learn about our story
Our Story
Our Motivation & Drive
Why We Are Passionate & Driven
Hello and a warm welcome to the official website of the award-winning organisation, Voice of Nations (VON). Thank you for taking the time to visit our site; we hope you have a wonderful experience and are inspired. You are currently reading a special welcome message by Dr Sylvia Forchap Likambi, the visionary founder and driving force behind Voice of Nations. A passionate and leading female empowerment and transformation authority and transformational speaker who derives immense satisfaction in giving hope and inspiring others to blossom into their most meaningful life expressions and fulfil their maximum potential.
Voice of Nations is an award-winning non-profit community interest company based in Liverpool. Our vision is to transform the lives and statuses of less privileged and disadvantaged girls and women, empowering them to become aware of their rights and full potential, and excel into positions of leadership and financial independence.
My core conviction (which is the core conviction of Voice of Nations) is that all humans are born equal and every individual is unique, regardless of their background or circumstances. She strongly believes that each of us is endowed with unique abilities and qualities to fulfil a unique mission on earth—what I broadly refer to as our purpose of existence.
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I also believe that knowledge is potential power, while the application of knowledge is power, and people are often disadvantaged due to a lack of knowledge. As a result, Voice of Nations’ mission is to bridge this knowledge gap by providing consultations, workshops, training sessions, seminars, conferences, and social and cultural events strategically designed to educate, empower, mentor, inspire, motivate, and boost the confidence of less privileged and disadvantaged girls and women in Liverpool and across the UK. You might wonder why we focus on women and not men. We have chosen to serve women because they are more vulnerable and form the core of families; thus, positively impacting and transforming the lives of women significantly affects children, families, generations, nations, and the world at large. Here are some documented facts from the UN highlighting the vulnerability of women: These statistics demonstrate the substantial need for services provided at grassroots levels to support and empower underprivileged and marginalised females who would otherwise not have access to or be represented by mainstream service providers. I firmly believe that only a female-led organisation or leaders and directors from similar backgrounds, who have experienced and overcome the challenges faced by women, can genuinely and passionately reach out and transform the lives of women. For this reason, Voice of Nations is set up to embark on an intense and divine journey of leadership and transformation with less privileged girls and women in Liverpool and the UK. Welcome aboard, and join us on this inspirational and life-transforming journey. Relax, refresh, explore, and excel in your maximum potential with us. Are you aware that you are a special and unique individual, equipped with qualities and abilities to fulfil a mission on earth that only you can accomplish? Did you know you are the leader and expert in this domain? If your mission is not accomplished by you, it remains unaccomplished. It doesn’t matter where you find yourself now; neither your background, gender, religion, culture, nor skin colour affects this. You might be a woman, poor, black, handicapped, depressed, a refugee, an asylum seeker, or a victim of domestic violence or rape, yet you are endowed with immense and exceptional potential. I encourage and challenge you to explore and discover these untapped potentials within you. The question is, how do you identify and discern these attributes? Here are a few guidelines: Reflect on these questions, grab a notebook or paper and write down your answers, meditate on them, believe in your abilities to thrive and accomplish them, and let nothing or no one stop you. Some of you might be thinking, let’s be realistic, how far can a black woman go? An asylum seeker, a refugee, a depressed and abused woman? If only I had permission to reside in the UK, was white or British, or even a male, it could have been much easier for me to succeed. But I tell you this: the power and decision of how far you can go lies within you and solely depends on your willingness to go the distance. Yes, there will be obstacles along the way, but your determination to thrive and excel determines how successful and fulfilled you will become. Do you know there are poor, oppressed, and homeless white British citizens without hope or vision? Did you also know there are seemingly perfect but unsuccessful and unfulfilled men and women in all societies? Therefore, it is not about your skin colour, background, nationality, etc., but about your attitude towards life, your mindset, and your convictions. I love the statement made by Dr Martin Luther King Jr. in his “I Have a Dream” speech: He dreamt of a nation where his children would not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character. I enlighten and encourage you all to know that day has finally come. It is here and now, where we and our children are not going to be judged by the colour of our skin, background, or circumstances, but by the content of our character and ability. Do not be afraid to dream big, have great visions, and do all you can to ensure they come to pass. Fulfil your purpose and let no one tell you otherwise, because you were born to thrive, born for a purpose, to excel, and not to be content in mediocrity. I will now reveal a crucial winning strategy, which I term “the winner’s secret or mindset”. The next time you meet people in life who try to discourage or tell you that you cannot achieve your goals, pause and ask them if they have ever successfully achieved similar goals in their lifetime. Their responses will likely be: “We have all been there and know many people who tried hard but failed,” “It’s not as easy as you think,” “You need to be careful, or you might end up very disappointed,” “You need this, you need that,” and so on. I bet many of you have encountered such people. All those with such mindsets belong to what I refer to as the “losing team” and have no better advice than strategies and testimonials of losers. I, therefore, implore you to go to a winner the next time you intend to win a race. You will be empowered with knowledge and strategies to become a winner. No one says it’s going to be easy, yet it is the outcome that really matters to a winner, and that is where his focus lies. Because you are a champion, I encourage and challenge you to redirect your focus, believe in your abilities, and watch yourself soar to greater heights and fulfil your visions. The winner’s mindset or attitude is “I can do it,” “I am well-equipped,” and “I will do it regardless of the obstacles and shortcomings I face.” I hope you leave here today empowered with a winner’s mindset and attitude. Thank you for embarking on this amazing and life-changing journey with us. Remember, together we form the winning team. Enjoy your visit and let us know what you think. See you soon in part two of the journey.
