Mother Africa and the international success| Sudanow Magazine

Khartoum 4.12.2022(Sudanow)_ 25th of November, is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which runs until 10 December, as a Human Rights Day. Those 16 Days of Activities against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign.

Every year, the Unite Campaign focuses on a specific theme. This year’s theme is “UNITE! Activism to end violence against women and girls” and invites everyone to play their role in ending violence against women and girls, show support and solidarity to women’s rights activists and to resist the rollback on women’s rights.

In this occasion (Sudanow) will shed the light on a strong, successful woman who supported and empowered African refugees, immigrant women and their families to reach their highest potential.

We're talking about Risho Edward, the Sudanese immigrant and the Founder and Executive Director of Mother Africa—a community organization in Kent, United States.

Risho said: “I emigrated from Sudan to the United States in 1995 and lived on the East Coast for 5 years". Although she had a bachelor's degree in Business Administration when she came to America, she didn’t find an opportunity that can land her in a good managerial position. So, she worked hard and managed to find a volunteer opportunity with one of the organizations based in Washington DC and operating in Sub-Saharan African countries.

She learned so much and, in a few months, she decided to pursue higher education in the field of International Development and Social Change.

Many years later Risho joined the team of (YWCA-South King County) as Domestic Violence Victims’ Advocate and learned so much about this field, the resources, the case management, the connections with an array of providers, the legal system, etc.

The second year in that job she was elected to serve as a board member with the Washington State Coalition against Domestic Violence. When she took the advocate job, she took it with the perspective that she would think globally and act locally.

Risho added: "Violence against women is prevalent all over the world and tackling it here in South King County allowed me to learn a lot about the dynamics of intimate partner violence, a topic considered taboo in my home country and many other cultures”

By 2008, she moved to the City of Kent and started to establish her own projects. She said: “Like many start-up organizations, I stumbled a lot at the beginning but gradually, and with support from other leaders I met on my way, I started growing Mother Africa, involving more board members, listening more to the communities needs, applying for grants, and developing programs. "

The mission of Mother Africa according to its Memorandum of Association, is to support African refugee and immigrant women and their families to reach their highest potential.

Mother Africa is committed to leadership building, advocacy, and community action to navigate and overcome barriers to accessing healthcare, education, safety, and economic independence while fostering an empowering environment that celebrates cultural diversity, families, and socio-economic growth.

On the first of November the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced "Mother Africa" as one of 26 Safer Choice Partner of the Year award winners across 14 states and the District of Columbia, recognizing its achievements in the design, manufacture, selection, and use of products with safer chemicals.

Risho always motivates to develop an organization where African women could find a sense of belonging, and a community, and we think that she made it.

Current Affairs

When Decisions Are Bought: Emirati Financial Influence and the Complication of the Sudanese Crisis Within the African Ho

The Benishangul Region: History and Current Implications

Sudan The Present Absent in IGAD