Our Why
The Community Interest Company (CIC) is a registered company that is limited 100% by guarantee. There is no commercial element to the CIC. That means 100% of funds that enter the CIC are for the community projects. There is no profit element to the company. The company serves the ‘community’.
When individuals hear that there is no profit element to the CIC, they are baffled as to why so much energy goes into running it, given there is no financial gain. Here is why….
Bushra Ali, Our Founder and CEO was born with a severe eye-sight impairment, cataracts. Her disability meant going through childhood not being able to see. The lack of eye-sight resulted in stigmas, labels and bias.
She was told her eyes could not be operated upon until she was at least in her mid-teens. This resulted in going through school facing so many difficulties.
Being the only child of colour at her school in North Wales meant facing a lot of racism. Bushra remembers having no friends for a lot of the time. She hated playing sports as an overweight partially blind child. She was fat-shamed. She was alienated due to her disability. She struggled to run. She could not see the ball in games like rounders. Being unable to see the ball meant she was always picked last (or not at all) for school teams.
A horrible feeling of not being wanted. These issues impacted her self-confidence as a child. She hated having `special needs support’ or assisted learning. She wanted to be `normal’ and to be liked by the other children
Her eyes were successfully operated upon in time for her to sit and pass her GCSEs. Walking out of the hospital she was amazed at being able to see the birds in the sky and the colour of the carpet at home.
Her problems did not end there. She shared with the careers tutor that she wanted to study law. He laughed in her face. He said “You are Asian, you are female, there is no place in law for you. Why don’t we look at home economics?”
Bushra is so glad because although his comments infuriated her, they also gave her the drive to go on and achieve beyond her wildest dreams. Not only did she go on to become a lawyer, she founded her own law firm and set up an office in the very city her careers tutor told her there was no place in law for her.
Bushra has lived her life wanting to be ‘normal’, where people have tried to put labels on her or fit her inside boxes. she has time and time again been told what people think is or is not `her place’. She have forever been trying to please other people and to look at others for approval.
Experience has taught Bushra that there is no `normal’. Even if there is a `normal’ she no longer wants to be it.
Bushra is proud of her imperfections and she loves what makes her different. Bushra no longer looks to others for approval, but sets my own standards about what is acceptable to her. Bushra has learnt to tell herself she is good enough and to truly believe it.
Bushra learnt that as she became more and more successful, or visible in the public eye, more and more `women’ whom she thought were her well-wishers actually became very negative around her, making negatives comments to pull her down and make her doubt herself. Bushra learnt over time, that sadly there are people in this world that will put you down to make themselves feel better, and that is down to nothing but their own insecurities.
Bushra is thankful to have achieved so much at such a young age, and to have been given the most amazing opportunities. Her successful career as a human rights lawyer has meant she has won multiple awards for her achievements, served in Office as President of Leicestershire Law Society and sits on multiple boards as trustee, committee member and most recently appointed as ethics and transparency panel member to the police and Crime Commissioner at Leicestershire Police. Bushra is now also working closely with North Wales Police. Bushra was absolutely honoured to have been appointed as Global Ambassador of Pakistan Alliance for Girls Education.
Bushra has broken free from the shackles of expectations of others. She believes where a boardroom table no longer serves its purpose and is not aligned to your values, get up and go and build a boardroom table of your own that you are proud to sit at.
This Community Interest Company is therefore a product of all the life experiences of Bushra and many others, seeking to create a space in which each individual is treated with absolute respect in a more tolerant and accepting Society.
Whilst we can’t go back and tell our 12 year old-selves that everything was going to be ok, we can certainly share our lived experiences with other individuals for them to know it will be ok.
The CIC is a platform to drive difficult conversations on social issues that matter whilst celebrating diversity and promoting inclusivity. Its mission is for every individual to be treated with absolute respect in a more tolerant and accepting society.
We believe everyone has a story to share. You never know whose life you can change by sharing your story. If the CIC can even help one person to know they are good enough, we have achieved our goal.
Please join us in our mission to change as many lives as possible for the better.
Our core values are the passion we work with and the people we serve. We believe teamwork is dreamwork. We believe in being bold and brave to shatter glass ceilings and to break down barriers encouraging others to be the first to pave the way for others and not letting what you `see’ be your limitation, but see it as your starting point.
