WorldYWCA

About the World YWCA
We are a global women’s rights organisation engaging millions of women, young women and girls
around the world each year, across cultures and beliefs, to transform lives and the world for the better.
With a presence in over a hundred countries, our work is grassroots-driven, grounded in local
communities and rooted in the transformational power of women. We provide support andopportunities for women, young women and girls to become leaders and change-makers who not
only protect their rights and impact their communities but inspire their peers to do the same.
We are focused on building a strong, intergenerational network of women and young women leaders,with programmes led by and for women and young women in response to the unique needs they see
in their communities.
The stories in this publication were developed through a collaborative process undertaken by World YWCA. World YWCA would
like to thank Alyona Prividenstseva (Ukraine), Faith Sakala (Africa), Gohar Aslikyan (Armenia), Isabelle Voundi (Cameroon),
Kosalina Vignarajah (Sri Lanka), Lidya Almaw Alamrew (Ethiopia), Marla May Baes (Philippines), Maureen Atieno Magak (Kenya),
Mayowa Oluwatoyin Oni-orisan (Nigeria), Namrata Sharma (India), Nanako Tojo (Japan), Renata Glembotskaya (Belarus),
Roni Shakya (Nepal), Sasha Sokolova (Belarus) and Tana Aliaj (Albania). Special thanks to Jill Anami (Africa), Vera Syrokvash(Eastern Europe) and Nirmala Gurung (Asia) for facilitating the process.
Content developed by Udita Chaturvedi and design and graphics by Tiffinbox.
This work is part of a grant by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Finland (2018-2020).

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This publication may be redistributed non-commercially in any media, unchanged andin whole, with credit given to World YWCA. 2021 Published by World YWCA.

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Introduction
This is a compilation of stories of 15 Young Women Leadersfrom Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe who are driving change
in their communities through initiatives around sexual andreproductive health and rights (SRHR) and mental health.
SRHR and mental health are intertwined, and both must be acknowledged
and addressed in a woman’s life from an early age. In various communities,
the stigma and taboo around women’s sexuality and sexual health meansthat accessing sexual health services, as well as living with conditions
related to sexual health, can be traumatic for many. The severity of sexualand reproductive health issues, as well as gender-based violence, have asignificant impact on an individual’s overall mental health. These directly
affect their autonomy to make informed choices. It is therefore imperative to
use a more integrated approach towards SRHR and mental health to ensure
the well-being of girls, young women and women.
The stories spotlight how these women have become influencers within theircommunities by fostering a cadre of young women champions to carry forward
the mantle. You will read about their engagements and experiences with girls,
young women and women; the challenges that they overcome; the successes
that they have found; and the individual journeys that they have made as
leaders.
Each story in this series is supported by visuals of flowers that form a strong
linkage to the country where it’s considered a national symbol. Flowers are also
the reproductive organs of any plant, thus symbolically representing sexual andreproductive health and highlighting the feminine undertones of the stories.
For many people, flowers are a source of joy, hence calling attention to mental
well-being.
As we read these stories, let us celebrate the learning process of these
15 young women and the YWCA movement that is investing in leaders who
aspire to inspire every day. World YWCA believes that when we invest inyoung women, we make change that is long lasting and sustainable,
better for all.

08

Faith, Zambia

10

Isabelle, Cameroon

20

Kosalina, Sri Lanka

Lidya, Ethiopia

22

Marla, Philippines

32

Alyona, Ukraine

1224

Namrata, India

34

Gohar, Armenia

36

Renata, Belarus

14

Maureen, Kenya

16

Mayowa, Nigeria

26

28

The

STORIES
Nanako, JapanRoni, Nepal

38

Sasha, Belarus40

Tana, Albania

“

If I could go back intime, I would tell my
15-year-old self thatthe world needs awoman like me.

8Zambia
Faith Sakala , 27 Lusaka,Faith was 19 when her cousin was sexually
abused and needed support. The YWCA wasthe only organisation at the time offeringcounselling to survivors of gender-based violence.
Faith would accompany her cousin to daily
sessions, which were never easy to attend. But
she could see the difference they were making.
Three weeks later, Faith became a volunteer.
Most women didn’t know they had been victims ofabuse. “That’s his way of showing love,” somebelieved in denial and others because they didn’tknow better. Gender-based violence, sexist cultural
practices and constant oppression of women’svoices have been long-standing issues in Zambia.
Poverty makes it harder for women to leave their
abusive partners.
As a YWCA volunteer, Faith mobilised resources tocreate safe spaces for individual conversations,group discussions, awareness workshops and life
skills trainings. This led to the creation of a local
community of strong and supportive women, which
continues to evolve and expand.
Because of her influence, the girls were able tocome together and learn to access legal and shelter
facilities to find hope, justice and rehabilitation.
Most importantly, they were able to believe in theright to walk out of an unhappy household for thewell-being of their children and themselves.

Faith recognised the power of female voices
in changing the narrative as she became more
involved with young women, and more aware of how
community gatekeepers were holding them back.
So she started to gain trust and respect ofcommunity influencers and religious leaders.

men and community“ Ifleaders
don’t agree withyour narrative, you’ve notdone your job.
In 2020, the pandemic led to an increase inviolence against women, affecting their physicaland mental health. Faith was quick to adapt tosocial media to create allies throughout the country.
She went over and beyond to leverage radio andlocal TV channels to reach out to women in distressand provide them support.
The growing number of youth activists havekick-started positive change in Zambia. Women are
more vocal about their rights and less fearful ofadverse outcomes. Many of their partners now
acknowledge women’s rights. The national police,
too, looks to the YWCA to rehabilitate survivors ofabuse. However, this is just the beginning. A lot
more needs to be done to sustain a progressive
women’s movement. Zambia needs inclusive
policies and more safe spaces.

9“The story of Oprah
Winfrey inspires me.
She was sexually
abused as a young
girl but, that didn’t
stop her from being
the powerful woman
she is today.

