJALAK

Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy)

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Educational Support Services (Tutoring & Counseling)

Keywords

• Domestic abuse support
• Survivor peer support
• Family court advocacy
• Financial advocacy services
• Community-based charity

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donations received through the website via Stripe payment processing. Options include one-time donations (£10, £20, £35, or custom amounts) and monthly recurring donations (£5, £10, £20 per month).
2. Fundraising Campaigns: Annual fundraising campaigns with a target of £161,521.68. Includes grant applications, online campaigns, corporate sponsorships, and community fundraising events.
3. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship packages for The Freedom Fund initiative: Platinum Partner (£50,000+), Gold Sponsor (£25,000+), Silver Supporter (£10,000+), Community Partner (£5,000+).
4. Easyfundraising Partnership: Partnership with Easyfundraising enables the charity to receive percentage donations (over 7,000 retailers) from everyday online shopping at no cost to shoppers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Soul Sisters provides free, trauma-informed support services for survivors of domestic abuse, centered on peer support groups, family court advocacy including McKenzie Friend services, creative workshops, and one-to-one advocacy. The charity complements these core services with financial and digital inclusion support, school-based education programmes, and direct financial assistance through The Freedom Fund, while also advocating for legislative and policy change.

Product overview

Soul Sisters: Empowering People is a 100% volunteer-led UK charity offering a coordinated suite of services for survivors of domestic abuse. The core offering centres on peer support programmes (Soul Sisters and Soul Brothers), family court support with McKenzie Friends, and creative/workshop sessions. These are complemented by the Empowering Recovery Through Advice, Advocacy and Digital Inclusion Programme providing financial and digital support, an Education & Awareness Initiative for schools, The Freedom Fund for direct financial assistance, and Positive Policy & Legislative Change advocacy. The organisation also runs a volunteering programme with various roles and facilitates fundraising through donations, events, and corporate partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Freedom Fund: A campaign by Soul Sisters to provide direct financial assistance to help survivors leave abusive relationships, covering safe housing, legal aid, therapy, and basic living essentials.

Products and services

• Peer Support Programme Peer-led support groups for survivors of domestic abuse, providing safe spaces for connection, healing, and growth through shared experiences. Offered both online and in-person with dedicated sessions for men (Soul Brothers) and women (Soul Sisters). Open to anyone affected by domestic abuse seeking connection and support.
• Family Court Support & McKenzie Friend Service Free support for individuals navigating family court proceedings without legal representation. McKenzie Friends provide moral support, note-taking, paperwork assistance, and courtroom accompaniment. Includes a dedicated Mothers Court Group for women navigating the family court system.
• Workshops & Creative Sessions Creative and educational workshop programme including Ladies Creative Sessions (Rochdale), Ladies Creative Group (Middleton), Online Book Club, Job Club/Skills Lab, and various peer support groups. Provides safe spaces for survivors to get creative, learn new skills, and meet with like-minded women.
• Empowering Recovery Through Advice, Advocacy and Digital Inclusion Programme Integrated support programme combining group financial confidence sessions, digital skills training, and one-to-one advocacy to help women overcome financial and digital barriers following domestic abuse. Includes access to devices such as laptops and tablets.
• Education & Awareness Initiative School-based domestic violence awareness programme integrated into PSHE curriculum, teaching young people about healthy relationships, recognising abuse, safeguarding, and breaking cycles of abuse. Includes student focus groups.
• The Freedom Fund Campaign to provide direct financial assistance to survivors of domestic abuse, covering safe housing and relocation, legal aid and protection, therapy and wellbeing support, and basic living essentials. Designed to break the financial barriers that keep women trapped in abusive relationships.
• Positive Policy & Legislative Change Advocacy Advocacy initiative working with government bodies, local MPs, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Rochdale Council, Tameside Council, and Greater Manchester Police to influence policy and legislation protecting domestic abuse victims.
• Drop-In Sessions Scheduled confidential drop-in sessions with trained professionals providing guidance and support for individuals affected by domestic abuse. Bookable via Calendly.

