SheaMoisture Australia commemorated the exceptional achievements of Melanin Rich and First Nations women at the 2024 SheaChangemakers initiative.
This annual event, now in its third year, highlights individuals who have made significant impacts in their communities. The celebration, held at Sydney’s 12-Micron, saw over 80 guests in attendance, where the winners Tigist Kebede and Nasalifya Namwing were honored for their groundbreaking work in mental health.
Tigist, a trauma counsellor, and Nasalifya, a clinical psychologist, co-founded Pola Practice, a mental health service tailored to ensure accessibility for the most marginalised across Australia and New Zealand.
“Starting in 2019 with just two practitioners, we have grown to become the largest privately owned practice run by two Black women. Our focus on the marginalised helps break cultural and systemic barriers,” Nasalifya explained.
Tigist added, “This $10,000 prize boosts our capacity to provide free one-on-one and group sessions, expanding our reach to more community members.”
Apart from the winners, five other changemakers were acknowledged with $2,000 each to support their initiatives:
- Karinda Eggington is advocating for systemic change in the emotional wellbeing of First Nations youth.
- Lueth Garang has established Lueth Learning Centre to boost educational outcomes for students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
- Kaiyu Moura supports First Nations artists through her enterprise, the Red Black and Yellow Shop on Stradbroke Island.
- Ruby Wharton, a Gamilaraay and Kooma woman, champions First Nations rights in law and psychology.
- Ano Matope founded Lumela.Co, which offers an inclusive platform for people of color in beauty and wellness services.
Erica Galea, Marketing Director at Chemcorp International, the distributor of SheaMoisture Australia, expressed her enthusiasm for the initiative’s growing impact.
“Each year, the SheaChangemakers initiative expands in awareness and support, fuelled by our commitment to empower entrepreneurship and community development,” she stated. The 2024 edition attracted over 80 entries, making the selection process a challenging yet rewarding task for judges Aisha Dee, Chrissy Zemura, and 2023 winner Taida Chigogora.
SheaMoisture continues to foster community commerce, a legacy rooted in its origins from 1912 when the brand was established by an entrepreneurial mother of four.
Through product sales, SheaMoisture funds significant initiatives that contribute directly back to the communities where their ingredients are sourced.
The SheaChangemakers campaign is more than a competition; it’s a platform that amplifies the voices of those committed to social change, creating opportunities that resonate across generations.
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