10Isabelle Voundi , 25
Isabelle grew up in a part of Cameroon where
people did not discriminate between boys andgirls. But at the age of 16, her family relocatedto northern Cameroon, where she experienced
a cultural shock. Here, girls weren’t allowed totalk to boys, they were forced to skip school
during menstruation, and were married off at
the age of 13.
To stand up against inequality in the town, Isabelle
started holding safe spaces for young women andtheir guardians. She would discuss gender-based
violence, child marriages and stereotypes aroundmenstruation with them, and address their views
and perspectives in a culturally sensitive manner.
Very soon, community members began torecognise Isabelle as a women’s right activist in
the region. Young mothers would reach out to her
to understand more about sexual and reproductive
health and rights (SRHR) and say, “I wish ourdaughter grows up to be like you.” A year later,a few people encouraged her to join the YWCA
movement, and she did.
As a Young Woman Leader, Isabelle facilitates
conversations and trainings in safe spaces foryoung women and girls. She mobilises 10-14 year
olds to understand reproductive health and organs,the first period and menstruation superstitions.
With the 15-25 year olds, she comes up with

Maroua,Cameroonsolutions to address their challenges around familyplanning, mental health, livelihood opportunities
and leadership skills.
In Cameroon, girls are often forced to drop out ofschool and marry young, resulting in earlypregnancy. Lack of education and, thus, anindividual source of income makes them dependent
on their husbands. All of these have a significant
impact on their physical and mental health.

not easy to change“ It’sthe mentality, especially ofparents, Isabelle laments, emphasising on
the need for intergenerational conversations.
A progressive movement is underway though.
She can see the influence of her work increating a powerful community of young women
who are enrolling in schools to build their skills,
starting small local businesses or taking up newjob opportunities.
Today, local teachers want their students to listen to
Isabelle. Thirteen year olds aspire to become aleader like her. Young mothers acknowledge her
tireless efforts towards women empowerment, andthe local mayor believes, “She is a young woman
who’s blooming. And once she’s bloomed, she’d beknown all over the world.”

11

“If I could goback in time,
I would tell my
15-year-old selfthat you are doing
great for your age.

12Ababa,Ethiopia
Lidya Almaw Alamrew, 29 Addis

Lidya had completed her education and was working
as a physician at a public health centre before shejoined the YWCA in Ethiopia. She always wanted togive back to her community in a meaningful way andwith the YWCA, Lidya was able to facilitate valuable
opportunities for young women and support them toaccess human rights and gender justice.
Lidya wears two hats at YWCA Ethiopia. She focuseson sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)
as a Young Woman Lead and amplifies theorganisation’s messaging as a PR, Communications
and Membership Development Coordinator. In theseroles, she leverages her skills and opportunities,
online and offline, to talk to young women about theirrights and the services they can access.
In Ethiopia, girls are surrounded by stereotypes that
exclude them from a thriving socio-economic life.
Families expect women to stay at home and do
chores; and if a girl goes to college or to work, they
make it seem like a favour. Once married, thehusbands get to decide how many kids and whatfamily planning method will be used.
Lidya provides girls and young women with safe
spaces to gather for discussions, trainings andworkshops on their body and their rights. They learn
about family planning, understand the impact of SRHR
on mental health and access counselling services.
To allow multi-stakeholder exchanges, she reaches
out to boys and men in schools and communities toraise awareness about women’s rights.

Through her advocacy and influence,
Lidya has been able to create a poolof young leaders in the country who
are no longer scared to stand up forthemselves. She is particularly proud of a groupof university women who made their voices heard forthe effective implementation of the Anti-Harassment
Policy on their campuses.
Covid-19 has been particularly difficult for women,
amplifying pre-existing challenges and creating new
difficulties. Many of them were breadwinners who losttheir jobs. Several others were unable to access evenbasic health care facilities, including pre-natal andpost-natal care. These realities frazzled a lot of young
women and women physically, emotionally and mentally.
With usual communication channels affected, Lidya
had to think outside the box and develop a holistic
solution to assist young women. With her YWCA team,she co-created the app called 'Telela' — a multilingual
virtual safe space to anonymously engage inpeer-to-peer conversations. The app also comes loadedwith emergency hotlines, SRHR and mental healthresources, and chat rooms with healthcare professionals.
Lidya is motivated by the change she can see; thepowerhouses that women have become. She wants
to continue working towards building relatable andadaptable solutions for women. With her ongoing
efforts and ideas to scale up the mobile app, she plansto reach out to vulnerable and marginalised women in
the last mile areas of Ethiopia.
13

“To the young womenof my country, I’d liketo say you are in thisworld to make achange.

14

Maureen Atieno Magak , 30
Ten-year-old Maureen was working as a nanny

Mombasa,Kenya

miles away from her village for less than USD 7 amonth. By 12 years of age, she had lost her father,her step-father and even her mother. On several
occasions, she was sexually harassed and beaten
till blue. On some days, she fed herself from trashcans on the streets. But she endured it all; all she
asked was to be allowed to attend school.

Maureen understands that talking about trauma is
not easy, nor is holding on to it. So she uses uniqueapproaches to foster sisterhood among girls andyoung women. One of her popular engagement
activities is the ‘Artistic Fridays’ where young womenand men indulge in arts to express themselves. They
sing, dance, recite poems and act out what they’refeeling and advocate for mental health.

Maureen’s story is deeply moving, but what stands
out is her relentless fight for her rights. The fact that
Maureen is a Young Woman Lead with the YWCA
Movement today, is a testament to what a woman
can achieve despite the hardest of conditions. And
that’s why she’s an inspiration to hundreds of young,vulnerable and marginalised women in Kenya.

During the pandemic, when GBV spiked in a country
already notorious for it, Maureen collectivised local civilsociety organisations to come to the rescue of womenin need. They put in place toll-free helplines, chat-based
counselling, tele-conferencing, video sessions and evenan app with resources on GBV, sexual and reproductive
health and rights, and mental health.

