Why We Founded The Salik Project UK

On April 12th, 2025, our family experienced a deep and personal loss. A parent of three, only 43 years old, passed away after a long struggle with addiction.

Speaking about this publicly is not easy. In South Asian communities, these stories are kept quiet—hidden by stigma, shame, and the fear of being judged. But silence helped no one, especially the person we lost. This loss sent devastating ripples through our family and the close-knit community of Rochdale.

The person we lost was so much more than their struggle. As a family, we hold on to the moments of warmth, humour, and tenderness. Glimpses of someone who longed for calm, for stability, for a chance to live beyond survival. We held on to hope—more than once—that things might turn around. But the weight of addiction, paired with ongoing mental health challenges, made the path to recovery almost impossible.

As a family, we did all we could. We took turns caring, navigating complex services, supporting the children, and managing responsibilities that often felt endless. It was emotionally and financially draining. Like so many families in similar situations, we reached a point of burnout. And when the end came, our grief was not just for the person we lost—but for the long road that led there.

In the aftermath, we began to reflect. We realised that while some services exist, they rarely meet the full need—especially for the families and carers who quietly hold everything together. Addiction doesn’t happen in isolation. It affects entire families, entire communities. Yet the people supporting loved ones in recovery are often forgotten, under-resourced, and left to struggle alone.

That’s why we founded The Salik Project UK.

Named in memory of our father, Abdul Hameed Salik—a man known for his deep compassion—we created this charity to provide the kind of targeted, practical support we once needed. Small grants for essentials. Help with debt. School supplies. Transport to appointments. And, most importantly, recognition for the quiet work of carers and family members who give so much.

We’ve already begun to help others. But we know there is more to be done. To grow our impact, we need partners who understand that real recovery is about more than just treatment—it’s about creating the conditions for dignity, stability, and hope.

We invite you to stand with us as we build something rooted in love, loss, and the belief that no one should carry the weight of addiction alone.