This International Women’s Day, our team shares stories of women’s resilience and determination. Get inspired by their strength and perseverance.
“I’d like to honour Bisan Owda.”
I feel it would be remiss to celebrate International Women’s Day without acknowledging the women journalists in Gaza documenting the war. To this end, I’d like to honor Bisan Owda. She has gained a massive following on social media with regular updates on the ground in Gaza, providing footage of the depraved conditions Palestinians in Gaza, such as herself, are facing. Her courage, determination, and honesty in her updates utterly awe-struck me. Rather than reporting with the impassive stoicism of an international correspondent from the Western media, Owda allows her emotions to come through, reminding us she is a human in the midst of inhumane conditions attempting to tell the world what is happening in Gaza. Her storytelling is gripping and stays with you long after the reel has ended. Thank you, Bisan, for amplifying the voice of Gazans to the world, beckoning us to action and accountability for what you have shown us. #CeasefireNow
Laura Rodríguez-Davis is Migrant Women Press Literature Editor
“My mother always stressed that education is the way out of poverty.”
The woman who inspired me the most in my life was my mother, Anna Adamova, a Roma woman from Eastern Slovakia. She was born into a poor family during the 2nd World War and spent her childhood and youth in the deprived and segregated Roma settlement. At the age of 17, she got married to my father, and together, they worked hard, even after their retirement age, to give their five children a better future. Living in a patriarchal society with deeply rooted antigypsyism, she always had to face unequal treatment because she was a woman and because she was Roma. She never had an opportunity to go to school regularly, but she supported all of us in getting an education. My mother was always stressing that education is the way out of poverty. She became emancipated and empowered throughout her life, providing us with opportunities that she never had.
Marcela Adamova is a Policy Officer at the European Commission and a member of the Migrant Women Press Advisory Board.
“One of the women who inspires me the most is my grandmother, Elisa Maria.”
She taught Geometry and Arts for 30 years, raised three children, and lives by herself in her eighties. My grandmother is determined, practical, and, above all, encouraging. She is someone who can talk about anything and everything; her interest in the history of things sparked my curiosity to learn, and her no-nonsense attitude shaped the way I dealt with my own battles. We can talk for hours about anything; I can come to her, and she will give advice. She cares deeply, loves intensely, and fights fiercely. She is the matriarch we all look up to – and get exasperated with! This Women’s Day, I would like to bring attention to our elderly, to the women whose stories no books could do justice to, whose challenges most people could not have faced, and to my grandmother, an inspiration.
Isadora Bueno Bastos is Migrant Women Press Copy Editor/Proofreader
“She has brought about significant change in her community, from providing food, education, and care for children to constructing a school, house, and clinic”.
Today, I am celebrating a true hero who I closely follow on Instagram. Tusaiwe YANA is the founder of “You Are Not Alone – YANA,” an organization that supports vulnerable children with all their basic needs in Malawi, Africa. Tusaiwe, a 24-year-old mother to many children and young adults and the biological mother of one boy, has brought about significant change in her community. From providing food, education, and nurturing children to constructing schools, houses, and clinics, she has made a remarkable impact.
Given the challenges in securing financial support from her government, Tusaiwe’s determination to help has garnered immense support from her social media followers. She has even had the opportunity to travel to learn from and collaborate with organizations similar to hers overseas. Her transparency and compassionate nature have made it possible to provide for and clothe her large family.
Tusaiwe began her journey with modest means and at a young age, yet her resilience and courage are truly admirable. Let’s raise a glass to this young woman who is changing lives and empowering young mothers everywhere.
Laura Ndanuko is Migrant Women Press trainee journalist.
“Claudia always shows me that it is possible for a working-class Latina to make her voice heard.”
I am inspired by many women to be a better person, to advocate for others, and to take action! However, I am honoured to call only one of them a true friend: Claudia Turbet-Delof. For almost a decade, Claudia has tirelessly campaigned for the rights and visibility of the Latin American community in the U.K. As a fantastic campaigner, she has organised dozens of protests and coordinated many activities that have positively impacted numerous lives. Proudly Bolivian, Claudia has travelled across Europe denouncing the coup of 2019 and advocating for justice and truth for all the victims. In 2022, she was elected as a councillor in London. Claudia consistently demonstrates that it is possible for a working-class Latina to make our voices heard (loud and clear), and she inspires me never to give up. Even during difficult times, she encourages me to see life as a great adventure.
Nathália Urban is a journalist and a member of the Migrant Women Press Advisory Board.