Ambassadors

Sistaenable ambassadors, working on the ground in their country to promote gender equality

Naomi Shute

I was born and grew up in Nigeria. Later on I moved to London and studied Business and Computing at Roehampton University London. In London I was involved with Nigerian associations, raising funds for maternity units and for hospital equipments such as beds and incubators. From an early age I was interested in women and children issues and I volunteered with a “Women’s Group” in Kaduna whose aim is to provide the women with basic skills, knowledge of hygiene and promotion of their products. The products were promoted and sold in Bazaars twice a year. I was also one of the committee members of the Nigerian Union who in cooperation with the Nigerian High Commissioner negotiated to bring the break-away branches of the Union together.

After working a few years in London with an international export/import company, an IT company and the British Transport Police, I moved to Germany. A year later I started my Masters in interdisciplinary European Studies at the University of Flensburg, which I completed with a Dual Degree of the Flensburg University and the Southern Danish University.

SistaEnable in Nigeria

Women in Nigeria lack the general knowledge, education and work that lead to their independence.
Any promotion of the Sistaenable easy-access-info will empower the women here.
Locating Sistaenable Social Store Cafés “Mama’s Garage” will help women identify and encourage them to move on.

Impacting Women through small projects

My personal belief is that women can play a very important role in many male dominated societies. With a stronger involvement of women in decision-making there will be less corruption, less wars that cause devastation, less violence and less hunger.

As an ambassador for SistaEnable in Nigeria my goal is to help women open our cafés and I will promote small-size projects with direct positive outcome. Through these small projects local women will be able to sell their products, which will benefit the family directly with no middle persons or institutions.

Many women die during childbirth or they loose their children because they cannot afford hospital bills but if they have the opportunity to run their own small business successfully, it can give them financial freedom, eradicate poverty and illiteracy, create jobs in the community and promote economic growth. When a woman has the means to care for her family, infant deaths and malnutrition will be reduced.

Every time I visit Nigeria I am constantly confronted with issues such as:

Poverty
Health problems
Corruption
Lack of education
Violence

One of the reasons that attracted me to SistaEnable (Sustainable) is the idea of promoting and empowering women through small projects. Such projects have the potential to change the lives of women everywhere.
Also, I hope to open a “Mama’s Garage” in Flensburg, Germany and in Nigeria.

This is why I am excited to be involved with Sistaenable.

Ambassadors Yemen

Alaa Al-Eryani

I’m a filmmaker, photographer, writer, and activist from Yemen. I was born in 1990 in Egypt and have lived all my childhood and teenage years in the capital city of Yemen, Sanaa. I started writing when I was 9 years old and published poems and short stories in a number of local newspapers both in Arabic and in English. When I was 15 years old, I published my first book in Arabic about child rights, titled: “Life has other faces”.
In 2008, I went to live in Malaysia to take my degree from Limkokwing University in which I majored in Digital Film and Television. I returned back to Yemen in 2012 and have since then started working at Save the Children and engaging in different women’s rights campaigns and events. I started using Facebook as a way to get my voice out there and my opinions regarding women’s rights and freedom were always controversial according to my society. In September of 2012, I decided to started a blog “A Rebellious Woman’s blog” as a platform for my opinions about the patriarchal society in which I live in. Also, in April 2013, I started a project called “The Yemeni Feminist Movement” on Facebook and Twitter to promote gender rights and oppose gender discrimination. Since then, I have received threats from religious extremists because of my work in promoting women’s rights but I’m determined to not let that stop me.

In July 2013, I became known as the first person to get an exclusive interview with Nada Al-Ahdal, an 11 year old Yemeni girl who ran away from home to escape marriage, which was published in my blog and received a large number of hits. Furthermore, I made a video interview with Nada which received good reviews and was also translated into French.

I am very determined to continue my fight for women’s rights in my country and I’m very honored to be representing Sistaenable in Yemen. I believe that story telling is the best way to promote awareness and get people to take action. That’s why I’m into filmmaking and writing, and that’s why I’m so happy to be with Sistaenable.

Ambassadors Peru

Violeta Villacorte

Since 2010, I began working with indigenous artisans in the Ecuadorian Amazon leading to my work with indigenous Amazon artisans in my native country Perú in mid 2011. While still in its birthing years, ORG by vio® is a brand that promotes and sells traditional hand crafted goods from the Amazon. ORG by vio ® stands for Organic Rainforest Goods by Violeta and Indigenous Organizations.

My interest in the Amazon stems from my awareness of its rapid destruction caused by extractive industries, leaving many native communities unable to sustain their traditional livelihoods. The Amazon rainforest is our planet’s climate regulator and the lush millenary trees and vegetation that cover the largest rainforest in the world sequester carbon that our industries and daily lives produce, maintaining balance.

