MIGRANT CHANGEMAKER FEATURE STORY: PRIYALI SUR, FOUNDER OF THE AZADI PROJECT
“Refugee women are the new breed of feminists. These women on the move who navigate life threatening conditions day and night, are tenacious, resilient and optimistic. Their optimism doesn’t come from ignorance but from a relentless self-belief” - Priyali Sur at a TEDx talk in Washington, D.C. in 2016.
A migrant journalist from India and a women’s rights activist, Sur had just returned from a reporting trip from Greece after interviewing refugee women. As a new migrant in the United States and a survivor of intimate-partner violence herself, Sur knew how difficult it was to break stereotypical narratives about migrant women and survivors of violence. She wanted the world to see refugee women not merely as victims fleeing violence, but as resilient women thriving and giving back to their new communities. Three years later, her vision now a reality, and called The Azadi Project is enabling refugee women to take back control of their own stories.
Azadi means freedom in Urdu, Hindi and Farsi. The Project’s mission is to train refugee and migrant women in digital economy job skills such as multimedia storytelling and video production. By providing refugee women with the skills to produce their own stories, Azadi empowers them to take control of their own narrative and break negative public stereotypes about them. The idea is to use technology as an enabler to produce and share digital content online, transcending borders. The new-age digital skills provided by Azadi empower refugees to work remotely, an asset especially in places with high unemployment, like Greece.
After the workshop, Azadi also connects its participants to local internships and trainings which create livelihood opportunities and demonstrates the capacity of refugee and migrant women to local communities. This enhances their agency and reduces their vulnerability to smugglers and traffickers.
Nour Omran, a student of Azadi’s first graduating class in Athens is a Palestinian refugee and joined the workshop because she wanted to start her own YouTube channel to share stories of other refugee women like herself. Nour in her Azadi video talks about her strength and determination to help other refugees like her. She says that if it wasn’t for Azadi she would never have learnt to film or started her own YouTube channel.
Azadi plans to hold its next workshop in Lesvos this year where it hopes to work with refugee women who have endured terrible trauma and yet remain resilient. You can support their efforts by donating here.
Priyali was nominated to share her story. To nominate a migrant changemaker for the upcoming Hello Europe seasonal Quarterlies, please get in touch with Serena Mizzoni (smizzoni@ashoka.org)
