PAWA Sends Five to Historic Parade

Mara Gardner, Zehan Albakri, Clare Muhiudeen, Phyllis Hatfull and Emily Earl at the
Ironmongers’ Hall, representing PAWA before the Lady Mayor’s Show

Phyllis Hatfull’s account of the brilliant November day

“2025 was a special year for the City of London, with its first-ever Lady Mayor – the third woman to hold the office, and the first to use the title. To mark the significant occasion, Dame Susan Langley celebrated women at the Lady Mayor’s Parade, inviting 697 women to take part in its 697th edition.

PAWA was delighted and honoured to be asked to send five participants. Clare, Zehan, Mara, Emily and I made up the team. We decided to make a splash with bright orange jackets, our orange PAWA caps and PAWA banners.
We were part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ladies’ bus, which was a real buzz with lots of excited chatter and everyone in their colourful national dress.

We started bright and early, meeting for breakfast at the Ironmongers’ Hall together with the Ironmongers who were in the parade. Thanks to the generosity of Julian Verden, who hosted us, we had coffee and sustenance before the parade began.

Slowly, we set off from London Wall and walked along the route from Guildhall and past the guild halls where aldermen were standing outside in their fine livery. All the church bells were ringing for us, and crowds of people were cheering and waving.

Zehan Albakri, Mara Gardner, Clare Muhiudeen, Phyllis Hatfull and Emily Earl with PAWA Honorary Council member
Mei Sim Lai, whom we sincerely thank for giving PAWA the opportunity to participate in the parade

As we passed Mansion House, we greeted the Lady Mayor and other dignitaries. We stopped for lunch by the river, then made our way back past Mansion House where we gave the Lady Mayor three rousing cheers and finished back at London Wall.

I was very glad we’d dressed in PAWA’s colour, bright orange. Walking in a line, side by side, we did catch people’s attention. I was struck by how many people read our banners and gave us a thumbs up. We were also captured on TV. We all stayed the course and walked the entire route.

I felt very proud of our team and of PAWA.”

Phyllis Hatfull, Head of PAWA’s Impact Study Team

Festive wishes from our projects!

The new year has started, and we wanted to share a couple of the lovely cards and thank you messages that we received from our partners at the end of 2025. Rebecca and the team at Learning for Life reached out to say:

“As we come to the end of the year, I wanted to send our thanks, on behalf of everyone at Learning for Life, for your generous support of the Songlap programme aboard the floating schools.

“Your commitment has played a key role in supporting adolescent girls and ensuring continued access to education and life-skills learning in communities that are often hard to reach. We are very grateful for your support and for the strength of our partnership.”

And, we had this card from the girls at Aruna Bhawan, the social services centre in Nepal run by the Nepal Jesuit Society. Visiting the Centre was one of the highlights of the autumn Nepal trek that was featured in Autumn’s Newsletter. Serena Janssens scholar Samikshya created the card for PAWA.

The PAWA Projects team would like to wish all our projects the very
best for 2026 and we look forward to the year ahead together.

“On Sunday, November 2nd, Lazarus Halstead, Head of the Department of Chinese Art at Bonhams Fine Art Auctioneers, graciously led a private tour for an intimate group of PAWA’s patrons, benefactors, and friends.

We were thrilled to offer this special experience as a heartfelt thank you for a wonderful year of support toward our mission: empowering underprivileged girls across Asia through the transformative power of education.

Lazarus guided us through a series of curated exhibitions, from Chinese art in The Marsh Collection: Art for the Literati and Painting the Dao, to exquisite Japanese paintings from an important collection, as featured in Beauties, Beasts, and Blossoms.

As an added delight, our guests had the unique opportunity to meet the celebrated artist Hugh Moss, whose works were on display.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Lazarus for his generosity and for sharing his time with our supporters during the busy art season.

To learn more about our community, or to join us for inspiring events like this, please don’t hesitate to reach out!”

