Meet the Team Volunteer Operation Team International Advisory Board Youth Advisory Board 100 Hours Volunteer Club Operation Team+ Alma Liu Legal Consultant, Community Partners Coco Cheng GlobalMoms Podcast Producer Margaret Nie MomStory100 Program Lead, Senior Editor Sharon Liu UX/UI Designer Caixiu Zhou Multimedia Content Advisor Faye Yang GMI art+ Program Advisor Mari International Community Coordinator Sun Lingxi Social Media Contents Editor Chai Chai Co-Head of Design Innovation Center Jacqueline MomDesigner100 Content Editor Petru Simion International Volunteer Program Co-lead Vivian Wu Volunteer Program Coordinator Chen Si Ting MomStory100 Program Co-lead Jane Li Founder and Chief Volunteer Pinky MomStory Editor, MomCEO100 Mentorship Program Coordinator Yvonne Sun Jobs4Moms Program Co-lead Christina Ren Editor, Podcast Co-producer Lotus Wang Jobs4Moms Program Lead Selina Ma 10-Months Writing Program Coordinator Ziwei Luo English Podcast Producer Back to Top Operation Team International Advisory Team International Advisory Board Ms. Charmaine du Plessis Charmaine du Plessis is a global marketing communications professional and has held senior executive leadership roles in marketing, corporate and strategic communication, public relations, and brand and reputation management. Her career is multi-sectoral and she enjoys working across cultures. She has worked and partnered with organizations in South Africa, United States of America, Dubai, India, and Malaysia. Her expertise, as integrated marketing, and corporate communications specialist, covers various aspects, including the development, implementation, and management of numerous integrated marketing communication strategies. She currently resides in Beijing, China. Ms. Jasmine Lau Jasmine Lau is a social entrepreneur, educator, and international community builder. She is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of PIM (Purpose in Motion, formerly Philanthropy in Motion), which empowers young people with education, resources, and networks to become effective leaders and changemakers. She is part of the inaugural board of advisors to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Goalkeepers initiative, which aims to promote collective citizen action globally to accomplish the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Jasmine has been recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 for her work in social entrepreneurship and the World Economic Forum as a Global Shaper. She is a recipient of the Richard Rockefeller Fellowship and the Hong Kong Youth Service Award. Ms. Kitty Li A Hong Kong returned overseas Chinese youth leader and one of the top ten female entrepreneurs in the Chinese education industry. As the founder of a leading high-end brand in the Chinese family education sector, she has made significant contributions to the development of the Chinese family education market with her practical and unique insights. She has access to high-end educational toys for infants and young children worldwide, as well as abundant resources of family education experts. She pays special attention to the needs of contemporary women and mothers, accumulating rich experiences and venturing into areas such as family offices, law firms, and mommy clubs. She pursues the charm of lifelong growth and is passionate about empowering others. Dr. May Farid She is a political scientist studying civil society, policy and development in contemporary China and beyond. She currently researches education policy in China as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Stanford's Graduate School of Education. Her research centers on the interplay between citizen initiatives and state policy and practice, and the implications of this dynamic for development and governance. Ordinary citizens are increasingly taking individual and collective initiative to address development challenges. Ms. Mari Sharashidze With the educational background in Social and Political Sciences, Mari has worked in non-profit organizational development in Georgia and has seen first-hand that empowering women and girls can bring transformational improvements in families, communities, and societies. She has worked in education industry for over five years while also volunteering for women’s empowerment and well-being in Beijing, China. She has seen the importance of people’s engagement in actions towards positive impact making.With some knowledge in partnership development, community engagement, child and youth education, strategy planning, policy advocacy and parenting, she’s here to contribute to the overall well-being of GlobalMoms. Dr. Samantha Sibanda Born in Zimbabwe and working in Beijing. Founder of Appreciate Africa Network an organization that is there to promote the values of African socio-cultural and economic contributions in the world. She is also the brains behind Pride Of Africa Asia Awards which aims to appreciate African individuals who are making remarkable contributions in Asia Pacific. Ms. Sonja Ling Sonja has worked as a renewable energy policy advocate and currently works at Sun Path Electric, a socially conscious solar company in Seattle. She