International Women’s Day: Stories of Strength
Program in French with English interpretation
Hosted Wednesday, March 5 | 5 to 7:30 p.m.
In person at the Discovery Center and virtual via Zoom
Free to attend | All ages welcome | ASL services provided
The Gates Foundation’s Discovery Center, Employee Resource Groups, and Agricultural Development program hosted an inspiring conversation with Djaïli Amadou Amal, a renowned Cameroonian writer, activist, and UNICEF Ambassador, moderated by Sybil Chidiac, Senior Program Officer for Women’s Economic Empowerment and Gender Equality at the Gates Foundation, to celebrate International Women’s Day.
This thought-provoking conversation explored the intersection of gender, culture, and social change, focusing on the empowerment of women and advancing gender equality in rural communities. Gaining valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities women face in the Sahel region and learned how storytelling and advocacy can be powerful drivers of positive transformation.
Through her powerful storytelling, Djaïli Amadou Amal shines a light on the complex realities faced by women and girls in the Sahel region—a vast area in Western and North-Central Africa, stretching from Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east. As an award-winning author and social worker, Djaïli draws from her lived experiences to craft narratives that highlight the resilience of women navigating cultural and societal barriers.
Music by KEXP DJ Lace Cadence, host of The Continent, one of the only dedicated Afrobeat shows on major public radio and Contemporary African Appetizers by Regina Bukenya.
Watch the event
Event partners
African Community Housing & Development
Alliance Francaise de Seattle
CIN Seattle
Global Washington
Gates Foundation Alumni Association
International Rescue Committee
Mission Africa
Raising Girls
University of Washington Department of French and Italian Studies
Young Professionals International Network
Advocacy through a love of reading
At the age of eight, in my hometown of Maroua, in the Far North region of Cameroon, I had a chance encounter with a book. It was a children’s novel about a forest in Ireland, filled with elves and fairies, though I no longer remember its title. It was an enchanted world, almost magical, one I never wanted to leave.
Djaïli Amadou Amal
That book sparked my passion for reading. From that moment on, my only obsession was finding more books. But the only place in town where I could get them was the Catholic church, a few hundred meters from my family home. I had to climb over the church’s wall and sneak into its tiny library.
Later, at the age of 17, I was forced into marriage. This plunged me into a harsh daily reality, marked by distress and depression. Books became my escape. Through reading, I quickly became aware of the social realities surrounding me. I realized that what was happening to women in my community was not normal.
I became convinced that women’s rights are human rights — there can be no distinction. My passion for advocating for the rights of women and girls was born from this awareness. I nurtured it through reading, and it ultimately led me to literary activism and feminist advocacy, to which I have dedicated my life.
Our speakers
Djaïli Amadou Amal, a renowned Cameroonian author and feminist activist, is an influential voice against gender inequality, addressing themes such as forced marriage, polygamy, and tradition’s burden on women in the Sahel. Hailing from the Fulani community, she is the first female writer from North Cameroon to achieve international acclaim, winning prestigious awards like the Prix Goncourt des Lycéens for Les Impatientes. Amal’s works have been translated into over 20 languages, and she actively champions women’s rights through her association Femmes du Sahel, which supports education, empowerment, and literacy initiatives. Her impactful novels and advocacy resonate globally, amplifying women’s voices and shedding light on social injustices
Djaïli Amadou Amal, auteure camerounaise de renom et militante féministe, est une voix influente contre les inégalités de genre, abordant des thèmes tels que le mariage forcé, la polygamie et le poids des traditions sur les femmes du Sahel. Issue de la communauté peule, elle est le premier écrivain originaire du Nord-Cameroun à connaître une reconnaissance internationale, notamment grâce au Prix Goncourt des Lycéens pour Les Impatientes. Les œuvres d’Amal ont été traduites dans plus de 20 langues, et elle défend activement les droits des femmes à travers son association Femmes du Sahel, qui œuvre pour l’éducation, l’autonomisation et la promotion de la lecture. Ses romans percutants et son engagement résonnent à l’échelle mondiale, amplifiant la voix des femmes et mettant en lumière les injustices sociales
Sybil Chidiac, Senior Program Officer for Women’s Economic Empowerment and Gender Equality at the Gates Foundation
Sybil is responsible for developing country strategies and managing a portfolio of livelihood-focused initiatives that advance critical Women’s Economic Empowerment outcomes across focal countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Throughout her career, Sybil has worked in partnership with African communities, government, banks, and fintech actors to catalyze new approaches into programs, and innovate digitally enabled products and services to reach women.