Hold on to your hats

Meet the alum behind a social enterprise that is raising funds for women facing domestic violence in Queensland – one fashionable hat at a time.

GIF of a hand holding up a stack of colourful hats against a white background.

UQ alum Famin Ahmed (Bachelor of Laws (first class honours) and Arts ‘19) is the creative genius behind the feel-good fashion brand Famin Makes.

Content warning: please be advised that this story contains references to domestic violence.

The full-time lawyer, part-time sewist makes hats, scrunchies and masks, and donates one-hundred per cent of profits to Women’s Legal Service Queensland (WLSQ).

A woman smiles towards the camera wearing a red shirt and a red polka-dot hat.

Famin Ahmed (Bachelor of Laws (first class honours) and Arts ‘19). Image: supplied.

Famin Ahmed (Bachelor of Laws (first class honours) and Arts ‘19). Image: supplied.

WLSQ provides free legal advice to women facing domestic violence, and also advocates for systemic change in relation to domestic violence.

Contact sat down with Famin to chat about stitching for social good, her legal career, and fundraising for women's legal services. Sew, let’s get started…

What motivated you to establish Famin Makes, and how long has have you been sewing hats and fundraising?

"I started Famin Makes in June 2019 when I was just about to graduate from a Bachelor of Laws and Arts from UQ. I had a full-time job in the law lined up for January 2020, so I had a six month break in-between.

"In those six months, a lot of my friends were travelling, but that wasn’t an option for me. I had to stay home to look after my mum and little sister because my home domestic violence situation wasn’t great at the time. I was worried that I might be bored, so I wanted something to do.

"I’ve always liked sewing, and inspired by another social enterprise, I thought of this concept where I would sew and donate the proceeds to charity. The question was then – what charity should I choose?"

"I thought back to when I went to WLSQ in May 2019, to one of their free drop-in advice sessions. My best friend and I tried to go to get legal advice regarding some domestic violence happening in my own house.

"When we got there, 15 minutes after a free drop-in advice session had started we were turned away. We were the seventh group of women turned away that night. We saw one women turned away in front of us, who just burst into tears.

"My friend and I couldn’t stop thinking about what type of dangerous situation she was going home to that night after being turned away for help.

"I then did some research and realised how critically underfunded WLSQ is, and how many women they need to turn away as a result. WLSQ also has a phone advice line for women all around the state, including in remote communities."

"In 2019 they couldn’t answer 40 per cent of calls, from 6636 women, purely because of underfunding. In 2020, once the pandemic started and the number of women facing domestic violence skyrocketed, WLSQ had to turn down 50 per cent of their calls. That’s why Women’s Legal Service is the focus of the project."

Background image: Hat by Famin Makes. Image: supplied.

A woman stands looking away from the camera wearing a bright yellow dress and a colourful multicoloured hat.

How is the work WLSQ provides life-changing for people experiencing domestic violence situations?

"The voice on the other end of WLSQ’s state-wide helpline often belongs to a woman who is facing her last chance to escape a violent partner, where her life is in danger.

"In both the leadup to and aftermath of escaping domestic violence, there are complex legal issues. These legal issues are necessary to deal with to be able to safely leave and maintain safety after leaving.

"People don’t realise how critical receiving legal advice is for a woman trying to escape domestic violence. WLSQ provides that legal advice. It also provides social work services and financial counselling services that are often needed alongside legal advice to protect women and children’s safety."

A GIF of a woman in blue jeans and a black turtleneck trying on colourful fabric hats.

Famin Ahmed and her latest hat designs.

Famin Ahmed and her latest hat designs.

You are a practising lawyer yourself, what led you to pursue law?

"I originally studied law because I liked the art of crafting arguments, and I was interested in how law could be used to protect individuals’ human rights. Those things are still true as I continued to pursue a career in law, but two other things also became clear to me.

"First, I love the critical thinking behind studying and practicing law (my family would probably tell you that I think too critically sometimes – just chill Famin).

"Secondly, I am passionate about how the law relates to the systems we live by in society – and how it can be used as a tool for systemic change that can help more than just one person at a time."

You have raised over $50,000 for WLSQ to date. Do you have any major aspirations or goals for Famin Makes?

"Not really! At the moment, Famin Makes is just a side project through which I can combine a hobby, contribute to the greater good, and use my combination of legal skills and personal experience to advocate for change.

"The project is something that I enjoy and have capacity to do – and I will continue running it for as long as it does so. I don’t have a particular target at which point I will stop.

"On the other hand, I do sometimes think about expanding it by bringing other people on board, but for now I would rather leave it as something that I have full control over, which means I can make it suit my own schedule and enjoyment. But that might change, who knows!"

Background image: Famin Ahmed wearing one of her hat designs on a hike. Image: supplied.

A woman in a colourful orange hat sits at a lookout overlooking a river and mountain range.

How did your UQ experience influence your career and philanthropic ventures?

"While I was at UQ, I was heavily involved in several social justice initiatives. I was the president of the UQ Refugee Tutoring Club, which runs free weekly tutoring sessions for high school students with refugee backgrounds.

"I was also involved in several projects with the UQ Pro Bono Centre. These included two projects for Strategic Advocacy for Human Rights (‘SAHR’): one which involved reviewing proposed amendments to the Criminal Code in Afghanistan and making recommendations to ensure the laws respected gender equality, and another where our team wrote guides for lawyers defending victims of domestic violence who killed their abusive spouses out of self-defence or duress.

"I also did a placement with the Refugee and Immigration Legal Service (RAILS) as part of the Clinical Legal Education (LAWS5180) course.

"In terms of how these experiences at UQ influenced my career and philanthropic ventures... I think, for many people when they start law, myself included, if you’re interested in human rights, you think you have to go work at the UN or a big international human rights organisation to make a difference.

"But when you do projects like this, you realise that there is so much injustice and disadvantage in our own community here in Australia. There are a lot of ways you can make change by working on the legal system here."

"Famin Makes, as well as the pro bono work I do in my professional career, is just one example of this. That is not to say that international work isn’t important and worthy as well, but you can also make as much of a difference in your own backyard."

Famin Makes has raised $50,000 for WLSQ, which will fund...

1000 x 30-minute initial appointments with an advice solicitor for a woman escaping violence.

500 x 1-hour intensive appointments with a solicitor for a woman to advise her on what is needed to prepare for court proceedings, mediation or to negotiate parenting arrangements.

Or, 125 integrated solicitor and social worker appointments providing critical legal advice, action and safety planning to ensure rapid action to protect the safety of a woman and her children.

Want to support Famin Makes? Purchase your hat via Famin's Instagram or donate here.