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Then and Now: How these amazing women have transformed their lives at DIWC

14 June 2018 by diwc-admin Leave a Comment

Then and Now: How 4 amazing women have transformed their lives at DIWC

Read how attending classes at DIWC gave these amazing women a chance to completely transform their lives and achieve goals they had never thought possible.

Amina Zaveri

“My advice to all women of my age is… don’t stay at home. We all need to be independent… I dream to be a teacher and share my knowledge with other women. Now I am so happy I can do something for myself.”

Then: Amina migrated from Malawi to London with her family in the mid-1980s. She never had the chance to go to school and struggled to cope with the language and culture in Britain. For five years she worked in a factory.

In 1993, the family moved to Dundee. As a full-time mum to four children, Amina became isolated and lost confidence and self-esteem. Her children encouraged her to do something for herself and brought her to DIWC.

Now: Meeting other women gave Amina hope and a new meaning to life. She can now read and write, drive a car, and can use a computer. Now 63, she continues to push herself to try new things.

Amina says the centre has helped her to overcome many difficulties, including depression, and become independent. Her persistence and determination are an example to women of all ages.

Diaré Drammeh

“Receiving my Masters of Education in Community learning and development at University of Glasgow was one of my biggest achievements, if I can do it with 5 children then it is possible for other women to do it, it doesn’t matter what life throws at you as a woman, you’ve got to think about yourself and your children.”

“Keep going no matter what obstacle you face. Volunteering at DIWC in 2009 has opened several doors and helped me in so many ways and I will never forget that.”

Then: Diaré was born in France and now lives in Scotland. She joined DIWC as a volunteer whilst studying for a postgraduate diploma in Community Learning and Development. Diaré loved being surrounded by inspirational women from around the world, and always looked forward to the annual Volunteer Lunch.

Now: In 2015, Diaré began working at DIWC as a Project Worker. She runs the Bazorg Group for over 50s and also teaches English classes and ECDL. Throughout her university studies, Diaré has raised FIVE children! She is dedicated to helping women achieve their goals and is a fantastic role model for women who want to progress their education and maintain a balanced family life.

Meet the Volunteer: Lynne’s journey from learner to class tutor

24 May 2018 by diwc-admin Leave a Comment

Meet the Volunteer: Lynn’s journey from learner to class tutor

Having started out as a class attendee, Lynne made the decision to share her knowledge and time to become a volunteer at DIWC. This took her from learner to class tutor and she shares her story here.

How it all began

My story started 4 years ago, when I began attending DIWC’s cooking class as a learner. I started the class as a way to cheer myself up and do something a wee bit different. I was experiencing health issues and was feeling really sorry for myself, as my children were growing up fast and didn’t need me as much as when they were younger.

After about a year of attending the class, I was asked if I would like to become a volunteer in the Basic Arts & Crafts class, as I was a very crafty person with many art skills. I jumped at this opportunity!

This started my volunteering journey at DIWC, supporting the learners to take part in art activities in the class. I enjoyed this very much, as the group was very welcoming and friendly. And I was still able to attend my favourite cooking class, as well as volunteering.

How my role evolved into teaching

Over time, I found that, in the cooking class, I began acting as a mentor to new learners. I would take my time to chat with them and encourage them to participate in every session. The teacher noticed this, and offered me a new voluntary role, where I could assist her by supporting all the new learners. I was very pleased at this and it has really helped to increase my confidence and self-esteem.

The Basic Arts & Crafts class evolved from supporting the teacher to becoming the class tutor, where I planned and delivered the art sessions to the learners. I loved this role even more, as it used all my art skills and knowledge. I enjoy watching the learners creating art projects and seeing the pride that they felt once they had finished their project.

Teaching arts and crafts

As the Basic Arts & Crafts class was a success, I was asked if I could run a few blocks of crafts recycling sessions. I loved this idea and began volunteering another morning each week at DIWC, delivering Make Do & Mend sessions.

This was a great way for women to learn how to recycle old materials that they had at home. The class was a hit with learners and it now has a permanent place on DIWC’s timetable.

Fundraising so that others can participate in the classes too

Outwith the classes, I recently helped the Volunteer Coordinator to create DIWC’s fundraising group. We meet on a regular basis to plan new ways to raise funds, which will provide opportunities for more women to participate in DIWC classes and events.

As part of this group, I helped to establish the coffee shop as a way to raise money. I bake cakes and sell refreshments several times a week, alongside my other voluntary roles.