ORG by vio® is dedicated to sharing the beautiful craftsmanship that these communities possess and have passed down to their children for generations, keeping their culture alive. As these industries encroach upon their territories, many are forced to change and often lose their cultural identity. By working to promote their traditional artistry and collaborate on new designs with these highly talented artisans, we can ensure the survival and advancement of their traditions and culture, as well as support a sustainable economy for the stewards of the forests.

In Perú, I work in partnership with the Asociación de Mujeres de la Región Nor-Oriental Awajún (Women’s Association of the Awajún Nor-Oriental Region), an organization of about 52 women artisans who live in the remote community of Urakusa in the department of Amazonas. Since my first visit to meet and begin our work together, I have been impressed by the high design and quality of their work, as well as their effort to bring their work to market abroad with limited resources. They walk miles or travel by boat to stay in contact and deliver the beautiful collections that I receive back in the US. We have recently begun selling these stunning accessories through companies such as Free People and specialty stores in LA. ORG by vio® is also working on a dedicated online retail shop that will sell to the public directly.

The collections are a combination of traditional artistry and designs developed in partnership with the artisans. My occasional input in design is inspired by their traditional work, blending it with a modern touch for a discerning market. The result is exquisite works of wearable art made with rainforest plant materials that are harvested sustainably.

As word gets out of my work with Amazon artisans, other native Amazon communities contact me periodically to work with them. While currently concentrating on the work with artisans in the Awajún community of Urakusa in Perú and the Cofán Dureno artisans in Ecuador, I look forward to working with every group that approaches us, as it is our mission to share the beautiful art and culture of these ancient native Amazon communities with the World.

The projects aim to create viable economies for Amazon communities to remain as the stewards of the forests. Farming, logging, mining and petrochemical industries have a long history of destruction and pollution in the Amazon, leaving a trail of devastation in its path from extraction to end product. Once an indigenous community has been disrupted by these industries, they are often left with no means to adjust to a new way of life and are unable to continue to live in their traditional way. Our projects support their culture, livelihood and self-determination.

Although, my work is not strictly with women, they are the ones that do most of the artisan work in these communities.

I am honored to be a part of Sistaenable!

Ambassadors Libya

Nourhan Tarek Al Feituri

I was born in Libya in 1993 and I and live Benghazi

I graduated Highschool 2011 with 98,3% and plan to enter College of Human Medicin to become a doctor.

In 2011 I started “Mama’s Garage Benghazi”, a SistaEnable project run from her home, aiming to encourage girls age 12-15 to continue education, opposed to cultural pressure of early marriage.

Biography

I am a libyan girl born in 1993, and I live in Benghazi, Libya.

Late 2011 I completed high school and passed my examinations with 98.30%. My ambition is to enter the College of Human Medicine to achieve my dreams of becoming a doctor.

Before the revolution I was deprived of all kinds of freedom and all I saw was a dark future, because I was not able to achieve any of my ambitions in my future world … women were marginalized and disadvantaged .. but now we aspire to achieve our freedom.

All borders are open for women to educate, but there is still a lot of culture to change, and only in creating debate and information of our possibilities, and in giving women the opportunity to learn about the rest of the world, we can encourage them to the gender equal independence a true democracy is based on.

SistaEnable in Libya

Our civilization is ancient and we have a lot of historic sites in all the regions of the country, but our people has been suppressed for many years and we must now learn to find our pride again.

I do not see any developments so far in my country and this is due to the difficulty of the transitional phase in which we live now. I see how peace and security must prevail on Libya and by the establishment of the army as soon as possible and the return of police to the streets, to transform the present danger and chaos we experience in the streets, into the stability we need to re-build our country. Then we can develop ways of education and technology advancement and enhance development of our medical services.

Our country has resources like oil, tourism and the possibility of opening world trade and we have the possibility to build a strong economy, which can make us aspire to a partnership with the EU.

But our country will only have a bright future if officials consider patriotism and love for Libya away from personal interests, and only if our leaders will understand to move our nation in the direction of a modern, gender equal society, where men and women can work with and respect each other, and get equal opportunities to education and work.

Libyan women need to be empowered from early age, in order to identify themselves as a part of our working force. Libyan women lack the general knowledge, education and work leading to their independence. Any promotion of the SistaEnable easy-access-info will empower the women here. Locating SistaEnable Social Cafés “Mama’s Garage” will help young girls identify and encourage them to move on.

Encouraging girls from age 12 and up, to continue educating opposed to getting married.

