Salome Mbugua / Founder of AkiDwA

Salome Mbugua

Image: The Irish Times

Founder of AkiDwA / Head of Operations and Strategy at AkiDwA / Chairperson, European Network of Migrant Women, Commissioner for Irish Human rights and Equality

Founded in 2001, AkiDwA works to promote equality and justice for migrant women living in Ireland by ensuring equal opportunities and access to resources. Their activities are focused on helping migrants to participate fully in all aspects of social, cultural, economic, civic and political life in Ireland. Salome Mbugua has been Head of Operations and Strategy with AkiDwA since September 2018. She is a researcher, gender equality activist and human rights advocate with over 20 years’ experience of working with under-represented groups, in particular with women, children, and young people, in Europe, Africa and internationally.

(We sat down with Salome on 16 Jan 2020 at the AkiDwA offices in Dublin to have a chat about her life in Ireland).

Your current role is Head of Operations and Strategy at AkiDwA – what does that entail?

So I’m the founder of AkiDwA, and I actually left back in 2014 to undertake my research which I’m just now finished, and I came back in September 2018 to work as Head of Operations and Strategy and at the time, when I got that role it was because the organisation was restructuring, things were changing and I had to work with the board, the staff, our members, and all other stakeholders, to check out if we’re still relevant as an organisation. As a migrant-led organisation this means there is high expectations both from migrant women, from service providers and others. So, I’ve finished development of the strategy and we’re now in the process of hiring a manager.

We’ve been working on mental health research at AkiDwA. All the experiences of women seeking asylum in Ireland – all the things people are talking about now, these things have actually been talked about previously, but the state and the government aren’t doing anything to change those situations. The issues have been known – it’s taking action on the recommendations that are coming up, is what needs to happen. For example, people get abuse before they migrate, and then during their migration and then when they come here and they stay in the asylum process for five years, that abuse doesn’t end. They might come from war and then you’re in the asylum process for five years it triggers all that you’ve gone through before and it makes the situation worse. So, there’s a disengagement that the health system doesn’t incorporate the intersectionality of gender migration and health. Migration in itself is problematic, it’s an issue for the person migrating, and then when they get here they’re kept in a state of dependency. They don’t have a support structure, they don’t have family, they may have a language barrier – so whom do you turn to – and that can be a trigger for mental health. And if your mental health isn’t good that determines everything; you won’t be able to take care of your children, you won’t be able to navigate the system, you won’t be able to function.

What are your insights on young people, young migrants, and how can the indigenous Irish make them feel more at home?

The major challenge with young people has been identity. My daughter was five when we came into this country in 1994 and back then, there weren’t really any people like her, there weren’t many migrants at the time so she actually didn’t really experience the racism that people do now – at school everyone actually wanted to play with her because she was different. But then more people started coming and there was an attitude change. But the way a young person copes is influenced by two things; the first is the situation at home. If the parent experiences discrimination or has a language barrier then that can impact how they act around their child. And then the child can be impacted by what they see and experience at school and the parent can see this as rebellious, because it’s not in their culture. For example, myself – I was brought up in Kenya, my ethos and values and norms were formed there around my family, and I want my child to be brought up the same way. But she grew up here in Ireland and for example, sleepovers, we never had them in Kenya! So, migrant children are dealing with all of this – they go to school and try to fit in and find their identity, but their parents also don’t want them to forget where they come from, their culture. Young people are struggling to fit within two cultures, the culture of the mother and parent, and the culture of being your real self – going to an Irish school and acting your age and being influenced by your peers. So, this issue of identity is very difficult for migrant children. Of course there are issues of poverty and discrimination that young people face, they can be helped by embracing them and giving them opportunities, to participate in all aspect of society especially at the community level.

You’ve just finished your Doctorate on conflict, peace building and reconciliation and your special case study was on the Congo - can you tell us a little bit more about that?

