When you meet Asma Haq, one thing becomes immediately clear: at the heart of her work is compassion and determination. From her beginnings as a chemical engineer in Dubai to her current role as the founder of the Marks Gate Relief Project, her journey shows an individual with vision to better her community.
Engineering to education
Asma’s academic path began in Dubai, where she studied chemical engineering with the support of a scholarship. She then entered the workforce in the oil and gas industry however, even as she built her career in the sector, she felt a shift in the direction she wanted to take. “Although I was working in the oil and gas industry, I particularly enjoyed teaching,” she explains. “I knew my roots lay somewhere else.” That conviction brought her to the UK, where she completed a Master’s in Education. It was also here that her community work took root.
Marks Gate Relief Project
What began as free tutoring for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds soon grew into something much larger. “A part of my work involved teaching free GCSE and A-level chemistry,” she recalls, “but very soon I found myself actually feeding the students and clothing them.”
The Marks Gate Relief Project quickly expanded to offer food drives, counselling, and safe spaces for families in duress. Over time, the scope of the project expanded to include social supermarkets, gardening projects, and intergenerational initiatives connecting teenagers with senior residents. The project quickly became a meeting forum to address immediate community needs and a way to tackle isolation and build long-term bonds.
Interfaith and inclusion
Another key aspect of Asma’s work has been promoting interfaith dialogue. Rather than relying on formal workshops, she chose a more personal approach. “We decided to do interfaith walks,” she explains. “It was light-hearted and casual, and regardless of people’s beliefs, they felt valued, seen, and respected.” These initiatives have helped reduce prejudice, foster acceptance and trust, and create an environment where people from all backgrounds can connect meaningfully.
Partnering with the BEC
Asma first encountered the Barking Enterprise Centre (BEC) when attending an event at their space. That connection would later prove a necessity when the council introduced her to the Kitchen Catalyst Project.
Already running cooking clubs in her community, Asma was invited to become a facilitator, sharing her skills with others across the borough. The Kitchen Catalyst model was simple yet powerful: make the most of surplus food, experiment with unfamiliar ingredients, and bring people together around shared meals. “It encourages stewardship of shared spaces and resources,” Asma says. “Cooking together helps build sustainable neighbourhoods, tackle stigma, and create friendships that last.”
Her advice
Community begins with a simple question: do you care about shaping your neighbourhood for the better?
“If the answer is yes,” she says, “then come down, give it a try once, and you will begin to feel the impact straight away.” Her words reflect that empowering and resilient ethos that drives her work on a daily basis. The belief that small, everyday actions can create lasting change holds true through every project in the Marks Gate Relief Project and the BEC.
What began as a single act of support has blossomed into a multi-faceted support project that helps families, young people, and senior citizens alike. Through Asma’s leadership, the Marks Gate Relief Project and initiatives like the Kitchen Catalyst continue to demonstrate what’s possible when communities come together with purpose and creativity.