This young woman has learnt from her own
experiences the importance of providing girls andyoung women with knowledge about their body, theirrights and their mental well-being. She facilitatespeer learning sessions to educate women about
self-awareness, self-esteem and empathy. She
provides them with resources to gain sex education,
and with trainings to become small business owners.

Maureen passionately advocates for women’s welfare,and champions her mentees to become advocates intheir own communities. She believes that she found hervoice at the YWCA, and so wants to leverage that doorof opportunity to help others find theirs.

Aware of the realities of girls who’ve been exposed
to harm at a young age, Maureen encourages themto take ownership of their lives. Committed to ending
the cycle of gender-based violence (GBV) in Kenya,
Maureen has created support groups that promise
women extreme confidentiality and foster a cultureof shared experiences as therapy.

for empowering women.
“ II stand
stand for empowering boys.
I don’t leave them out, she says.
And she doesn’t. Her sessions are open to allcommunities and genders. She engages with peopleof different faiths, beliefs and backgrounds to help
them overcome challenges related to their physicaland mental health.

15

“To the young womenof my country,
I’d like to say
be aware,be determined,
be courageous andbe goal-getters.

16

Mayowa O. Oni-orisan , 30
Mayowa and her two sisters were raised by asingle mother who was a dedicated homemakerand school teacher. She was one of the few
women of her community who dared to dream
big and follow through. Mayowa, too, became an
advocate for equal opportunities and women’s
rights at a young age.
Today, the YWCA gives Mayowa a bigger platform
to continue her work. She organises meetings,
seminars, trainings and workshops for young women
and women where she discusses menstrual healthand hygiene, reproductive rights and mental health.
She often convenes inter-sectoral discussions
between scholars, politicians, pastors and Muslim
clerics with young women and girls, and then relays
community input to policy makers.
In Nigeria, people think sexual and reproductive
health and rights (SRHR) is for the elites.
Children from marginalised families are exposed
to parents having intercourse in the same room,and lack of sex education in schools leaves themwith misconceptions about SRHR.

I look at my 4-year-old“ Whendaughter, I want to ensure she
is safe and respected. I want
the same for the other girls.

Lagos,
Nigeria

Mayowa’s work often meets with resistance.
“Oh she’s trying to corrupt young girls and turnthem against their family beliefs,” they say. But thatnever deters her. She believes she has the power tochange their lives for a better tomorrow. “The change
is slow, but it’s happening.”
Mayowa has encouraged young women to believe inthemselves, attend colleges and advocate for theirbody and rights in their respective communities. She
can now even see a collective of supportive men who
understand that women need to be treated with
dignity, that they must not be abused, and that their
SRHR must be respected.
Before the pandemic, she would visit community
centres and market places to build trust among
women and men. The lockdown, however, replaced
town hall meetings with WhatsApp group chats.
Besides hosting rights-based discourses online, she
was checking-in on the physical and mental
well-being of women, and ensuring supply ofsanitation and hygiene products for those who
couldn’t access any.
Mayowa believes that change starts at home, so shetalks to her daughter about good touch and bad
touch. “There is no age too early or too late to talkabout SRHR.” She acknowledges that older
generations are less aware of their rights due to thelack of opportunity and platforms to learn about it
when they were young.
17

“

My mother, Vasanthy, is themost inspiring woman I
know. When I was a child,she protected me.
When I was a teen, sheguided me through life.
And now when I’m ayoung adult, she trusts
me with my life decisions.
She was my first safe
space, where I flourishedinto who I am today.

20

Kosalina Vignarajah , 25
Kosalina was born to Sri Lankan parents in
Lebanon where Eastern and Western cultures
co-existed. She was living under a more western
influence though. When she was 9, her family
relocated to Sri Lanka where communities weremore conservative. She was attending aninternational school, living in a traditional communityand growing up towards the end of a Civil War.
When Kosalina moved to Colombo for higher
education, she found a relatable open mindedatmosphere in this city, which was morecosmopolitan. After graduation, she found a place tostay at the YWCA Hostel for Working Women, andsoon saw herself registering to volunteer for
women’s empowerment and advocacy initiatives.
Kosalina involved herself with the community tounderstand the needs of girls and young women,
and quickly grasped their sexual and reproductive
health and rights (SRHR) issues and its impact on
their mental health. She prioritised their concerns
and mobilised the resources required to conduct
trainings and sessions for them. She was motivatedto build the capacities of young girls in order tofoster a cadre of future leaders.
In Sri Lanka, communities are rooted in their own
traditions and customs. In some regions, a girl has
to be isolated for a month when she gets her first
period. In another, girls and women have to carryiron on them while they’re menstruating. In mostother communities, girls are not allowed to enter thetemple during this period.

Colombo,
Sri Lanka

Kosalina created safe spaces foryouth groups to discuss menstruation,
sexually-transmitted diseases,
contraceptives, and the right to theirbody. She would tread carefully around cultural
sensitivities to call out harmful practices. Furthermore,since a lot of young adults were gathering sex educationfrom the internet, even pornography, she started sharing
valuable resources to tackle misleading and sexist information.
When the pandemic hit, Kosalina made quick adjustments
to her strategy and set up social media accounts to keep
communication channels open between her mentees. She
designed infographics to amplify awareness about
Covid-19. To counter the increasing cases of child andwomen abuse, she participated in World YWCA campaign‘Week Without Violence’, and partnered with youth tospread the word.
With the support from Kosalina’s offline and online
awareness sessions and trainings on SRHR and mental
health, a lot of young women have been able to collectivise
power to bring up their challenges and rights. Meanwhile, acommon social media platform called ‘Voices of Asian
Activists’ enables them to tap into the power and influenceof their peers in the region.
Kosalina recognises that many women, including her,
have had to break their walls to be able to openly talkabout rights with their families and communities. And withmore safe spaces, trainings and leadership skills, young
Sri Lankan women will soon be empowered to make theirown decisions and lead fulfilling lives.
21

“

If I could go back intime, I would tell my
15-year-old self thatthe fear of theunknown will notalways be scary.
If I could go back intime, I would tell my
15-year-old self thatthe world needs awoman like me.