Yes, I was looking into the role of women in peace building and how women are involved at different levels of decision-making. I was studying in Trinity college for four years and I just submitted it. My focus was on the Congo because I wanted to look into the whole area of women participation and women contributing to peace and negotiations given the incurring conflict in Eastern Congo. So, I wanted to find out  how it’s happening, and the Congo for me was very important because there is a lot going on. A lot of people call it the Capital City of Rape and I really wanted to know are women being involved to ensure this conflict, and this abuse of women, stops. So, I worked with over 8 focus group discussions, and individual women and service providers in Goma which is in North Kivu Provence of DRC. My argument was also backed up by a scholar named John Paul Lederach and he has we call the pyramid of peace. And in this pyramid, you have different actors (elite, civil society and grassroots actors) who can help bring peace if they are supported. So there is the top level where you have the government, then you have the schools, the churches and all that, and then you have the bottom level where you have the community, and it’s in this level that you expect women to be. In these other two levels he assumes women will be involved but my argument is that we have a problem with gender divisions of power so to get women at the very top levels is actually very difficult. Women at the bottom level are pushing themselves to even get in that bottom level, male domination in particular is a key hindrance to women participation in peacebuilding and my research confirm even grassroots women are not involved at the very bottom level of this pyramid hence everyone assumes they are, therefore discussion on gender balance, gender equality are vital.

You came here in 1994. Have the attitudes toward migrants changed? Have they gotten worse, better?

Well when I came here first, I was very young and at that time, there weren’t as many migrant people. There were very few. I was sort of a novelty. And I left for a while and came back here in 1998 and coming back then I could see so many people – the economy was booming. So that time was a little bit horrific. The reality had sort of hit Irish people that we were coming and staying. We weren’t going back. And then people were hostile from about 1998 until maybe 2003, and then you could see the support for migrant, a good example was the Athlone Families together who came to challenge deportations for families and children in 2004/5, I got a lot of support from Irish people, in developing AkiDwA and support by way of funding. We got good funding to help the organisation to progress. It changes, society changes in many ways – now we have a lot of Irish people talking about, and challenging, Direct Provision.

You’ve said that you have a strong belief in equality and justice. Did that come from your childhood, or role models?

It came through my father. My father always believed in equality and the way people are treated. I was brought up in a rural part of Kenya, about 40 minutes from Nairobi, and my father believed that people should have equal access to everything. He taught me that you can never hide from the truth. If something is happening and it’s wrong, then speak up!

Also, my grandmother. I was awarded to my grandmother when I was eight, to be a carer for my grandfather. He fell from a roof and he was completely paralysed, he couldn’t do anything for himself and so, my family insisted that I go and live with my grandmother to help her care for my grandfather. I was a carer at the age eight. So, for me, I’ve seen that helplessness, that vulnerability, from a very young age and I was able to understand those types of situations going forward. Equality and justice for the marginalised, for the most vulnerable, is very important for me. My grandmother wanted to empower me as well. I worked very hard with her and she taught me to be confident. She would face anything that came her way and she had to meet all the needs of the family. She used to get her money by selling maize that she grew in her farm. She would send me to the market, and she would give me some of the money we made for myself. I was exposed to a life that came with challenges and that inspired me to become a social worker.

Then I became a single mother at a very young age. The father of my child died when my daughter was six months old. So, I had to carry the burden of taking care of her alone. My life has been so much working with vulnerable people.

What do you miss about Kenya?

The people. The lifestyle is definitely very different, and the way we deal with situations. I miss my family. I grew up in a big family of nine. And now we are all scattered all over the world. But Kenya was also difficult to advance my career or work. As a social worker I was so frustrated because you’re trying to rehabilitate and to protect children from abuse. And we had big businessmen coming and picking girls to sexually assault them. We managed to take a case, but they ended up bribing and get away with it. So, I find Ireland easier to work in because often you can actually see the justice.

How long did it take for you to feel really at home in Ireland?

I think for me – when I found a job which was sort of like social work, I was working with young boys with challenging behaviour, and they were all young white boys, Irish boys, and they used to call me their ‘black mother’ and I felt so much at home because they accepted me, and I was in college, and I was just getting on with my life. So, I didn’t get challenged like asylum seekers do. But you know, I established an organisation and I got so much support from the Irish women so that was really good too. This support made me feel so much accepted and respected for the role that I am playing; it makes me motivated when we highlight issues as an organisation and they are acted upon. You feel acknowledged and valued and seen the fruits of my dedication through work make me feel so much at home

How do you feel, looking forward?

It’s an exciting time. Ireland has the opportunity to accept the changes that has happened in the last two decades. The time to change is now- and this is by ensuring policies, structures reflect on the diversity we have in Ireland, all people living here must be treated with respect and dignity, embracing of this diversity is key. In the recent years we have seen Irish society opening itself and endorsing change through the passing of marriage equality referendum and repeal the 8th Amendment, migrant issues such as abolishment of direct provision will become a thing of the past. The energy is there. The majority of people are open-minded, they’re open to challenge and they’re open to change.

