Yleanna’s last words for Monaliiku!

16.1.2024

I started at Monaliiku in January 2023 eager to find answers about my professional life: what do I want to do? What am I good at? After one year as Monaliiku’s marketing manager, I can say that I've found a clearer path for my career.

From January 2023 to January 2024, Monaliiku provided me trust to manage its social media and website; freedom to implement my own ideas; and support to improve my professional skills such as newsletters’ creation; public relations; networking; event management and so many more. I feel proud to know I was part of this nice and efficient organisation which promotes migrants’ health and well-being.

I am also particularly grateful for having been able to start new collaborations on topics which matter to me, such as the one for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women with Nytkis or the LGBTIQ+ meeting with Hot ry; Seta ry; Islamia Queeristi and Moniheli. I was a volunteer, but this never limited Monaliiku’s trust in my abilities. I’ve always felt considered and respected by my coworkers as someone who could tries to make a difference using teamwork and shared knowledge.

I can honestly say that this experience has changed me professionally and personally. I feel more confident in my professional skills than I was before, especially my English skills! Monaliiku also helped me grow my open-mindedness, my patience, and my humility. I become more self-aware and more responsive to constructive criticism. It was the first time I experienced such a nice work environment, and I enjoyed so much working at Monaliiku. I learnt so much during this experience and I’m leaving Monaliiku with as a better worker. Thanks to Monaliiku, I feel more ready than ever to start soon my own journalism project about bisexualities in South America (after one year in Finland, I am definitely looking for sun and warmth!).

I am really happy to have had this amazing opportunity inside of the European Solidarity Corps program. Thank you so much to Claudia; Margareta; Sahra (my work bestie), Ayisat (aka celebrity); Foos, Anissa, Hadie, Nidal, Murdia, Badryio, Fadumo, Ifrah, Nicole and Terhi for this year! My volunteering time at Monaliiku ended a few days ago but I feel like I will always be part of Monaliiku’s family!