WeAreTheCity and Visa have revealed their inaugural Visa Everywhere Pioneer 20 list, which celebrates the extraordinary contributions made by 20 refugee women to their communities.
Launched on World Refugee Day, WeAreTheCity and Visa called for nominations to shine a spotlight on the tireless efforts of 20 incredible refugee women who were giving back and supporting their communities across Europe.
All of the incredible women are dispelling stigmas and stereotypes. They are also campaigning, changing lives, and challenging narratives to empower both women and girls. These women, often faced with adversity and displacement, have not only overcome their own challenges but have also dedicated their lives to giving back and creating positive change.
EXTRAORDINARY EXAMPLES
Examples include Tabam Shoresh, a survivor of child genocide, who is now a women’s rights activist and leads her own charity, The Lotus Flower that supports displaced women affected by conflict in the Middle East.
Comfort Etim shares her story about her mother selling everything she owned so she could play football professionally abroad. Instead the scout she trusted trafficked Comfort from Nigeria to London. Comfort eventually sought asylum and now works tirelessly to support other female asylum seekers. She also harnesses football to empower, integrate and boost the health and wellbeing of migrant women.
Sara Shamsavari shares her harrowing story of how she survived kidney cancer and war – all before she was two years old. After fleeing the Iranian Revolution, she settled in the UK, and now explores themes like global identity, inclusion, and transformation in her work as a renowned artist and lecturer.
Psychologist Kateryna Shukh has dedicated her career to supporting women survivors of war and violence – first in Mariupol and the Donetsk region (following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014) and now from Warsaw in Poland. These are just four of the 20 incredible women highlighted in the inaugural Visa Everywhere Pioneer 20 project.
20 REFUGEE WOMEN CHANGING LIVES
All the women in this list are breaking down stigmas and stereotypes, campaigning, changing lives, challenging narratives and empowering women and girls. The full list includes (in alphabetical order by first name):
- Agnes Amon Tanoh
- Anna Nevmerzhytska
- Comfort Etim
- Elmira Abasbekova
- Ghadah Alnasseri
- Kateryna Shukh
- Khedi Alieva
- Loraine Masiya Mponela
- Mursal Hedayat MBE
- Rabia Nasimi
- Rossana Leal
- Sara Shamsavari
- Sarah Ahmadi
- Sheyda O’Rang
- Souad Nanaa
- Taban Shoresh
- Tetiana Balanova
- Tetiana Balym
- Tetiana Vyhovska
- Yuliia Pugolovko
RESILIENCE, STRENGTH & TENACITY
“WeAreTheCity has been humbled to read the stories of so many incredible women who were nominated for this year’s Pioneer 20,” stated WeAreTheCity Founder, Vanessa Vallely OBE. “These women have shown such resilience, strength, and tenacity. Despite their own harrowing experiences, they have worked tirelessly to ensure that their fellow refugees and asylum seekers have the support they need to rebuild their lives. I am honoured that we have had the opportunity alongside Visa to shine a spotlight on their incredible work. Congratulations – you are an inspiration to us all.”
Adding to her comments, Katherine Brown, Vice-President, Inclusive Impact & Sustainability at Visa Europe, said: “It is an honour to be able to highlight the journeys of these inspirational women who make up the inaugural Pioneer 20 list. In many different ways, they have all worked incredibly hard to not only rebuild their lives after significant trauma and upheaval, but to support others who are going through similar experiences.”
You can read all 20 stories here.
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