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About Us
Our Mission
Making Herstory is a not-for-profit organisation working to end the abuse, murders, enslavement and trafficking of women and girls in the UK and beyond.
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We work to mobilise communities of all backgrounds and ages, both independently and partnerships to:
1. RAISE AWARENESS of all forms of male violence perpetrated against women and girls across all communities.
2. RAISE FUNDS AND GOODS for women's refuges, rape crisis centres, awareness-raising campaigns, and organisations aiding survivors of Domestic Violence and Abuse (DVA) / human trafficking crimes.
3. PREVENT THE FUTURE HARMING AND MURDERS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN resultant of male violence through education and campaigns. This includes supporting lobbying works undertaken by partnering organisations and bereaved families seeking to change laws and judicial systems currently failing to protect women, girls and boys from male violence.
UK Government definition of Domestic Violence and Abuse:
"Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse."
Who We Are
Founder & CEO
Onjali Q. Raúf
Onjali founded Making Herstory (MH) after the murder of her beautiful aunt, Mumtahina 'Ruma' Jannat, in July 2011. Initially begun as a book club to raise funds for a women's refuge, MH now works to lobby, campaign, educate and change communities through a wide array of works.
A multi award-winning author and playwright, she was awarded an MBE for her works on behalf of both Women's Rights and Children's Literature in 2022. Her second novel, The Star Outside My Window, is used by teachers and parents to launch discussions with children about Domestic Violence.
Executive Assistant to the CEO
Susan Wilkins
Following works at both Google UK HQ and L'Oréal Paris, Susan joined Onjali's worlds in 2023, working across all areas of endeavours inclusive of Making Herstory (MH), O's Refugee Aid Team (ORAT) and the publishing sector.
Some of her many roles at MH include undertaking research, collecting crucial data, leading on events and campaign planning, assisting in the development of partnerships, and overseeing schedules/timings of works.
Trustee
Remona Aly
Remona is a renowned journalist and broadcaster with a focus on faith, lifestyle and identity. A regular contributor to The Guardian and the The i Paper, she is also a resident Pause for Thought contributor at BBC Radio 2, a presenter on BBC Radio 4’s Something Understood, and a commentator for a wide variety of both TV and radio programming.
Remona was the very first Trustee to join Making Herstory when it launched as an informal book club in 2011, and has continued to offer MH her unwavering support ever since.
Trustee
Rt Revd Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy
Lusa was consecrated as the Bishop of Willesden in 2022. Prior to this, he served as Assistant Curate in the Diocese of Canterbury, before becoming Vicar of St Aidan, Gravesend in 2012. In 2017 he was appointed BAME Mission and Ministry Enabler in the Diocese of Leicester. He is also deputy chair of the Board of Initiatives of Change UK.
In 2024, Lusa proposed and oversaw the first annual MH 'Bishop on a Bike' event: an awareness-raising initiative encouraging men to honour the annual #16Days of Activism for the rights of women and girls. Learn more about his brilliant campaign HERE.
Trustee
Jessica Schembri
Jessica is Deputy Head Pastoral at a nationally renowned school. Her extensive teaching experience spans teaching KS2-5 in both a prep school in Surrey as well as an inner city London secondary school.
Deeply passionate about pupil well-being and the safety of women and children, Jessica's insights into the needs of both teachers and pupils working with limited resources and time, has been instrumental in helping Making Herstory develop its own tools to assist teachers in tackling Domestic Abuse and establish pathways to prevention.
Trustee
Revd Michaela Youngson
Michaela is a Methodist presbyter, currently serving as Assistant Secretary of the Methodist Conference and Connexional Ecumenical Officer, following her post as Chair in the London District of the Methodist Church. Trained at Queen’s College, Birmingham, her previous roles include circuit ministry in Lancashire and Ealing, and serving in the Connexional Team as Secretary for Spirituality and Pastoral Care.
The author of Making the Colours Sing (2005) and The Weaver, the Word & Wisdom (2007), she is also a regular voice on BBC Radio 2’s Pause for Thought.
“I am not free while any woman is unfree.
Even when her shackles are very different from my own.”
― Audre Lorde ―
Who we love to support
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