Yeesh… I’ve been Ssekos Communications and Social Media Intern for 6 months and am just now saying hello! How rude.
My name is Rose. Nice to meet you, world.
A few years ago, a good friend of mine told me about the Sseko sandal’s she was rocking, and little did I know that after a few years, I would be searching for a job and come across Sseko again. And then move across the world a month later to become a part of the Sseko family. I was initially drawn in by Sseko’s beautiful products and marketing, and after some investigation of their vision to empower women through providing sustainable employment and education, I fell in love. And I knew I wanted to be a part of it.
Wait, let’s back up. I was born on a tiny little island in the Philippines, and while I did not grow up living in a hut, wearing grass skirts and riding an elephant to school ( although how COOL would that have been??), I did learn to kill spiders at a young age, take a Jungle Survival course, have a pet monkey, and spent countless hours of my childhood on the beach. I was born into a mess of sisters and brothers who inspired me to fearlessly take on life, and who have never allowed me to be less than I was capable of becoming.
So I received my high school diploma and hopped on an airplane to Austria to start university. I studied art and completed my Bachelor’s degree in a small town in midwest America, with my whole future ahead of me. I decided to live one of my biggest dreams, and I traveled around the world volunteering, and although it was a lot of hard work allowing myself to wade through all the challenges and difficulties that come hand in hand with the sweet soul filling moments of the adventurous life, I allowed the people, cultures, and dealings of the world to rub against the person I thought I was and challenge everything I knew and believed about myself, about my soul, and about what’s important in life.
And so I’ve found myself in this crazy city in the heart of Africa, working with Sseko, and I love it. I get to hang out with 36 incredible women who daily inspire me, make me laugh, and challenge me to be a better and stronger person. They have empowered ME by their courage, love and wisdom. I am passionate about, and thrilled to be a small part in fighting for a more just world, by taking photographs of the Sseko women and writing their stories, providing them with a global voice. My favorite moments are when I put my pen down mid interview, whilst chatting with one of the Sseko women, to just listen, and they open up their heart to me. I also love the split second of quiet when I show them their pictures and stories that I’ve posted online, and then they break out the most incredible smiles and their eyes sparkle with laughter and joy.
I am finishing up my 6 month internship, but am thrilled to be continuing to work with Sseko through the rest of the year. I may be the girl behind the camera, and the girl writing the stories that you read, but know that the Sseko women are who inspire all of us here at Sseko to encourage and provide others with a future full of hope and the ability to pursue their dreams.
♥ ROSE