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MENTORSHIP AND AMBASSADOR PROGRAM

Providing comprehensive mentoring and support  to break down obstacles in policy-making and incorporate new and essential dialogue.

​Our program is dedicated to empowering migrant and refugee community leaders and emerging advocates, enabling them to become influential in the realms of policy-making and decision-making. We aim to dismantle barriers to policy-making and integrate new and critical conversations, particularly around issues like climate change. Our focus is on equipping these leaders with the necessary knowledge and connections to make a meaningful difference. Through our efforts, we strive to create opportunities for these advocates to bring about significant changes in policies and practices that affect their communities. Our program is not just about offering support; it's about fostering leadership and amplifying voices that are often overlooked in critical decision-making processes.

 

This project is unique as it goes beyond existing mentorship programs by providing matching with institutions where ambassadors can do a short internship or placement, with a chosen few receiving a stipend from New Women Connectors for their involvement, and funded travelling opportunities to high level decision-making spaces.

Program highlights

  • Empowering Emerging Leaders: We select emerging leaders from migrant and refugee communities, providing them with the knowledge and connections needed to make a meaningful impact.

  • Year-Long Commitment: Our one-year program is designed to create opportunities for these leaders, facilitating significant changes in policies and practices affecting their communities.

  • Fostering Leadership: Our program goes beyond offering support; it aims to foster leadership and amplify voices often overlooked in critical decision-making processes.

  • Mentorship Matching: The key to our approach is matching emerging leaders with mentors who offer support in navigating current barriers and guide them toward achieving their goals.

AIM OF THE PROGRAM​

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  1. Create a network of skilled advocates, partners, and mentors

  2. Create opportunities for community leaders to bring about significant changes in policies and practices that affect their communities

  3. Increase New Women Connectors' presence in new and critical conversations such as climate change

  4. Create an EcoSystem of organizations and partners who connect by supporting the program, providing visibility and mentorship

  5. Facilitate ambassadors' placements within institutions to further their skills and network

roadmap 2025​

​As part of the 2025 edition of the program, we incorporated feedback to enable greater co-creation of the training sessions. Additionally, we hosted two masterclasses led by external trainers, focusing on practical, hard skills. The timeline of this year's program is the following:​

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  • ​A  briefing/intro event 28th of April presenting the program, the tip sheet, timeline and space for Q&A.​

  • Two masterclasses in the last week of June - 23 and 25 of June-  facilitated by external speakers from partner organisations in hard skills.

  • Ambassadors were selected in June,  followed by three trainings provided by the NWC team on the 7th and 21st of July and the 4th of August.

  • Selected ambassadors will secure an internship for themselves for September- November. NWC supports them with a stipend and monthly mentor meetings. A final event in-person event to be hosted in September.

  • Ambassadors will organize one in-person event with their community in their internship phases before the end of November 2025.​​

Ambassadors 2025

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Chaimae Haddoumi
she/her

Chaimae Haddoumi is a policy analyst and gender advocate dedicated to amplifying youth voices and driving cross-sector collaboration through initiatives like ‘The GYRLS’ and the decolonial platform ‘KRUDo Magazine’. She currently supports Congolese advocates and co-leads the Human Rights Accountability Project at CMGJ. With a strong foundation in social justice and migration, she joins NWC to continue learning, growing, and refining her advocacy skills.

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Fabian Kagimu
she/her

Frank Fabian Kagimu is a Ugandan-born transgender woman, community psychologist, and feminist human rights defender currently based in Germany. She is the Founding Director of Prism Empowerment and Development Initiative Uganda and also leads a team at Haven of Pride Africa, both supporting displaced LGBTQIA+ communities through mental health care, housing, and advocacy. Fabian’s work centers radical care, resilience, and community.

