Frances Soney-Ituen

Women’s Integrated Network, Athy, Co Kildare

Frances is the founder of the Women’s Integrated Network (WIN) in Athy. Ever since its public launch at the “Celebrating Diversity in Athy” event two years ago, Frances has championed the individual and collective development of both members and service users of WIN’s information and drop-in centre. Frances has been at the forefront of promoting positive integration for the common good in the local community. In addition to volunteering more than 20 hours a week at the centre, where she holds free English language classes, hands-on basic computer training and CV development, Frances also makes herself readily available to women in dire need of emotional support, especially those experiencing domestic violence. Settled, traveller and migrant women in Athy and environs now have an organisation where they can feel comfortable seeking assistance and support. Frances has attracted huge amounts of goodwill and support for WIN as a result of her volunteer work at other organisations. She regularly offers free anti-racism/integration activities for pupils in local schools and encourages people to volunteer, because, as she says herself: “volunteering enriches the person, the family and the community as a whole.” Frances believes strongly in community values and is passionate, dedicated and honest about the work she does with WIN. She has a remarkable ability to make everyone feel comfortable and always has a good word for all those who come in contact with her.

“For me volunteering enriches the person, the organisation, the community, the family, the nation and by extension the whole world. From my work with women over the years, I believe that economically empowering women will produce a more stable family and therefore an egalitarian community/society. This belief is further proven from the theory that I deduced that domestic violence is directly proportional to the financial dependency of the woman on her spouse.” – Frances

Photograph by Maureen McDonnell