By Sheila Kinkade
Her vision: A South Africa where women engineer solutions to social and environmental problems.
Naadiya Moosajee co-founded South African
Women in Engineering (SaWomEng) as a platform to advocate for the
advancement and education of females entering the engineering industry. Why
encourage more women to pursue engineering degrees? "We have enthusiastic
young women who want to change the world,” says Naadiya, pointing to the more
2,000 high school girls who participate in SaWomEng’s programs, including a
mentorship match where high school students are paired with university mentors
who act as big sisters. “These young women realize that engineering could be
the vehicle to reach their goals,” adds Naadiya. “What’s more, women tend to
pursue more collaborative approaches to problem solving,” which is why
SaWomEng’s annual innovation challenge focuses on identifying solutions to the
toughest challenges facing developing countries. Says Naadiya, “With more young
women taking up the mantle of leadership, we can create a collaborative space
to engineer a more prosperous Africa.”
Soon after graduating from college, Ana
Moraga moved with her roommate from her home in the U.S. to Guatemala City to
meet a group of women sex workers featured in a documentary. These initial
meetings grew into long-lasting relationships based on trust and dignity. In
time, the women from this community shared with Ana their dreams and goals
about learning how to read and write or practicing a trade. These conversations
led to literacy and vocational workshops using a popular education methodology.
Through MuJER - Mujeres por la Justicia, Educación y el Reconocimiento (Women
for Justice Education and Awareness), Ana facilitated spaces of empowerment for
women to become socially and politically active through programs that range
from literacy and vocational training to emotional well-being and violence
prevention. Since its founding, MuJER has created a multifaceted support system
for over 500 women sex workers throughout Guatemala.
Her vision: To be a life and livelihood partner for
our artisans so that poverty becomes a part of their past.
It was while traveling to Sri
Lanka in 2005 that American Alia Whitney-Johnson was moved to address the
plight of young women survivors of sexual violence. Eight years later, Emerge Global, the organization she founded
to meet their needs, has reached more than 300 young women in that country. Through
its efforts, survivors of abuse rediscover their personal beauty, develop their
self-sufficiency, and become leaders in their communities. Jewelry making is
used as a tool to enable beneficiaries to organize themselves; develop
financial, business, and leadership skills; and build a community of support.
Jewelry created through Emerge Global is sold both in Sri Lanka and the United
States, with revenue from sales returned to the girls and reinvested in
materials to sustain the program.
Khalida Brohi began her career
as a woman’s rights advocate at the age of 16, striving to put an end the
practices of honor killing, child marriage, and arranged marriage in the tribal
communities of southwest Pakistan. In 2009, she launched the Sughar Women Program, a
social enterprise that empowers tribal and rural women by giving them training,
skills, and opportunities to use their embroidery talents to generate income.
The Sughar (a local word meaning skilled and confident woman) Program aims to
unleash women’s potential by giving them opportunities that they deserve. Refusing
to stand against the traditions and values of tribes, Sughar instead promotes
their customs and traditions, such as music, language, and embroidery. This
positive approach to fighting a crime like honor killing has contributed to
Sughar’s popularity among rural communities, with more than 700 women in Sindh
and Balochistan supported to date.
Lina Khalifeh founded SheFighter as the first
women’s self-defense training center in Jordan and the Middle East. With a
passion for the martial arts, Lina sought to create a space where women could
learn physical and mental techniques that they could use to defend themselves
and build their self-confidence. SheFighter also offers workshops and seminars
about sexual harassment, bullying, women’s rights, honor crimes, and more. “I
started SheFighter to stop or reduce violence against women,” says Lina. “I
believe passionately that women have the right to learn how to defend
themselves.” Since 2012, Lina has taught nearly 500 women and reached nearly
40,000 more through her appearances on TV. After receiving SheFighter training,
women start feeling more confident and secure,” she says, sharing the story of
one beneficiary who no longer fears taking a taxi.
Her vision: To economically-empower rural women in Cambodia, while preserving a
time-honored silk-weaving tradition.
In recognition of International Women’s Day,
YouthActionNet honors the vision, perseverance, and courage of its Fellows who
are working on the front lines to advance the rights and
opportunities of women.