I feel that DIWC is an amazing place which is very uplifting and inspirational to all women who attend. It is a great pleasure to be part of. There are many ways you can get involved by donating your time and skills.

Impact Story: How Kristiana achieved her ambitions with the support of DIWC

10 May 2018 by diwc-admin Leave a Comment

Kristiana shares her story of how, with the support of DIWC, she was able to achieve her goals of improving her English and making a better life for herself and her son.

Feeling part of a community

Kristiana is from Varna in Bulgaria and came to Scotland to make a better life for her son. Back home, she worked as a Stock Control Worker at a shop.

She came to DIWC for several reasons – she wanted to learn new skills, meet new friends and feel part of a community. She also said that she would like to learn new skills and volunteer.

Pursuing dreams and making friends

In particular, she wanted to be in an English-speaking environment, to improve her communication skills. Fortunately, having our flexible childcare services at DIWC meant that she could bring her son with her and be confident he would be well looked after while she pursued her dreams.

After attending the centre for a few weeks, Kristiana quickly made new friends and felt a real sense of belonging. Kristiana was very determined and achieved her European Computer Driving Licence qualification in just 10 months (typically this could take 15-18 months).

DIWC staff were so impressed by how hard she worked, even coming in over the Summer holidays to study. When she got her certificate, she told Diaré: “It is done and I am so happy. I remember my first day in the centre one year ago, I didn’t speak, I was so scared. Thank you for being my teacher”.

Finding confidence through volunteering

At the same time, she looked for volunteering opportunities in Dundee. She worked on the front desk at DIWC but she wanted an even bigger challenge, so staff at the Centre referred her to the British Heart Foundation, where she was offered the post of Volunteer Merchandiser. Her motivation to give back to the community while developing her own skills, is such that she is now volunteering at Discovery Credit Union and holds a position as IT support at the Central Library.

Now, Kristiana is much more confident in herself and very happy that she is so busy. She feels more useful and helpful to her family and her Bulgarian community. She inspires others by explaining that believing in ourselves enables us to achieve our dreams.

Kristiana said recently that: “DIWC is still helping me. Since I have been coming to the centre, they have been supporting me, helping, advising and giving me new opportunities.” Her long-term goal is to maybe, one day, become a Project Worker at DIWC.

Life as a Trustee: Mariam shares her story, from Youth Board Member to Trustee

21 November 2017 by diwc-admin Leave a Comment

Mariam has been coming to DIWC since the age of 13, when she joined Macara Youth Group. Through opportunities offered by the Centre, she went from being a Youth Board Member to becoming a Trustee and shares her role and the challenges she faces.

What is Dundee International Women’s Centre (DIWC)?

Dundee International Women’s Centre is an organisation dedicated to helping women, particularly those from Black and Ethnic Minority communities, by providing them opportunities to achieve three aims; engagement, education and self-empowerment.

Through engaging with an age demographic from toddlers in the crèche to elderly women in the Bazorg group, the Centre provides activities which support these women to work towards goals that were previously unavailable or subjectively unachievable.

DIWC is an organisation that creates a family for women who are isolated.

How did I get involved?

From the age of 13, I attended the Macara Youth Group within the Centre. Being 22 years of age now, I have volunteered in different roles in the Centre for a number of years.

One of the opportunities the Centre offers is for a youth member to sit on the Board as a Youth Board Member. I was offered this opportunity at 17 years old, and first started on the board at 18. In this position as a Youth Board Member, it allows the young person to learn about the organisation from a more strategic and managerial perspective. It also provides them with an opportunity at a young age to work alongside professional women who provide them with insight into the organisation, as well as their relevant fields of work.

After a year and a half, my role was changed to a full Board Member, meaning I could make decisions about all aspects of the organisation. I have been on the board for 4 years and have continued to learn, understand, and apply the new skills I have acquired.

Future Plans?

Our plans for the future are to carry on with the work we do, by trying constantly to reach out to more women in the black and ethnic minority community. Additionally, in the future we would like to expand our organisation by providing services that can help the communities we are trying to target. By accommodating to the needs of our learners, we can create an organisation that is more orientated towards them and achieve a long lasting impact on those individuals. Personally, I intend to remain on the board to try and further increase my skill set, and gain more insight with the ever evolving and changing organisation DIWC is.

What’s My Role?

My role on the Board of Trustees is to act as a Board Member in order to make strategic decisions for the organisation. I work alongside other trustees to discuss these issues with an intention to find a mutual decision which best suits the needs of our learners.