EIN PAM
Mae’r Cwmni Buddiant Cymunedol (CBC) yn gwmni gofrestredig sydd 100% yn gyfyngedig trwy warant. Nid oes elfen masnachol i’r CBC. Mae hyn yn golygu bod 100% o gronfa’r CBC yn mynd tuag at prosiectau’r gymuned. Nid oes elfen o elw i’r cwmni. Mae’r cwmni yn gweini’r ‘gymuned’.
Pan mae niglion yn clywed bod yba dim elfen o elw yn y CBC, mae’r gymaint o egni sy’n mynd i fewn i’w redeg yn eu drysu, gan gysidro nid oes elwa ariannol ynddo. Dyma pam…
Fe ganwyd Bushra Ali, ein sefydlydd a CEO, hefo niwed golwg difrifol, pilenni. Roedd ei anabledd yn golygu mynd trwy blentyndod heb fedru gweld. O ganlyniad, roedd ei diffyg golwg yn creu stigmâu, labeli a rhagfarnau.
Gafodd hi wybod na fyddai’n bosib i’w llaw-drin nes iddi fod yng nghanol ei harddegau. Fe greodd hyn gymaint o anawsterau iddi tra roedd hi yn yr ysgol.
Roedd bod yr unig blentyn croen tywyll yn ei hysgol yng Ngogledd Cymru yn golygu roedd hi’n wynebu llawer o hiliaeth. Mae Bushra yn cofio bod heb ffrindiau am lawer o’r amser. Roedd hi’n casáu chwaraeon fel plentyn gorbwysedd a rhannol ddall. Roedd pobl yn cywilyddio ei phwysau. Roedd pobl yn ei dieithrio oherwydd ei hanabledd. Cafodd hi drafferth i redeg. Nid oedd hi’n medru gweld y bêl mewn gemau fel rownderi. Roedd ei diffyg golwg yn golygu roedd pobl bob tro yn ei phigo olaf (neu fyth) ar dimau’r ysgol.
Roedd yn deimlad annifyr fel ei bod yn ddigroeso. Cafodd y rhain effaith ar ei hunanhyder fel plentyn. Roedd hi’n casáu derbyn ‘cymorth anghenion arbennig’ neu ddysgu cymorthedig. Roedd hi eisiau bod yn ‘normal’ ac i blant eraill ei hoffi hi.
Cafodd hi lawdriniaeth ar ei llygaid yn barod iddi sefyll a phasio ei harholiadau TGAU. Wrth gerdded allan o’r ysbyty, roedd hi wedi gwirioni dros fedru gweld yr adar yn yr awyr a lliw’r carped yn ei chartref.
Ni orffennodd ei phroblemau yna. Fe rannodd hi gyda’i thiwtor gyrfaoedd bod hi eisiau astudio’r gyfraith. Wnaeth o chwerthin yn ei hwyneb. Dywedodd o “Rwyt ti’n Asiaidd, rwyt ti’n fenyw, nid oes le i ti astudio’r gyfraith. Beth i ni edrych ar economeg y cartref?”
Mae Bushra yn falch iawn oherwydd, er wnaeth ei sylwadau ei ffyrnigo, fe wnaethant nhw hefyd rhoi’r grym iddi fynd ymlaen a chyflawni ymhellach na’i breuddwydion mwyaf gwyllt. Nid yn unig ddoth hi’n gyfreithiwr, fe wnaeth hi ddechrau cwmni gyfraith ei hun a sefydlu swyddfa yn yr union ddinas dywedodd ei thiwtor gyrfaoedd nad oedd le iddi astudio’r gyfraith.
Mae Bushra wedi byw ei bywyd eisiau bod yn ‘normal’, ble mae pobl wedi trio rhoi labeli arni neu’i rhoi mewn bylchau. Drosodd a throsodd mae pobl yn dweud wrthi beth maent yn meddwl ydi ‘ei lle’ neu ddim. Mae hi wedi trio bodloni pawb arall ac edrych i bobl eraill am gymeradwyaeth ers talwm.
Mae profiad wedi dangos Bushra bod yna ddim ‘normal’. Hyd yn oed os oedd yna ‘normal’, tydi hi ddim isio bod yn rhan ohono.