Below are ten Fellows whose social
innovations are improving the incomes of rural women in Cambodia, promoting the
rights of women and girls in Pakistan, strengthening the leadership skills of women
in Nigeria, enhancing the self-esteem and self-protection of young women in
Jordan, and more.
We applaud the efforts of these and other
YouthActionNet Fellows who are championing the cause of women in an effort to
build a safer, more peaceful, equitable, and sustainable world.
1. Naadiya Moosajee, South Africa
Her vision: A South Africa where women engineer solutions to social and environmental problems.
Naadiya Moosajee co-founded South African
Women in Engineering (SaWomEng) as a platform to advocate for the
advancement and education of females entering the engineering industry. Why
encourage more women to pursue engineering degrees? "We have enthusiastic
young women who want to change the world,” says Naadiya, pointing to the more
2,000 high school girls who participate in SaWomEng’s programs, including a
mentorship match where high school students are paired with university mentors
who act as big sisters. “These young women realize that engineering could be
the vehicle to reach their goals,” adds Naadiya. “What’s more, women tend to
pursue more collaborative approaches to problem solving,” which is why
SaWomEng’s annual innovation challenge focuses on identifying solutions to the
toughest challenges facing developing countries. Says Naadiya, “With more young
women taking up the mantle of leadership, we can create a collaborative space
to engineer a more prosperous Africa.” 2. Ana Moraga, Guatemala
Her vision: To develop spaces of empowerment
with women sex workers in order to build community, emotional and economic
well-being, and political voices for the advancement of their human
rights.
Soon after graduating from college, Ana
Moraga moved with her roommate from her home in the U.S. to Guatemala City to
meet a group of women sex workers featured in a documentary. These initial
meetings grew into long-lasting relationships based on trust and dignity. In
time, the women from this community shared with Ana their dreams and goals
about learning how to read and write or practicing a trade. These conversations
led to literacy and vocational workshops using a popular education methodology.
Through MuJER - Mujeres por la Justicia, Educación y el Reconocimiento (Women
for Justice Education and Awareness), Ana facilitated spaces of empowerment for
women to become socially and politically active through programs that range
from literacy and vocational training to emotional well-being and violence
prevention. Since its founding, MuJER has created a multifaceted support system
for over 500 women sex workers throughout Guatemala. 3. Therese “Reese” Fernandez-Ruiz, Philippines
Her vision: To be a life and livelihood partner for
our artisans so that poverty becomes a part of their past.
Reese co-founded Rags2Riches
(R2R), a social enterprise, in 2007 to empower low-income women to make high
quality goods out of discarded cloth from garment factories. R2R believes that
style and environmental sustainability can come together to create fashionable
products and trends. R2R uses upcycled fabric scraps purchased from garment
manufacturers, as well as organic and native weaves sourced from indigenous
communities, and transforms them into unique home and fashion accessories. To
date, more than 800 community artisans have benefited from training and
increased incomes. Says Reese, “My vision is for
our artisans to get out of poverty and not just to get by. We believe that our
amazing, hardworking, and compassionate artisans deserve this big audacious
goal and all the perseverance that comes with making this happen.
4. Alia Whitney-Johnson, Sri Lanka
Her vision: Use jewelry making as a tool to empower
young women survivors of abuse while raising awareness of their needs.
It was while traveling to Sri
Lanka in 2005 that American Alia Whitney-Johnson was moved to address the
plight of young women survivors of sexual violence. Eight years later, Emerge Global, the organization she founded
to meet their needs, has reached more than 300 young women in that country. Through
its efforts, survivors of abuse rediscover their personal beauty, develop their
self-sufficiency, and become leaders in their communities. Jewelry making is
used as a tool to enable beneficiaries to organize themselves; develop
financial, business, and leadership skills; and build a community of support.
Jewelry created through Emerge Global is sold both in Sri Lanka and the United
States, with revenue from sales returned to the girls and reinvested in
materials to sustain the program. 5. Khalida Brohi, Pakistan
Her vision: To change the lives of a million
women over the next ten years through empowering them economically and as
leaders.