is the program director for Global Women Partners in Philanthropy, a project that helps donors worldwide become effective philanthropists in their own communities by adopting the collective giving grantmaking model developed by the Washington Women’s Foundation. Sonja is the mom of two kids and believes we must all take local action on climate change. For over ten years, she served on the board of Washington Women for Climate Action Now (formerly CoolMom), a Seattle-based nonprofit that engages and empowers women to lead equitable climate action in Washington state. She has lived and worked in Taiwan and during the past decade she and her family have spent extended periods of time in both Beijing and Kunming, China. She holds a BA from the University of Washington and MSc in Environmental Change and Management from the University of Oxford, where she focused her research on solar power in Qinghai, China. Ms. Zhou Weiyan Board Chair of Beijing Young Zen Foundation, founding board director of One Foundation, founding board director of Grameen Bank (China), standing director of China Association for Community Development, founding board director of Beijing Normal University China Philanthropy Research Institute, and Board Director of The Nature Conservancy (China). Besides, she drafted the National Guideline for Child-friendly Community Building, which was officially issued in 2020. We believe her commitment and impact in China philanthropy sector will help GMI further our mission and vision, to support more moms in need in China and around the globe. Ms. Wang Le A Chinese mom who lives in New York. She comes with many years’ experience in international development and the Humanatrain sector in Asia and Africa. She worked both on the front line supporting children and mothers in need and influencing policy and political debates at United Nations through inter-government processes. Wang Le also brings experts in Children’s rights, non-profit management and resilience-building for the most vulnerable groups in society. Her life and work in a multi-culture environment have given her a unique perspective on inclusion and diversity. From the most remote area of northern Kenya to the metropolitan of shanghai or New York, mothers play the most important role to ensure their kids are healthy and achieve their full potential in development. This is why the global mums’ initiative is an excellent platform to connect them and empower them to be the best of themselves and be the best for their children and society! Back to Top Youth Advisory Board Youth Advisory Board Nina Cheng Nina, a 17-year-old senior student in a Beijing High School. She loves writing, interviewing, translating and so on. She wants to pursue further studies in Media, Psychology and Sociology, because she is really interested in the interaction mode among human beings and in herself. Nubes Chen Currently pursuing master degree in urban planning in the US. Nubes has abundant consulting experiences in business and public areas in China from 2018 to 2022. She also pays individual efforts to women charities as a volunteer researcher. She highly appreciates GMI’s endeavor to redefine mothers’ values and desires to contribute to women’s development. With the idea of combining her interests in urban development and gender equality, she hopes to instill humanism in our cities and make them places where women's stories are heard, women's power is granted, and everyone is respected as an individual. Petru Simion Petru is a seasoned product manager, with +5 years of experience in entrepreneurship, scale-ups and innovation. More recently, also a student in International Development and Management at Lund University (Sweden) and as of latest relocated to Beijing. He is passionate about development across a variety of topics, from climate and wellbeing to social change and women empowerment. Sharon Liu Sharon, currently based in Beijing with experience in the US and UK. Background in contemporary art, psychoanalytical visual cultures, and UX design. She is passionate about the exploration and support of mental health and self-actualization, and creative experiences that nurture connection between and within people. Designer of the first GMI website. Rebecca Zhang Ex-consultant engaged in multiple IPO projects, broasts abudant expertise in market research, market sizing, market data collection and analysis, interviews with client companies and industry professionals. The project ranged from TMT, retail, consumer healthcare, and Pan-entertainment. Founder of an emerging feminsm NGO named 'Your Crescent Moon', providing sex education courses for 1,000 girls in remoted underdeveloped areas. Ms. Zhang holds a Bachelor of Administration in Tongji University and a Master degree of Social Science from the University of Hong Kong. Kate, Xu Ting VC investor, venture builder, bilingual podcast host and producer, specializing in cross-border and emerging markets since 2017. "The women/female friends I have met in my life have showed me the limitless possibilities of what it means to be a woman. I am very blessed to have met them and have learned from them to follow your heart, your passion, and to live the life you want. There is magic , strength and power in female bonding." Back to Top

