All week long, in honor of #InternationalWomensDay, we are lifting up five women we admire.
We will send one quick email each day highlighting a woman who has blessed The Off Ramp as well as us personally.
Today the woman we would like to lift up is Missy Angalla.
Missy is the co-director and founder of Amani Sasa in Kampala, Uganda. She first moved to Uganda in 2010 as a student intern and returned to live there in 2013.
Amani Sasa ministers to vulnerable refugees and their families who are traumatized, abused, trafficked and/or vulnerable to exploitation in Uganda. The ministry includes emergency services, counseling, group therapy and support groups for refugees. Amani Sasa also has in-depth trauma healing and empowerment programs for young mothers, women, men and children at risk.
The Off Ramp has come alongside Amani Sasa to provide training in basket weaving. Each participant successfully completing the course will be given an opportunity to become part of a cooperative and receive financial help to purchase initial supplies. During their time of learning each woman will receive mentoring, on-site meals and childcare if needed.
What do we want to honor in Missy?
⭐ Her commitment to showing up in extraordinary ways for the women most marginalized
⭐ Her openness to and compassion for those who suffer
⭐ Her determination to offer hope and safety
Missy was a guest on our podcast back in the fall. In it, Missy introduces us to the work of Amani Sasa, describes the devastating aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic among refugee populations in Kampala, and catches us up on the basket-weaving project that came about from Amani Sasa's partnership with The Off Ramp.
Missy, we love you. We admire you. And we honor you.
Stay tuned tomorrow to "meet" the fifth woman we want to celebrate this week!