Trafficked woman wins award

A WOMAN who was sent to the UK from Nigeria to work as a sex slave was one of several Welsh women to be awarded for their work with vulnerable people.

Omonigho Idegun, who has waived her right to anonymity, was sent to the UK under false pretences by her family that she was coming here to study only to realise that she had been trafficked as a sex slave.

After being trafficked to London, she fled her captors and eventually settled in Wales where she was supported by the Welsh charity BAWSO in 2011.

Since 2012 she has achieved qualifications in hospitality and catering and organises events to help other vulnerable people.

Omonigho was one of several women to be awarded for their work across science, community, the arts and overcoming violence at the Ethnic Minority Welsh Women Achievement Association Award (EMWWAA) at Cardiff’s City Hall on Saturday.

Now in its sixth year, the EMWWAA was launched to recognise Asian women who have made significant contributions to Welsh life.

Other winners included Nigerianborn Elueme Sheila who fled her country to protect her daughters from female genital mutilation and tribal markings on one of her two younger children.

A Lifetime Achievement Award went to Gaynor Legall, a champion of ethnic minority women in Wales and former Butetown councillor.

Gaynor became a Cardiff councillor in 1983.

“As a young black woman, she really broke the mould on Cardiff Council and made her voice heard and views known in a completely authoritative and rational way,” judges said.

“Gaynor is a wonderful role model for young black women and indeed for all young women.”

Other women awarded included Cardiff University Honorary Professor and former Cardiff GP Professor Kamila Hawthorne who won the Science Technology and Medicine category and Leanne Rahman, who works at the Arts Council of Wales, was recognised for coordinating Black History Month Wales.

Cardiff voluntary worker Fateha Ahmed, who came to Wales as an unaccompanied child, won an achievement award for her work with Sure Start, Barnado’s, and The Carers Centre.

Fateha volunteers to help ethnic minority families with children with special needs, organises interfaith forums in Cardiff and runs a weekly radio show on Radio Cardiff.

A Lifetime Achievement Award went to Norma Glass who is a leading member of the Welsh Jewish Community and who is Welsh representative on the UK Board of Deputies of British Jews and chair of the Older Minority Ethnic Network run by Age Cymru.

Uzo Iwobi, chief executive officer of Race Council Cymru who founded the African Community Centre in Wales and served as the Police National Diversity Team, was also honoured on Saturday as was Cardiff Sixth Form College student Queena Lee who heads a team of 80 volunteers at charity ACE Cardiff- promoting the importance of equal educational opportunity.