What Are The Challenges?

The challenges for me have evolved with my time on the Board. Initially, due to being very young, the challenges included voicing my opinion and having the confidence to discuss matters arising in meetings. As time went on this confidence built, and I am now able to provide useful and interesting opinions that are appreciated and valued by my colleagues. The next challenge was being able to fully understand what the organisation was, and what we represented as a group. This became clearer once we as an organisation collectively created our vision, mission, aims and objectives. It became clear what we wanted to achieve, which helped with my own understanding of the organisation.

The challenges now include trying to be in the organisation more and keep up with new individuals joining, as well as trying to attend as many events within the centre as possible. I feel it is important to be personally involved in the centre in order to be an effective Board Member. This is an objective of mine that I constantly try to work on. Although the commitment of being a board member can be time consuming and difficult with other responsibilities, being given the opportunity to make a difference like this has always kept me motivated and grateful.

Why Do I Do It?

My initial reason for becoming a Trustee was to increase my experience and I saw it as a great opportunity. In addition to this, I was very passionate about equality for women and particularly with helping diverse women from a range of communities.

Once I had become a Trustee I realised the potential to help so many individuals and it inspired me to stay on the board and genuinely make a difference. I feel that by being a Trustee I help to achieve a common goal of helping women become the best version of themselves. I continue to be passionate about what we do, and witness the difference in the women that attend our centre.

Mariam Okhai

Impact Story: How two sisters from Nairobi beat the odds

10 October 2017 by diwc-admin Leave a Comment

Shani is from Nairobi, Kenya. She moved to Dundee in 1995 with her parents, brother and sister, Dalila, who has multiple physical disabilities. Her parents both later returned to Kenya, leaving Shani as Dalila’s main carer.

Dalila has been coming to the Centre for many years, having been referred by her social worker. She is an enthusiastic learner in the art class. She made friends within the group and got to know a lot of the staff, gaining confidence as time went on. Shani started coming to an employability course but always seemed less willing to talk.

A chance to tell their story

Then DIWC started Chit Chat, a new, informal group for women to get together and talk. The staff facilitator said:

“I had seen Shani and Dalila around the Centre before, we would say hello in passing. I noticed that Dalila always seemed happy and ready to chat, but Shani looked sad and quiet. She usually looked down, didn’t make eye contact and only spoke when I spoke first. When both sisters signed up for Chit Chat, I was really happy.

We had a hot drink and a slice of cake and I asked the group to introduce themselves and tell us whether they felt that DIWC was giving them what they need. One learner said ‘yes, definitely’, while the sisters both stayed quiet, looking at each other. I noticed their body language looked very agitated.

I reassured them that if there is anything at all they wanted to discuss, whether in the group or one-to-one, I was happy to take the time to listen and would do my best to support them. They said they’d just like to talk and the other learner there was happy with that, so they told their story.”

The sisters started to talk about the challenges they faced throughout their lives. Shani said that growing up in Kenya had been incredibly tough because they were poor and attitudes towards Dalila’s disabilities were very negative. Their mother had to fight hard to get her what treatment and help she could.

Finding inner strength

Then their Dad moved to UK to see if there were better job prospects, bringing his family to Dundee in July 1995. At school, they faced barriers because of their race, culture, clothing and difficulty speaking English. Shani and Dalila found it hard to fit in the community.

The challenges were intense, we didn’t have any friends or family in Dundee, so there was no support.

Tragedy struck in 2015, when their mother became ill and passed away and then, at the beginning of 2017, their father died too. This left the family in tatters, with the three siblings left to manage together. Because they were all over 18, they were classed as adult and independent.

Shani and Dalila had to grow up quickly and learn to deal with the outside world. While Dalila got quite a lot of support through social services because of her disabilities, Shani never asked for help.

Shani had always looked out for her sister and brother, taking responsibility for caring which means that she ignored her own emotional needs. Once she expressed this, the staff member asked if she would like to find out about the help available to her. A bit of research found the Penumbra Dundee Carer Centre and contact was made.

Creating hope for the future

Now DIWC and Penumbra are working in partnership to support the sisters to build a social and support network. Shani and Dalila both come along to Chit Chat and other classes at DIWC, and Penumbra offer to keep Dalila company while Shani takes time out for herself to go to the gym and study for the childcare qualification which she has started at the Centre. She says:

I needed help. Nobody had ever asked about me before.

Names in this story have been changed to protect the people’s identity.