“22

, 26 Manila,, 27 Lusaka,
Philippines
MarlaSakala
May Baes
ZambiaFaith
A fin-tech
mind
and a
Faith
wasbusiness
19 whendeveloper
her cousinatwas
sexually
women’sandrightsvolunteerat heart,
Marlawasjoinedabusedneededsupport.
The YWCAYWCA
when she wasbut offering
it wasn’t until she
the onlyorganisation
at the16time
was 23 that toshebecameofa gender-based
proactive volunteer.
At
counsellingsurvivors
violence.
that
time,
she
was
lookingforadirection
in
life,
and
Faith would accompany her cousin to daily
had the opportunity
toneverengagewithto Butgain
sessions,
which wereeasy
toyouthattend.
insights
into
their
she
could
see
thechallenges.
difference they were making.

standrecognised
up for themselves
andofeducatesthem on theirFaith
the power
female voices
right
to decide
they marry.
inchanging
thewhonarrative
as she became moreThree weeks later, Faith became a volunteer.
In the Philippines, people don’t openly talk about
their mental
If someone
to of
Most
womenhealth
didn’t needs.
know they
had beenadmits
victims
sufferingfrom depression
or anxiety,relatives
abuse.
“That’s
his way of showing
love,”
someandfriends recommendthatthey “prayit off”.
Andbelieved
in denial andothersbecausethey
didn’tconversations
about
women’s
issuesandconcerns
know better. Gender-based violence, sexist cultural
around sexualand reproductive
rightsare almost
practicesand constant
oppressionof women’scompletely
so much so issues
that someyoung
voiceshaveavoided,
been long-standingin Zambia.
girls believe
kissing
can cause
pregnancy.
Povertymakes
it harder
for women
to leave their“

abusive partners.
As a Young Woman Lead and the National YouthCoordinating
President,FaithMarla
has a lotresourcesofAs
a YWCA volunteer,
mobilisedtoresponsibility
towards
change for thecreatesafe spaces
for implementing
individual conversations,future discussions,of youth. She’s
constantly
thinking ofand
new
group
awarenessworkshops
life
ways trainings.
to engageThis
young
and regularly
skillsled women,
to the creationof a local
planning forofseminars— andnow webinars
community
strong andsupportive
women,—
whicharound skill
for unemployed
millennials andcontinues
tobuilding
evolve andexpand.
marketing of local goods for budding entrepreneurs.
Because of her influence, the girls were able to
She uses
simplemessagesin locallegal
dialects,
cometogetherandlearn to accessand withshelter
cultural context,
to communicate
to young people,
facilities
to find hope,justice and rehabilitation.
especiallymothers,
about
and rights
Most
importantly,
theyweretheir
ablebodies
to believein theanddebunks
menstrual
myths.
Throughdialogues
right to walk out of an unhappy household for thearound leadership,
she encourages
women towell-beingof their children
and themselves.

involved with young women, and more aware of how
Covid-19 brought
a wholeset holdingof new problems.
community
gatekeepers
werethem back.
Other
the todisease,the and
Philippines
So
shethanstartedgain trust
respect sawof a surge
in child marriages
and teenage
pregnancies.
community
influencers
and religious
leaders. There
were frequent stories about teenagers taking theirlivesIf
due
to the increased
stress of the pandemic
men
and communityand leaders
its consequences.
To
respondthese
don’t agreetowith
escalating
she planneda series ofsteps.
yourissues,
narrative,
you’venotdone your job.

She proactively reached out to her network of young
women
to ledexplainmeasuresIn
2020,andthe women
pandemic
to antheincreasein needed
to fight Covid-19.
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regularsessions
violence
against women,
affectingtheirphysicalto
equipthem health.
with a positive
frame
of to
mind
to improveandmentalFaith was
quick
adapt
to
their mental
in thethroughout
lockdown.theOnecountry.
socialmedia well-being
to create allies
particularsession‘How towithradio
Covid-19’
She
went overandon
beyondto Copeleverageandreached
14,000 individuals.
local
TV channels
to reach out to women in distressand provide them support.
A lot of Filipinas have started showing interest involunteering,and Marlasees thatas ahavegreat
The
growing numberof youthactivists
opportunity toinitiatechangechange.
kick-started
positivein Zambia. Women are
more vocal about their rights and less fearful of
I feelthatMany
young
adverseoutcomes.
of theirwomen’s
partners now
ideas women’sand insights
are police,
acknowledge
rights. The national, she
and believes
thatoftoo, untapped
looks to the YWCA
tosays;rehabilitate
survivors
if moreyoungthiswomen’s
voicesare heard,
abuse.
However,
is just the
beginning.
A lot
country
willdonenot just
have more
inclusive
moretheneeds
to be
to sustain
a progressive
policies
but also aZambia
healthierenvironment
women’s
movement.
needs
inclusive formentalpolicies
andhealth.
more safe spaces.

“

23

“

To the young womenof my country, I’d liketo say that I know it ishard to be a female ora third gender in ourcountry. But don’t let thatstop you from believing inyourself. Instead, allow it toencourage you to unite andrespect one another, and use
your voice to amplify thegood and spread the love.

