Syrian women’s community leader, humans rights defender, teacher & activist, Afraa Hashem
When Afraa Hasheem’s friend, Waad Al-kateab, suggested they featured her life in the film she was making about Aleppo during the revolution, Afraa agreed, wishing to share her family and her people's stories from the ruins of her beloved city as far and wide as possible. That film, For Sama, has now gone on to win several global, prestigious awards and crucially, its impact has allowed her story and the story of thousands of refugees from Syria to resonate with huge audiences across the world. As a survivor of arrest and horrific violence and having dealt with her feelings of survivor's guilt, Afraa opens up and shares how she stayed positive and remained hopeful in spite of such tragedy. Never one to give up, and knowing there are still so many in need, she is a true warrior and fights on, continuing to take care of the young people in her community, her family, and studying new healing techniques to deal with the psychological and physical damage done to so many of her people Trigger warning & content warning: Please note that this episode contains descriptions of violence and of traumatic events that some people may find disturbing. You can follow Afraa on Instagram at @hashemafraa and to learn more about the film or how you can help please follow @forsamafilm and visit actionforsama.com If you need support after listening to this episode you can contact the Samaritans 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call for free on 116 123. To find more episodes and information about the podcast, go to lynnefranks.com/podcast. From there, you will also be able to learn more about Lynne’s work and her Power of 7 Women’s Leadership retreats and coaching. If you like what you hear, and want to find out more about our community of like-minded women who believe in living and working in alignment with the feminine values of collaboration, authenticity and most of all, love, you can learn more at seednetwork.com and join the community in the SEED Hub Club by visiting theseedhub.club. You can find Lynne on Instagram at @lynnejfranks, Facebook @lynnefranksobe, Twitter @Lynne_Franks, LinkedIn @Lynne Franks OBE. This episode was produced by Lynne Franks and Tanya Anastasiadis. Production support and graphics by Lotte Micklethwaite.