Kristie Lui, Supporters’ Secretary

PAWA’s Annual Meeting

Please save the date for PAWA’s Annual Meeting on 10th March (evening) at the WTW Offices in the City of London.
Please join us to hear about PAWA’s achievements this year and plans for 2026 as well as for hospitality afterwards.

Click here for more details and to reserve your space.

Meet PAWA’s Honorary Secretary, Emily Earl

Emily has a background in intergovernmental trade negotiations and now calls London home after growing up in New Zealand and living in Hong Kong and Switzerland.

Joining as Honorary Secretary a year ago, she supports the work of the Trustees and helps ensure PAWA meets UK Charity requirements.

She says, “I was immediately drawn to PAWA’s mission for educating teenage girls throughout Asia, and have been fascinated to learn about how each programme we support works to overcome different local barriers to educating girls.

“As a PAWA volunteer, I have enjoyed connecting with a diverse and inspiring group of volunteers, and I love that we have such a wide range of ages and experience in the PAWA Community.

“From dragging myself around Battersea Park for the PAWA Run to learning about Thai textiles and getting to know our Volunteer community at the newly launched PAWA Socials, I have thoroughly enjoyed myself this year and am looking forward to continuing to help deliver PAWA’s mission in 2026.”

IWD 2026 Wrap T-shirts
On Sale From February 23rd

In anticipation of International Women’s Day on March 8th, 2026, PAWA and Wrap
are excited to announce a second collaboration.

Following the overwhelming success of last year’s partnership, Wrap – a family-run, London-based womenswear brand with over 18 years of experience – have made a limited-edition jersey t-shirt, with all proceeds going to PAWA once again.

Check out the gorgeous print created by Wrap’s head designer, Ellie. This lovely, breathable tee is a must-have for spring!

(Until its launch, please keep this incredible design under wraps)

The IWD theme for 2026 is Give to Gain (#givetogain). From the 23rd of February, you can Give by encouraging your friends and family to buy, wear and post the t-shirt on social media – in turn ensuring the girls we support Gain new opportunities through education.

We are so grateful to Wrap for their continued support of PAWA.

Serena Janssens Fundraiser Dinner

The Janssens Family hosted a special fundraising dinner in memory of a deeply beloved figure in the PAWA community, Serena Janssens, who tragically passed away five years ago, at the age of 19, just before she was to begin university.

In honour of Serena’s legacy, her vibrant spirit and strong belief in the power of education, the Serena Janssens Memorial Fund (SJMF) was established by her loved ones. The fund provides scholarships for young women of college age and is administered by PAWA. We are currently supporting three PAWA girls in Nepal through the SJMF to continue on to university.

PAWA Trustees, Betty Yao and Zehan Albakri chat to Serena’s mother Minh-Tam Janssens

The Café Mission in Shoreditch provided a beautiful backdrop to the evening. The dinner raised £20,000 and was an uplifting celebration of Serena and the Scholars that are supported through her legacy. We heard from the Scholars, in their own words, what the support of the Serena Janssens Memorial Fund and PAWA means to them for supporting the completion of their university studies.

It was a beautiful evening with a personal touch: the food was cooked by one of Serena’s favourite chefs. PAWA trustees and supporters joined Serena’s family, school friends and former teachers – and heard some lovely stories about Serena’s final trip away with her school to trek in Nepal.

Serena’s Nepal trek was recreated by family, friends and some PAWA supporters earlier this October.

 Nepal Trek Testimonies

Lost Bags, Found Friends: Suna

Suna (in black) alongside PAWA trekkers

“My trekking trip to Nepal was meant to be an exciting adventure – but it quickly became far more dramatic than I could ever have imagined. And it all began before I even set foot in the country…

My flight was caught in a severe storm, and we ended up having to make an emergency landing in New Delhi. The turbulence was terrifying – people were praying, some were screaming, others were vomiting, and the girl beside me passed out. It was quite an experience, to put it lightly!