24

Namrata Sharma , 29
As a young girl, Namrata was raised the same way
as her three brothers. The boys in her house didn’t
get any preferential treatment. However, as her bodybegan to change after puberty, family and relatives’perceptions around her also started shifting. Her
father was hesitant about sending her to college, but
she persisted and enrolled herself.
Today, Namrata is a counseling psychologist withYWCA Delhi, and works with vulnerable andoppressed communities. She interacts with young
girls and women who have been sexually abused or
harassed, who are single mothers, or those whohave been abandoned by their families. Namrata
empathetically listens to them, guides them to navigate
out of their struggles, and champions for their rights.
During the pandemic, when reports of domestic
violence and burnouts started increasing, Namrata
responded to the needs of young women by taking up
online sessions on sexual harassment and mental
health. Besides sharing with them necessary
resources for schemes, laws and helplines, Namrata
provided them with a trust-based relationship where
they could openly engage in meaningful conversations.
Through her inclusive approach with marginalised
young women, Namrata has become an ally forthese women who come to her to understand how toraise their daughters better, how to provide theirchildren with age-appropriate sex education, andhow to make their peers more aware of their rights.
In South Asia, topics of sex and menstruation are

New Delhi,
India

not openly spoken about, especially around boys andmen. “I encourage young mothers to talk about
menstruation to their daughters when the fathers arearound,” Namrata says. This creates an environment
where girls feel safe to open up about concerns
related to their bodies.
In a country like India where joint families arecommon and traditional practices are passed down
the generations, gender-biases seep in as soon as achild is conceived. Namrata feels thatintergenerational conversations can help break thestereotypes around women’s role and well-being.
This is also beneficial when addressing mental healthin families where therapy is associated with shame.

Over the last three years, Namrata has
been an advocate for mental health,especially for girls, young women andwomen. She believes information empowers
communities, and she mobilises not just young women,
but also community gatekeepers, police personnel andgovernment officials to become more sensitive towomen’s needs and more responsive to their mental
well-being.
For Namrata, joining the YWCA has been like the fuelto her career. She feels lucky and determined to be ina position where she can help women freethemselves from societal, familial and mental
barriers. “My work has been put to a great cause,”
she believes, adding that India needs more young
women leads who can advocate for their rights.
25

“

If I could go back intime, I would tell my
15-year-old self thatyou’re not the only
one suffering withyour mental health.
Talk to your teachers,
family and friends.

26

JapanNanako Tojo , 25 Kyoto,

Nanako had completed her graduation and waslooking for volunteering opportunities on the internet
when she came across the YWCA and immediately
felt motivated to join. What piqued her interest wasthat the YWCA provided accommodations tointernational students, a cohort with whom she had
actively engaged with at the university.

their favourite music, books and movies. And Nanako
uses the opportunity to analyse them with a genderlens.

Nanako is passionate about her work with thestudents of Japan. She organises leadershiptrainings and workshops for school students. She
believes it is important to mobilise and support thevalues of leadership at an early age, so that young
girls can demand their rightful place in the society.

and reproductive health and rights are largely
unspoken about in Japan, Nanako has been able topersuade young women and girls to talk to her about
the changes in their body and needs.

Nanako is receptive to the needs of young people
and is driven by evidence and realities of thecommunity. She engages school students inconversations about the potential of advocating on
digital platforms and the role of mainstream media to
influence conscious thinking. She addresses thechallenges of workplace frustration among young
working women, and the high levels of stress among
university students.
Before the pandemic, she would visit educational
institutions to communicate with school students
directly. She now hosts awareness sessions andtraining workshops for them online. To build
camaraderie between young working women anduniversity students, she often organises
group-based recreational activities where they share

With her community-based leadershipapproach, Nanako is encouraging an
atmosphere of mutual exchange andshared learnings. Despite the fact that sexual

While it might seem like the world is progressing,
there’s still a long way to go for equal rights. At home,young women don’t find the safe space to addressquestions about their body with their families. At work,
the culture is mostly sexist. In married households,
women are primarily seen as homemakers andcaretakers of the children. But these same womenare noticing a shift in their own perspectives.
With a focus on building skills, confidence andknowledge exchange, Nanako has been able toencourage a sustained increase in participation ofyoung women and girls. This has led to the creationof a pool of young aspiring women who are willing tothink big and pursue their dreams. Nanako’s next
goal is to lead more women into decision-making
roles in Japan.

27

“To the young women of
my country, I’d like tosay that they have theright to know what ishappening with theirbodies.

28

Roni Shakya , 24

Madhyapur Thimi,
Nepal

Roni was an inquisitive young girl, and hadquestions about menstruation and the female body.
But when she asked her mother about them, likemost Nepali kids, she was shut down and told towait until she got married. That’s when she decided
to address the concerns regarding menstruation
with girls and young women in her community andeducate them about their rights.

Nepal is a conservative country where SRHR isoften brushed aside. In some communities, girls andwomen are isolated in an outhouse when they’re
menstruating — a practice called ‘Chhaupadi’.
During this period, they are considered “impure” andprohibited from interacting with the family. In several
cases, girls are known to have been sexually
abused or suffocated to death while in exile.

When Roni first joined the YWCA, she focused onschools, colleges and universities. As she
discussed sexual and reproductive health andrights (SRHR) and mental health with students,
she also pushed the administrations to ensure
there were separate toilets for girls with adequate
access to water and disposal facilities. She
facilitated knowledge exchange between teachers,
parents and community members for long-termsustainable impact.

The pandemic made it even more crucial for Roni tocontinue her work. As screen time increased during
this period, Roni took the opportunity to regularly
provide youth-friendly digital content about SRHR
and mental health on social media and messaging
platforms. She also created communication material
about cyber bullying to navigate a new problem thatboys and girls were facing in Nepal.

Over the years, Roni has collaborated with variousorganisations and women’s groups to reach out todiverse groups of young women and create awarenessabout family planning, contraceptives, safe abortions
and menstrual health management in the region.
Roni’s work is not easy. She, like many of her
fellow Young Women Leads, is subjected tofrequent verbal and mental abuse from local men.
Many schools refuse to let her conduct SRHR
sessions because they consider them to beinappropriate and a means to corrupt children.