Mae Bushra yn falch o’i hamherffeithiadau ac mae hi’n hoff iawn o beth sy’n ei gwneud yn wahanol. Tydi Bushra ddim bellach yn edrych i bobl eraill am gymeradwyaeth, ond yn gosod safonau ei hun am beth sy’n dderbyniol iddi. Mae Bushra wedi dysgu i ddweud wrthi hi ei hun bod hi’n ddigon da ac i wir credu hynny.
Dysgodd Bushra, pan ddoth hi’n fwy llwyddiannus a phoblogaidd, bod mwy a mwy o ‘ferched’ oedd hi’n meddwl oedd yn dymuno iddi neud yn dda mewn gwirionedd wedi bod yn negyddol tuag ati, drwy wneud sylwadau negyddol i’w thynnu i lawr a gwneud iddi amau ei hun. Yn anffodus, dros amser, dysgodd Bushra bydd pobl o gwmpas y byd yn tynnu eraill i lawr i deimlo’n well, ac mae hynny i lawr i ddim byd ond ansicrwydd eu hunain.
Mae Bushra yn ddiolchgar ei bod hi wedi cyflawni gymaint wrth fod mor ifanc, ac i dderbyn gymaint o gyfleoedd gwych. Mae ei gyrfa lwyddiannus fel cyfreithiwr hawliau dynol wedi arwain at ennill llawer o wobrau am ei llwyddiannau, wedi gweini yn Swyddfa Llywydd yng Nghymdeithas Gyfraith Sir Caerlŷr ac yn eistedd ar lawer o fyrddau fel ymddiriedolwr, aelod y pwyllgor ac, yn fwy diweddar, gafodd hi ei phenodi fel aelod panel moeseg a thryloywder i Gomisiynydd Heddlu a Throsedd Sir Caerlŷr. Mae Bushra nawr yn gweithio’n agos hefo Heddlu Gogledd Cymru. Roedd yn anrhydedd mawr i Bushra pan gafodd hi ei phenodi fel Llysgennad Byd-eang i Gynghrair Addysg i Ferched ym Mhacistan.
Mae Bushra wedi rhyddhau ei hun o efynnau disgwyliadau pobl eraill. Mae hi’n credu, os oes ystafell fwrdd sydd ddim bellach yn serfio ei bwrpas ac sydd ddim yn alinio gyda’ch barn chi, sefwch i fyny a gosodwch ystafell bwrdd eich hunain rydych yn falch i eistedd wrth.
Mae’r Cwmni Buddiant Cymunedol yma, felly, yn gynnyrch o brofiadau byw Bushra a llawer arall, sy’n ceisio creu lle ble geith pob unigolyn eu trin â pharch llwyr mewn cymdeithas fwy goddefgar a derbyniol.
Er na fedrwn ni fynd yn ôl i ddweud wrth ein hunain yn 12 blwydd oed bydd popeth yn troi allan yn iawn, mi fedrwn ni ben dant rhannu ein profiadau gydag eraill er mwyn iddyn nhw wybod bydd pethau’n mynd yn iawn.
Mae’r CBC yn llwyfan i yrru sgyrsiau ar achosion cymdeithasol pwysig wrth ddathlu amrywiaeth a hyrwyddo cynwysoldeb.. Ei genhadaeth ydi bod pob unigolyn yn cael eu trin â pharch llwyr mewn cymdeithas fwy goddefgar a derbyniol.
Rydym yn credu bod straeon i’w rhannu gan bawb. Cewch fyth wybod pa fywyd allwch newid wrth rannu eich stori. Os all y CBC hyd yn oed helpu un person i wybod ei bod yn ddigon da, rydym wedi cyflawni ein nod.
Ymunwch â ni yn ein cenhadaeth i newid gymaint o fywydau a phosib am y gorau.
Ein gwerthoedd craidd yw’r angerdd rydym yn gweithio hefo a’r bobl rydym yn gweini. Rydym yn credu mai gweithio fel tîm sy’n cyflawni’r breuddwyd yma. Rydym yn credu mewn dewrder i ddryllio’r to gwydr a chwympo’r rhwystrau, i annog eraill i fod y gyntaf i arwain y ffordd i eraill a pheidio â gadael i beth rydych yn ‘gweld’ i fod yn gyfyngiad, ond i fod y cam gyntaf o’r siwrne.