Khalida Brohi began her career
as a woman’s rights advocate at the age of 16, striving to put an end the
practices of honor killing, child marriage, and arranged marriage in the tribal
communities of southwest Pakistan. In 2009, she launched the Sughar Women Program, a
social enterprise that empowers tribal and rural women by giving them training,
skills, and opportunities to use their embroidery talents to generate income.
The Sughar (a local word meaning skilled and confident woman) Program aims to
unleash women’s potential by giving them opportunities that they deserve. Refusing
to stand against the traditions and values of tribes, Sughar instead promotes
their customs and traditions, such as music, language, and embroidery. This
positive approach to fighting a crime like honor killing has contributed to
Sughar’s popularity among rural communities, with more than 700 women in Sindh
and Balochistan supported to date.6. Lina Khalifeh, Jordan
Her vision: To
empower as many women as possible through self-defense training and SheFighter
franchise studios in the MENA Region, Europe, Canada, and the United
States.
Lina Khalifeh founded SheFighter as the first
women’s self-defense training center in Jordan and the Middle East. With a
passion for the martial arts, Lina sought to create a space where women could
learn physical and mental techniques that they could use to defend themselves
and build their self-confidence. SheFighter also offers workshops and seminars
about sexual harassment, bullying, women’s rights, honor crimes, and more. “I
started SheFighter to stop or reduce violence against women,” says Lina. “I
believe passionately that women have the right to learn how to defend
themselves.” Since 2012, Lina has taught nearly 500 women and reached nearly
40,000 more through her appearances on TV. After receiving SheFighter training,
women start feeling more confident and secure,” she says, sharing the story of
one beneficiary who no longer fears taking a taxi.7. Gökden Ipek Yosunlu, Turkey
Her vision: To enable low-income, rural women in Turkey to create their own
cooperative through which they produce, market, and sell rugs.
Through My Mother’s Rug, Ipek empowers low-income, rural women to make
rugs out of recycled fabric and links them to urban markets. The women earn an
average of US$430 per month – contributing not only to their family income but
their sense of self-worth. With leftover curtain fabric used to make the rugs,
the project pursues both a social and environmental mission. “The women now
feel like they can do something by and for themselves,” says Ipek. “They don’t
have to feel like the weakest part of society. They can actually feel a part of
it.” Watch the video.
8. Vanntha Ngorn, Cambodia
When she set out to lift rural women in Cambodia out of poverty, Vanntha Ngorn
had other complementary goals
in mind. Members of her collaborative would not
only learn high quality silk-weaving techniques and gain access to markets but
they would preserve a centuries-old tradition at risk of disappearing. An added
benefit was educating consumers about the value of purchasing handcrafted, fair
trade goods that promote environmental sustainability. Four years later, Color Silk, the social enterprise Vanntha created, is
a resounding success, having boosted the incomes of more than 400 rural women, while
being lauded by the national government as one of the country’s top silk producers.
9. Elisabet Pérez Costas, Spain
Her vision:
To ensure the equal rights and full integration of lesbian and bisexual women
in Spanish society.
Elisabet Pérez Costas created the Asociación Nos Mesmas to support,
empower, and advocate for lesbian and bisexual women while combating prejudice
and discrimination against them. The Association provides a meeting place for
lesbian and bisexual women to gather and support one another; offers
counseling; advocates for improved policies; and hosts discussion groups,
workshops, and outdoor activities. An important part of its work is promoting
the visibility of lesbian and bisexual women in Spanish society so that they
are able to exercise their full rights as citizens.
10. Fego Isikwenu, Nigeria
Her vision: To empower young African women
to be leaders.
Recognizing that women are often not accorded the same protections, rights, and
roles as men – and are frequently denied opportunities for employment and
education – Oghenefego Isikwenu founded
Women-LEEP. Its goal: to empower young women with leadership and life
skills to strengthen their decision-making and ability to take charge of their
lives. Participants, ages 14 to 22, participate in a three-month training and
mentoring program focused on developing their self-esteem and skills in such
areas as decision-making, communication, negotiation, and goal-setting. At the
end of the training, participants are supported in pursuing a vocational path
and/or furthering their educational goals. Sixty percent of program
beneficiaries have gone on to institutions of higher learning, with a majority
of graduates volunteering their time as program facilitators and mentors.
