Women on a Mission to Trek Across the Namib Desert in Support of Women Survivors of War

An independent, self-funded team of 14 women from around the world, under the banner of Women on a Mission (WOAM), a non-profit organisation headquartered in Singapore that supports and empowers women survivors of war and violence, will embark on a 10-day pioneering expedition to Namibia in September 2023. The team will attempt to become the first all-female team to cross the world’s oldest Desert, the Namib, on foot from the Kuiseb river to the wild Atlantic coast.

For this next expedition, WOAM’s 12th to date, the team will trek 125km on foot across over some of the world’s tallest sand dunes in one of the driest regions of the African continent. The expedition’s objective is to raise $75,000 USD for women survivors of war in Ukraine, Afghanistan and Sudan via Women for Women International – UK, an organisation that works with some of the most marginalised women in the world helping them to transform their lives.

Women for Women International primarily serves women survivors of conflict and war in 14 countries. In Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Sudanthey’ve established dedicated offices and staff to deliver their year-long Stronger Women, Stronger Nations programme. They also recognise women need urgent support when caught in the midst of conflict. Established in 2018, the Conflict Response Fund is a mechanism that allows Women for Women International to respond quickly when women are most in need, to help prevent and heal the trauma they experience during war. Through a non-partisan approach and responsive grants, Women for Women International can track crises in real time, identify credible partners on the ground and allocate resources to meet the needs of women survivors, no matter what side of a conflict they are on. Currently, Women for Women International are working with partners in Syria, Myanmar, Ukraine and the Tigray region of Ethiopia and have worked with partner organisations in Bangladesh and Yemen.

Through the Ukraine Conflict Response Fund, Women for Women International team have identified their priority partners on the ground, working to support the overlooked needs of women affected by the current conflict, who are now exposed to extreme violence, abuse, and the risk of human trafficking. In April 2023, Women for Women International mobilised the Conflict Response Fund to identify Sudanese women’s rights organisations to meet the urgent needs of women impacted by the conflict in Sudan. Since 2002, Women for Women International has served more than 127,000 women in Afghanistan, providing women with the tools and resources to build a sustainable future for themselves and their families.

WOAM, now in its 12th year of operation, has raised well over $1,000,000 US dollars to date, to support organisations that advance the position of women around the world. In addition to Women for Women International, the team also champions and has raised funds for the following charities: International Justice Mission, UN Women, AWARE - Singapore’s leading gender equality advocacy group and Pertapis Home for Women and Girls in Singapore. The past ten WOAM expeditions have been to regions of the Himalayas, the Middle East, Africa, Mongolia, South East Asia and the Arctic Circle.

Sara Bowcutt, Managing Director of Women for Women International - UK stated, “The women we work with live in some of the world’s most dangerous places – it can be hard for us to imagine their daily challenges. I find it so inspiring that WOAM push themselves far outside their comfort zone in order to raise money and awareness for women survivors of war. Each trek they take on is just as challenging as the last, and WOAM members truly go the extra mile to leverage their networks and raise incredible sums of money, which make a real difference to the women we serve.”