Arriving in Kathmandu the following day felt like a triumph – until the baggage carousel stopped spinning and my two checked pieces of luggage were nowhere to be seen. I was speechless, but I was still hopeful when I returned to the airport the following evening.

But there was still no sign of my luggage…..

I stood by the empty carousel still wearing the same jeans, shirt, and sandals I’d arrived in on the previous day — because that was all I had. Not exactly ideal attire for trekking in the Himalayas!

By then, the rest of my group had already flown on to our next base, and I was stuck in Kathmandu with nothing. No boots, no trekking gear, no poles —all the essentials for the journey had disappeared.

But life, as always, finds a way – especially when you are surrounded by kind people. Friends, both old and new, came to my rescue, lending me clothes and necessities to keep me going.

View from Teahouse Chhomorong

In Pokhara, the mountaineering gear capital of Nepal, I searched relentlessly for trekking boots. My wide feet made the hunt even more complicated. After hours of trying, I finally found one pair – two sizes too big. That was the only choice – I had to take them. At least I wasn’t trekking in sandals!

At last, I ventured into the mountains. The landscapes were breathtaking: snow-capped peaks that seemed to touch the sky. Gazing at the beautiful natural panoramas that surrounded me, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude, and I cherished the moment. It was as if every challenge – the emergency landing, the lost luggage – had led me to that breathtaking view.

What began as a chaotic and stressful ordeal became one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.

Resilience isn’t just about endurance. It’s about community, adaptability, and spirit. Kindness and humour can carry us much further than we ever imagine!”

Troughs and Peaks: Mara

Kanchha held Mara’s hand for four hours

“With some trepidation, I agreed to join Mandy on the Nepal Trek in support of PAWA. It wasn’t exactly how I’d imagined celebrating a big decade birthday, but Mandy assured me it was designed for people with “bad knees” – we even called it The Comfy Nepal Trek. I trained beforehand – though probably not enough – and while trekking 2,172 metres sounded daunting, I had no idea just how challenging it would become.

Our group of seven women faced unexpected trials from the start: political unrest and torrential rains that triggered landslides and road closures across the country. Thankfully, we explored Nepal’s culture and wildlife for several days first, and things eventually dried up.

Finally, with our intrepid guides, Sudhir and Kanchha, and strong porters, we set out on a nerve-racking jeep ride through landslides to start our first climb to Chhomrong at 2,172 metres – a three-hour climb. I wasn’t the fastest, but I made it – rewarded by stunning views and the comfort of a welcoming teahouse.

The view from the teahouse in Ghandruk, the morning after an 11-hour trek

Little did I know, the next day would be even harder. I did wonder if I should do it at all, but I knew I would regret it if I stopped. The route plunged before rising steeply again – and then some. It is the hardest thing I have ever done.

With Kanchha’s constant support and my teammates’ encouragement, I managed the challenging 11-hour trek, reaching Ghandruk in the dark. Our teahouse, naturally, was perched at the top of the village – a spectacular view awaited the next morning. Exhausted but elated, I felt immense pride in having completed it and gratitude for those who helped me get there.

PAWA trekkers

Equally motivating was the generosity of friends and family who helped us exceed my team’s fundraising goal of £2,172 for PAWA.

On our final day in Kathmandu, we visited a PAWA-supported programme and met the girls whose education our efforts will help sustain. Their determination and optimism were profoundly inspiring, a vivid reminder of what our trek truly achieved beyond the mountains. And it was so much fun dancing with them.

It was, without doubt, the journey of a lifetime – physically demanding, emotionally uplifting, and deeply meaningful. What a thrill. What a joy. What a trip.”

Aruna Bhawan

“Visiting PAWA’s project in Kathmandu, Nepal, was a profoundly moving experience that left a lasting impression on me and everyone present,” says trustee Zehan Albakri.

“The Aruna Bhawan Social Centre, which supports 45 girls, is far more than a social centre: it is a home and sanctuary for girls from troubled backgrounds. As we arrived, the staff welcomed us with warm smiles and a genuine appreciation that we had made the effort to visit them.

