“It is super important for us to empower one another, to make sure other women feel comfortable expressing themselves”
Lynn Malas works with NUSANED, a local non-governmental organization, as a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Partnerships officer. She is passionate about her work, as it allows her to be in a space-oriented towards assisting her community, in making it stronger, and in building empathy. Lynn’s values, daily practices, and her passion for the work she does are rooted in a strong belief that we all have a responsibility towards one another.
From a very young age, Lynn wanted to make a positive contribution to the world. Lynn was raised in a comfortable and supportive environment, where she was able to learn, grow and pursue her variety of interests.”. She is particularly thankful for the chance she had to observe and learn from women in her family, who played different roles; some had their own businesses, others played important caretaking roles, and others yet had careers in different fields: “I was always supported by the women in my family”, says Lynn who feels very privileged for that. Reflecting on gender inequalities in Lebanon, she hopes to be a source of support for other women around her, embodying her sense of community and responsibility, but also showing a powerful sense of solidarity: “I know that many women and girls might not live in a [gender just] environment, but I hope to be this supportive person for others. I want to tell all women ‘you will get there, you can overcome all limitations”. Lynn’s message for women in Lebanon is the following: “You don’t know your strength. You have to know how important your role is. You have to know. Even if society is strict in defining your role and objectives, break the stereotypes! Break it! You can do it!!”Lynn is also conscious that she holds power and responsibility, through her role in society, and through her work and she is committed to using it positively: “I feel like I can exercise leadership throughout my daily endeavors and in my work.”
When she was a little girl, Lynn decided she wanted to end world hunger, “Now, I feel like it’s a very big dream. But you have to dream big!”. She went on to study Agricultural Business, as she believed that solving hunger required more farming and agriculture. She is now interested in pursuing studies in governance and social policy, always with the goal of using her skills and knowledge to create change, “I now understand that farming and agriculture are not enough. We have the resources needed to end hunger, but we need political will and proper policies.”
Reflecting on International Women’s Day, Lynn stresses upon women’s leadership “The role of women in the country is very important. We are able to make a change. We have a decision-making power that we might not even be aware of. It is super important for us to empower one another, to make sure other women feel comfortable expressing themselves. We have a responsibility towards each other.”