Thanks to the support, knowledge, work, care and advice of many, the first Heroines! School project was a great success. During the past months, thirty primary schools classes in the Netherlands have participated in the project. Through stories, games, exercises and videos children were introduced to the diverse role models from the children’s book ‘Het Begint Met Een Droom’ (It Starts With A Dream). Real-life heroines from the book have supported the programme by creating videos, including the former prime-minster of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Maria Liberia-Peters.
The goal of this project was to encourage all children to dream big and to chase those dreams. A study by Utrecht University confirmed the positive impact of this project on the participants.
We want extend a special thanks to the phenomenal teachers who worked with us. Their enthusiasm, their willingness to help, and their dedication to the wellbeing and growth of every single student in their classes made this project a success. We also want to thank VSB Fonds, Janivo Stichting, Stichting Voor Vrouwen Door Vrouwen and the Gravin van Bylandt Stichting for their support.
We are looking forward to expanding the Heroines! School Project. We will begin by implementing the recommendations from teachers, so we can make an improved version that can be shared with all primary schools in the Netherlands.
As part of APIS collaborative efforts in the international book project "Heroines!" Jasna Gabrovšek accomplished the successful implementation of an empowering workshop designed for girls from diverse backgrounds.
Jasna shared inspiring personal stories of women residing in Slovenia, who themselves come from diverse backgrounds.
The workshop explored the unique experience of living in Slovenia while maintaining roots and ancestry in another culture on a different continent. The workshop aimed to embrace diversity as a source of strength, acknowledging the challenges and pain associated with it. Through the power of storytelling and creativity, the participants delved into the richness hidden within this cultural diversity, seeking to find their own superpower.
Leading the creative workshop were Helena Tahrir, an artist who grew up in an Iraqi-Slovenian family, and Jasna Gabrovšek, a mother of children embodying both African and Slovenian cultures. Together, they engaged the girls in discussions about their personal experiences of growing up in different cultural environments, their aspirations for the future, and the inspirational figures they admired. The workshop introduced the girls to successful stories of women of African descent, such as the ballet dancer Michaela de Prince, artistic skater Surya Bonaly, astronaut Mae Jemison, Slovenian dancer Maša Kagao Knez, and others. The girls were encouraged to express their impressions, experiences, and emotions through art and words.
In the afternoon, parents of the girls were warmly invited to join a discussion on the same topic. The conversation revolved around their own experiences, challenges in raising their children, and the specific interests of the girls. The focus was on whether the girls felt a connection to the second culture that was also part of their identity, whether they took pride in their heritage, and whether they ever experienced feelings of shame. The discussion also explored ways to empower and support the girls on their journey of self-discovery.
The workshop was organised by APIS Institute / Zavod APIS in collaboration with AFROskop.
In the words of author, host, and spoken word artist Babs Gons, and picturesque illustrations by Femme ter Haar, the book tells the stories of 20 heroines who give and have given colour to the Dutch Kingdom. These heroines show us how dreams can come true because they believed in themselves and persevered when times were difficult. Because they inspire others to follow their dreams too. They all dreamed, because that’s how it starts, with a dream.