We were introduced to the 15 PAWA girls and two of the Serena Janssens scholars – the confident and poised Priyanka and Samikshya. The afternoon quickly became a joyful showcase of spirit and expression. Firstly, there was great excitement as the girls put on the PAWA hats we presented to them.

Then, the girls had prepared songs and dances that reflected their Nepali heritage. Between the songs, the scholars spoke eloquently about their journeys, their studies, and their aspirations. Their words revealed remarkable courage, gratitude, and determination to create better futures – not just for themselves, but for their families and communities as well.

We all said a few words, and Serena’s mother, Minh-Tam, spoke from the heart about Serena and her legacy. The atmosphere in the room was filled with emotion and many were moved to tears.

By chance, it was my birthday, and when the girls found out, they broke into a spontaneous ‘Happy Birthday’ – totally unexpected and so special. Aruna Bhawan is a place where you are encouraged to dream, learn, and grow in safety and solidarity.

As we left, we carried with us a renewed sense of purpose and admiration – for the dedication of those who run the project, and most of all, for the incredible young women whose strength and spirit define it. The visit was a beautiful reminder of the transformative power of education, compassion and community.”

Asmihan Ibrahim

PAWA MCM Volunteer SOCIAL

Volunteers Kristie and Simran with PAWA MCM SOCIAL organiser and Honorary Council member Anna Paik and Trustee Betty Yao

Our PAWA Volunteers are critical to everything we achieve at PAWA. In support of these wonderful people, we launched the new MCM PAWA SOCIALS initiative on September 24th, generously hosted by PAWA founder Sung Joo Kim at the MCM boutique in London.

PAWA SOCIALS are an opportunity for volunteers to connect, support each other, and hear from interesting speakers from a range of professions, in a friendly and informal setting. Prospective volunteers are also warmly welcome.

There was a great turnout for the first event, and it was rewarding to see such a mix of different age groups enjoying each other’s company.

We are grateful to PAWA Honorary Council Member Mei Sim Lai (OBE), who shared her valuable tips on how to enjoy yourself while making the most of networking opportunities, along with some of the interesting career destinations her networking experience has led her to.

PAWA volunteer Chuanzhi (left) with Honorary Council Member Mei Sim Lai (right)

Mei Sim provided an invaluable insight into the London business and social world. We will hold several PAWA SOCIALS a year, and if you would like to contribute with a short informal talk to our volunteers on a subject you are passionate about, then please do reach out to hon.sec@pawa-london.org.

We hope to build a long-lasting PAWA family circle where alumni and present volunteers can support and socialise together.

Runners supporting fellow runners after finishing the race

Our last fundraising event for our PAWA@15 celebrations was our annual PAWA WALK.

A huge thanks to everyone who took part and supported through donations to make the day an amazing success. It was a wonderful sight to see the wave of orange hats take on the 5k and 10k walk/run on a bright Sunday morning.

PAWA walkers cross the finish line

The hats were so popular that we were able to raise some additional funds and get new supporters from those who wanted an orange PAWA hat.

Personal goals were met, including those of a family who completed the 5k route with 5-year-old twin boys. They were our youngest participants and youngest fundraisers, raising £285.69 and £58.92 Gift Aid. Congratulations and thank you Leo and Arthur!

Leo and Arthur

Congratulations to the Duggan family who won the fastest prize. All four members of the family – including Ava who won the honour of the fastest single female runner on the day – ran in record time. Thanks to generous donor Brent Osbourne, the Duggans will celebrate their achievements with a family meal at one of the D&D restaurants in London.

The Duggan Family

Through fantastic support, the walk raised £15,422 plus £2940 Gift Aid. The top fundraiser was Marquis Wong who raised a whopping £2,595.00 plus £60.00 Gift Aid, which will help PAWA support 53 girls for a year. Thank you Marquis!

