May 2021 www.womanthismonth.com 44 PEOPLE | interview Her Ideas We have an insightful chat with the founder of Afkarech, Mariam Alammadi, about the group and its tireless work to make a positive impact on the community. Mariam Alammadi is a licensed Bahraini Psychologist who has been working in the mental health sector for the last eleven years. As a highly-driven individual, she has worked tirelessly to be a key contributor to the sector and has received several accolades for her contributions along the way. However, one of her most notable achievements in recent has to be the founding of the female networking group Afkarech – which has grown to be a diverse group of community-driven women who encourage and uplift each other. Could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself? I am a licensed Bahraini Psychologist and have a key interest is breaking the stigma of mental health in Bahrain. In this regard, I have written for several local and international publications and made media appearances to spread this awareness in our community. I am also the founder of the Child Foundation Center (CFC) - a psychological centre that provides specialised care in counselling and milestone development. Following its success and due to the demand, an adult section was added to practice. I am currently involved in a research project with the Ministry of Education, Al Jawhara Hospital and an esteemed team of colleagues investigating mindfulness practices in public schools, which is currently on hold due to COVID-19. However, out of all the accolades during my career my favourite will always be ‘The founder of Afkarech Female Network & Think Tank’. How would you describe Afkarech? Afkarech, which was founded in December 2017, is a melting pot for a diverse group of wonderful, intelligent and caring women who have come together in a supportive environment. Together we support charitable initiatives, discuss ways to make life better for women in Bahrain, promote female education, socialise, support each other and network. What led you to start the organisation? I moved back to Bahrain in 2011 and was seeking a group of fantastic women so I could make friends and network. Although great societies existed in Bahrain, there wasn’t one that I felt I really belonged to. I wanted an organisation that didn’t have a fixed criterion but rather represented every type of woman, women from different cultures and walks of life who bring new ideas and concepts to the table.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk0MTkxMQ==