Zefanias is part of the Global Change Leaders program, a seven-week course run through St. Francis Xavier’s Coady International Institute in Antigonish, NS. It brings together 18 women leaders from developing countries to study and reflect on justice, feminism and leadership. Zephania said she applied for the program to gain new skills, because although she is an activist, facilitator and trainer, she doesn’t have much written material to share. “So to pass on to the next generation of activists or feminists coming up, I decided I want to write more, I want to document what we’re doing,” she said. “And I realized that I didn’t have that skill. So when I knew about this course, I thought this would give me that context that I need.” Helena Zefanias is a gender professional from Mozambique participating in the program. (David Laughlin/CBC) The program, now in its sixth week, is the first international cohort brought to Nova Scotia by the Coady International Institute since the pandemic. Sarika Sinha, the facilitator of the program, said it is important that the first program is for women leaders. “All over the world, women are the cooks and the earners, but they are mostly unrecognised,” Sinha said. “So it’s much more important that after COVID, this is the first class we’re doing on campus. “And there’s a general feeling of extreme excitement and welcome, you know, not just inside [the Coady Institute]but also in Antigone”. Sinha said a committee had to choose from 3,000 applicants from around the world. “Our goal is to see that these women have to be very, very deeply involved with community work.”
Struggle for equality in the homeland
Most of Zefanias’ work surrounds family farms and ensures that women get their share of the income their farm brings in. She says this involves getting the whole family involved and changing the way they think about women’s work. “There is not much paid work in rural areas in my country, so every single household will have their own small farm,” said Zephaniah. “And it’s the amount of work that women do together, of course, with their husbands, if there’s one around. But at the end of the day, decision-making control about what to do with their income is usually left to men.” She said women also do most of the daily housework and childcare, but she didn’t realize women were treated differently until she was 24, separated from her husband, with two children. “Then I began to learn what it means to be a woman,” said Zephaniah. “I was faced with a lot of inequality, discrimination, you name it. And I was like, ‘How come?’ And then I realized that I have to do something.” Myriam Vololonarivo is from Madagascar and started a non-profit organization that helps women and youth recover from natural disasters. (David Laughlin/CBC) Myriam Vololonarivo, another participant, came from Madagascar for the program. She started a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable development while helping women and youth prepare for and recover from natural disasters. “In Madagascar, our country is one of the five most vulnerable countries in the world,” said Vololonarivo. “It is the most vulnerable country [to] climate change and we are hit by three to five cyclones a year, floods, drought. So young [are impacted] and most are women or vulnerable.” Vololonarivo said the program helped her learn about her work and what drives her to create change. “I didn’t know I was a feminist until now,” she said. “So for this program, during these two months, I learned that feminism is fighting for equal justice and social justice and equality for everyone… the program helped me open my eyes to inequality around the world.” Zephaniah agreed and said it feels “great” to be in a room with women from all over the world. “I feel empowered by the whole process… And on top of that, I feel very responsible that I shouldn’t keep this knowledge that I’ve gained, just for me, it’s for me to take it back to my community.”