Over the last year, Roni has been
hosting awareness and training sessions
to talk about menstrual hygiene.
She addresses mental health issues, and provides
counselling to girls, young women and women who
need support. She’s even been lobbying with thegovernment to ensure sanitary napkins are includedin family relief packages.
Roni understands that Nepal needs safe spaces andgender-friendly environments where people canconverse without fear of judgement, engage inmeaningful participation and take part in decision
making for themselves. And she wants more young
women to take the lead to push this movement forward.
29

“

If I could go backin time, I would
tell my 15-year-old
self that believe in
yourself, love yourself
and respect yourself
in every moment of
your life.

32

Alyona Pryvydentseva , 30
Alyona was always leading activities in highschool and at the university, and after a chancemeeting with the President of YWCA Ukraine, shebecame an active volunteer. She understoodissues in the local community, and came up withactions to respond to the sexual and reproductive
health and rights (SRHR) and mental health needsof the people.
Women in Ukraine have a strong sense of
responsibility and capability towards ensuring theirsafety and stability. They take on various roles —a breadwinner, a mother, a daughter, a wife, amanager and a housekeeper. Women say, “We’re likea man dressed in a skirt.” But playing all these roles
simultaneously often impacts their mental health.
With nearly 200,000 Instagram followers, Alyona is
an influencer who firmly believes in the power of theinternet. She uses an inclusive and collaborative
approach to enable young girls to develop skills,
confidence and knowledge to drive transformative
actions towards women’s mental health.
She organises trainings, facilitates support groups
and creates safe spaces to broaden andmainstream the dialogue around mental health.
Led by and for young women, these virtual
sessions spread the message of acknowledging
one’s feelings and loving oneself.

Kiev,
UkraineBy working with girls and young women in pairs or
small groups, she builds a relationship of trust,allowing them to share their unique experiences inan environment where they would not be judged.
Women are free to speak their minds and express
their feelings, knowing well that they would be heard
and supported.
Alyona has also used her digital marketing strengths
across social media channels to amplify stories forthe “I Am Not Ideal. I Am Real” campaign.
A campaign that was able to successfully build a
network of young women ready to engage inmeaningful conversations and make progressive
moves towards improved mental health.
Ukrainian women are not used to talking about
themselves because of the stigma associated withmental illness. However, with Alyona’s support, hermentees have started to confront their issues infront of their families and peers about their mental
health problems, strengthening resilience among
them and fostering a respectful environment.
Schools, families and the government still view awoman’s role as a wife and a mother as theirprimary responsibility, she feels. Instead, for ameaningful and lasting change, they should invest
in skilling young women, empowering them, andfocusing on their mental well-being.
.
33

“

To the young womenof my country, I’d liketo say that if not now,then when? If not us,
then who?

34

Gohar Aslikyan , 30
Gohar grew up in a border village between Georgia
and Azerbaijan, and could have never imagined
she’d grow up to be a change-maker in her
community, breaking stereotypes. But she is now on
the Board of YWCA Armenia, and has trained over
100 girls in the country in sexual and reproductive
health and rights (SRHR).
Raised in a conflict zone, where families have been
subjected to frequent violence and trauma, girls andyoung women’s SRHR and mental health are hardly
prioritised. Taboos around SRHR and domestic
violence are common, so are sex-selective abortions.
And amid a global pandemic, young people wereparticularly ill-equipped to cope with the war.
Driven by the needs of young women in a sensitiveenvironment, Gohar created safe spaces to talkabout their bodies and rights. “When I saw thesegirls attending sessions, I saw myself in their souls.
I was afraid they’d grow up to be just like me, withthe same problems. I wanted to lead by example
and question misconceptions.”
Many girls in the community struggled to deal
with their mental health, make friends, find jobs
and live their lives on their own terms because of
stereotypes and conditioning. However, they now
confidently champion their rights and lives.
This has been the influence of the online andoffline conversations Gohar initiated about
women’s health and livelihood opportunities.

Berdavan,Armenia

With a view on sustainable change,
she brought in parents and teachers
into the conversation, raised questions
about taboos, and engaged morecaregivers and community gatekeepers
in the dialogue about the present andfuture of women’s health andwell-being.
It cannot be denied that the Covid-19 pandemic
added to the psychological crisis in Armenia. To deal
with growing loneliness, stress and anxiety, Gohar
started a YouTube vlog about regional cuisines. Iteven made it to local news channels. The idea was toinfluence women across generations and provide
them with an objective to find their own hobbies.
Because of Gohar’s perseverance, some girls from her
village and neighbouring villages have even started
selling handicrafts online. They have learned to be
independent and self-reliant. “I’m overjoyed to see girls
in my village making decisions for themselves, going to
the municipality, and laying out their demands.”
Gohar believes that reproductive health rights
cannot be addressed in isolation, but require acomprehensive gender-based approach. Inputs andfeedback from young boys and girls on issues about
them will help tackle their problems and challenges.
“We need support and time to rediscover ourselves,”
she believes.

35

“My idol is Frida Kahlo,
who despite all theffi
t es w th her hea thand her husband’s betrayals,
remained true to herself andto her revolutionary ideals.
Even in such a short life,
she left a beautiful legacy
behind that is now
admired by so many people.

36

Renata Glembotskaya , 24
Renata was introduced to YWCA Belarus when she
was 18 by a teacher at her university. Her volunteer
journey began with topics of gender equality andadvocacy, then grew to include menstrual health,gynaecological violence, intimate partner violence
and contraceptives, among other sexual andreproductive health and rights (SRHR) issues.
Belarus is a traditional society, with several
stereotypes. There is also the problem of
misinformation among young women in her region.
A lot of women are misled about SRHR, theyfrequently consume the morning-after pills, they’reunaware of their period of ovulation, and consider
body hair to be strictly unattractive. These contributeto women’s low self-esteem and affect their health.
In her leadership role, Renata organises training
marathons for gender equality and has evenparticipated in sex education festivals to help drivechange. Considering the popularity of social media
in Belarus, she leverages it to connect with young
people, teachers, parents, influencers and youth
experts, and widen online safe spaces.
With the shift to virtual meetings in the pandemic,
Renata carefully navigated the line between privacy
and safe spaces. Conversations about SRHR and its
effect on mental health required confidentiality, but
at the same time she encouraged people to use theirreal names and turn on their cameras to foster an
empathetic and judgment-free atmosphere.

