ASMAA JAMES ON HER LIFE AS A JOURNALIST, SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR , PHILANTHROPIST, WIFE & MOTHER

Asmaa James is an award-winning female radio broadcaster with over 18 years of radio broadcast experience in post conflict Sierra Leone. Her passion and interests include upholding and promoting independent media platforms, creating safe spaces for diverse voices, positions and interests with the aim of promoting an active citizenry, whilst strengthening democratic governance.

Due to the numerous violations of rights, gender-based violence and inherent structural and cultural issues of representation facing women and girls she is constantly faced with in her radio programs she founded the ASMAA JAMES FOUNDATION (AJF) to promote teenage sexual reproductive health and rights, with the objective of raising awareness, mobilizing women and girls to advocate and influence policies of gender-based violence and sexual reproductive health in Sierra Leone.

Why Black Tuesday? Tell us about this campaign ?

Black Tuesday is an initiative of the Asmaa James Foundation (AJF), launched in December 2018, after my heart captured a five-year-old girl who was sexually penetrated through her anus. In addition, as a journalist and a woman, I am extremely disturbed by the plethora of daily rape and sexual penetration introductions I read on radio and stories aired daily.

Therefore the” Black Tuesday” initiative was a campaign I launched to raise awareness on issues of violence against women with special interest in rape/ sexual penetration. Since the launch in December 2018, the impact has been huge and network continues to expand with support from other partners. 

From a campaign, the Black Tuesday initiative has now transformed into a movement with over 30 like-minded groups working on issues that affects women and girls. Once every month, the movement engages communities, and dialogue on issues of rape and sexual penetration. In January and February, the movement was in mile 91 and Bo city respectively and engaged over 800 community people including school children

As a journalist, social entrepreneur and philanthropist, how do you balance work and family life?

First, I am grateful for the unfettered support I receive from my husband and kids to do my work and follow my passion. Being the Station Manager of one of the most popular radio stations in the country, I have a platform that attract every segment of the Sierra Leonean population. This brings with it, huge demands including late phone calls, invitations to participate in various events, request to serve on boards, managing professional standards and working long hours to name a few.

In spite of the above, I have been able to build effective communications and trust with my husband Ambrose and lovely boys about the nature of my work. My husband and I support each other professionally and in handling domestic matters and responding to the needs of our children.

Weekdays are mostly dedicated to work. Weekends for family and fun, cooking, visiting family, friends and relaxing on the beach or exploring other fun places( even though sometimes philanthropist work may interfere). But overall having a supportive, caring and understanding husband and family who are passionate about the success of my career is the key.

The world says women do not support women, but you are the exception; teach us strategies that we can also learn and use to support women and girls.

First of I am an extrovert, and love people especially my women folk. A key driver for me is, I am not interested in competing with anyone, but working together so that everyone can succeed. I am not self-centered with my success and achievements, instead I work to support other struggling women and the less fortune sharing my stories.  I share my media platform with everyone, helping to showcase talents, professions, marketing and advocating for the less privileged and vulnerable so that it is a collectively owned platform. I am team builder and always focused on building trust and confidence within teams and individuals I work with and building bridges. Being humble and authentic has always been my mantra, and whatever the side of the coin is, I just love helping.

What is next for Asmaa James?

I want to continue working with women and girls ensuring their issues and development aspirations are achieved. My focus is to develop the Asmaa James Foundation (AJF) to be an authentic and trusted platform for Sierra Leonean women and girls, but one that also contributes to issues of women and girls in the continent.  I envision a country and world, were women work together to pursue and achieve equal representation, where communities are mobilized to collectively champion the protection of women and girls and where their aspirations and potentials are harnessed to the fullest