Reflections on the Decision to be a 'COVERED GIRL'

Calisha Bennett is the founder of Developing Diamonds and has over 14 years of experience as an active community leader, speaker, teacher and mentor of Muslim women and youth. Specialising in Islamic identity coaching and personal development, Calisha has taught and spoken to countless audiences in Muslim and non-Muslim communities. In her years of community service she has helped to establish an Islamic community centre as well as a wide variety of Islamic classes and programs for Muslims of diverse ages and backgrounds.

Calisha is a born Muslim woman who grew up in Perth, Western Australia. Born in Port Hedland (in the north of Western Australia), her father was an Australian convert to Islam and her mother was a born Muslim from the Cocos Islands. Through her experience of growing up as an Australian with a mixed cultural background and surviving the every day struggles to prioritise her Islamic faith, Calisha gained great first-hand insight as to what it takes to have a strong Islamic identity.

Over the years she has witnessed and supported countless relatives, friends and community members as they too struggled with their faith and Islamic identity. These experiences and insights led to Calisha’s deep passion for helping to strengthen the faith and identity of Muslim women, youth and communities around the world. She believes that today’s Muslims are in desperate need of dynamic Islamic leadership, learning and support in order to overcome the new-age challenges that lie ahead.

Currently residing in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and five children, Calisha is a homeschooling mother who both studies and teaches Quran and Islamic studies and also runs her Developing Diamonds business from home. She is passionate about her faith, family, health, community, education, social justice, the environment and making the most of Allah’s (Almighty God’s) countless blessings. She strives in every way possible to fulfil the responsibilities and trusts that her Creator expects from her.

Through her brand Developing Diamonds, Calisha aims to strengthen the Islamic identities of Muslim women and youth worldwide. She dreams of a future where they will stand proud and strong as a leading generation of God-conscious believers and community members inshallah.