Marquis Wong, this year’s top fundraiser, crossing the finish line

Events like these take a huge amount of work, so a big shout out to the PAWA@15 team led by Trustee Zehan Albakri. Some of the organisers were seen on the day in their white PAWA shirts with the PAWA@15 walk logo designed by volunteer Effie Nakajima. The shirts were generously donated by Sanjay Mulchand. Thank you Sanjay and the team at FastFitPromo.

PAWA volunteers at the marquee

A sample of the day is shown in these photos. Please send in your favourite pictures of the day to pawawalk@pawa-london.org and we will share them on our website – a great way to encourage others to participate in future events or get running for PAWA as a PAWA CHAMPION.

To everyone who contributed to making the day a great success, thank you.

Clare Muhiudeen, Chair

The SJMF Mt. Annapurna Region Trek

Save the Date – 11th September 2025

A sketch of Serena by Anna Paik, PAWA Past Trustee and Honorary Council

Ponheary Ly Foundation

The Ponheary Ly Foundation (PLF) promotes access to education for disadvantaged children and youth in Northern Cambodia, reaching nearly 3,000 children and young people across the Siem Reap and Preah Vihear provinces.

PAWA, which has been supporting the PLF for years, currently funds its sponsorship scheme, established to support girls living at home after the closure of the PLF’s dormitory in 2024. This support includes help with extra English classes, textbooks, and tutoring in Mathematics and Advanced Science.

Below, we hear from Kouen, a PAWA-funded girl on the school sponsorship scheme, who has just started university.

Kouen

“My parents are farmers and labourers in the village. My family has a total of five members, and my three younger siblings are still in school. My family suffered from violence almost every day because my father was a heavy drinker. Some days he beat my mother and us, on the grounds that he never wanted any of his children to go to school – he wanted them to drop out and make money for the family instead. When my father saw his children dressed for school, he would say that it was useless to waste money like this.

After my father died, I could return to school, but it was a stressful time and my grade averages were declining. When my mother saw this, she was willing to work hard to earn money. She acted as both a mother and a father (as a hero or superstar). No matter the circumstances, she is always there to give strength and a smile to her children.

Then luck found us: while my brother was in Siem Reap, he got to know PLF and participated in various PLF programs through his friends. Later, he also became a student of PLF. He told me to study hard to finish Grade 11 – not to think too much about what happens next. For Grade 12, I also transferred to Siem Reap, and there was more opportunity to participate with PLF.

I received support from PLF to study in Siem Reap because my mother does not earn enough money for my education and living. I now live in a rented room away from home through the support of PLF, I have funds for study materials, food and budget for extra lessons including computer classes.

I never wanted to drop out of school, and I am so happy I can now get new experiences and achieve my goals through the support of PLF and PAWA. In the future I want to become a social worker. I chose this career because I want to help other people in my community, and I want to help people be happy and live in prosperity. I want to help change society to make it more secure for vulnerable people in Cambodia.

Finally, I would like to thank PLF and PAWA for supporting my studies as well as my brother in the past, and wish all the PLF team good health.”

Kouen

Bangladesh Hope for Girls

Mike and Rosey with PAWA students

Since 2015, PAWA has been involved with Hope 4 Girls (ASHA). Mike and Rosey Whittles run the project from Guernsey and are tireless in their commitment to ASHA and the girls. They visit them every year, regularly sending us a visual record of their progress.

It has been a privilege to watch the girls grow and learn and see how much they value the help they receive. The girls will reach adulthood before the end of their courses and some of them will go on to college or university. PAWA continues with practical support during this transition – encouraging the girls to pursue Further Education makes them less vulnerable to early marriage.

This year we were so happy to hear about Salma and Rehenna. Salma found Rehenna, a young Hindu girl living in poverty, whose father had died and whose mother was now struggling to keep her in school. Thanks to Salma’s persistence ASHA enrolled Rehenna in the PAWA sponsorship scheme.

Salma and Rehenna

ASHA saw that Rehenna was falling behind at school and needed extra coaching help. Salma herself needs extra money for university, which is approaching later this year. Mike and Rosey suggested Salma go one-step further and give Rehenna regular weekly coaching help, for which ASHA would pay her. As a result, both of the girls are managing their education better, and are now progressing well.

