Women for Refugee Women founder, Natasha Walter, shares her story
03/08/21 • 50 min
Natasha Walter is Founder Director of Women for Refugee Women, an influential charity providing support for refugee women seeking asylum in the UK. Natasha is a feminist, a human rights activist and an experienced journalist, with a double first from Cambridge University. She is an author of books, including The New Feminism, Living Dolls and the play Motherland.
Natasha became a Founder Director 13 years ago, ‘almost by mistake’. She didn’t intend to set up a charity, but was driven to create social change by the powerful stories of the women refugees she met while working as a journalist.
In this interview with Natasha you will hear about the steps she took to set up the charity, the learnings along the way, the vital support she has had from her Chair and colleagues, and the important mix of services, voice, media and campaigning that underpin Women for Refugee Women and Natasha’s leadership.
She shares insightful views about her frustrations with charity communications, and the importance of sharing the authentic voices and stories of refugees and asylum-seekers.
Since our interview Natasha has stepped down as Director to become Creative Projects Director, handing over the Director role to Alphonsine Kabagabo.
Follow 'Women for Refugee Women' and Natasha:
Twitter: @4refugeewomen @natasha_walter
Instagram: @4refugeewomen
Facebook: @WomenforRefugeeWomen
And if you can please donate to Women for Refugee Women here.
Enjoy, and send us your feedback.
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/social-founder-stories.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Natasha Walter is Founder Director of Women for Refugee Women, an influential charity providing support for refugee women seeking asylum in the UK. Natasha is a feminist, a human rights activist and an experienced journalist, with a double first from Cambridge University. She is an author of books, including The New Feminism, Living Dolls and the play Motherland.
Natasha became a Founder Director 13 years ago, ‘almost by mistake’. She didn’t intend to set up a charity, but was driven to create social change by the powerful stories of the women refugees she met while working as a journalist.
In this interview with Natasha you will hear about the steps she took to set up the charity, the learnings along the way, the vital support she has had from her Chair and colleagues, and the important mix of services, voice, media and campaigning that underpin Women for Refugee Women and Natasha’s leadership.
She shares insightful views about her frustrations with charity communications, and the importance of sharing the authentic voices and stories of refugees and asylum-seekers.
Since our interview Natasha has stepped down as Director to become Creative Projects Director, handing over the Director role to Alphonsine Kabagabo.
Follow 'Women for Refugee Women' and Natasha:
Twitter: @4refugeewomen @natasha_walter
Instagram: @4refugeewomen
Facebook: @WomenforRefugeeWomen
And if you can please donate to Women for Refugee Women here.
Enjoy, and send us your feedback.
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/social-founder-stories.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Previous Episode
Pragna Patel, iconic Founder of Southall Black Sisters tells her story of tireless campaigning for justice
Pragna Patel is the founder and director of Southall Black Sisters, one of the UK's leading women's organisations campaigning for the rights of black and minority ethnic women. In 1982, Pragna resurrected a local initiative, turning it into an established advocacy charity, a national helpline and a powerful campaigning organisation. "Our aims are to highlight and challenge all forms gender-related violence against women, empower them to gain more control over their lives; live without fear of violence and assert their human rights to justice, equality and freedom."
Pragna tells us about what it takes to establish and grow an organisation - to create the infrastructure, find the right board, maintain values, keep the right balance between services and campaigning. She talks candidly about how to cope with setbacks, find resilience and celebrate achievements - including the passing of vital laws to support migrant women in the UK. We also hear about the powerful Law Centre Movement that inspired her initial work, and the fears she has for equality and social justice today.
"Our vision, our political vision, is one where we see that there is interconnectedness of struggles, that we don't struggle on our own, even as women, that we are connected to the struggles that are taking place on a much more global scale around violence against women." Pragna Patel, in her Social Founder Stories podcast. And her advice to other social founders: "Do not be afraid. Go with your gut feelings and your instincts, that I think is key. And then everything else - you find skills, you find the people, you find the funding -somehow. But my main thing is, if there is that fire in your belly, act on it, do not be afraid." Listen to Pragna and indeed you will come away with fire in your belly.
Please donate to Southall Black Sisters here if you can. Donations small or large will make a life-changing and life-saving difference to countless abused and marginalised women and children who are desperate for protection and support, particularly at this time of Covid-19.
Follow Southall Black Sisters and Pragna:
Twitter: @SBSisters
Instagram: @SouthallBlackSisters
Facebook: @Southall.Black.Sisters
Listen to Pragna's founder story on the Social Founder Stories podcast, Episode 5 - on all podcast platforms or via the links above. Enjoy, and send us your feedback.
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/social-founder-stories.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Next Episode
Citizens UK founder Neil Jameson CBE tells his story
Neil Jameson CBE is Founder of Citizens UK, the charity that inspired and successfully campaigned for the UK Living Wage. Setting up Citizens UK as his vehicle, Neil launched and grew the Community Organising movement across the UK, bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds, from faith groups, schools, trade unions and community groups, to participate in massive grassroots assemblies, rallies and citizens’ actions.
In this podcast you’ll hear how Neil took advantage of a Churchill Fellowship to learn from the US model of Community Organising, including training with a young Obama; how Neil brought these ideas to the UK, how he set up and then massively scaled Citizens UK from an idea, to city-based actions in Bristol, and then to a highly influential UK-wide movement, brand, organisation and legacy.
Alongside a fascinating 30 year perspective of social action in the US and UK, Neil gives us great advice and insights during this podcast, across all the founder stages, from start-up to scale-up, engagement and impact, funding, campaigning, networking and team-building, through to stepping down as CEO, and an exciting possible new venture too. Be inspired!
Follow Neil Jameson:
Twitter: @NeilJamesonUK
Instagram: @NeilJamesonUK
Facebook: @Neil.Jameson.London
Follow Citizens UK:
Twitter: @CitizensUK
Instagram: @citizens.uk
Facebook: @CitizensUK
And if you can please donate to Citizens UK here.
Neil highlighted the special impact of two organisations on his founder journey:
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust's Churchill Fellowships.
Listen to Neil Jameson's founder story on the Social Founder Stories podcast, Episode 7 - on all podcast platforms via the links above or here. Enjoy, and please do send us your feedback. Sign up to the Social Founder Network newsletter here.
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/social-founder-stories.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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