By Roy Lie A Tjam.
This month’s meeting of the International Women’s Contact The Hague (IWC) took place on a pleasant April spring morning, where many guests were warmly welcomed, including H.E. Mr. Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Ambassador of Bangladesh and his wife Doctor Dilruba Nasrin as well as Mrs. Van Aartsen, spouse of Mayor Jozias van Aartsen, Ms. Adzo Denyo Brese, Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Ghana and others
Presentations were given by The Hague’s Deputy Mayor Mr Rabin Baldewsingh and also Ms Zainab Osman. The 11th of April 2016, will go down in the history of the IWC as an eventful day, full of happiness and commemoration. Mr Baldewsingh, in his speech applauded The Hague for all that it has achieved over the past forty years. The Hague according to Baldewsingh is not only a city of peace and justice but he also highlighted how it is one of diversity, indicated through the city’s varied ethnic composition. Throughout his talk, Baldewsingh stressed the necessity to connect as connecting breeds trust.
The Power of Resilience and Positivity, was the topic for Ms Zainab Osman’s talk. She recounted her life story, starting from when she was about twelve years old in Somalia but with the change of events in Somalia and East Africa, Osman’s live took an unexpected turn. However, under the direction of her mother, a tough personality Osman and her siblings have managed to keep their heads above water, taking each day as it comes.
Her Mother’s philosophy was to not lose hope, keep fighting and you will eventual find opportunities. However that said, life in Somalia for a single parent Mother in a war stricken country is not an easy task. At the age of sixteen, Osman accepted a position as an interpreter at the Red-Cross, where a marriage was subsequently arranged for her. Later in her life, prompted by both her husband and Mother, Zainab fled Somalia and landed in Amsterdam rather than Denmark as she had previously intended. Going through the motion of an asylum seeker’s process she ultimately received her legal status after eight years of perseverance. Osman divorced her Somalian husband and now shares her life with her partner and children in the municipality of Wichem.
Ms. Gabriel de Graauw of Humanity House provided information on the activities of the institution and also very kindly offered complimentary entrée tickets to Humanity House. President Barbara Couwenbergh closed the exciting meeting.
For additional information: International Women’s Contact The Hague
