NiMA

Regardless of its origins, it was a fear that stayed with me for a long time, even into my early 30s. Over the past few years, however, something changed; I discovered I had something more important to lose. So my fear of the unknown – loss of life – was replaced by a fear of the known – loss of identity – something I had recently acquired.  

I’m not referring to identity theft here, which is also a concern (worrying is clearly a favorite pastime). I’m talking about loss of self, loss of independence, loss of individuality. I’m talking about the lyrics from Alice in Chains’ Nutshell – “If I can’t be my own, I’d feel better dead” – one of my favorite songs of all time.  

I come from a culture in which women have many limitations and are often defined not so much by their personalities as by their relationships… to men. Having been raised within the norms of this community (but never quite fitting in), I spent the first 30 years of my life defined by my relationships – first as a daughter, then as a wife. If all had gone as planned, I would now be a mother.  

But things didn’t go as planned. Five years ago, I separated from my husband, and for the first time in my life, I found myself without any attachments. I was no longer Summer Amin, someone’s daughter or someone’s wife, but Summer Amin, anyone I very well damn want to be! I had a new identity.   

While my physical circumstances changed, my mental outlook took a little longer to catch up. I had to remind myself, almost on a daily basis, that whatever decision I was making – big or small – was mine to make, and I didn’t have to get permission or consent to do so. To drive the point home (to myself, really), I decided to do what at the time seemed impossible – run a marathon. When I started training, I could barely run a mile. By the time I finished, I could conquer the world. Having accomplished what I set out to do, I realized that nothing was impossible. For the first time in my life, there were no limitations, except for the ones I put on myself.   

I’ve come a long way since then. Over the past five years, I’ve not only run a marathon but also bought a home and started a business. Over the next five years, I hope to accomplish so much more. Despite these achievements – or maybe because of them – I never take for granted how fortunate I am. I would never have had the opportunity to do these things for myself had I not been raised in the US, where education of girls and empowerment of women are rights, not privileges nor – worse yet – taboos.   

Nest Board Members and the Women of the Toudart Iwsta Cooperative in Morocco

Unfortunately, there are millions of girls and women in the world who are not as fortunate, a fact that Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn vividly bring home in Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide (a must-read!). So last year, I joined the DC board of Nest (www.buildanest.org), a nonprofit organization that empowers women in developing countries by providing interest-free microfinance loans to help them set up their businesses. My involvement in the organization is my way of giving back to the women of the world what I was given: opportunity.  

In April, I travelled with Nest to Morocco, where I met with the women of our three Moroccan cooperatives. I was both inspired and humbled by the experience. While in Midelt, I met an amazing woman named Rachida, who belongs to the Toudart Iwsta Cooperative. Earlier this year, Rachida’s house caught fire, leaving her not only without her clothes and furniture but also without her loom and supplies. Because of this, she’s unable to contribute to the co-op, and what’s more, she’s in the middle of a divorce and doesn’t have the money to rebuild.   

Having met Rachida, we decided to launch a Kickstarter campaign to help her get back on her feet, so that she too can one day run a marathon, buy her own home, start her own company.   

Okay, okay, so perhaps she’s not interested in all of the above, but what she needs right now is an opportunity – a chance to rise above her current situation – and I hope you’ll join me in providing her with one by contributing as little as $1: www.kickstarter.com/projects/buildanest/build-a-nest-rebuilding-for-rachida.