“A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture, and transform.” —Diane Mariechild October 2nd, 2023 |
|
|
WoW continued hosting our enlightening and empowering workshop series dedicated to equipping our clients with essential knowledge about housing issues in Utah. We understand that building a secure and stable life starts with having a safe and comfortable place to call home. Through this series, we aimed to empower refugee women with the tools and information they needed to navigate housing challenges and advocate for their rights effectively. This month we covered the topics of losing Section 8 vouchers from Utah Legal Services and navigating Evictions from Peoples Legal Services. We believe that stable housing lays the foundation for a thriving life. We are grateful for our legal connections and community partners who are willing to come to teach and support our clients. For refugee women, who have already faced displacement and upheaval, secure housing is vital for rebuilding their lives and establishing a sense of belonging in a new country. This workshop series is a testament to our commitment to empowering refugee women to secure their housing rights and create a better future for themselves and their families. If you are interested in joining us in our continual journey of education, advocacy, and empowerment for our clients please contact our Education Specialist (ghinwa@womenofworld.org). |
|
|
This month WoW opened our office up for a community open house. We had multiple clients promoting their small businesses including, catering, seamstresses, henna designs, and artists! We loved seeing community members have the chance to come connect with our clients and learn their stories. We also gave office tours and hosted multiple employer partners. By participating in Welcoming Week, WoW helps strengthen community bonds, encourages collaboration, and promotes a more united, resilient society. It also serves as a platform for advocacy, raising awareness about refugee challenges and advocating for their integration process |
|
|
Our Executive Director, Samira Harnish, was honored to be awarded Utah's Women 40 over 40 award. This award is dedicated to recognizing hardworking women who make this state thrive. Representation Matters! It matters in age, race, skill, experience, opinion, and thought. We acknowledge and celebrate women in their 40s, 50s, 60s, & beyond! We are inspired by women taking chances, changing lives, and making an impact later in life. We envision a growing community of women over 40, celebrated for their distinct accomplishments and success stories. WoW is proud to see Samira recognized and celebrated for her tireless dedication to supporting Forcibly Displaced Women to become independent and self-reliant. She continues to lead WoW towards growth! |
|
|
Wow was excited to be a part of the 9th Annual Eat Drink SLC event at the Tracy Aviary! The event hosted hundreds of premiere food and drink vendors throughout the city and gave attendees a chance to sample and learn about local food spots! We loved tabling the event and connecting with so many community members, it was a pleasure to see so many like-minded individuals come together to celebrate and support the vibrant local food scene throughout Salt Lake. We are also grateful that a portion of the ticket sales from this event will be directed toward WoW. This generous contribution will enable us to continue our mission and make a positive impact in our community. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the organizers, vendors, and attendees who made this event possible. It's moments like these that remind us of the power of food, drink, and community to bring positive change to our city. We can't wait for the next Eat Drink SLC event and the opportunity to once again connect with this wonderful community. |
|
|
Members of the WoW team were able to join the Utah Valley Executive Summit this year at Sundance Resort. We had a spectacular time networking, learning how to move forward despite hardships, hearing from keynote speakers, and being inspired as business and community leaders. WoW is honored to be part of the individuals who are contributing in large ways to the positive progress of Utah. |
|
|
Women in Philanthropy Event |
|
|
Our Executive director Samira Harnish was able to attend a Utah's Women in Philanthropy event hosted by Jim & Krista Sorenson & Choice Humanitarian. This is a gathering of like-minded women, united by a common drive to enact positive change, foster engagement, and empower one another in the state of Utah! We are grateful that there are so many women in our community that are passionately dedicated to philanthropic endeavors that uplift and transform lives. These are women with an unwavering commitment to giving back to their community, offering steadfast support to their fellow women, and doing so with a genuine and heartfelt spirit. |
|
|
Office Administrator Melanie is a native Utahn and learned from a young age how enriching diversity can be. She comes from a big family that includes siblings from Guatemala and India. Melanie has worked in a variety of fields and first became involved with the nonprofit sector when traveling to Peru a few times on humanitarian aid expeditions. She saw first-hand what teaching and providing the correct tools could do to strengthen individuals and families. Melanie developed a further sense of doing good in the world while working for an international nonprofit that uses microfinance and education to help end generational poverty. When Melanie first learned of and then researched Women of the World, she knew it was where she wanted to be. She loves the mission and vision of WoW and the focus on improving the lives of women who are forcibly displaced and live locally. Melanie firmly believes that when a woman is empowered to be her best self, the ripple effect has no end. Melanie is happily married to Michael and together they have 10 children and 17 grandchildren. They enjoy traveling, family, good food, and good fun. |
|
Case Manager -- Employment Specialist Coming from a Syrian family, Alan was born and grew up in Venezuela understanding what it means to be an immigrant. Before coming to the US, he got a bachelor's in communication and social development, and a master's in communications and human development, developing a passion for diversity, inclusion, and equality.
He's been an independent journalist for a decade and recently became an independent researcher with a focus on literature, paying special attention in both fields to mental health and identity. When he couldn't stay in Venezuela anymore for safety reasons, he moved to the US and helped his family do the same, giving him personal experiences as an immigrant. When not working, Alan likes to spend his time around books, his family, and his dog, watch a good movie, and study Arabic. |
|
|
Women of the World continues to expand its work and is hiring again! |
|
|
Development Director: The Director of Development is a new and exciting full-time position for Women of the World. There is incredible opportunity to elevate both the awareness for the organization and strengthen community support. The individual hired will lead efforts to design and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy with a focus on expanding awareness in the community and building support amongst individual donors, especially major gift prospects. This position reports to the Executive Director. |
|
|
Oct 2- Volunteer Orientation @ WoW Oct 3-- Heat clinic @ WoW Oct 7 – Changemakers Synposium @ UCCD Oct 13, 20, 27-- Domestic Violence Support workshops @ WoW Dec 9 – Celebration of Success event at the Columbus Center March 6, 2024 – FASHION SHOW & Cultural Gala at Zions Technology Center
|
|
|
|
|
