Resonate - A Women to Women Seminar

This past Friday, Action in Africa hosted Ayla Schlosser, founder of Resonate, to come speak with our women about leading change in their lives. Resonate is an organization based in Rwanda that Aunt Alex was introduced to through Bead For Life (another organization that the Women to Women program is seeking partnership with) back in November. The mission of Resonate is to use storytelling to “empower women and girls to build self-confidence and unlock leadership.”

Olivia (Women to Women Member) sharing her values

During the one-day intensive session, 30 members of Women to Women and a few Muzungu friends learned about how telling your story can help to reveal the values that you find to be the most important which allows you to know yourself better and to make stronger relationships with people with similar values.

Another tool Resonate uses is the story of a hummingbird who, when the forest she lives in catches fire and her home starts to burn, begins the seemingly futile task of going to the river and bringing water to the fire drop by drop. When the other animals stop and ask what she’s doing, the hummingbird replies, “I’m doing the best I can.” With this story, Resonate teaches women that regardless of whether or not they have a leadership title, they can initiate action in the face of a problem and promote change. 

The purpose of Ayla’s seminar is not to make these women change their life immediately after the seminar, but instead for them to learn a little bit more about how and why they make decisions which in turn should help them with making decisions and taking action in the future.

To find out more about Resonate check out their website at http://resonateworkshops.org/ and stay tuned for the women’s development as Ayla conducts the follow-up in a few weeks!