WUNRN
World Pulse - Voices of Our Future
World Pulse is thrilled to introduce our Voices of Our Future Correspondents.
This network of 30 emerging leaders will harness the power of web 2.0 to
broadcast social change news from the frontlines of some of the most forgotten
communities in the world.
In collaboration with the Press
Institute and the OpEd Project, correspondents
are receiving training in citizen journalism, rapid-response reporting, and
Op-Ed writing. The correspondents are also receiving empowerment mentoring
facilitated by the Empowerment Institute.
In November, international judges,
including journalist Mariane Pearl and Kenyan blogger Ory Okolloh, will award
three correspondents a trip to the
2009 Global Correspondents
Arda
prepares daily for the possibilities of school bombings, killings, and
families torn apart. In such a world, there is one constant: injustice. As a
correspondent, Arda writes from her soul to inspire other women in conflict
zones to shine their light on women's rights and to live without bitterness. "World
Pulse is my extended family. This is where I draw inspiration. . from women .
. . who are only getting better; angry yes, crazy perhaps, but never
bitter." |
One
of seven children born to illiterate parents, Busayo overcame violence to
fulfill her dream to receive a good education. Now 44, Busayo is a guidance
counselor handling myriad rape, assault, and sexual-harassment cases. Each
case strengthens her resolve to pursue her passion: weaving a world safe for
women and girls. "When
women are put in their rightful position, the world becomes a beautiful place
to live in." |
Growing
up in the dusty streets of a high density suburb in “I
will narrate the unheard stories of women in |
An
Aymara indigenous blogger and photographer from the highlands of “I
want to speak and write about my culture and the situation for rural and
urban indigenous women. I want to be part of a huge network of active women
sharing our stories.” |
A
social worker, Dando works with people in her community who are HIV+ and face
discrimination. Using journalism to free and strengthen her own voice, she
fights to help other Zambian women know their rights and how to defend
themselves. She hopes to become a member of parliament, where women are still
under-represented. “I
believe when women’s voices arise they can reach policy makers who can change
the unnecessary traditions which restrict women from expressing themselves.” |
Since
she was 9-years-old, defying her father’s fists, Edonna felt her voice
stirring and had a vision of speaking to large crowds of people. Although in
her 43 years she has faced devastating life events of poverty, abandonment,
homelessness, false incarceration, and the loss of two daughters, her
motivational nature has propelled her to overcome and receive a PhD. Today,
she devotes herself to establishing African women’s place in the history of "My
personal vision for my life is to develop a community where my truth inspires
people to come out of their hiding places and show their real face." |
Young
radio broadcaster Gifty releases through the airwaves messages of strength,
independence, and assertion to a generation of Ghanian women and girls. She
loves to paint with words and capture the sounds of society around her. When
she provides media trainings to youth her heart bulges with pride as she
hears future life-givers, ministers, presidents, and change agents speaking
their deepest thoughts, or “adwen,”
aloud. “Being
a correspondent is a sacred opportunity to increase the volume of the silent
yet loud voices of my sisters in every corner of |
Saudi
Arabia/Sudan
Born
to an illiterate farming family in “It
is the gift of the century for women to deliver their messages freely and be
heard.” |
Living
in the midst of the drug warfare and gun battles in the favelas (slums) of “It
is a tremendous honor to speak on behalf of all the women who don’t have the
chance to scream to the world that “Yes, we exist!” |
Jacqueline
has worked hard to achieve her dreams and effect change in "My
motivation in life is to help women realize their dreams. The hardest work,
though, is to have them realize they actually do have dreams." |
Rejecting
the belief that her worth is measured in the number of cows her dowry could bring,
Joanne believes firmly in the power of “I
believe that through my voice, I will be able to empower and influence women
all over the world to think outside the box and walk above the veil of
suppression and silent submission created by our society.” |
“Being
a correspondent will help me to show the gruesome realities of |
24-year-old
Anjana is the main brain behind many youth-led initiatives across “I
can put the plights of women in |
Two
years ago Leah was dying from AIDS. Then, she made the long-trek to an
Internet café and started connecting with AIDS leaders around the world. With
their help, she planned income-generating activities that expanded her AIDS
work, that allowed her to train 16 other HIV+ women and nurses in her
community. With a newly-gifted computer, she became the first-ever local
correspondent for World Pulse and used PulseWire to report on the voices and
needs of her community. “Two
years ago I was dying from AIDS. Today, I am alive and thriving. PulseWire
has created hope that I cannot describe. I have so many dreams, and now, I’m
going to do them all!” |
As a
single mother raising a 7-year-old child with multiple disabilities in “A
door has been opened in my heart that I never thought would be opened. Now I
can heal the wounds of my own history and tell the stories of all the abused
women and girls that I have listened to since I started pursing my dream at
6-years-old.” |
A
self-described “rebel with a cause,” Luz Marina is a strong-willed ambassador
for women and children in “The
voice of a woman full of love toward others can really change the
world." |
Thailand/Philippines
Surviving
in Mindinao, the volatile southern island of the “I
can be a pair of eyes that sees the world beyond what is visible. By writing
and reporting I can be a heart that echoes the despairs and the aspirations
of the communities I know well.” |
Since
childhood Malaypinas has seen the dark side of globalization in the “I
want to show the world that Filipina women are not servants of the world but
