Get to know me a little better…
My name is Ayana Hoegger, I am 8 years old. I am from Cape Town South Africa. I love soccer, running and art. I love the ocean and cold water.
What I really want to focus on is Gender Based Violence. I have been interested in this and how it intersects with other issues since I was much younger. It is a serious violation of human rights. I know that it can include sexual, physical, economic and mental harm that is inflicted on people. I know this affects everyone, but that it disproportionately affects women and girls and this is my main focus area.
I can't believe that this still exists and I don’t know how exactly, but I need to do something about it. It is time.
I might be little, but size doesn't matter. We all need to do what it takes.
My Inspiration
My journey was sparked by my mother, an activist who exposed me to the realities of underserved communities and the disproportionate challenges faced by women and girls. My mom, brother and I are always trying to learn more and better understand how to serve the planet. One day, my mom was sharing some startling statistics about GBV in South Africa and the world and I was shocked and sad. I believe that we all have a role to play in creating a better, safer and more equal world. I believe that being silent is not an option.
I want to do what I can to help create change.
With my mom’s guidance and the support of amazing friends, I set off on my journey. The WO Project was born, symbolizing a commitment to "Wide Open" discussions and solutions regarding GBV.
About WO
The WO Project aims to create awareness about Gender Based Violence (GBV) and raise funds to create safe and supporting spaces for those affected by GBV.
I took the word WOMEN and removed the “MEN” to create the name of the project.
The WO stands for WIDE OPEN. We need to be Wide Open to conversation around this, and be open to realising that we all have a role to play. We need to be honest, we need to be open and we need to realise that any work to end gender based violence needs to be intentional. We have to work at it.
I called it WO and dropped the “MEN”, not because I don’t think MEN should be involved. I’m just currently focused on women and young girls. I kept the “MEN” in my tagline:
Mentor, Empower, Nurture.
Contact Us Today
The WO Project invites you to be a part of this journey. Together, we can! Join me and countless others in this vital mission. The journey has just begun. Are you Wide Open to join us?
Call me: +27 (0) 63 783 4301
Whatsapp me: (0) 62 988 6213