Faith-Aligned Financing Supports Culturally Responsive Behavioral Health Services

In Portland’s Islamic community, gaps in culturally responsive behavioral health services have left many without the support they need. These individuals and families face stigma, language barriers, and a lack of culturally informed care. Seeing this growing need, Halima Abyan set out to open Zart LLC, a culturally responsive outpatient rehabilitation facility.

“I wanted to create a space where people feel respected, understood, and supported,” Halima reflects.

While opening this facility, Halima faced several challenges. Even though she had secured a commercial lease for the facility, statewide delays in permitting made her pay rent for over a year before she was able to start the business. By the time she received her permit, Halima had spent all her reserve funds and needed more.

As a practicing Muslim, Halima looked for financing that aligned with her faith. She sought alternatives to traditional loans that charge interest. Through an online search, she found Craft3’s Islamic Financing options and reached out.

“Halima came to us with clear expertise and experience about her business and industry,” says Craft3 Business Services Coach.

Craft3 recognized both the strength of Halima’s vision and the complexity of her situation. We worked with her to refine the business’s billing processes and financial projections. Together, Halima and Miri thought through how the business would bill for its services, what the cost to the business would be for each service, how long it would take to be reimbursed, and how insurance and government agencies would be billed.

“This was all information Halima had in her head,” our Business Coach reflects on the process. “The work was really just translating that knowledge into a spreadsheet so she and her lender could see what the business needed to accomplish over time.”

After working with Halima, Craft3 was able to structure a Wakalah agreement based on Zart LLC’s needs and projections. Under this Islamic financing structure, an entity like Craft3 appoints a business like Zart LLC to act as an agent and manage the funds.

“Craft3 was supportive, professional, and encouraging throughout the process. Their guidance helped me better understand how to grow and strengthen the business in a sustainable way,” Halima shares. “Islamic Financing has helped create a pathway to expand services, invest in the future of the company, and continue serving the community responsibly.”