East Sussex Charity CEO wins national award

WeAreTheCity and Visa have partnered up to The Visa Everywhere Pioneer 20 to celebrate the achievements of 20 trailblazing refugee women across Europe who are transforming communities. The award shines a spotlight on these incredible role models and shares their stories to inspire others.

Rossana Leal, CEO of The Refugee Buddy Project, recalls arriving from Chile to Scotland and being welcomed by a local mining group who had kitted out a home for her family. She repays the generosity now, working to build a culture of welcome to refugees in Hastings and across East Sussex.

WeAreTheCity founder, Vanessa Vallely OBE, said: “WeAreTheCity has been humbled to read the stories of so many incredible women who were nominated for this year’s Pioneer20. These women have shown such resilience, strength, and tenacity. Despite their own harrowing experiences, they have worked tirelessly to ensure that their fellow refugees and asylum seekers have the support they need to rebuild their lives.

“I am honoured that we have had the opportunity alongside Visa to shine a spotlight on their incredible work. Congratulations – you are an inspiration to us all.”

Other women recognised include:

Sara Shamsavari who shares her harrowing story of how she survived kidney cancer and war – all before she was two years old. After fleeing the Iranian Revolution, she settled in the UK, and now explores themes like global identity, inclusion and transformation in her work as a renowned artist and lecturer.

Psychologist Kateryna Shukh has dedicated her career to supporting women survivors of war and violence – first in Mariupol and the Donetsk region (following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014) and now from Warsaw in Poland.

And Loraine Masiya Mponela who came to the UK to study but was forced to claim asylum in the UK in 2015 and sent to government accommodation living on just £5 a day. She organised and now, through various roles, works to help others facing similar challenges.

Katherine Brown, Vice-President, Inclusive Impact & Sustainability at Visa Europe, said: “It is an honour to be able to highlight the journeys of these inspirational women who make up the inaugural Pioneer 20 list. In many different ways, they have all worked incredibly hard to not only rebuild their lives after significant trauma and upheaval, but to support others who are going through similar experiences.”