Buadromo receives ‘Women Have Wings Courage Award’

Monday January 30, 2012

The Fiji Women’s Rights Movement Executive Director Virisila Buadromo is one of the proud recipients of the Women Have Wings inaugural Courage Award. She is one of three women from around the world - Rwanda’s Aloisea Inyumba and Cameroon’s Chi Yvonne Leina, are the others.

Buadromo received the award in recognition of her being an outstanding female human rights activist living in the courageous spirit of Amelia Earhart. The endowment for the award was created from the selling of the sister-ship to Amelia Earhart's trusty Lockheed Electra 10-E, the airplane in which she attempted her global flight. 2012 is not only the inaugural year for the Award but also the 75th anniversary of Amelia Earhart's global flight!

Buadromo was nominated as one of the three recipients of the award by a current Women have Wings Council Advisor Kavita Ramdas, who is also the former chief executive and President of the Global Fund for Women - a publicly supported, nonprofit grant-making foundation that advances women's human rights by funding women-led organisations worldwide, including FWRM.

“As the former President and CEO of the Global Fund for Women, I was so honoured to be able to put forward your [Buadromo’s] name to the Women Have Wings Courage Award. I thank [Global Fund for Women’s] Asia/Oceania team who are your loyal champions. I am looking forward to seeing the wonderful work of your organisation take wings and fly with the support of this well earned recognition,” said Ramdas.

In thanking the Council for the award, a humbled Buadromo said: “I am honoured to be a recipient of this prestigious award, alongside Rwanda’s Aloisea Inyumba and Cameroon’s Chi Yvonne Leina. I hope to live up to all your expectations!”

With the award comes an honorarium of $10,000 to support FWRM’s work in Fiji and a stipend for Buadromo to travel to speak at an event or conference.

“The honorarium will be used by FWRM to create awareness for the improved and effective participation of girls, young women and women in Fiji’s proposed democratisation process,” said Buadromo.

In congratulating her, FWRM Board Chair Gina Houng Lee thanked Buadromo for her steadfast commitment to removing gender inequalities in Fiji.

“Virisila’s dedication and passion for women’s human rights continues to inspire all of us. In the last decade the Movement has undergone many positive transformations under her leadership. I would also like to thank the Global Fund for Women for nominating Virisila for this award. It is very much deserved,” she said.

ENDS

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