City Chapters Building a Global Network Upon expanding the GMI global network, to truly achieve our mission to unite globalmoms and inspire the world with MomQ, we acknowledged the importance of slowly activating offline City Chapters anywhere within and outside of China. Cultural context in which the interaction between moms and the stakeholders occurs has a significant impact on the process of community engagement and effective program implementation. Thus, we encourage leaders and volunteers within the shared geographical locations to get involved and make a difference (in moms’ and their own lives). Every chapter will be supported and guided by GMI leadership team throughout the change-makng journey. ​ ​ Currently active chapters: ​ Beijing Shenzhen Los Angeles If you’d like to... Lead and develop a team of volunteers and show them how they can contribute while developing their skills Plan and coordinate GMI project-related meetings, events, and activities Communicate with stakeholders and get more moms involved Look out for ways to build collaborations to ensure effective needs response within your community Have a lot of fun in the process ...A new chapter in your life awaits! Start a new GMI chapter in your city. We offer assistance, support and mentorship throughout your journey. Apply Now

Collaborations & Partnerships GMI is in the process of establishing a global network to raise awareness of the needs and challenges that mothers experience worldwide. We will also develop a collective response that truly addresses problems and has a positive impact on their overall well-being. To achieve this, we’re now researching the topic, reaching out and interviewing moms, helping them in their entrepreneurial journey and providing online and offline support to inspire and empower them. Apart from the intended impact, GMI strongly relies on the Theory of Change, where the role of partners, collaborators and a diverse range of stakeholders is crucial. We want to expand partnerships globally to benefit from other organizations systems to avoid duplication of work. We are ready for new collaborations and new ideas. We believe that partnerships are mutually beneficial and helping each other only promotes everyone’s wellbeing. If you: ​ Want to make a mutually beneficial partnership with us See your role in any of GMI’s projects Need support from us to achieve something that serves moms’ mental and physical wellbeing Want to suggest your case studies and success stories that we could implement jointly Are having a hard time seeking some resources and GMI can help Can offer your space for our event Want to brainstorm with us about resource allocation for our Theory of Change Whatever the reason is, we’re happy to hear from you! Let's Get In Touch

AI generated photo to resonate with Monica's Chinese Name   Story Told by Monica Interviewed by Margaret Nie & Jane English translated by Qiran Zhang / English Proofread by Liqing Pan   I am a very simple person. Now 37, I was often labeled by my manager as naive and innocent. Actually, I suppose I am not that innocent after all, but spiky. In these thirty-some years of life, I feel both lucky and unfortunate, which probably is just like everyone else.   I have a spiky personality and have been fearless from an early age. My family often said I was as stubborn as a donkey. I used to run away from home, as there were too many things I couldn’t stand. I just live a life full of edges and corners. One of my teachers particularly admired me, and he told me that "You must hold on to your individuality and never simply follow the crowd." However, more voices around would tell me that this prickly nature would only get me into troubles. They would warn me against being spiky and never like other girls, who would talk softly, compromise easily, and act obediently.   I was given a Chinese name that embodies resilience and toughness, and I do things like a man, which means I don’t give up easily and always have high standards for myself. Speaking of which, I lived the first half of my life relatively smooth.   Although I was not gifted at studying, I got admitted to a prestigious 211 university because I learned art. The ‘turning point’ in my life probably is year 2006. That year I was a junior in college, when my father passed away unexpectedly. After handling his funeral, I returned to the college and back to my studies in Beijing.   At that time, I was not yet aware of the striking impact his death would have on me.   My father left me on November 29, 2006. This November 29th will mark the 16th years since then. It still deeply hurts whenever I think of him, for the drastic change of our life after his departure, living like a footless bird, endlessly drifting from one place to another, and never rest...     My Father in My Memories   My dad, according to my memory, wasn’t the kind of man you would call “great”, and would not be called meticulous either. But since he passed away, most of what I could remember were his former kindness, although also a few not-so-good moments, due to his bad-temper.   