are servants of peace and freedom.” |
Lindy
Wafula’s life has been shaped by the harsh reality of the AIDS epidemic,
which, when she was fourteen, cost her her parents and her home. Struggling
to provide for her younger brothers taught her about the crying needs of
motherhood, inspiring her to develop Project Africa, a program to empower
rural women and girls through resources, education, and support. “I
don’t tell my story to gain pity but to show that each of us can turn our
painful pasts into powerful engines to start the wheel of change in our
society.” |
Growing
up in “I
find the power of words as strong as ever to lift up a broken spirit, to give
hope, to make people take action.” |
United
States
An
Aleut woman in “The
way to make the world a better place is by letting each woman discover that
she is worthwhile and create a positive image for herself that will spread
throughout her community and the world.” |
Martha
is a grandmother and activist living under authoritarian rule in “The
authorities are so scared of people’s ability to access information on the
Internet that they stifle us.” |
Kashmir
Mentor: Debra Lach Nusrat
is a young voice from Kashmir, one of the most militarized zones in the
world. Even in the midst of violent protests and frequent searches by guards,
Nusrat draws courage and strength from the women who have been left widowed
or childless, yet continue to fight for their communities. Writing helps her
to stay alive and to detoxify the negative emotions and images she
experiences on a daily basis. "I
will bring forth the stories of my people, my region, especially women who
have suffered so much, because mere survival tops the priority list in a conflict
region. The best part about being a World Pulse correspondent is finding
solutions and fulfilling my dreams." |
Nigeria
Mentor: Patty Goodwin Despite
conflict, corruption, and strife in her country, Ayobami believes Nigeria
“can be great," but not without women’s contributions. Her favorite
quotation is from H.G. Wells: "I'd rather be called a journalist than an
artist." Ayobami uses her journalistic voice to bring freeing truths to
her community. "Now
I am all set to explode like a bomb, a good bomb. Instead of leaving devastation
and destruction behind me, I will leave beauty and much more." |
Nigeria
Mentor: Natalie Safir Raised
by an uneducated widow in a society that distains widows, Olutosin emerged
from the shadow of discrimination and abuse to become a warrior for the
sexually-violated masses in Nigeria. A witness to the mean streets of the
capital city of Lagos, she condemns rampant government corruption as well as
penal codes that force girls who have been raped to present three witnesses
in court. A glittering example of dignity and healing, Olutosin aspires to
become a renowned speaker on sexual assault. “I
will unveil the mind of raped women, repair lives through words of
encouragement, and heal the wounded in Nigeria through articles written from
new angles that will be read across the globe.” |
Kenya
Mentor: JLove Calderon As a
young girl she sang praises in her Kenyan church band. Today, she is just as
passionate about lifting women out of destitute situations as she is about music,
hoping one day to record an album about the women of Africa and their
troubles. Since rape and sexual violence began to spike in Kenya seven years
ago, she has devoted her life to encouraging women who have suffered abuse to
speak out and reclaim their lives. “I
want to see more women empowered through web 2.0. I want to see lives changed
so that more women can learn to fight for their place in their homes,
relationships, and their workplaces.” |
Nepal
Mentor: Carol Anderson Sunita
blazed a path by becoming the first girl to complete high school in her
impoverished town in Nepal. Since then, her thirst for justice led her at age
16 to start a successful local savings club for women in her village of 500.
She has traveled across her country recording the stories of rural villagers,
even while witnessing bloody attacks by the Maoist insurgency. Now, at
Bangladesh’s Asian University for Women on a full scholarship, Sunita vows to
continue educating women to eradicate poverty. "I
want to make a network in every country and bring changes in people's lives.
The power of words is the key to shake the world." |
Pakistan
Mentor: Caroline Thorne-Lyman As a
Muslim woman in Pakistan, Tanya is not content to allow the West’s propaganda
surrounding her country and religion to remain unchallenged. She blends her
passions—performing arts, filmmaking, and journalism—with human-rights activism
to portray the many facets of unconventional life and hope throughout her
tumultuous homeland. She is determined to elevate the voices of women,
prostitutes, drug addicts, and street children across South Asia. “If I
can create awareness and positively impact one woman, my message can make it
to a generation beyond.” |
United
States
Mentor: Lynn Margileth Living
in New York’s rough and tumble Bronx, this mother of two small sons hails
from Britain. She says she is guided by the spirit of Camelot as she engages her
fellow immigrant neighbors in quests for urban reconciliation. Her voice
spreads even further, however, as an artist, a writer, and an advocate for an
international network of thousands of mothers who are galvanizing to build a
safer, saner world on behalf of all our children. “This
land of immigrants, of its cultural diversity, tension, violence and
indomitable grace, has profoundly impacted me—and my writing has surfaced to
break through cultural barriers of misunderstanding and foster peace.” |
“Bring
the chance we need, people of |
Growing
up in a conservative Mexican town with six siblings and parents who were the town’s
first mixed religious couple, taught Cristina a lot about resolving conflict.
After several draining years working in mainstream media and watching her
country spiral into worsening gang violence, she has become passionate about
“peace journalism”—providing stories of solutions and people working for a
better society. She is a true believer that journalism can change the world. "To
be a woman today is a long road to walk. It’s a road to recover the power
that culture has taken from us." |
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