Kuala Lumpur Speakers Club (KLSC)

Waris Albakri

Ponheary Ly Foundation secondary school scholarship programme

Welcome to the Spring edition of PAWA’s newsletter, as much a time of renewal and growth for PAWA as it is the natural world.

A lot has happened over the last three months. From our Annual Meeting in London, to organising upcoming fundraising events (including the June return of our much-loved PAWA walk), to hosting our first Founder’s Dinner, and celebrating the continued success of PAWA’s girls around the world – the PAWA calendar has been jam-packed.

You are receiving this newsletter after the PAWA Annual Meeting, held on March 17th at Euronext’s offices in Canary Wharf, London. We typically host our Annual Meeting as part of the wider International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrations that occur in March across the world. The theme of IWD 2025 is Accelerate into Action and we are proud of PAWA’s ongoing actions to keep disadvantaged teenage Asian girls in school.

Keeping girls at school, informing and educating them of their rights and the opportunities available to them through education, is key to enabling them to accelerate their progress as they become young adults. This IWD we had the special opportunity to raise funds through a collaboration with London womenswear brand WRAP, through the sale of beautifully designed T-shirts. All proceeds were given to PAWA and specifically for our work with Karuna Trust. Thank you to WRAP!

PAWA’s work, and that of our Partners, is particularly important at this time as global aid programs are under greater scrutiny. I am pleased to say that at the time of writing, our project Partners are not impacted by these decisions but we recognise that this is going to have a significant impact on fundraising more generally as many charities will have to look elsewhere for funds to maintain their commitments. So with this in mind, a huge thanks to our PAWA Patrons, Benefactors and Friends – and of course our volunteers. Your contributions and our ability to make sustained commitments to our Partners makes a real difference to our team and our PAWA girls.

At our annual meeting, we celebrated our 15 years of operation. It was a wonderful opportunity to look back at each project that we have worked on, the number of girls supported and showcase some success stories. We also took the opportunity to celebrate all our volunteers, some of whom have been part of the PAWA family since our inception in 2009.

We were delighted to welcome our Partners Karuna Trust, who we partner with in India, and Learning for Life from Bangladesh. It was wonderful to have the Trust Manager and Programme Manager from Karuna Trust, and the Programme Director of Learning for Life, join us in person and share their work and priorities. Through this sharing we were able to get a better sense of the lives of some of our PAWA girls, their aspirations and achievements and the difference made through PAWA’s funding.

Our meeting also kicked off our plans for the year ahead. We have a lot to look forward to including our PAWA@15 walk, a visit to our Partner in Nepal as part of a fundraising trek and, of course, our annual fund raise during the International Day of the Girl (October 11th) and our Christmas campaign. We look forward to your participation and support in each of these events and of course any of your own fundraising efforts as a PAWA CHAMPION.

Thank you for your continued support of PAWA.

Clare Muhiudeen, Chair of PAWA Trustees

Girls at Sadakbari Nepal Jesuit Society, 2025

Without your commitment, we couldn’t help improve the lives of nearly 2370 teenage girls this year, supporting 11 projects in eight countries and four higher education scholars under the Serena Janssens Memorial Fund.

Two new projects are included in this year’s projects, which are listed below. In Nepal we are supporting another St Xavier School, this time in Sadakbari – a rural hamlet in East Nepal.

Established in 1992 by the Jesuits to educate marginalised indigenous children, the school was initially run in a makeshift shelter made of bamboo walls and a thatched roof. The Nepal Jesuit Society was able to build a proper purpose-built school in 2014 with classrooms for 400+ students from Nursery to Grade 10. This year PAWA will support the studies of 13 teenage girls at the school.

We are also very pleased to have a new project in the Philippines this year, working with Partner Children of the Mekong who run the Dumaguete Residential Centre.

