Three years ago, as part of the Volunteering component for their Gold Award, Lucky & Ramla founded the Muslim Girls Kollective (MGKollective) in South Australia to decrease the feelings of social isolation for Muslim and refugee girls. Lucky and Ramla Giirre have now applied for The International Award Foundation Peter Cruddas Initiative. The Peter Cruddas Initiative launched in 2009 and aims to encourage and recognise social innovation amongst Award Participants around the word. .jpg)
Social Innovators are individuals who have identified a problem or challenge in heir community or halfway around the world and have taken action to develop a solution. The Award encourages social innovation by requiring Participants to challenge themselves to discover how they can use their unique talents to benefit others.
Some initiatives which have been recognised in past years include using sport as a tool for community development, using The Award to raise awareness of a local, national or international issue such as the environment or HIV/AIDS, using The Award to bring together people from different cultures, religious or ethnic backgrounds to increase community harmony and using The Award to empower young women.
Lucky and Ramla have been working to empower other young women since migrating from Somalia to Australia in 1994 as refugees. After completing their Gold Awards, the fantastic work of Lucky & Ramla and the MGKollective has continued and has directly impacted 57 women between 10 and 25 years old. MGKollective has provided an environment where girls and young women can have fun and socialise in a safe and supportive place where they can make new friends and build networks. Members have the chance to build life and organisational skills, engage with guest speakers and attend recreational activities.
“There is a benefit to the refugee and Muslim communities from having better informed and resilient young women... as there is improved dialogue between the young women and the organisations that help them as well as the greater involvement that these young women have within the mainstream Australian community,” say Lucky and Ramla.
The MGKollective works to empower young Muslim and refugee girls and women by enabling them to contribute to their diverse communities, “We want to provide the networks and information to our members to help them to become skilled, confident members of their individual communities and the wider Australian community.”
Based on the direct benefits Lucky and Ramla have experienced from completing their Gold Awards, including attending the International Gold Event in Kenya in 2011, they are working with The Duke of Ed in South Australia to promote The Award program by encouraging members of the MGKollective to become involved with and participate in The Award.
“The Duke of Ed empowered us to start MGKollective... We’re a lot stronger and determined because of The Duke of Ed. We never thought that we could be leaders but we are.... Fear used to stop us from doing things. The Duke of Ed reinforces self belief in what you can do.”
We wish Lucky & Ramla the best of luck in their application for The Peter Cruddas Initiative.
