S6 E13: The Power of Helping Women Find their Voice with Yusra Qadir

The Inspire Podcast

In this episode of the Inspire Podcast, Bart welcomes Yusra Qadir, Chief Programs and Advocacy Officer at Mothers Matter Canada, to share her incredible life journey and how she is empowering women to find their voices. Yusra starts by reflecting on her childhood in Pakistan, her work in community and social development, and her education in human rights. She describes how she found her voice but realized that finding her voice and being able to meaningfully use it are different things. She moved to Canada with young children five years ago, where she navigated the challenges of being a new immigrant and found ways to help others through her own experiences. She also found challenges that women face in this world are universal. She joined Mothers Matter Canada to help immigrant and refugee women in Canada access the support they need to find their confidence so they can meaningfully use their voices within their lives and their communities. She highlights the impactful work of Mothers Matter Canada, particularly the HIPPY program, which supports newcomer mothers in preparing their children for success while building the skills and resilience they need to thrive. Yusra’s story is a testament to her strength and commitment, both in her personal journey and in the transformative work she does today. Visit Mothers Matter Canada to learn more (https://www.mothersmattercentre.ca/) and connect with Yusra on LinkedIn (https://ca.linkedin.com/in/yusraqadir). You can also find Mothers Matter Canada on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Show Notes 00:28 Standard show intro 01:04 Introducing Yusra 02:16 What is "Mothers Matters Canada" 02:50 Equity advocacy 03:25 The challenges that mothers are facing 05:52 What does MMC do to help? 06:59 Peer-based programs 09:51 Yusra's journey to now 10:52 Experiences growing up in Pakistan 12:14 Dreaming big as a child 13:23 Feminist focus 13:50 Disaster preparedness 14:30 Large displacements around the world 15:22 Diverse groups that they work with 16:17 Canada struggles with women's opportunities 17:09 Why come to Canada? 17:43 Becoming dangerous to be an activist 20:29 The challenges of a new immigrant 23:15 Developing leadership skills 25:44 Bart talks about "taking the stage" program 26:35 1/4 women in Canada are "racialized" 26:53 The motherhood penalty 27:08 What the program does 28:07 What is the HIPPIE program? 29:50 Summary of HIPPIE 30:31 Great data management system 31:30 Getting children ready for school 32:24 Example of a personal story 37:33 The ambassador program 39:07 Her hopes for newcomers 5-10 years from now 39:35 Universally available programs 40:01 Her hope for women 40:56 Thank yous 41:20 Outro