Arissa Jemaima and Davina Devarajan were just 23 and 25 years old when they founded @womenforrefugees (WFR), a non-governmental organisation aimed to empower and uplift refugee women. Refugee women are disenfranchised not only by the lack of proper policies and systems in place but also by social stigmas that contribute to gender disparity. They lack avenues to voice their concerns, resources to learn new skills, and opportunities to create a better life for themselves. Having realised this, Arissa and Davina initiated WFR as a grassroots platform to empower refugee women by equipping them with the skills into becoming formidable women leaders in their communities.

Young people are often put on the back burner of social change. However, both Arissa and Davina are committed to rising above such hurdles. Today, they are pursuing a mission to champion the idea of community impact through grassroots initiative. They believe that change often comes from the courage to begin at zero. People working at the grassroots levels like Arissa and Davina are the unsung heroes but little was known about their stories.

So, stay tuned on the 21st of August to learn more from Arissa and Davina about how we can initiate sustainable social cause and grassroots initiatives in Malaysia.