EmpowHER makes an impression in Auckland and Wellington
(Photo Supplied)
Venkat Raman
Auckland, September 29, 2024
The enterprise and fortitude of a group of women enlisted a positive response from women from diverse communities at an event held in Auckland on September 14, 2024.
Onomatopoeically called, ‘BeYoutiful and Bold,’ the programme, organised by EmpowHER was held at the Fickling Convention Centre of Auckland’s Three Kings.
Rani Nalam, Founder of the Organisation, said that ‘BeYoutiful and Bold’ focused on positivity, self-confidence and empowerment.
“It offered a supportive space where attendees could embrace their uniqueness and celebrate beauty in all its forms. The highlight of the event was an inspiring speech by Johanna-May Manks empowers people to achieve exceptional results in both their personal and professional lives. With a wealth of knowledge, enthusiasm, and confidence, Johanna-May uses a unique blend of motivation and style to help her clients look and feel their best. Using colour analysis, wardrobe makeovers, and personal fashion management, she brings out her clients’ personality and energy, resulting in renewed inspiration and confidence that drives them to achieve their goals,” she said.
Pursuing Excellence
Ms Nalam said that Johanna-May is committed to providing exceptional service and believes that everyone deserves to look and feel their best.
“She is passionate about helping individuals transform their lives through personal styling and is dedicated to empowering her clients to achieve their aspirations. She is keen to help our women to create a powerful image and style and be successful in all their pursuits,” she said.
Ms Nalam said that participants were impressed by her message on self-acceptance.
A key highlight was the interactive styling demonstration led by Johanna-May, where lucky attendees were styled with their own outfits, reinforcing the theme of confidence and self-expression.
In her blog, Johanna-May offers practical and bold suggestions to women.
“Embrace your uniqueness, rock what makes you feel amazing, and watch your personal style soar to new heights. Confidence is the ultimate accessory! When you feel good about what you are wearing, it shows. Do not be afraid to stand out and wear what you love, even if it is different from what everyone else is doing. Confidence transforms any outfit into a fashion statement,” she said.
Fashion and Self-Expression
According to her, Fashion is about self-expression and taking risks can lead to exciting discoveries. Women should not be afraid to step out of their comfort zone and try new looks or styles.
Ms Nalam credited the success of the event to Master of Ceremonies Rama Negi, officials and volunteers Leena Kalburgi, Manali Kulkarni, Ranisha Chand, Amita Ganachari, Apeksha Prakash and Legal Adviser Sakthi Krishnamurthi and acknowledged Rakshit Bhaskar and Shalini Malik of Code Counsel for poster design.
“This event created inclusive and empowering experiences, encouraging participants to embrace their authentic selves. They left the event feeling empowered and uplifted, with many expressing how the atmosphere of community and inspiration had a profound effect on them. As we continue to spread the message of body positivity and self-love, this event stands as a testament to the power of coming together to uplift one another,” Ms Nalam said.
(Photo Supplied)
International Women’s Day
On a reminiscent note, we record the International Women’s Day marked by EmpowHER in conjunction with the Wellington-based Indian High Commission on March 12, 2024.
A Panel Discussion under the theme of the one-day event ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,’ was held at which High Commissioner Neeta Bhushan, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds, Wellington-based Independent Director and Management Consultant Prabha Ravi and Moderator Wendy McGuiness.
“The discussion was enlightening and inspiring delving into crucial topics surrounding Women’s Rights, Empowerment and Gender equality. Each speaker brought unique insights and passion, leaving a lasting impact on everyone present,” Ms Nalam, who was the Master of Ceremonies, said.
About EmpowHER
EmpowHER was established as an initiative of Rani Nalam who, during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, noticed that ethnic communities in New Zealand faced many challenges of not being able to openly discuss and share their views and concerns ranging from health, mental well-being and safety within the family.
Her vision was to provide a safe platform for women to discuss topics that are challenging to address openly in their communities.
EmpowHER began to shape, with a few like-minded women extending their support.
Recognising that many organisations supported extreme referral cases, but there was no credible information for women to get support with their daily struggles EmpowHER emerged as a a safe platform to bridge the gap of low-level educational and well-being support in the low to middle spectrum of society.
Inspire, Inform and Support
“EmpowHER’s vision is to Inspire, inform and support other women in Aotearoa through this friendly, non-judgmental platform. We hope that by sharing our experiences, we can grow together to unleash our true potential, as we are all on a journey where we are continually evolving and striving to become the best versions of ourselves. The Group’s objective is to create a platform for women to empower themselves to be at their best. We are working to unite and empower women from diverse ethnic communities through educational and well-being forums so that they can learn, grow and broaden their minds,” Ms Nalam said.
As we were preparing this story for publication, news was at hand of the new team of office-bearers at EmpowHER. The Team includes Rani Nalam, Leena Kalburgi, Ramya Negi,
Ranisha Chand and Manali Kamble.
Facebook: empowher.today; Instagram: empowher.today2
-With Reporting by Rani Nalam
