March 08, 2021
This Women’s Day we ‘choose to challenge’
Today, we marked International Women’s Day by celebrating the members of our women’s group that challenges inequality every day, by supporting each other, by calling out injustice and looking after their own needs.
Inspired by the documentary Kesho Pia Ni Siku, the Women Together group wrote a word that they had a strong connection with and shared it with each other over their weekly online meeting. The purpose? To inspire others to rise up and challenge for change.
Our Women Together project aims to improve the health and wellbeing of women with a refugee, asylum seeker and migrant background who have experienced trauma due to gender-based violence.
The project also includes a Community Champion programme – where members are trained to end violence against women and girls. As champions, they raise awareness in their communities, support women going through a difficult time, and teach each other new skills to empower them.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the gatherings take place every Wednesday in a Zoom meeting. Whether it is online or in-person, the women in this group find ways to make these meetings fun. A favourite activity is to learn and sing songs from different cultures.
“Thank you for organising singing groups, singing helps us women to take our problems away. It’s even more important in the lockdown because we are not seeing other people so coming here and singing together helps a lot.”
— Member of women’s group
As one member commented: “Thank you for organising singing groups, singing helps us women to take our problems away. It’s even more important in the lockdown because we are not seeing other people so coming here and singing together helps a lot.”
But most importantly, this group makes everyone feel safe and welcomed. They are reminded of how powerful they truly are, no matter what anybody else might say, and encourage one another.
Another member said: “This group is like my family, when I feel down I come to the Wednesday group and meeting the other women and sharing my worries helps me so much.”
Elsa King, the Women Engagement leader, said: “What makes this group beautiful is that we are all from different parts of the world but we share similar experiences. As women, we keep strong for our families but shouldn’t keep our emotions to ourselves. Like a wound, with time, our negative emotions become infected. It’s important to find someone to talk to.”
Go to our Women Together page for more information on this support group.