A tribute to Joe Read
Nov 1, 2021
Story
As a woman with disability civil society leader, I have a strong desire to attend conferences where I can network and expand on my professional grounds. Due to the challenges women with disabilities face in professional cycles, I choose to invest 50% of my time on digital empowerment for self growth and to mentor other sisters with disabilities in my communities. I have registered and is participating in a good number of online professional platforms and they have been working well for me.
On one of the platforms called GBV Prevention Network Africa, an opportunity was shared for a GBV conference in Oslo, Norway. I applied and was accepted to attend the conference. But I did not go for the conference because I did not have an understanding on how to apply for scholarship. It was a three days conference and because my name was already in the participant mailing list, I received an email on day two of the conference from Joe Read, inviting me to attend a session GBV in humanitarian context. At first I ignored the mail, but before I closed from work on that day I replied to the mail telling Joe I will not attend the session because I am a woman with disability, with very little income and could not afford the cost to attend the conference.
At this point I celebrate the power in Joe because this encounter opened me a powerful door that will last for generations. Through this encounter, Joe has recommended me for opportunities to attend international conferences with sponsor from UN Women. She gave me the opportunity to take my first flight out of my country and i have connected me to high level panels with the UN and I have featured on UN TV several times. Opportunities I never will dream of having in my life time.
She did not see my disability but saw power in me and used her power to explode my own power. Joe gave me the opportunity to be one of the 20 women in the world who are members of the CARE Women Advisory Board in Advocacy (WABA) \"She Leads in Crisis\" Campaign. She encouraged me to create a network of women led and women's right organizations and together with other women civil society leaders we have created the Cameroon Humanitarian Women Network (CAMHWONET)
I cannot say more but say
I celebrate the power in Joe. \"The Power in Joe exploded the power in me\"
Veronica Ngum
CEO/Founder @ Community Association for Vulnerable Persons