One childhood memory stands out. One evening, he came home after drinking a lot of alcohol and found me playing with a friend. He asked my friend, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" She replied immediately with confidence, "I want to be a doctor." Then he turned to me, "And you?" I said, "I don’t know."   We were munching on a snack called Halihali, and upon hearing my uncertain response, he snatched the snack from my hand in a sudden burst of anger and throw it to the top of our woody cabinet. I had such a clear memory of that day. My friend was let go, and my dad took off my pants and gave me a spanking – I didn’t even know why I got beaten. After that, he probably sobered up, and regretted, so he apologized to me and handed me two Yuan to make up for what he had just done. That money was enough to buy a treasure trove of treats in those days. I was dazed, and unable to make sense of all that.   My father was not a frequent drinker. I’m not sure what troubled him that day, but it was the first time I got beaten. As I grew older, I wondered for years why he did that – I couldn’t stop thinking. As I become a mother myself, I find myself looking back with a new perspective, and with that I try to grasp what once eluded me. Now I believe that he must have had harbored great hopes for me to become a successful person, or at the very least, a person of value, but my response probably disappointed him, making him ashamed for my lack of ambition.   But there are also moments he treated me well. When I was in high school, I had to leave home at a bit over 5 am to take a bus to have classes, and the bus station is 10 minutes- walk distance from home. He rode his bike to take me to the bus station literally Every Day - from summer to winter, then from winter to summer, regardless of weather. Till today, I still can see that moment in the flashbacks of memory, of him riding that bike as I look from behind him, from the backseat. Another memory etched in mind is of him waiting for me in a long and dimly lit alley after my evening classes, hands clasping behind his back, holding a teacup. He was always waiting for me there to walk home with me, especially in the winter. I was a bit rebellious then, and I said to him, “Dad you don’t have to wait for me! I am familiar with the place, and I can go back very soon.” Then he replied:” If I don’t see you back, I would always wait for you here.”   He ran a small business, and the burden of supporting our family is heavy on him, especially as he was an overly nice person. I remember on one particular New Year’s Eve, after he got the payment for his project with the government, he handed out every last penny to his workers, forgetting that our family is almost out of money for the new year. I complained and said  “Why do you leave us in such a miserable state, you could have kept the money but you gave them all away!” I muttered, feeling deprived of the usual treats and new clothes that marked the holiday.“Do you have any idea how tough life is for folks in Zhangjiakou?” he asked“They only  have meal of plain potatoes, while we, at least, can afford steamed buns.” Then, as if that wasn’t enough, he added quietly, “They workers need money more badly than us. They can only wear clothes with patches.”   He was too kind to be a good businessman. Because he was not ruthless enough, his business was never a success.     My Father's Sudden Death   Years before he passed, I often saw his room with lights on till two or three in the morning. As I quietly pushed open the door, I found him huddled over his desk, meticulously going through a stack of invoices, calculating something over and over. He was always like that, working late, often pushing himself.   The day he died started off like any other. He was with his business partner, discussing the usual things, and had a little bit of wine over lunch. On his way back home, he began to feel sick. My mother was out at the market stall, as usual. By the time she returned, he was seen lying on his cot, which upset her, since she had to be out to make a living because of his incompetency in supporting the family. Frustrated, she glanced at him, thinking he was just sleeping off the alcohol.   She called his name, but he didn’t respond. She noticed some vomit in the toilet and the lingering scent of heart medication in the air. She tried to wake him again, but by then, he had already slipped away.   When I got the news that something happened to my family, I rushed home, not knowing what exactly had happened. I called the boy who later became my boyfriend, and he picked me up from the train station. The fog that day was thick, almost surreal, as if the world itself was clouded in mystery. At first, I thought it was my mom who had an accident, since her health condition was always not good.   The boy didn’t say much until we almost reached home, he turned to me and said, "There’s something wrong with uncle... your dad."   I paused in a shock. "What do you mean? Is he in the hospital?"   He hesitated, "It’s worse than that."   A chill ran through me. "What's that? He is in the ICU or what?"   