PART TWO OF OUR JOURNEY
Creation From Within
We are passionate about nurturing and assisting females to blossom into their full potential while promoting social justice, awareness, and gender equality.
Our Values
- Honesty and Integrity: It is our policy to work openly and honestly with clients, staff, and partners, promoting transparency and feedback on project expectations and outcomes.
- Quality and Excellence: At VON, we value quality over quantity. While aspiring to serve a wider audience, we primarily focus on the quality of our service provision and the relationships established with our clients and partners.
- Relationships: We strive to create and maintain a warm, friendly environment and good interpersonal relationships with clients and partners.
- Comfort: Our clients come first. We place significant value on their comfort and time, making our services, sessions, and workshops accessible at locations and times convenient for them.
- Identity: We acknowledge and respect the uniqueness of every client, investing time and effort to identify each client’s needs and provide tailored support and solutions.
- Equality and Peace: We are committed to promoting equality and peace through our work.
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Passion The founder of VON, who is also the CEO, and all directors come from black and ethnic minority backgrounds and have experienced and overcome many of the barriers and challenges faced by the girls, women, and families we serve. This personal experience drives our passion for helping others fulfil their true potential. Because our clients are valuable and integral to us, their well-being is our concern. We offer our services either fully funded or at extremely competitive, discounted rates. Same Gender Services Our services are delivered exclusively by women, creating a same-gender environment that allows girls and women to feel more comfortable and address self-esteem issues common in deprived, abusive, and dependent situations. This setting fosters a sisterhood, encouraging meaningful, supportive relationships while minimising the risk of assault, oppression, and intimidation. Empowerment Programmes Our intensive programmes, including one-to-one mentoring sessions, workshops, training sessions, and meetings, are designed to be accessible at locations and times convenient for our clients. When fully engaged, these programmes empower, motivate, and build self-sufficient, confident girls and women with leadership skills. Diversity At VON, we believe that the foundation of a strong and vibrant community and economy is rooted in the spirit of togetherness. We target a wide and diverse range of clients and offer diverse services to reach a broader audience and build a strong foundation through integration and inclusiveness. Leading by Example We believe that our lives should be a testament to our authority and that an effective service provider should reflect its products. We pride ourselves on using successful, confident, and inspired women and mentors full of life experiences (who have endured, overcome, and succeeded in leadership and their full potential) to deliver our aspirations, making them ideal role models for the girls, women, and communities we serve. Targeting the Root We strongly believe that real and permanent change comes from within. Therefore, we focus not only on resolving external issues but also on nurturing and supporting our clients to identify and overcome their fears, barriers, and challenges, enabling them to excel to their full potential. Our services will have a lasting impact on families, communities, and the world at large. Entrepreneurship As a social enterprise (Community Interest Company), VON has the advantage of attracting and retaining the best-qualified and talented directors and mentors. Motivated by the incentive that, while passionately doing what they love, they will be justly appreciated and rewarded for their services. Case Studies Case Study 1: Empowering Sarah Sarah, a single mother from a disadvantaged background, joined our “Unleash Your Authentic Identity” programme. Through one-on-one mentoring sessions and confidence-building workshops, Sarah discovered her passion for community work. With our support, she secured a role as a community liaison officer and is now a confident leader in her community, inspiring other women to pursue their goals. Case Study 2: Transforming Lucy Lucy, a young girl facing severe self-esteem issues due to a history of domestic abuse, participated in our empowerment programmes. Our same-gender environment allowed her to feel safe and supported. Through continuous mentoring and tailored workshops, Lucy rebuilt her confidence and is now studying social work, aiming to help others who have faced similar challenges. Case Study 3: Supporting Amina Amina, a refugee struggling to integrate into a new society, engaged with our diversity and integration services. We provided her with language classes, cultural orientation, and professional training. Amina now works as a translator for a local charity, bridging the gap for other refugees and contributing positively to the community.