Refugee Week – Women on the Move Awards

| 17 June 2020

To mark Refugee Week, we’re looking back at the Women on The Move Awards (WOMA) – an annual event which honours inspirational leadership and contributions from migrant and refugee women to UK society. This year’s ceremony was supported by MTVH’s Migration Foundation.

The event was held in March at the Southbank Centre, and presented by journalist Samira Ahmed alongside WOMA founder and Migrants Organise CEO, Zrinka Bralo.

MTVH CEO, Geeta Nanda was part of a panel discussion which looked at the importance of supporting migrant and refugee women who have committed their lives to transforming their communities, societies and institutions despite challenging experiences and circumstances.

Speaking about the event, she said: “These women are an inspiration and we are proud of all their accomplishments and continuous dedication. It’s extremely important that we support events like WOMA; not only does it provide a platform for recognising great achievements but it displays how migrants and refugees are contributing to our country.”

A number of former winners spoke at the event, including: Chrisann Jarrett, founder of Let us Learn, a service supporting young migrants who are unable to access university; Joon Lynn Goh, founder of action group and support network Migrants in Culture; and Rossana Leal, who established the Refugee Buddy Scheme, which works closely with local authorities in East Sussex who deliver the UK’s resettlement programme for Syrian refugees.

“What we have seen here at WOMA is just a tiny bit of the great work that is happening out there,” said Eleanor Weber-Ballard, Communications Coordinator at Migrants Organise. “This work is helping us create more spaces to grow together, to support each other, to speak out and to build a better and more welcoming world in which all of us matter.” Zrinka Bralo, Founder.