He looked down, unable to meet my eyes. "Worse than that. Your dad passed away."   I dropped my school bag right there and ran as fast as I could, my heart pounding in my chest.   When I got home, I found him lying there alone. In our Hui ethnic tradition, we keep the body at home, not in a hospital or a funeral parlor. It was November, and the cold had already settled in. But in the room where my father’s body was kept, the heating had been turned off. The furniture was moved out, and he lay there on a wooden board, supported by two legs underneath, covered by a simple white cloth. I couldn’t bring myself to lift that cloth and look.   My thoughts flashed back to the last time I spoke to him before leaving for school, when he promised me to buy me a Motorola V80 cellphone. The first thing that came out of my mouth when I saw him was, "Dad, you promised to buy me that phone... haven’t you bought it yet?"   But he lay there, still and silent, and I knew I would never have his answer.     Returning to Beijing to Finish My Studies   After my father’s funeral, I returned to Beijing for school. Strangely, I didn’t feel much at the time.   I am a huge fan of Leslie Cheung, and when he passed away in 2003, I was utterly heartbroken. I even wrote letters to him, which were tied to balloons and released, hoping they’d somehow reach him in the sky.   On the day of Leslie Cheung's funeral, I was desperate to watch the live broadcast on Phoenix TV. I made up an excuse at school, claiming I had left a pot of water boiling at home. I rode home on my bike in a rush, and unlike usual, I left it outside the room instead of locking it in the room that day, which caused it to get stolen.   My mother would often make joke at me about this, saying that the funeral cost me a bike. I have a deep memory that my dad asked me then "if I am gone, would you also be like this?" And the fact is, when my dad passed away, the pain didn’t hit me the same way it did when Gege died (Our fans like to call Leslie Cheung Gege). Probably the loss of Gege only brought me nostalgia, while losing my dad became a lingering ache, a wound that never really heals—a pain that stays with me for a lifetime...     Leaving Beijing and Returning Home   I often felt like a speck of dust drifting in the air, never truly finding a place to settle. My father’s death didn’t greatly impact my physical life, but with my mind it left a deep sense of instability, which worn me out. Maybe it was this very situation that eventually forged my resilience.   Things went on well for both my study and career. In 2008, I had the privilege of participating the Olympic torch relay all the way across China for three months, leading the cheerleading team of the organizing committee. After the opening ceremony is over, I returned home. I originally didn’t plan to go back to hometown after graduation, since I had already secured the job as a teacher in a primary school in Haidian District, Beijing. But what happened at home drove me make the decision of returning to hometown. My younger brother was only 14 when our father passed away, and I am the eldest daughter, so I had to take more responsibility than before.   At graduation, I packed up everything by myself and sent them home. While my classmates celebrated their triumphant graduation surrounded by family, I was alone and returned home silently taking a free ride from a fellow student. I used to hold a grudge against my mother for not attending my graduation ceremony, but now I understand—she had to work to earn the money, which although meager, is all that she could make to support the family.     I Had a Quick Marriage   Once I’m back, my mother urged me into marriage, driven by traditional values that favor males over females. My mother was born in a low-class worker’s family, and the traditional value that girls should marry early resonated with her, especially so after the death of my father, which made the family difficult to support anyone other than my younger brother. After numerous failed matchmaking attempts, I eventually made match with someone through family connections. My mother had always hoped I would marry into a family with better financial standing, and this man seemed to fit the criteria.   On the day of our blind date, I heard a message on the radio that said, “You should only marry someone you truly want to spend your life with.” The words struck a chord deep within me. Still, I chose to marry him—not out of love, but because he checked off most boxes I thought were important.   I had a flash marriage. One month after meeting each other for the first time, we got our marriage certificate, and the wedding ceremony was held only three months after we met. I barely knew anything about his family. He treated me kindly, but there was a big issue with his family, the fraught relationship between him and his parents, which I only found out later. When we just got married, he would frequently curse his mother by name, and I tried to stop that, naïvely believing I could help mend their bond somehow.   