Dumaguete is the capital of Negros Oriental on the island of Negros, well to the south of Manila. It is one of the poorest provinces in the Philippines and opportunities for higher education for young people are severely limited. We are supporting five talented girls to stay at the centre and pursue degree courses at universities in Dumaguete.

As well as providing safe and welcoming accommodation, the centre also provides holistic support to encourage intellectual, emotional and self-development.

72% of the students supported in the centre are female and come from disadvantaged backgrounds such as subsistence farming. The PAWA girls have started their courses – the first to enrol in university in their families – and we wish them well and look forward to hearing about their progress.

In 2025 we are continuing our support of four SJMF scholars – Priyanka, Manisha, Cathryn and Samikshya. We just heard that Priyanka, who is studying law, has been offered a one-month internship at the National Human Rights Commission – an amazing opportunity for her.

We are also pleased to announce that with the help of the Euroclear Fund, we are supporting two PAWA girls from Home of Peace – Puvanesswari and Carolina – to study Hotel Management at Taylor’s University this year.

PAWA Funded Projects, 2025

Partner, Children of the Mekong

PAWA’s Annual Meeting

Founders, Patrons, Partner managers, dozens of PAWA volunteers and other supporters gathered in Canary Wharf in the glass-walled Euronext London offices in Canary Wharf – a space generously shared with PAWA for the evening as part of Euronext Foundation’s ongoing support for charities.

Much was on the agenda, as PAWA’s Chair of Trustees, Clare Muhiudeen, PAWA’s new Finance Trustee, Richard Timmins, Euronext London’s CEO and Head of Global Sales, Simon Gallagher, Chair of PAWA Projects, Sheila Clarke, and individual project leaders, shared news of PAWA’s work around the world and details of PAWA’s future plans.

“I want to reassure all of you that we’re still committed to what we set out to do 15 years ago: focus on girls, focus on teenagers, and stay 100% volunteer,” said Clare Muhiudeen. “We remain committed to our mission, which is to educate teenage girls in Asia.

“One of the things we’ve learned over the years is that staying focused, staying small, has enabled us to keep responding to different situations that our Partners face. And right now, I think that’s a very important attribute to have.”

Speakers also shared videos and photos of some of the girls that PAWA supports, reminding attendees of the transformational impact of PAWA and its Partners’ work on so many girls’ lives.

Akashamitra, program manager for Karuna Trust, shared the story of Neha, a young girl from a village in rural West Bengal whose parents were trying to arrange her sister’s marriage before legal age. Neha contacted Partner Nishtha, who was able to support her sister.

“She managed not only to stop her sister’s marriage, but she got involved in the project and went through the Nishta program, which supports girls by keeping them in school, giving them all sorts of practical support,” said Akashamitra. “She stayed in the project all the way up to the age of 18 when she graduated.”

One of Learning for Life’s floating schools

Rebecca Paling, Learning for Life’s Programme Director, shared inspiring testimonies of the success of their “floating schools” – schools built in boats in flood-prone Kishoreganj, in Bangladesh, to ensure girls have access to education even during the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons, which can last up to nine months.

“Forced marriage, often at a very young age, is extremely common in this area. Girls in particular have very limited access to services and are frequently deprived of their rights,” explained Rebecca Paling. “But Learning for Life has been working to address the needs of these communities by providing education, healthcare, rights training and community capacity development aboard specially designed boats.

“With PAWA support, we were able to establish the first small floating school, which can navigate narrow waterways, reaching even more marginalized communities. This school has been so successful that we now have five other schools in the region.”

The uplifting evening concluded with drinks and food in the downstairs hall.

 PAWA Founder’s Dinner

PAWA was thrilled to organise a special and exclusive Founder’s Dinner, the first of its kind, to mark its 15th anniversary.

Sungjoo Kim OBE, PAWA’s founder, generously invited Patrons to a private dinner in London on February 6th. It was a wonderful evening where Patrons learned about Sungjoo Kim’s background and passion for creating support initiatives for women and girls today. Indeed, her great sense of mission in life led to the inception of PAWA. Her strong work ethic in both professional life and charity work is highly inspiring.