Ellie Kisyombe / Chef & Co-Founder of Our Table

Co-founder of Our Table / Activist / Chef

(We sat down with Ellie in her office on 30 July 2019)

What’s your story?

My name is Ellie Kisyombe and I was born and raised in Malawi and I moved over here to Ireland a few years ago. The first few months I had to find my feet because I was in a very dark place and it was a hard situation, and I also left my children back home, so I had to think of my family and that. Then I started my asylum process. As I was getting along the system, I found my feet and I started volunteering to help my fellow asylum seekers living in Direct Provision and all that. From there I lived with many different people who had their own difficulties – some of them had no English communication, they had their own cultural languages. I did my research and tried to connect myself with Irish sisters to get them to come and help them learn English. I went out and spread the message of Direct Provision, talked about migrants and the struggles of migrant people who are in this country, you know trying to break the cultural barriers. Then, I met Michelle Damode and we co-founded Our Table and through that we set up pop up cafes around Dublin and then around Ireland and we started cooking … and now the whole country knows me!

Can you tell us more of the insights around why you set up OurTable?

Well it was a response to the ban on asylum seekers being able to cook their own cultural meal, and not only their own cultural meal, but not being given the chance to prepare their own meals. As you know like, we as mothers from the cultural backgrounds from which we’re coming, children learn more about familyhood by seeing their parents and mothers cooking for them and passing down this cultural culinary skill – and even knowing the food from where your parents are coming from is being able to understand yourself. So, food is political. There is more to food. You can’t have a healthy family without healthy food on the table. And even in Direct Provision, their cooking process is this mass industrial cooking and most of their food is processed, there’s no fresh food or healthy food. And one thing I’ve learned of recently is that in Direct Provision they don’t have a standard menu – like what hospitals and schools might have. Direct Provision doesn’t even have that. You know, these are crucial things, these people in DP are being treated different to every other person. So, this was the start of Our Table. It was a response to that and not only that but when you’re in DP you live long periods in there where you’re unable to be active and not even able to go out. You know, mental health in these places are big problems. Some people have lived in DP for five and half years so you can imagine, you become unemployable and you get a low self-esteem. So, this is what we looked at when we started Our Table. So, when they come out, they can integrate in breaking bread and start a conversation. You know, these people have gone through trauma, and really tough stuff – you know they’ve seen family killed in front of them, tortured – these are traumatic situations and they tell you these stories. But then they have this food from home, and they start talking about this food and you know, you can eat food with anyone – even with your enemies – it really breaks that barrier. And also, asylum seekers are not allowed to work. When I started Our Table I was not taking a wage. The people working around me who had the right papers could get paid but I could not. We’re trying to expand now and looking at how we can get funding and how we can employ more people. There is a need to try and bring these different cultures in Ireland together and break those barriers.

Nollaig na mBan 2020

The power of sharing and breaking bread. And the healing of food.

Yes! Food is great. Like I’ve enjoyed every minute of running this project.

Have you any childhood memories that helped define who you are?

I was born into a loving family and we were very close. We have very loving parents who wanted the best for us, and I think that’s why I’m a people person. Something I love most about myself, something I encourage, is just ‘be you.’ The flaws, the goodies, just put it on the table! Be who you are. I’m vulnerable but I’m strong too.

Had you any role models?

I have Michelle Obama; I have Darina Allen. She is a very strong women, a very successful and strong businesswoman. Oprah Winfrey. Really incredible women. And Sinead Burke – I love the spirit and the ‘yeah, I’m here guys!’ Amazing. And I’m my father’s daughter. My mam and aunt were also great inspirations. My mam was a great cook. If she was here she’d be the likes of Darina Allen, and then my aunt took over when my mam died and she kind of modernised everything.

And when you say you’re your father’s daughter, what do you mean by that?

Well I’m the like of my father. Anyone who knows my father will tell you I have every character that my father had – he was smart, strong, intelligent and he was an entrepreneur. He had a big agricultural investment company. So, he was a huge guy in that, and he was also a property developer.

So, he was very supportive of you growing up, was he?

Yeah, he was. Unfortunately, I had kids when I was really young so that kind of made him to be a little bit harder on me – in a way that he wanted to make me more masculine if that makes sense. Like where I came from there was no feminism or being feminist or stuff like that. Men and women had their own roles. Men were powerful, providers and go-getters and women were supportive and cooking for the family and that. So, my father raised me more masculine and he raised me like my brothers.

Have you seen many differences between Irish women and Malawi women?

