SheaMoisture Australia has announced the winners of the 2024 SheaChangemakers initiative, an annual campaign dedicated to celebrating and empowering melanin-rich and First Nations women who are making a positive impact in their communities.
The SheaChangemakers campaign is more than just a competition; it’s a platform to recognise and amplify the voices of individuals dedicated to making a difference through their innovative projects, advocacy efforts and unwavering commitment to social change.
The 2024 winners, Tigist Kebede and Nasalifya Namwing, were honoured at a celebration held at Sydney’s 12-Micron. Nasalifya, a clinical psychologist, and Tigist, a trauma counsellor, created Pola Practice, a mental health service ensuring that support, especially for the most marginalised, is accessible for all across Australia and New Zealand.
The 2024 winners, Tigist Kebede and Nasalifya Namwing, were honoured at a celebration held at Sydney’s 12-Micron. Nasalifya, a clinical psychologist, and Tigist, a trauma counsellor, created Pola Practice, a mental health service ensuring that support, especially for the most marginalised, is accessible for all across Australia and New Zealand.
Nasalifya says, ‘From humble beginnings in 2019 with just two practitioners, we are now the largest privately owned practice run by two Black women. We are defying odds and demonstrating that mental healthcare focussing on the most marginalised can create a tidal wave of change that breaks cultural and systemic barriers. Today we host more than 20 intersectionally and professionally diverse mental health clinicians, serving over 1,000 hours of free wellbeing services to community members across Australia and New Zealand.
‘Winning this $10,000 prize will enable us to continue our work in supporting the most marginalised members of the community, funding free one-on-one and group sessions, allowing their community to access support in ways they feel most comfortable and most importantly reach more people in need,’ adds Tigist.
In addition to Nasalifya and Tigist, five runners- up also received $2,000 each to assist them in their endeavours: Karinda Eggington, Lueth Garang, Kaiyu Moura, Ruby Wharton and Ano Matope.
SheaMoisture, a leading global brand in natural and organic hair care and body care, is committed to its community and to creating new possibilities and opportunities, from community commerce that gives directly back to the communities where products are grown and harvested, to significant investment, via both financial and mentorship, for the next generation of business owners.
