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our team
Anila Noor
Founder / Managing Director
Anila Noor is a refugee activist based in the Netherlands. She has diverse experience working with national and international nonprofit organisations and causes namely dealing with peace-building efforts, refugee integration, and special education focus on women's rights. She has advocated for refugee resettlement and social/political engagement of refugees in Europe. She has initiated NWC, a movement striving for mainstreaming the unheard voices of migrant and refugee women living across Europe. It is a perspective shift to the refugee agenda and advocates inclusion than integration as a policy choice. The movement also helps newcomer refugee women to lift their spirits and make something of it.
She found herself involved in the subjects of forced migration and identity crisis when she had to go through the same experience. Since, she has been working as a refugee social entrepreneur focusing on Forced Migration, Asylum, Refugee Policies and Advocacy for the Rights of Migrants. Noor is currently working on the subject of Receiving Refugees in Urban Settings: Narratives from the European Countries.
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Contact: anoor@newwomenconnectors.com
Partnership and Community Lead
Nurhidayah Hassan,
She/HER
(France)
​Over the last 10 years, Nurhidayah has worked in non-profit organisations, leading projects at the intersection of gender equality, migration and sustainable development. She has a strong track record of driving transformative, trust-based collaborations across Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
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Through her work in program design, policy advocacy, and fundraising, Nurhidayah has successfully implemented transnational projects addressing critical issues such as the participation of migrant women, economic empowerment, gender-based violence, resourcing for migrant-led movements and diaspora engagement.
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Nurhidayah is also a dedicated lecturer with expertise in social sciences, teaching long-distance courses in sociology, gender, and feminism for the Singapore University of Social Sciences. A curious and reflective feminist with a strong problem-solving orientation, Nurhidayah grounds her work in systems thinking, empathy and nurturing authentic relationships. She holds Master's degrees in International Development Studies and Public Policy, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in English and Sociology. Originally from Singapore, Nurhidayah is currently based in France.
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Contact: nurhidayah@newwomenconnectors.com
Marie-José van Schaik
She/her
(Netherlands)
Project Manager, Trainer
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Marie-José is a cultural anthropologist from the Netherlands. She has diverse work experience on the topic of migration. She works as teacher and youth worker with migrant and refugee children and youth and as a trainer and project coordinator on several migration and anti-racism related educational projects.
She did research on migration in Malta, Turkey and Greece and co-developed an educative role-play method on migration (see www.minosia.eu).
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Contact: mariejose@newwomenconnectors.com
Seyran Khalili
She/her
(Norway)
Project- and Program Manager, Climate lead
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Seyran has considerable expertise in organisational psychology and psychiatry, education and public policy. She has been working with advocacy with great commitment to reducing the gap between minorities and the majority through dialogue, information and public service.
She had led the Norwegian NGO LIM (Equality, Inclusion and Diversity) as a deputy board member since 2018, in addition to specialising in Digital HR and innovative service design the past year. She promotes issues of social injustice and actively participates in community debates.
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Contact: seyran@newwomenconnectors.com
Razan Ismail
She/her
(SPAIN)
Chief Operating Officer, Project Manager
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Policy Expert on Gender Equality & Migration: EU Commission Migration Expert Group, Founder at Asociación Kudwa.
Bringing a decade of experience as a migrant in Europe, she offers a unique perspective on intercultural training, advocacy, and policy development. Skilled in creating impactful learning experiences, providing policy advice, delivering public speaking engagements, and managing projects efficiently.
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Contact: razan@newwomenconnectors.com
angeline green
She/HER
(netherlands)
Administrative and Project Assistant​
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Angeline has expertise in intercultural dialogue and communication, and has been working with New Women Connectors since 2021.
Her background in cultural and organizational anthropology suits her to work in interdisciplinary settings, and as a lifelong migrant herself, she has a passion for making systems work for their intended target audience. She works as a facilitator, trainer, helps writing reports and applications, researcher, and safeguarding point woman.
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Contact angeline@newwomenconnectors.com
sumaira omer
(netherlands)
Finance administrator
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Sumaira is a finance administrator for NWC who’s educational background is in Economics.
She is originally from the UK and has been living in The Netherlands for 4,5 years now.
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Contact: finance@newwomenconnectors.com
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Eszti Galantai
SHE/HER
(Netherlands)
Communications Officer​
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Eszti has always been dedicated to social issues and working with non-governmental organizations. After completing a minor in law and society during her bachelor’s in cultural anthropology, she became devoted to issues affecting refugees and migrants in the Netherlands and around the world.
She has worked in the area of communications with different refugee-supporting NGOs, both as a volunteer and as a social media manager. Through her master’s degree in international law, she focused on human rights and refugee law, solidifying her knowledge and commitment to the field of migration. She is particularly passionate about advocacy around the intersectionality of women and refugee rights, bringing a unique background of social sciences and international law.
With her academic background and communication experience in the non-governmental sector, Eszti works to highlight and support the crucial work of New Women Connectors.
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Contact: communication@newwomenconnectors.com
Kourara saliba
they/them
(netherlands)
Graphic Designer
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Kourara is a passionate digital designer and dedicated activist. Their journey began in Lebanon, embarking on a transformative adventure that eventually led to Amsterdam becoming their home. Their sense of belonging in this vibrant city is a testament to resilience and determination, showcasing how one can find home and purpose in unexpected places. From their roots in Lebanon to their current life in Amsterdam, Kourara's story demonstrates resilience and adaptability. Their design work skillfully translates experiences and emotions, infusing creations with a unique blend of cultural influences and social consciousness.
Volunteer
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Sandra Alloush is a political refugee and an international award winning journalist from Syria living in France. She is a documentary filmmaker with a demonstrated history of working in the broadcast media industry for over 15 years, working with several European channels like “ARTE”, focusing on asylum and migration issues.
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Sandra is a human rights defender and anti-racist activist with lived experience, and she is a proud member of New Women Connectors.
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Contact: sandra@newwomenconnectors.com
SANDRA Alloush
She/her
(fRANCE)
Rupsha paul
She/her
(netherlands)
Volunteer
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Rupsha is passionate about youth leadership and advocates for community development through education. She has actively worked with NGOs, government bodies in development initiatives, focusing on education and youth, in various states of India, Nepal and Netherlands. Her core skill lies in project coordination and implementation, advocacy and in designing, training and facilitating workshops.
pia revollo
She/Her
(netherlands)
Volunteer
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Pia is a Venezuelan HR activist with transdisciplinary background in Arts, Languages, and Public Policies. She works as a researcher in cultural and socio-environmental issues, focusing on the systematization of experiences for human rights defense, climate justice, and peace. She has directed her work towards CSR, indigenous communities, and migration. Recently, she founded Sabana, where she promotes the fourth sector and triple bottom line to create sustainable value and positively contribute to the well-being of society and the planet.
Volunteer