Vitebsk,
Belarus

Renata’s experiences with girls,
young women and women have beena learning journey for her. She has toconstantly unlearn and learn to engage withteenagers, to better understand the woes of young
mothers, and to support women who've been abused.
In this journey, Renata has also faced backlash in
more ways than one. She has been accused of“being interested in gender when there are morecritical issues to address in Belarus”. However,Renata is sure of what she’s doing, and she’s glad tosee women accepting their bodies, recognising theirneeds, and putting themselves first.
Renata’s support during the pandemic has been
unwavering. She has frequently set up live streaming
interviews with gynaecologists and psychologists todiscuss SRHR and reach out to young women andwomen who were feeling isolated. She also continues
to advocate using social media to share accurate
information about SRHR, and support them.
Renata says that change needs to be bottom-up.
People need to change their views, attitudes,
behaviours, and values. And for this they need moreawareness, trainings and knowledge to makeinformed decisions and sustain change. She
believes, “The future of Belarus is female; it’s only
a matter of time.”

37

“
“

If I could go backin
I’d
If Itime,
could
gotellback inmy
15-year-oldtime,
I would tell my
selfthat it’s okay
15-year-old
self thattthe world
t fit theneeds astandards.
notwoman likeIt’s
me.
necessary to competewith other girls, it’s betterto unite with them andsupport each other.

38

, 27 , Lusaka,
Belarus26 Minsk,
SashaSakala
Sokolova
ZambiaFaith
For Sasha,
thewhen
YWCA
beenwasa springboard
Faith
was 19herhascousinsexually intoa careerandas aneeded
gendersupport.
rights activist.
It waswas
throughabusedThe YWCA
this only
platform
that, for the
firsttime
time,
she
the
organisation
at theoffering
experiencedtowomen’s
and a respectful
counsellingsurvivorsunityof gender-based
violence.
attitudetowards
women’s
issues.
Faithwould
accompany
her
cousin to daily
sessions, which were never easy to attend. But
Raisedin anhousehold,
Sasha
alwaysshe
could
seeall-womenthe difference
they weremaking.
foundasupportive
environment
for
her
ideas
Three weeks later, Faith became a volunteer. andbeliefs. Even as a child, she defied genderstereotypes
didknow
what they
she wanted.
so, itof
Most
womenand
didn’thad beenAnd
victims
came asno surprise
forofherfamily love,”when somesheabuse.
“That’s
his way
showingchose to inbedenial
an activist.
believed
and others because they didn’tknow better. Gender-based violence, sexist cultural
Due to theandpolitical
crisisin Belarus,ofnavigating
practices
constant
oppression
women’sgender-based
issueshas been challenging.
Menvoiceshave beenlong-standing
issues in Zambia.
are proneto venting
theirforfrustrations
women
Povertymakes
it harder
women to on
leave
their
around them,leading to extreme trauma for theabusivepartners.
latter, and even violence. Yet, sexual andreproductive
health andFaith
rights(SRHR) resources
and mentaltoAs
a YWCA volunteer,
mobilised
health areby the conversations,people, who are
createsafelargely
spacesignored
for individual
unablediscussions,to prioritise theseissuesworkshops
in this situation.
group
awarenessand lifeskills trainings. This led to the creation of a local
In the current
activists,
too, havebeencommunityof climate,strong andsupportive
women,
which
finding it difficult
to concentratecontinues
to evolve
and expand.on SRHR issues
and its interlinkages with mental health. Sasha,
Becauseher
influence,
girls interactions
were able towith
however, of
hasbeen
leadingthe
onlinecometogetherand learnto accesslegaltoandshelter
bloggers,
reformers
and sexeducators
expandfacilities
to find hope,rehabilitation.
the movement.
They, justicein turn, andactivelyuse social
Mostthey were able
believein themediaimportantly,
to spread knowledge
abouttothe
subject.
right to walk out of an unhappy household for thewell-being of their children and themselves.

FaithrecognisedSRHR,
the powerof femalevoicesTo addressSasha
organisedinchangingactivities,
the narrative as
she becameamore
severalincludinginvolvedwith young
women,and moreaware of how
workshop
for morethana dozencommunity
gatekeepers
were holding
themtoback.
Belarusianjournalists
on howSo
she started
to gain trust
and respect
reporton sexual
abuse,
SRHRofandcommunityand purpose
religious ofleaders.
the training
women’sinfluencers
rights. The

was to enhance mainstream media’s capacity to
If men
and non-sexist
community
providewell-informed,
and factual
leadersagree
withinformation
to thedon’t
public while
countering
misleading
narrative, you’ve notand yoursexist narrative.

“

done your job.

To spread the message of SRHR widely, Sasha
In
2020, upthewithpandemic
ledatopodcast
an increase
teamedFem FM,
aboutinwomen’s
violence
againstaffectingphysicalissues andrights.women,
The podcast
hastheirbeenable toandFaith wasquick
to adapt
to inbuildmental
its ownhealth.
communityof users
who
engagesocialmedia
tocreatealliesthroughout
thecountry.
“feminist chats” on Telegram and use a customShewent overandstickers
beyondtotocreate
leverageradio andcollectionof chatawareness
about
local
TVShe
channelsoutCollaboration”
to women in distress
“Fem
.
SRHR.
calls ittoa reachand provide them support.
While activists and media from all sides are now
Thegrowing
numberof youthheard
activists
have
uniting
to maketheir voices
about
SRHR andkick-started
positivechangeZambia.
Womenmental health,and more
andinmoreyoung
peoplearemore
vocalthe
about
their
rightsanda lessare taking
lead,
there
is stilllongfearful
way toofgo.
adverseoutcomes.
Manyof theirpartners
But Sasha
continues
to stay
committed
to now
work withacknowledge
women’srights.
Thenational
police,women in her community, taking one step at
a time.
too, looks to the YWCA to rehabilitate survivors ofabuse. However, this is just the beginning. A lot
more needs to be done to sustain a progressive
women’s movement. Zambia needs inclusive
policies and more safe spaces.