Well we are go-getters. We have to work extra hard for everything.

And what can Irish women learn from Malawi women?

We are very strong. Capable. And also, don’t undermine yourself – you carry the power. Even though people try to put us under, we are the women who hold up the village.

We have a really strong heritage in Ireland – our tribal stories and mythology and that – which is a strong influence on us growing up. Are there particular tribal stories or heritage stories from Malawi that you want to tell us about?

Well, I’m a very mixed person. My father comes from Northern Malawi and they are very educated people and they have a culture of having maids and stuff. They all go to school, they’re go-getters. My mum is centre and southern Malawi. And where she comes from women are women – they’re a tool kind of, they marry and give babies and they sit at home. My mam had a bit of character from that – she was very, very quiet. And then she also came from the centre, the central women are below their men, but they are farmers. So, they go to the garden a lot. My characters are from the North – because from where my mother came from, women don’t behave the way I behave!

Isn’t it amazing that your mum came from that background but was a great entrepreneur? Who supported her in that?

My father. My father had money. He had multiple wives – that’s usual that way. He married three times. But he was a huge support to all of us, to all of us children too. I’m also very close to my mum’s family. My grandmother had 13 kids and every one of them got educated. We were linked to one of the white people – you know the white people who came to Malawi – our family was connected to one of them and in the 70’s he wanted to take my mam to the States to get educated but my granda was scared he was like ‘don’t take my child, she will never come back.’

Other than food, have you other ways you’re bringing your culture to Ireland?

Well I’m a  woman full of ideas and what I’m trying to do is break this cultural barrier. That’s one thing I’m looking at – you get scared at things you don’t know, and I think Irish people are scared because they don’t know how spectacular it would be to mix these cultures. I have a project upcoming – I can’t talk about it – but I hope it would help break that barrier.

You ran for election recently. Tell us about that.

Yeah so it was a very great experience – I have no regrets. There was good and bad, but I don’t focus on the bad. That’s just me. It was really great on the ground – everyone was very supportive. This is my constituency; so, it’s hard to get people in the North Dublin inner city to go out and vote. They are working class and they feel like there is nothing for them. But it was good that they allowed me in their space and they talked to me; they were saying, you know, ‘I’ve been voting for this party and they never even come on my door and give me five minutes – but you, black woman, coming and chatting to me – I’ll give you my vote.’

Yeah, you must really be inspiring the younger generation, those who are still in Direct Provision now…

Yeah, people want to now engage. I’ve seen a lot of things come behind Our Table, you know, people are inspired to do things. I feel now that I shouldn’t undermine myself. I am a role model and when you are a role model you really have to figure out how to pass your legacy, how to pass your treasure. You know, I want to live here, raise my kids here, and grandkids here and I am going to die here. When I was running for election, I met people who were nasty to me that were like ‘oh she just wants to use the Irish passport...’ but you know I want to prove them wrong. I’m not here to prove anyone wrong but I just want to tell them that you know what, my mind was here. I came to Ireland at a time when there was nothing for people like me. I’ve made something for people like me. And this is what I’m going to continue – I’m going to do something for everyone.

What did it feel like to get your Irish residency?

I’m just so happy, at first there were tears, you know! It was just like … this is real, and then it’s like … I’m home! It’s a good feeling. It’s never been easy for all these years, and just not knowing what’s going to happen. And it came at a time when I didn’t even expect it, because like the whole crew – even my legal team – they weren’t sure, they had already spoke to me and were like ‘Ellie this is a high profile case and we don’t know what direction it’s gonna go.’ So, yeah!

How’d you celebrate?

Well Paddy’s day is going on and I had this group of girlfriends and they and their partners did a barbeque summer lunch for me and we had a great time.

What’s the process going forward from your Irish residency?

It would be me now, I’ve got many years just to be a good citizen, to work and to contribute to the economy and not be involved in crimes. And then I think it’s three and a half or five years – I have to sit down with my residency officer - but then I’d be a full Irish citizen. But for me, I’m already home – this was the piece of paper I was waiting for and the rest is just a bonus.

If we were sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year you’ve had – what would it be that you did?

A year from now? Even now my mind is running crazy, I’m trying to stop myself! A year from now we would be celebrating my stability and that project I can’t talk about! And forming a country that would be beneficial and meaningful for all of us

OurTable are currently fundraising so that they can cook wholesome food for people living in Direct Provision over Refugee Week (15 - 21 June 2020). You can donate here..