Several PAWA charter founder members were invited to share their experiences in working and building the steady growth of PAWA over the last 15 years as volunteers.

It was also a fantastic opportunity to express and exchange both present and new ideas on future directions for PAWA, with a deep sense of collective commitment for all to continue making an impact. We hope the new patron programme will be the beginning of an impactful new tradition – part of a growth in future support. With a great sense of optimism we hope to make this special Founder’s Dinner an annual event.

We are grateful and honoured to have constant support and inspiration, so enthusiastically given by our founder Sungjoo Kim.

PAWA’s Battersea Park Charity Run and Walk, 2025

Join PAWA’s Charity Run and Walk at Battersea Park on Sunday 22ndJune 2025

PAWA would like to invite all of you to lace up your running shoes and join us for a meaningful and enjoyable day at Battersea Park to celebrate PAWA’s 15th anniversary!

This is an opportunity to come together, enjoy the beautiful park, exercise and, most importantly, make a lasting impact on the lives of teenage girls in Asia through education.

The event, which starts at 10am, is part of the Run for Charity series. Everyone can join: from individuals, to groups of friends, to families, and there are two distance options (5km or 10km) to complete.

By signing up, the participants will receive entry to the event, and be given a race number and more event information before the day – plus a chance to receive goodie bags from event sponsors. All PAWA participants will also receive their own specially designed PAWA hat!

In addition to the entry fee – which only just covers the event cost – we encourage all participants to fundraise a minimum of £50 sponsorship which is PAWA’s average cost for supporting one teenage girl’s education in Asia. Every step we take helps change a life.

There are 2 categories for entry: £30 for an individual (for which you can use this link). Groups of 4 or more need to email: pawawalk@pawa-london.org to get a £25 discount link.

Come and enjoy a social PAWA gathering on the longest day of the year, stay active and support an incredible cause!

Whispering Blossoms

A huge thank you to artist Nanda Khiara for offering PAWA five limited-edition prints of one of her original artworks, Whispering Blossoms, to sell to raise funds for PAWA’s 15th anniversary year.

The stunning canvas prints have been specially created for this unique collaboration. The sale is a wonderful opportunity to support PAWA’s impactful projects while also championing women artists.

A contemporary abstract artist, storyteller, writer and speaker, Kuwait-born Khiara travelled widely after being educated in the UK, living in Hong Kong, Dubai and India before settling in London.

Her warm and vivid works, which often explore themes of change and evolution, have been exhibited internationally, including in Dubai, Mumbai, Delhi, Amsterdam, Miami and New York.

Her work has been selected for both the Florence Biennale 2019, the London Art Biennale 2021, and her digital series, Walk My World, was exhibited at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris in 2022.

Limited edition prints, £800 for a rolled canvas (35 x 53 inches), £1100 for a stretched canvas (30 x 48 inches). If you would like to purchase a print, please email zehan@pawa-london.org. Proceeds of the art sales will go towards PAWA’s fund for teenage girls’ education.

PAWA Volunteer Special Discount

PAWA volunteers have access to an exclusive discount for Manifest Masterclass, a transformative five-session program “designed to enhance intuition, focus, and the power of manifestation”, offered by holistic platform Wellness Curated in collaboration with The Monroe Institute, a leading centre in the study of consciousness.

The course, which takes place between May and June 2025, is being led by UKCP-registered hypnotherapist and personal development facilitator, Luigi Sciambarella. The 12-hour total masterclass offers both in-person and online sessions, so can be attended from anywhere in the world.

Founder of Wellness Curated, Anshu Bahanda, a PAWA Champion, Patron and Honorary Council member, is offering PAWA volunteers 10% off with the code WC10.

In-Person (St John’s Church, London), or Online via Zoom, May 5th to June 23rd, from £35. For more information, visit www.wellnesscurated.life.