MJ is the founder and CEO of WCCI (Women’s Crisis Care International), which provides support for victims of sexual and physical abuse. The group has just been awarded for the most innovative app at the fifth Manama Entrepreneurship Week (MEW).
What inspired you to do what you do?
I came to Bahrain for love. But having quit my job and moved to another country without any prospects for work, I felt a bit lost. My whole life had been spent working for major international NGOS, mostly in refugee camps, and various countries throughout Africa. But when I arrived in Bahrain, I quickly realised that if I was going to continue in my field of women’s humanitarian programming, I was going to have to do it on my own.
Really, it was a blessing in disguise. Until that point, I had never wanted to start my own NGO because I thought I wanted to focus on programming, and not be bothered with the management and operations of running an organisation. And I will say that that is still the hardest part, but in the end, because WCCI was something that we started from the ground up, we have been able to do it exactly how we want, and how we know will best serve our clients.
I wanted to start WCCI because it was a career choice, and it would keep me on my intended professional path. But really, I chose this overall path because I simply can’t tolerate the thought of a woman being hurt, and then, worst of all, not even having anybody around her to help her. So, my inspiration to start WCCI stems from my own personal experience and understanding of how important it is for victims to have someone there to hold their hand, after having, perhaps, one of the worst experiences of their lifetime.
How do you keep going when you must hear some awful stories?
It can sometimes be overwhelming. But, at the end of the day, I know that at least I am helping to mitigate some of the suffering. In the past I have experienced symptoms of vicarious trauma, which is when care-providers experience similar symptoms of PTSD from repeated exposure to stories of trauma. However, now we have a very large and strong team such that I no longer have to take on the burden myself.
And now, honestly, as the executive director, my role has largely changed. My team are now the ones in direct contact with most of the victims and their stories, and now I play more of a management role.
The times when I do come to know about the victims’ stories of abuse, are when my staff are facing challenges they don’t know how to handle. So, in these cases, we meet and they share the situation with me, so, as a team, we can all brainstorm together on the best way to support the client.
The organisation has come a long way in a short time. Do you feel women are becoming more willing to speak out?
I feel that slowly and surely women all around the world are becoming more and more confident in speaking out, asking for help, and demanding that the world respect their needs.
Further, with each passing day, society at large is coming to understand that violence against women is a global epidemic which, if we can solve it together, will lead to positive changes and growth for everyone. The challenge with talking about violence against women is that, inevitably, the conversation is blaming someone. Unlike a conversation about breast cancer, for example, where there is no one to blame. Thus, when talking about abuse we have to be careful not to alienate anyone or make people to feel threatened. While at the same time, we have to insist that perpetrators of abuse be held to account.
WCCI has come a very long way in a short amount of time. We are constantly in flux and in awe of the growth and support and increasing case load. In the last 12 months WCCI has supported victims of abuse in more than 1,000 cases.
What would be your message for young girls and women who want to make a difference (in any way)?
Be clear and precise with yourself when setting your goals. And with ambition, one should also be realistic. If you want to do something, either take the steps to be able to do it well, or recognise where you need help and get it.
At the same time, it’s important to be decisive and take action. You may not get it perfect every time but as long as you continue to try, you will learn from your mistakes and you will inevitably keep going forward. Don’t get stuck doubting yourself, but rather think big, and make big steps that scare you.