39

“
“

To the women of
mylike
If I country,
could go I’d
back
in
to
say Ithat
believetime,
wouldtell myinyourself and
15-year-old
selfinthat
your
big dreams!
the worldneeds awoman like me.

40Lusaka,, 26, 27Tirana,
Albania
Tana Aliaj
ZambiaFaith
SakalaA clinicalprofessor,
Tana grew up
Faith
waspsychologist
19 when herandcousinwas sexuallyin a family
hassupport.
been a modelfor equality,
abusedandwhichneededThe YWCA
was andwhereof tolerance
empathytheonlyvalues
organisation
at theandtimeofferingwere always
held high. However,
the ofongoing
battle forviolence.
gendercounsellingto survivors
gender-based
rights would
and women’s
struggles,
taboosand rigid
Faithaccompany
her cousin
to dailynorms outside
householdmotivated
her But
to joinsessions,
whichherwere
never easy
to attend.
the YWCA.
she
could see the difference they were making.

are more
receptive
seeking
psychological
Faithrecognised
thetopowerof femalevoices support.
Tanaalso provides
guidance
to families
breastinchanging
the narrative
as shebecameofmore
cancer patients,
to raiseawarenessabout
theof howinvolvedwith young
women,and moreaware
disease andgatekeepers
support caregivers.
community
were holding them back.

Three weeks later, Faith became a volunteer.
In Albania, the patriarchal culture is clearly outlinedby highcasesdidn’tof domestic
violence,
lackvictims
of girls of
and
Most
women
know they
had been
women“That’s
in decision
makingroles, andconstant
abuse.
his wayof showing
love,”
some
objectificationof women.
On thehealththey
front,
cases
believed
in denial
and others
becausedidn’tofbreastcancerhave
been
risinginrecentyears,
know better. Gender-based violence, sexist culturaland a neglect
towards sexualand reproductive
practicesand constant
oppressionof women’s
health andfor generations
leftvoiceshaverights
been(SRHR)
long-standing
issues in has
Zambia.
many young
girls
and women
struggling
to their
Povertymakes
it harder
for women
to leave
understandtheir body and rights.
abusivepartners.

“

Tana’swork volunteer,with the YWCA
onresources
awarenessAs
a YWCA
Faith focuses
mobilisedtoand capacity
buildingsocialinclusion, equal
createsafe spaces
foraroundindividual
conversations,
opportunities,
women
empowerment;
which
she
group
discussions,awarenessworkshops
andlife
addresses
throughcommunity
skillstrainings.
Thison-ground
led to the creationof a local
interactions,oftrainings
andsupportive
educational
programmes.
community
strong andwomen,
which
She also facilitates
to SRHR services,
continues
to evolve accessand expand.
education and personal growth programmes foryoung women
women.the girls were able to
Becauseof herand
influence,
come together and learn to access legal and shelter
Her engagements
withjustice
her students
have been
facilities
to find hope,and rehabilitation.
especiallyrewarding.
girls toareawareinofthe
their
Most
importantly,
theyThesewere able
believerightstoand,lessto gender-based
rightwalkthus,out ofanvulnerable
unhappy household
for thediscrimination
andchildren
violence.andYoung
women, too,well-beingof theirthemselves.

So she started to gain trust and respect ofDuring the pandemic,
girls andleaders.
women feared loss
community
influencersmany
and religiousof education, unemployment, reduced salaries and lackof accessto essential
Several women foundIf menandservices.
community
themselvestrappedinthehouses,no escape fromleaders don’t agreewith
withtheiryourabusivenarrative,
fathers, brothersyou’ve
or husbands.
notThisexacerbatedtheir mental
health struggles.
done your
job.

Tana
says
is imperative
raisingIn
2020,
theit pandemic
led toto continue
an increaseinawarenessaboutwomen,
SRHR andmentalhealth,andviolence
againstaffectingtheirphysicalfacilitating
quality
girls,toyoung
andmentalaccesshealth.toFaithwasservices
quick tofor
adapt
womenmedia
and women.
socialto create allies throughout the country.
She went over and beyond to leverage radio andissuescan’ttreatedlocalThese
TV channels
to reachout tobe
womenin distresstaboos,but need to be
and asprovidethem support.

“

promoted as fundamental
that enhance
the havequality
The rights
growing numberof youth activistsof lifepositivefor girls
andwomen.
kick-started
changein Zambia.
Women aremore vocal about their rights and less fearful ofOver theoutcomes.
last few years,
haspartners
receivednow
a lot ofadverseManyTanaof theirpositive reviews
from young
and women,
acknowledge
women’srights.women
The national
police,and
has looks
heardtoa lot
successstories thatsurvivors
inspire her
too,
theof
YWCA
to rehabilitateof tokeep going.
She understands
Albania A
needs
abuse.
However,
this is just thethat
beginning.
lot
sustained
andto develop
more
needs
to holistic
be doneefforts
to sustain
a progressive
culturally-sensitive
programmes
for theyoung
women’s
movement.
Zambia needs
inclusive
population,andiscommitted
toit.
policies and more safe spaces.

41

FaithIsabelle

Lidya

MaureenMayowaKosalina

Marla

NamrataNanakoRoni

AlyonaGohar

Renata

Sasha

Tana

A product of @worldywca 2021