I AM NALA

Aya Chebbi
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Welcome to - I AM NALA Podcast - Nala in kiswahili means lioness or queen, telling the stories of some of the baddest, bravest and boldest African women leaders, survivors and disruptors. Curated & Hosted by Aya Chebbi

  1. 06/21/2025

    40 | (French) : Les Violences Sexuelles Liées Aux Conflits I Emmanuella Vasikya

    I AM NALA

    31 min
  2. 39 | From A Survivor: A Journey from Silence to Speech I Amanda Tayte-Tait

    06/19/2025

    39 | From A Survivor: A Journey from Silence to Speech I Amanda Tayte-Tait

    Key Topics CoveredThe emotional toll of childhood abuse and betrayalHow grooming thrives in silence and cultural taboosThe moment Amanda decided to name her abuserWriting as resistance: transforming memory into voiceWhy survivors don’t owe anyone forgivenessThe justice system and the cost of speaking outBreaking generational silence and reclaiming agencyWhat true healing looks like for African girls and women“I had no language for what happened. But I have language now.” “He knew what he was doing. And I am allowed to say that.” “I’ve stopped trying to forgive what I still need justice for.” “I am not a victim with no voice. I am the voice.”   Resources & MentionsComing Forward: Survivor Testimony and Justice in Africa (referenced by Amanda)Local child protection hotlines and counseling centers in East AfricaSurvivor-led writing circles and healing programs (as discussed by Amanda)African feminist movements advocating for bodily autonomy and legal reform ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Want to support the Nalafem?  Website nalafem.org  Instagram @IamNala_podcast   Tiktok I AM NALA Podcast Facebook Nalafem X (Twitter) @Nalafem YouTube Nalafem Linkedin Nalafem Learn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifesto For collaboration and sponsorships contact:  aya@nalafem.org  ____________________________________________ Creator & Host: Aya Chebbi Producer: Omom Mbu-Ogar Graphic Designer.: Kenechukwu Nwachukwu Music License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

    1h 18m
  3. 38 | From A Survivor: Pendo’s Power Protecting Children from Abuse | Lydia Matioli

    05/27/2025

    38 | From A Survivor: Pendo’s Power Protecting Children from Abuse | Lydia Matioli

    Key Topics Covered Surviving childhood sexual abuse and reclaiming her voiceHow growing up in Kibera shaped her activism and community approachWriting Pendo’s Power and the need for early conversations on body safetyThe generational impact of silence—and how parenting can disrupt itBuilding trust, safety, and open dialogue with her daughterWorking with Freely In Hope to support survivors through education and leadershipThe need for national survivor councils and reimagining prevention in GBV workBreaking shame, naming body parts, and giving children the language to speak up Standout Quotes“Healing is not linear. But you will get there—and you are not alone.” “I wanted my daughter to inherit a legacy of courage, not silence.” “Your voice is your power. And children need to know that early.” “Pendo’s Power started as a book—but it’s becoming a movement.” Resources & Mentions Pendo’s Power – Lydia Matioli’s children’s book on consent and body autonomyFreely In Hope – Survivor-led nonprofit focused on education and leadershipCompanion Guide for Pendo’s Power – For parents, caregivers, and educatorsOsi Kimi and Wangokanja Foundation – Partner orgs doing GBV work in KenyaSurvivor Council advocacy – Lydia’s call for survivor-centered policy design Call to Action If this episode touched you, let it move you to act. *  Share Pendo’s Power in your home, school, or community. *  Support survivor-led programs. *  Start the conversations we weren’t given. *  Listen. Believe. Protect.____________________________________________ Want to support the Nala Feminist Collective?  Website nalafem.org  Instagram @IamNala_podcast   Tiktok I AM NALA Podcast Facebook Nala Feminist Collective X (Twitter) @Nalafem YouTube Nala feminist Collective Linkedin Nala Feminist Collective Learn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifesto For collaboration and sponsorships contact:  aya@nalafem.org  ____________________________________________ Creator & Host: Aya Chebbi Producer: Omom Mbu-Ogar Graphic Designer.: Kenechukwu Nwachukwu Music License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

    55 min
  4. 37 | The Body Remembers: FGM, Trauma & Truth-Telling | Dr. Leyla Hussein