Quantifiable outcome

• Every £1 invested in domestic abuse support saves the public at least £9
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• EasyfundraisingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEasyfundraising partnership allows Soul Sisters to receive free donations from supporters' everyday online shopping. Over 7,000 retailers donate a percentage of purchases directly to the charity at no extra cost to shoppers.
• Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoul Sisters collaborates with GMCA to advocate for stronger domestic abuse policies and ensure domestic abuse remains a government priority. This relationship is part of the organization's legislative change initiative.
• Rochdale CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Rochdale Council to advocate for domestic abuse policy priorities and build relationships with local government officials.
• Tameside CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Tameside Council to support domestic abuse advocacy efforts and policy work at local government level.
• 10GMminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with 10GM organization working on domestic abuse policy and advocacy initiatives across Greater Manchester.
• Greater Manchester PolicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoul Sisters facilitates closer collaboration between Greater Manchester Police and domestic abuse support services to enhance the support and services available to victims.
• Lucy Powell (MP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelationship with local MP Lucy Powell to ensure domestic abuse concerns are represented in government decisions and to advocate for legislative change.
• Angela Rayner (MP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelationship with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner to ensure domestic abuse concerns are represented in government decisions.
• StepChange Debt CharityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partnership for specialist debt restructuring support. Soul Sisters refers survivors to StepChange for debt management while providing initial budgeting skills support.
• Local Early Years ServiceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partnership with local Early Years service that referred a client to Soul Sisters for housing and Universal Credit support during separation from abusive partner.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Respect: UK charity running the Respect Phoneline and accredited perpetrator programmes, alongside work with male and LGBT+ survivors. Comparable in survivor-support orientation and policy/advocacy focus, though also addresses perpetrator intervention.
• Women's Aid Federation of England: The national umbrella charity for domestic abuse services in England, providing refuges, advocacy, and policy work. Directly comparable in mission and beneficiary population to Soul Sisters, though at significantly larger scale and with statutory funding.
• SafeLives: UK charity focused on ending domestic abuse through data, training, and innovation across local specialist services. Soul Sisters'7-attempts statistic and market size data are sourced from SafeLives, indicating direct sector alignment.
• Refuge: One of the UK's largest specialist domestic abuse organizations, running the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, refuges, and independent advocacy. Closest direct peer to Soul Sisters in service mix (advocacy, helpline, refuge support), differing primarily in scale and statutory funding.

Emerging players

• Galop: UK LGBT+ anti-abuse charity providing helpline, advocacy, and recovery services. Overlaps with Soul Sisters on domestic abuse survivor support but serves a specific demographic segment; comparable on trauma-informed advocacy delivery.

Others

• Citizens Advice: UK-wide advice network providing free, independent guidance on debt, benefits, housing, and legal matters. Soul Sisters' financial advocacy and benefits support functions are highly comparable, though Citizens Advice operates at national scale across all advice areas.
• NSPCC: UK children's charity addressing child abuse and neglect, including running Childline. Soul Sisters' volunteering lead Rosannah has direct NSPCC/Childline counselling experience, and the organization serves children of domestic abuse survivors — making NSPCC an adjacent peer in child safeguarding.
• StepChange Debt Charity: UK debt advice charity to which Soul Sisters refers survivors for specialist debt restructuring. They are an active referral partner in Soul Sisters' financial advocacy pathway, making them a directly connected ecosystem participant.

Broad incumbents

• Mind: Major UK mental health charity providing information, support, and advocacy nationwide. Overlaps with Soul Sisters on the mental health and trauma recovery dimensions of survivor support, though operates as a broad mental health incumbent rather than a DV specialist.
• Samaritans: UK-wide emotional support charity operating a 24/7 helpline for people in distress. Comparable to Soul Sisters in providing confidential emotional support and crisis listening, but with much broader scope and infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@soulsisters_empoweringpeople
• Facebookfacebook.com/share/1BYNkvgCsA/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soul-sisters-empowering-people
• Instagraminstagram.com/soulsisters_empoweringpeople?igsh=MXNrNDZheTJtejFxdg==

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Soul Sisters: Empowering People