Empowering Changemakers at the ICSIF Conference

In September 2023, Dr. Anna Neya Kazanskaia joined the Innocent Chukwuma Social Impact Conference and Fellowship (ICSIF) as a featured panelist, contributing to a powerful dialogue on Diversity and Inclusion: Advancing Social Impact in Nigeria.

The conference, hosted at Lagos Business School and supported by the Ford Foundation, brought together international leaders, practitioners, and visionaries dedicated to driving sustainable and inclusive change across sectors.

“It was an honor to be in conversation with fellow changemakers across Nigeria and Africa,” — Dr. Kazanskaia reflected. “The work of inclusion begins not just in frameworks and policy — but in how we listen, design, and build with communities.” 

We believe that self-care is an essential component of effectively supporting and empowering vulnerable communities. As the saying goes, "You cannot give what you don't have." It is with this understanding that we are thrilled to announce our new project: Monthly Meditation for the Empowerment of Staff and Volunteers. 

Ms. Anna Neya was honored with an invitation to the transformative "Mobile Knowledge Clinic Activities" hosted by the Fountain of Life Center, RGS Thailand, at Pattaya City Hall. This event served as a powerful platform to raise awareness about the importance of cooperation between nonprofit organizations and government agencies, police, and education sectors in combating violence against women and children. 

Art therapy continues to make a positive impact on the lives of vulnerable children at the Children's Center in Pattaya. In the second session of the art therapy course, we delved deeper into understanding and differentiating between negative and positive emotions. Through the power of painting, the children were encouraged to express their feelings and emotions on canvas, using two distinct paintings—one representing negative feelings and the other representing positive feelings. This session aimed to provide a safe and creative space for children to explore their emotional landscapes and develop a greater awareness of their own emotional well-being. 

We are thrilled to announce the collaboration between Neya Global and Ms. Taylor Robinson, a Ph.D. candidate from Royal Holloway, University of London. Ms. Taylor's visit to the Fountain of Life Women's Center marks the beginning of an exciting research partnership focused on understanding the use of technology by female households in Thailand. This collaboration aims to address the lack of research in the nonprofit sector, particularly concerning technology implementation in developing countries. 

As a passionate advocate for vulnerable children, Ms. Anna Neya has initiated and developed an art therapy course at the Fountain of Life Children's Center in Pattaya, Thailand, marking a significant milestone in their journey towards holistic well-being. 

Ms. Anna Neya has been invited to host a special certification session on "Integration of Meditation in Society: Empowering the Vulnerable" during the staff training seminar of Good Shepherd Thailand. Meditation has long been recognized as a powerful practice that brings numerous benefits to individuals, including stress reduction, improved mental clarity, and emotional well-being.

In Instagram Live session, the founder of Neya Global, Ms. Anna Neya, joined forces with the esteemed founder of Nicholas Motivates Initiative (Abuja, Nigeria), Ugwuanyi Nicholason @mayor_of_nsukka for an enlightening conversation on a pressing issue of our time: Period Poverty, Menstrual Shame, Menstrual Stigma, and Menstrual Taboos in the 21st century. Visit www.nminitiative.com to contribute to the cause. 

Recently, Good Shepherd Thailand had the privilege of hosting Father Brian, a passionate advocate for social justice and community development from Australia. During his visit, Father Brian engaged in insightful discussions about the importance of income generation programs for supporting vulnerable communities in Thailand and the Southeast Asia region. 

In a world facing pressing environmental challenges, it has become increasingly vital to raise awareness and educate communities about the importance of environmental protection. Recognizing this need, Ms. Anna Neya launched an environmental awareness education course last year. The course was generously donated to Good Shepherd Thailand, which has been implemented in charity centers across the congregation.