    05/14/2025

    37 | The Body Remembers: FGM, Trauma & Truth-Telling | Dr. Leyla Hussein

    Key Topics CoveredGrowing up across Somalia, Italy, and Saudi Arabia—and experiencing FGM at age 7The emotional and physical trauma of FGM, including its long-term impact during childbirthWhy FGM must be recognized and prosecuted as child abuse, not cultural practiceThe role of language in policy, aid, and advocacy—reframing FGM, child marriage, and labiaplastyHow patriarchy drives all forms of genital control—across race, class, and regionCreating survivor-led initiatives and safe spaces for healingReimagining feminist solidarity and cross-cultural resistanceThe power of parenting, art, and love in breaking cycles of harm Standout Quotes“What happened to us wasn’t culture. It was child abuse—and the body remembers.” “We don’t practice violence. So let’s stop calling it a practice.” “Patriarchy is the root of it all. If we want to end violence, we must start there.” “Women’s bodies have always made money. That’s why they’ve always been controlled.” “I am Nala because I choose to be present—with love.”    Resources & MentionsPower of Language Position Paper – by The Girl GenerationThe Crocodile Documentary – Leyla’s landmark film on FGM in the UKThe Girl Generation – Support to the Africa-led Movement to End FGMWorld Bank and University of Birmingham data on FGM mortalityFGM Mortality Study – University of Birmingham, 2023CSW events on FGM and survivor-led care________________________________________ Want to support the Nalafem?  Website nalafem.org  Instagram @IamNala_podcast   Tiktok I AM NALA Podcast Facebook Nala Feminist Collective X (Twitter) @Nalafem YouTube Nala feminist Collective Linkedin Nala Feminist Collective Learn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifesto For collaboration and sponsorships contact:  aya@nalafem.org  ____________________________________________ Creator & Host: Aya Chebbi Producer: Omom Mbu-Ogar Graphic Designer.: Kenechukwu Nwachukwu Music License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

    1h 9m
  5. 36 | Coordinating Hope | Hanin Ahmed

    05/13/2025

    36 | Coordinating Hope | Hanin Ahmed

    Key Topics Covered Growing up in Khartoum and the women who shaped her voiceThe revolution, grassroots organizing, and youth-led research for changeThe outbreak of war and the immediate humanitarian responseThe gendered violence faced by Sudanese women—on an unimaginable scaleEvacuating students, building trauma centers, and creating safe spacesHow U.S. aid suspensions cripple life-saving workRedefining peace through survival, service, and solidarityWhy global solidarity must go beyond hashtags   Standout Quotes “I wasn’t afraid of dying. I was afraid of being raped.” “Peace used to mean volunteering. Now it means saving lives with nothing in your hands.” “Sometimes we must choose: do we feed you, or do we protect you? That is the price of war.” “Healing for a mother means seeing her child go to school without fear.”  Resources & Mentions Emergency Response Room – Sudanese grassroots initiative led by HaninUNSCR 1325 – Women, Peace, and Security framework referencedNalafem’s CSW68 Solidarity Night – A global platform amplifying Sudanese womenVolunteer trainings in Sudan & DRC – Highlighting Hanin’s regional feminist work  ______________________________________________   Want to support the Nalafem?  Website nalafem.org  Instagram @IamNala_podcast   Tiktok I AM NALA Podcast Facebook Nala Feminist Collective X (Twitter) @Nalafem YouTube Nala feminist Collective Linkedin Nala Feminist Collective Learn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifesto For collaboration and sponsorships contact:  social@nalafem.org  ____________________________________________ Creator & Host: Aya Chebbi Producer: Omom Mbu-Ogar Graphic Designer : Kenechukwu Nwachukwu Audio engineer: Joy Wambui Music License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

    25 min
  6. 35 | Sudan Didn’t Choose This War — The World Did | Enass Abdulla

    05/02/2025

    35 | Sudan Didn’t Choose This War — The World Did | Enass Abdulla

    Key Topics CoveredGrowing up in Khartoum while carrying the stories of DarfurThe privilege of education and escaping FGMResearching the gender cost of war and women’s evolving roles in peacebuildingHow grassroots women are preventing violence and negotiating peace—without recognitionThe war’s weaponization of women’s bodies and its racialized strategyThe global silence and complicity fueling Sudan’s crisisThe emotional toll of activism and speaking truth during warWhat justice, healing, and real peace must look like for Sudanese women “Don’t underestimate what you know. Knowing is action. Knowing can change everything.”“Sudan did not choose this war. It was forced upon us—and women are paying the highest price.”“I refuse to be a symbol of pity. I’m strong. I am building something greater than fear.”“Peace is when women can exist safely—at home, in politics, in the streets, everywhere.”Call to ActionIf this conversation stirred something in you, don’t let it end here. 🎧 Listen, reflect, and act. 📝 Sign the petition: bit.ly/sudanceasefire 💬 Share this episode and speak up for Sudan. 📢 Demand accountability. Fund grassroots peacebuilders. Center Sudanese women’s leadership.  ____________________________________________ Want to support the Nala Feminist Collective?  Website nalafem.org  Instagram @IamNala_podcast   Tiktok I AM NALA Podcast Facebook Nala Feminist Collective X (Twitter) @Nalafem YouTube Nala feminist Collective Linkedin Nala Feminist Collective Learn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifesto For collaboration and sponsorships contact: social@nalafem.org  ____________________________________________ Creator & Host: Aya Chebbi Producer: Omom Mbu-Ogar Graphic Designer : Kenechukwu Nwachukwu Audio engineer: Joy Wambui Music License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

