Meet our board members (Part 1)

Each year World NGO Day is celebrated on February 27th. NGOs have a history that dates to at least the late 18th century, they have always been at the forefront of social movements and changes. 
 
Personally, I became active in the NGO world in Finland just few years back, but today we are not talking about me. We are talking about three very inspiring people that are part of Familia's board of directors. 

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​Apart from being the chairman of Familia ry's board of directors, Marie is working in the communication industry and has described herself as an energetic person who is positive and realist. Marie loves traveling and learning of different cultures in this world, however the past year she has dedicated herself into domestic travel and discovering the different cultures within Finland. She believes that human beings should use justice, equality, and mutual respect between each other so they could live in safer, more loving, and balanced surrounding. 

​Marie has been part of Familia for over 20 years, started as a volunteer and today she is the chairman of the board of directors. She describes how Familia has evolved and grew in those years. For Marie Familia is very important due to its objectives. She explains how the support of intercultural families is a personal matter to her and it has been very beneficial. She calls Familia as her "other partner" that has been in her life for many years.

​Marie believes that because the intercultural families are only growing in Finland, so it is a very important to have such organisation that supports and helps them. "As the intercultural families grow, so will the demand for the services and functions provided by Familia." that is how Marie explains the reason why she will be still around as a supporter to Familia in years to come. 

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Noora is Familia's board's vice chairman. When she is not busy with her daytime job in communication, Noora usually spends her time around her intercultural family and their lovely dog.

​Noora sees Familia as an active social debater that tackles issues and subjects, which are very important in intercultural families' daily lives. She describes this being close to her own heart, because she faces those matters in her own daily life in an intercultural and bilingual family. She expresses her appreciation to all the work that is done by Familia to support multicultural family lives like hers.

​Noora says that NGOs such as Familia are shaping the future and making the change for the better, through discussions and raising social advocacy. Additionally to that she says that Familia is doing so much good through the language courses, relationship support and parental coaching that Familia is offering. In Noora's opinion Familia is an important NGO for present and future for the increasing numbers of intercultural families.

​Dora describes herself as very social person, that makes her enjoy exchanging ideas and experiences with others. She highly appreciates every that she meets in her life describing what she gains from those encounters as "meaningful connections". Dora spends most of her free time with her family and friends, and tries to add ways to get her family involved with her in the NGO world.

​Dora has been introduced to Familia over 10 years ago through a peer support group, and she has since then been a part of the activities that support intercultural families like hers. She enjoys being a part and surrounded by other people from intercultural families, as they collectively share their daily realities, concerns and options for solutions without feeling like they are different from any other families. Dora describes Familia as a provider of a platform for intercultural families' voice's in our society to be represented and heard nation wide.

​Dora believes that Familia has a very long list of great things that it could bring to the future of intercultural life in Finland. The most important things in her opinion are the wider networks, a better sense of belonging, new perspectives, more understanding, enlightenment, and in-depth solutions for challenges that intercultural families and the multicultural Finland require. 

​Those three lovely people have been an inspiration to many. They spend a lot of their own personal free time trying to support an NGO like Familia in every way possible, just in hope for a better life for the present and the future of intercultural generations.  

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​You can also help in making a deference in the world, by volunteering and supporting an NGO of your choice. Volunteers are the hidden muscles of NGOs like Familia, they are needed to help others. You can contribute to an organisation by offering your ideas, help in events or even by hosting your own group that you have personal connection to. Join an NGO to inspire future generations for a better world.

​Happy World NGO day to all NGOs, volunteers, donors and workers who are trying to change the world one step at a time!