Now, over a decade into our marriage, his relationship with his parents remains as strained as ever. No one, not even I, could fix it. He carries a deep resentment towards them, convinced that they are dragging him down. I didn’t fully grasp the impact of this tension until we had a child, eight years after our marriage. Before that, I had very limited interactions with my parents-in-law, mostly only in occasions of family dinner on New Year’s Eves. Even after our child was born, I once thought I could manage without their involvement by hiring a nanny.     First Job After Graduation   After graduating, my first job was as a teacher at the local media college, a position I held for 12 years. I quit that job the year before last. I started to think quitting because every day felt like a rerun of the one before. I could predict exactly what the next few years would be —each day a mirror image of the past. I had become so skilled in teaching that I no longer needed to prepare for classes; I knew the routine by heart.   Even when I was in college, I knew I wouldn’t want to have a plain and dull life, since I only have one life to live. And at that time, an opportunity came to knock at my door—to join a foreign language education group as the course director for the art department of student elective classes—I took it. For about a year, I immersed myself in that new challenge, but then, life threw me a curveball: I found out I was pregnant, and not just with one child, but twins. This reason, together with several others, led to a pause of my job.   During my pregnancy, I didn’t work in the office anymore, but I kept myself busy by tutoring art students, helping them get into their dream colleges. It was a smooth period in my life, with everyone in the family pitching in. I’ve always been independent, so even when I got married or became pregnant, I didn’t expect any special treatment. I never saw myself as someone who needed to be catered to.   I never had the thought that I should be given privilege for pregnancy, but I surely miss that time, because it was 2019, and it was before pandemic.     Giving Birth During a Pandemic   After I’m pregnant and before the baby was born, I didn’t worry much about my family, for instance my husband. He was busy running his company, and I rarely involved myself in his business affairs. He’s always been a strong-willed person, and I mention him now because of his influence on me later on--very negative influence.   My husband was of same age as me, only one month older. The pandemic took a toll on everyone’s mental state, and our family was no exception. I gave birth to the twins on January 10, 2020, just 5 days before the outbreak in our hometown. The situation in Wuhan was growing dire, but we were still largely unaware of just how serious things were.   As I held my two newborns, I posted on social media: "I’m going to make peace with the world!" Before they came into my life, I was headstrong and fiercely independent. But with my children’s arrival, I became willing to compromise in ways I never imagined, accepting things that I never would have tolerated.   The pandemic brought tremendous financial hardship to our family, and my husband was under immense stress. The past three years have been a nightmare that I can hardly bear to remember. There were moments when his frustration turned violent—he would take a knife and threaten me, the children, even my mother. He once said he would kill the baby, and even took actions, which freaked me out. I didn’t know how to deal with the world anymore. We fought fiercely when he directed all his anger and resentment to our baby, and our relationship is at the edge of the cliff.   I thought I would be given care and support after giving birth to the babies, but rather, I experienced the most difficult time of my life. I would wake up every day in tears, overwhelmed by despair. The thought of ending my life together with my babies often came to my mind in those days, as I assumed no one else would ever take care of them if I’m gone. The thought even went concrete to include details such as where and how – jumping from a certain building with one child on my back and the other in a carrier in the front. But fortunately I eventually gave up those thoughts.     Life's Darkest Hours   When my babies were six months old, our home had become unsuitable to live any longer. I told my husband, “I’m taking the babies and leaving.” Since my auntie still got an empty place, I moved there with a nanny. During that time, my husband rarely visited; he just paid for the nanny.   I almost felt I was the most miserable person in the world, until I met two incredibly nice nannies, who gave me enormous encouragement and were like my family. They weren't just tending to my child—they were my biggest emotional support. They filled the gap left by my mother, who was on completely different wavelengths with me and could not communicate well with me.   When the twins were two and a half years old, my husband told me he could no longer afford the nannies, and that‘s when my parents-in-law started to took over caring for the children.   