    36 min
  7. 34 | They Cannot Take Our Humanity | Emtithal Mahmoud

    04/30/2025

    34 | They Cannot Take Our Humanity | Emtithal Mahmoud

    Key Topics Covered Living through genocide and the displacement of her family  The walk for peace across Sudan and what it symbolized  How tribal and cultural identities were deliberately fractured  Weaponizing gender-based violence as a tool of war  Survivor-led resistance and building humanitarian response networks  The dangers of oversimplified narratives about Sudan’s conflict  The revolution, counter-revolution, and what the international community must understand  The role of poetry and storytelling in healing and advocacy  Standout Quotes “They can take our lives, but they cannot take our humanity.” “Survivors are rarely survivors of just one thing. We carry many wounds—and we still lead.” “When the land isn’t safe, and your body isn’t safe, where do you go? You go to each other. That’s what we do.” “I am Nala because my existence is an act of defiance. And so I live.”  Resources & Mentions Sisters’ Entrance – Poetry collection by Emtithal Mahmoud  IDP Humanitarian Network – Grassroots mutual aid led by survivors in Sudan  United for Sudan Petition – Calling for an immediate ceasefire and justice  Dr. Nisreen Al-Ameen – Anthropologist working on land, dispossession, and Sudanese history  Nura Hussein Campaign – Landmark case challenging marital rape laws in Sudan  People Like Us & Daughter – Poems featured in the episode    Call to Action If this episode moved you, share it widely. Follow the I AM NALA podcast, leave a review, and amplify survivor voices. Join the call to demand a ceasefire in Sudan. Support local networks. Center survivors. Stand with our people.____________________________________________ Want to support the Nala Feminist Collective?  Website nalafem.org  Instagram @IamNala_podcast   Tiktok I AM NALA Podcast Facebook Nala Feminist Collective X (Twitter) @Nalafem YouTube Nala feminist Collective Linkedin Nala Feminist Collective Learn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifesto For collaboration and sponsorships contact:  social@nalafem.org  ____________________________________________ Creator & Host: Aya Chebbi Producer: Omom Mbu-Ogar Graphic Designer & Audio engineer.: Kenechukwu Nwachukwu Music License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

    1h 13m
  8. 33 | From A Survival: Periods, Bruises & Purpose| Luthando Madhlopa

    04/23/2025

    33 | From A Survival: Periods, Bruises & Purpose| Luthando Madhlopa

    Key Topics Covered Luthando’s experience of sexual violence from childhood through adulthoodThe silence, manipulation, and isolation that often surround survivors of abuseNavigating trauma while leading advocacy and survivor-centered workThe failure of systems and institutions to protect women and survivorsColonialism, apartheid, and the unfinished work of national healing in South AfricaThe 2019 “Shutdown” march and reflections on feminist organizing in South AfricaWhy unity, collaboration, and “singing one song” are essential for real changeThe work of the Bold Women Network and grassroots initiatives supporting women and girlsStandout Quotes “It wasn’t your fault. It’s okay to feel defeated—but don’t live in defeat.” “Heavy is the head that wears the crown. I understand the crown I am wearing—and I must continue.” “We are fighting not for protection—but to end the violence itself so that protection is no longer necessary.” Resources & Mentions Million Girls Foundation – Period freedom and dignity for girlsDisele May Foundation – Working with perpetrators for rehabilitation and accountabilityYoung Leaders Connect – Ethical leadership and financial empowerment for young AfricansGrit App – Tech-based protection tools for girls and womenBlack Women Caucus (South Africa) – Feminist movement against GBVBold Women Network – Empowerment platform co-led by Luthando Modise  ____________________________________________ Want to support the Nala Feminist Collective?  Website nalafem.org  Instagram @IamNala_podcast   Tiktok I AM NALA Podcast Facebook Nala Feminist Collective X (Twitter) @Nalafem YouTube Nala feminist Collective Linkedin Nala Feminist Collective Learn more about the Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Manifesto and how you can help the young women of Africa create a better life for future generations. nalafem.org/manifesto For collaboration and sponsorships contact:  social@nalafem.org  ____________________________________________ Creator & Host: Aya Chebbi Producer: Omom Mbu-Ogar Graphic Designer & Audio engineer.: Kenechukwu Nwachukwu Music License Agreement signed for the Use of ‘Fire’ by Mpho featuring MiDi KwaKwa

    59 min
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About

Welcome to - I AM NALA Podcast - Nala in kiswahili means lioness or queen, telling the stories of some of the baddest, bravest and boldest African women leaders, survivors and disruptors. Curated & Hosted by Aya Chebbi

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  • Creator
    Aya Chebbi
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    41
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2024 I AM NALA Podcast
  • Show Website
    I AM NALA