Constance Nzeneu wins Citizen's Voice Award 2011

Having faced numerous challenges when she arrived in the UK from Cameroon in 2005, Constance was determined to provide support to vulnerable women in similar situations. A single mother-of-two, she founded the Women Seeking Sanctuary Advocacy Group Wales in Cardiff two years ago to support women fleeing human rights abuses, persecutions, isolation, destitution, threats of deportation and other dangers. Ever since, she has worked almost single-handedly to lobby decision-makers, secure funding and arrange counselling and support for the women who come to her – all balanced with her family life.

She said "Winning the Award is not so much recognition for me as recognition for the voices of people seeking sanctuary who have been unheard for so long and need a more positive image in the media".

54th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women: Beijing +15

Background to the Women Making a Difference Project

To encourage and support more women to get involved in public life, NFWI-Wales in partnership with Oxfam UK Poverty Programme and the former Wales Women's National Coalition, established the Women Making a Difference Project in 2005.

To achieve this aim the project delivers a three-stage progressive, outreach programme of training, personal development, mentoring and role-shadowing that educates and empowers the women to become more self aware and to take responsibility for their own lives and for the communities in which they live.

Engendering Change
The first phase of the programme is a five day course called Engendering Change which is delivered within local communities across Wales and encourages women – particularly those who are under-represented in decision making because of race, disability, age or social status – to make their voices heard by understanding the decision making processes of local, national and central government, learning to be more strategic in their thinking and actions as well as identifying opportunities for campaigning and lobbying on issues that matter to them in their communities.

Women into Public Life
The second stage, Women into Public Life, is accredited by Cardiff and Bangor Universities and explores in depth the opportunities to women to apply for public appointments.  This stage gives women first hand experiences of community leadership, public and political life through mentoring and role shadowing.  

Women into Management       
The third stage, Women into Management, supported by the Welsh Assembly Government, involves intensive support and skills training as well as high profile role shadowing and mentoring to enable women to go on and fulfil their potential in public and political life in Wales.

Over 300 women have taken part in the programme of training and many of them are now actively applying for positions at all levels of public life.  The project has many success stories of women who have engaged in political life.

Further information                                                                          

Download the briefing paper on the top right hand site of the page for further information or visit the Women Making a Difference website at www.womenmakingadifference.org.uk

Paula Manley, Managing Co-ordinator of the project can be contacted on 029 2022 1965.  E-mail:- wmad@btconnect.com