Working with women and youth from conflict-affected regions around the world has shown me how injustice takes many forms — yet the pain, resilience, and resistance behind each struggle are deeply interconnected.

Through my work as the Partnership Coordinator at the Nobel Women’s Initiative (NWI), I’ve had the privilege of coordinating programs that bring together women from across the globe. From collaborating with the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) to amplify women’s voices, increase their visibility in peace processes, and build capacity to shift narratives on peace, rights and justice in countries like Syria, Yemen, Libya, Nigeria, Colombia, Palestine, and Iran — to coordinating  NWI’s flagship Sister-to-Sister (S2S) program that empower young women leaders through advocacy and leadership skills  — I’ve witnessed how oppression and resistance transcend borders.

To date the Sister-to-Sister program has welcomed over 100 young women from 31 countries. These leaders — from places like Palestine, Ukraine, Myanmar, Kurdistan, Mexico, Sudan, South Sudan, Cameroon, and Malawi — are now part of a growing network sustained by real-time solidarity, peer learning, and collective strategy.

Struggles without Borders, Held Together by Solidarity

But my understanding of these global struggles isn’t just from my international work — it’s deeply personal.

I was born in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo where conflict and crisis have become part of daily life. Growing up, I witnessed the impact of armed conflict, natural disasters like volcanic eruption, and the feeling of abandonment by the world. Yet I also experienced the power of acts of solidarity — and how they can bring hope even in the darkest moments.

In January 2025, when Goma was once again occupied by M23 rebels, I thought I might not survive. Bombs and gunfire drew closer by the hour. Many people were killed. The electricity and water were cut, and mobile networks and internet were shut down, making it nearly impossible to communicate, get help, or even understand what was happening.

In that moment of fear and isolation, it was the solidarity of the NWI network — from the global team and board members, to the individuals who support our work, to the Sister-to-Sister alumni, and the Nobel Peace Laureates themselves — that reminded me I wasn’t alone. Their care wasn’t just symbolic; it gave my family and me the strength and means to reach a safer place.

After resettling, I had the opportunity to organize NWI’s first regional Sister-to-Sister program focused on Afghanistan — a space created to support Afghan sisters through network-building, feminist political activism and advocacy training.

Over two weeks of online sessions, I listened to sisters from both inside and outside Afghanistan. Despite facing unimaginable hardship, they continued to fight for women’s rights with strong determination. Their courage reignited mine. It reminded me of why this work matters — and why we must keep going. Because while our contexts may differ, the struggle is the same. Injustice — whether in Goma or Gaza, Khartoum or Kyiv — is never isolated. These realities are connected, and so must our responses be.

A Mission Rooted in Solidarity and Action

This truth has shaped my mission: to use every tool I have — my voice, my language skills, the platforms I’m given, and the power of connection — to amplify the stories of those fighting for peace and justice, to demand accountability, and to celebrate the courage and resilience of women and young women across the globe.

We cannot overcome these challenges alone. Building strong networks,  meaningful alliances, and showing up for one another — not just in words, but in action — is how we shift despair into hope. In times of crisis, when hope is hardest to hold onto, solidarity becomes a lifeline.

It’s what saved me. And it’s what will help us all rise, together.