Autism advocacy and balancing award-winning businesses with Faria Arsh

Azra Creations began in 2020 as she was going through a divorce and was looking for something positive whilst she was working on herself during lockdown. Once Faria started making candles at home and began giving them to friends she decided to turn it into a business and named it after her mum Azra. Faria’s mum came to live with her and the girls due to Faria’s divorce and was a massive help during this time. 

Azra Creations stands out for its commitment to sustainability. From recyclable candle tins and glass jars to biodegradable packaging and wraps, Faria has considered every aspect of her products’ environmental impact. “Everything is vegan friendly, which is very close to my heart because I want to make sure that we are enjoying these products, but we are looking after the planet as well”. Faria highlights the time taken to find biodegradable items to incorporate in her business and says “It’s expensive but I’m happy to pay that price to maintain the sustainability and make sure that we are eco friendly.”

Furthermore, Faria shares everything is made at home. “Everything is handmade. Even my labels, I don’t get them from outside. I design them at home. I print them, I cut them, I stick the labels by myself. Everything at home by myself.” To balance her businesses she is sometimes up until early hours of the morning making candles due to her daughter Afiyah being on the severe side of the spectrum, she often puts things in her mouth without realizing the danger therefore it is easier and safer to complete orders whilst Afiyah is asleep.

Faria combined her personal and professional experience to design and deliver workshops and training to benefit families and schools navigating caring for others on the spectrum. It  started with her toilet training book – ‘Toilet Training for Autistic & SEND Children and Adults’ and she shares that the feedback and success has been amazing. “It’s given them the independence that we all have right to… These parents who were told that it’s never going to happen and they’ve never had any support are now extremely happy about the fact that their children are independently taking themselves to the toilet”. Faria understands firsthand how difficult it can be and agrees it’s amazing how much she can help others going through the same.