Personally I would like to do my best in working with young teenage girls, from age 12 and up. I have started a group of volunteers my own age, and we visit schools and talk to young girls to inform them of the importance and the possibilities of continuing school and education. Too many girls in my country marry very young, most often because they are not aware of a different and more independent future.

I have partnered with adults who support me in my work; my father and a third grade teacher among them. Partnership is highly important, as I do not have the age nor the authority to pave my ways, but I do have the desire, the courage, the faith and the determination, to reach as many growing girls as possible with my message of the importance of building a new strong democratic country, by starting out with one self.

As a SistaEnable Ambassador I hope to add world focus on the work we, the young women of Libya, have ahead of us. I hope to build a global network, which can support us with information on where to go and how to grow. So far I am doing this work from my personal room at my parents house where I live.

I would like to find funds to start the first Benghazi “Mama’s Garage”, a SistaEnable Social Café, to have a place for all the girls to meet in the afterschool hours, with the opportunity to broaden our horizon and “see” the world, and to find the network we need. I am supported/encouraged by my parents and a female 3. Grade teacher.

This is why I am excited to be involved with SistaEnable.

Ambassadors Congo

Victoria Dimandja

Victoria Dove Dimandja, from the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), single mother of two.

In 2000, I moved in the UK, in part to secure a better life for my children, one of whom is severely mentally impaired, with severe learning disabilities.

Since then, I graduated from Middlesex University/London with a BA International Management.

I have been involved in voluntary work with certain women organizations such as WILPF (Women International League for Peace and Freedom), VoAW (Voices of African Women), WoA (Women of Africa), Congo Now, and now working with Liberation raising awareness of the plight of Congolese women.

I am very active with the IT MUST STOP Campaign, advocating for these horrors to stop.

I find it of utter importance to support Sistaenable in their hard work of dissemenating news, short documentaries and knowldege. This is what the world needs done.

Afghanistan Ambassadors

Shamila Kohestani

Shamila Kohestani is a delightful young woman who brings her story of life as a young woman under Taliban rule, her courageous effort to follow her passion to play a forbidden sport, her journey to pursue a college degree after missing six pivotal years of education during the Taliban, and her goal to promote sports opportunities for women and to educate, inform and motivate overall change for the women, in Afghanistan and throughout the world, who continue to endure extreme oppression.

Ten years ago Shamila was beaten by the Taliban, deprived of any education from age 8 to 13, and confined to her home in Kabul. Shortly after the Taliban were removed from power, she began to play soccer.

Her soccer involvement and position as the captain of the first Women’s Afghan National Soccer Team, led to receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2006 ESPY Awards in Los Angeles. During that trip to the U.S., she had the opportunity to attend the Julie Foudy Sports Leadership program in New Jersey.

While at the program, she met a teacher from Blair Academy who convinced the school to provide a one year scholarship to Blair, a leading boarding school in New Jersey. From Blair, through the help of the Afghan Girls Financial Assistance Fund, Shamila was awarded a four year scholarship to Drew University. While at Drew, she continued to play soccer and was named to the Dean’s list.

She graduated from Drew University in May 2012 with a degree in Political Science and is currently working as a program assistant at the International Republican Institute in Washington, D.C. and as a speaker on women’s issues globally and the life changing effect the opportunity to play sports can provide.

Afghanistan Ambassadors

Samira Hamidi

I was the director of the Afghan Women’s Network (AWN), which includes more than 91 women’s organizations and 5,000 individuals. Working with civil society organizations, government, and UN agencies, I have brought together thousands of voices to raise the visibility of women in Afghanistan through advocacy and networking initiatives.

I have organized consultations across the country to enhance women’s ability to advocate for their participation in events that will shape the new Afghanistan, such as the 2010 National Peace Consultative Jirga, the 2010 Kabul International Conference, the 2011 Bonn Conference, the 2011 Loya Jirga, 2012 Tokyo Conference, and the formation of the High Peace Council.
I previously served as a gender coordinator for the UN Development Programme and advocated successfully for the creation of a department within the Ministry of Interior to ensure that gender is considered in every policy decision. I organized the first trainings for senior ministry officials on UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which requires that women be fully involved in every part of a peace process, and I led a six-week course for more than 300 police officers on ending violence against women.
I received my bachelor’s degree in business administration from Preston University in Pakistan and am certified to train others using The Institute for Inclusive Security’s Women Waging Peace Curriculum. I received a national award in 2010 acknowledging AWN’s critical role in the peace process and received the Presidential Medal for my participation in the National Peace Consultative Jirga.
I currently study International Human Rights Law at the University of York, UK, and I have engaged myself with Sistaenable, because I believe in the global impact of the sistaenable ways.