Aswat: Voices of Arabia

Today, exactly one year ago, women in Saudi Arabia started driving again. On the 24th June 2018, a driving ban that had been in place for many decades, was lifted. It was a huge step forward. To celebrate this day, we're replaying our very first episode, 'Driving, at last!' It's quite apt that we're replaying this episode today as it was the same episode that launched Aswat: Voices of Arabia. I'd also like to let you know that we'll be taking a break for a while. In a couple of weeks, my husband and I will be leaving Saudi Arabia. We're not sure whether we'll be returning or starting a new adventure in a different part of the world. One thing I do know is that it's been a pleasure sharing the stories of the women who I've met during the past year. I hope that their stories have inspired you as they have me. 

In our second chat with Modia Batterjee, she talks about her work as a resilience practitioner. Through her involvement with Al Bidayah Centre, the breastfeeding clinic in Jeddah, she's come to realize the tenacity of Saudi women in their day to day routines - more so, in many ways, than with women in other parts of the world, due to the local challenges. Modia's resilience has also been tested but she's found a symbol to help her through the tough times. Here's her story. 

Saudi Arabia has become a nation of bottle feeders due to the increased availability of infant formula during the oil boom. The country also has a high prevalence of breast cancer deaths amongst Saudi women due to a lack of awareness of methods of early detection. Only in the past couple of years has it even become acceptable to talk about breast cancer.  Modia Batterjee and her mother, Anne, have started a breastfeeding centre in Jeddah in order to highlight the importance of breast feeding for both mother and child as well as its role in improving early detection. 

Graffiti plays an important role in urban landscapes in cities around the world. Here, in Saudi Arabia, it's more subtle because you're not allowed to do graffiti just anywhere.  But the graffiti movement, while more controlled, is beginning to find a voice. Hanan Kamal is part of that movement.     

Danya Al Hamrani has been telling stories for as long as she can remember. In 2008, she and her business partner, Dania Nassif, started the production company, Eggdancer - the first company in Saudi Arabia,  to be owned and run by women.  Danya was instrumental in getting Anthony Bourdain, host of the series "No Reservations' to come to Saudi Arabia, thereby "shining a light on a place, people don't get to see much of." Eggdancer has produced their first long documentary "Rise: The Journey of Women in Saudi Arabia." Danya tells us her story.   Title music: Bells in the Wind by Daniel Birch (www.danielbirch.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution-Non Commercial 4.1 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ Animals are beautiful people - Warner Archive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1fqy3eY5q8&t=33s  Rise: The Journey of women in Saudi Arabia trailer: Eggdancer Productions