‘It’s very refreshing to join an IWD day event about sharing learning, and the work throughout the year (and years), and how we can work together across borders in ways that have actually been impactful. Thank you for sharing!’
IWD 2024 Participant
We celebrated International Women’s Day this year by hearing from three African women. We invited Dr Stella Nyanzi, Dr Atuki Turner and Godess Bvukutwa to share about their work as grassroots women leaders of civil society organisations and movements working to tackle gendered injustice. The session quickly became about the power of storytelling, the power of poetry as resistance, and the role that narratives play in shaping our lived experiences.
We are grateful to all three expert panelists for their generous contributions, to SWIDN trustee Janet Whitelaw-Jones for hosting the session, and to our participants who attended.
“Stories Are the Key”: A Conversation with Writer, Poet and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Consultant Louisa Adjoa Parker
23 April 2026
SWIDN associate, Louisa Adjoa Parker is a writer, poet, and equality, diversity and inclusion consultant based in the South West of England. We sat down with her to talk about her creative journey, the challenges facing artists today, and why storytelling might be the most powerful tool we have for building empathy. Finding Her Voice…
Defy, Don’t Despair: How Systems Thinking Is Building a Fairer World
13 April 2026
Valued SWIDN Member, Ian Roderick is the voluntary director of The Schumacher Institute for Sustainable Systems, a Bristol-based think tank that applies systems thinking to the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges. We spoke with him about the institute’s work, the projects keeping him busy, and why, even in a time of global crisis, he believes…
Spotlight on Lucy Njomo and AYDA: Empowering Youth and Communities
18 March 2026
SWIDN Member Lucy Njomo is the Founder and CEO of the African Youth Development Association (AYDA), a UK-based charity supporting the development of young people, including those with additional needs and their families, through education and training. In this blog, we explore Lucy’s journey, the challenges facing young people today, and why access to education…