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Huseyin Ali Kudret
they/them

Huseyin Ali Kudret is a jurist, human rights defender, and former lawyer from the Arab Alawite minority in Hatay, Turkey. After seeking asylum in the Netherlands due to their activism, they earned an LLM and now collaborate with NGOs including Amnesty International and Dutch Lawyers for Human Rights. Their work focuses on systemic change and advancing justice for marginalized communities.​

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Ivanna Khodos
she/her

Ivanna Khodos is a gender policy expert and activist who has served in key roles including at the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine and the National Investigation Bureau, as well as leading White Ribbon Ukraine. Since relocating to Varna, Bulgaria in February 2023 with her three children, she volunteers with the All-Ukrainian League "Legalife" and provides psychological counseling to refugees. Her work bridges advocacy, policy, and direct support for displaced and vulnerable communities.

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Reida Dawa
she/her

Reida Dawa is a mental health support worker with over 12 years of experience and a background in Social Care, currently managing refugee programs in Uganda from her base in Germany. She has held leadership roles including Deputy Executive Director of a refugee-led organization in Uganda and chairs the South Sudanese Community Association in Bolton. Passionate about supporting mothers who left education, she will begin a master’s in Social Work in September.

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Masterclasses and trainings

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The program began with the provision of two masterclasses and three trainings provided internally. The topics of the sessions were chosen based on the feedback of those present at the launch event session. Based on these we were able to enlist the expertise of migrant and refugee specialists in their fields, from both local and global organizations in the provision of two masterclass sessions:

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Personal Branding & Entrepreneurship

June 23, 16:00-18:00 CET

Community and Network Engagement

June 25, 16:00-18:00 CET​

Training 1: Meaningful Participation and Equitable Partnerships

July 7, 16:00-18:00 CET

  • Shifting unequal power dynamics through inclusive engagement

  • Promoting informed, transformative, experience-driven participation

  • Learning through special case studies and practical examples

Training 2: Feminist Leadership

July 21, 16:00-18:00 CET

  • Understanding what feminist leadership is and how it is different from conventional notions of leadership

  • Define feminist leadership in your own terms 

  • Explore ways to apply feminist leadership in your work and personal life 

Training 3: Storytelling for Advocacy

august 4, 16:00-18:00 CET

  • Understanding what storytelling as a methodology for advocacy is, and the benefits

  • Learn more about how to communicate your message to people who don't agree with you

​​​​​​​​​​Highlights of map 2024​

As part of the Ambassador Program in 2024, we offered training sessions to develop advocacy and leadership skills. These training sessions happened online and were open to the public - anyone interested could join. Sessions two and four were mandatory for those who applied to become ambassadors. 

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​Training Session 1
'Intro to Advocacy: How to become an Influential Community Leader'​
24th June 2024​​
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Training Session 2
'Scaling Impact: The Basics for Fundraising, Advocacy, Sustainability'
8th July 2024​​​​

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Training Session 3
'Facilitation and Presentation Skills'
22nd July 2024​​

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Training Session 4
'Meaningful Participation'
5th August 2024​​​​​
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Additionally, we:​​​

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  • Conducted a comprehensive evaluation identifying key challenges and best practices within refugee leadership structures

  • Trained over 130 participants from 34 countries, with a 70.8% participation rate among women​​​​​​​​​​

  • Established mentor-mentee pairs, providing structured support to emerging migrant and refugee leaders

  • Supported five ambassadors through financial stipends, enabling them to drive impactful initiatives in their communities across Europe

  • Ambassadors attended 19 different events, both online and in person.

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Any questions? contact us!
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Anila Noor

Programme Manager

Oversees and guides the strategic direction of the program, ensuring alignment with mission goals and effective utilization of resources.

Angeline Green

Project Coordinator

Coordinates the operational aspects of the program, ensuring smooth execution of activities and effective support for all participants.

Eszti Galantai

Communications

Leads all communication efforts, enhancing the program's visibility and ensuring consistent messaging across platforms.

The Mentorship and Ambassador Program (MAP) is NWC's program, in partnership and funded by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

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