Throughout this time, I kept a diary. In this thick diary, the words “almost suicide” appeared in a daily frequency. But amid the darkness, a new perspective started to grow insides me. I often told my friends and the nannies, “I have a very good friend who gives me advice on doing this and that.” And my nannies would echo “She is right! You must cherish this friend. She’s guiding you to the right path.”   When I finally had to say goodbye to my nanny, I say to her, "I need to tell you something." She asked, "What is it?" I said, "Actually, I never had this friend."   I saw the fine hairs on her arms erects on the backlight of the sunshine. This was how I survived the most depressed time of my life. I told a friend who was a psychiatrist about the imaginary friend thing and asked, "Do you think I’m schizophrenic?"   He replied, "Technically, yes. But it was good for you—it was your mind trying to save you from despair."     Finding My Way Out   When my children were six months old, I went back to work. My nanny, wise as ever, urged me on that, “You’ve got to get out. You can’t keep carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. How’s your mom? How your brother lives and how your mom lives is not your business. You can’t live for them. You need to live for yourself and your kids.”   So, I took her advice to heart. Later I found a job related to performance art, and I worked there till September of this year. Then I had a new job opportunity, introduced by some very nice and elite people, filled with creativity and energy, and I joined the insurance company and work there till today. I’m genuinely happy every day, because I’m surrounded by people who radiate positivity, helping me find my direction and purpose.   I’ve stopped wasting my energy on pointless worries. It’s like a ray of sunshine finally broke through the clouds of my life. I no longer struggle to find out what kind of person my husband really is. The three years since I had my babies have completely transformed me. I’ve learned not to look to anyone else for validation, not to rely on anyone but myself. The only person I truly trust now is me.   Recently, I initiated a program of Swing Musical, where we indulge in the joy of swing dancing. Through this activity, I’ve met so many like-minded friends, and I’ve come to realize that sometimes, the people who at first are total strangers could also end up being providing huge support. As a Muslim, my faith is in Allah, and I believe He knew my family couldn’t be my anchor, so He surrounded me with friends who could. People like Sister Yuan, who introduced me to GMI—I feel truly blessed.   My children are turning three now, growing up so quickly, and they’re incredibly understanding and well-behaved. Life doesn’t feel so daunting anymore. When I look back at everything I’ve been through, I’m actually grateful for those three tough years. They forced me to grow in ways I never imagined.     The Day My Family Unraveled   After my dad passed away, our family was never the same, but at least I still had a place to call home. But then my brother, who used to be a good kid, started to drift. I attributed that to a great part to my mom’s way of education but have to admit my dad also played a part in it. He spoiled my brother, and even offering him cigarettes when smoking sometimes. By the time my brother was 14, he already learned to smoke.   After Dad’s death, my brother would often say, “Mom, I’m going downstairs for a bit.” When my mom asked “what for”, he’d answer, “Tell you what, I’m going down to smoke.” I told my mom she should not have let him but should instead taking the death of our dad as a lesson and talk him into focusing on forming good habits as a young and prospective pal. But instead, she only said to him, “Don’t go outside and let the neighbors then, just smoke at home. ”   After I got married and moved out, my brother’s behavior worsened. He started staying out all night, and before long, he got into drugs. It was also me who found he was using meth, because I noticed how erratic and irritable he’d become. Before, when I talk to him and he got impatient he would say, “Sister, I know,”  but then he was yelling, “Shut up! Don’t you talk to me like that!” I felt strange and wondered what has changed him, so I searched his room and found his drugs. These drugs surely made him broke and owing a lot of money. My mom sold our family’s old house, our only home, with the original plan to buy a new one near my home, where the environment is good, and price is also good. But before I knew it, she gave half the money to my brother to pay off the debts. My mom rented a small house instead of buying, which didn’t bother me too much at first—after all, as long as we were together and I still get a place to go to, I still have a home.   But until I got pregnant, my mom always talked about her finding a new partner, something I couldn’t understand. I often voiced my frustration directly to her, and she would get defensive, saying, “I’m doing this for the family, for you and your brother. It’s hard to support everything on my own…”   Eventually, my mom remarried. She met someone before I got pregnant, and after they got married, she moved into his place and ended the lease of the other house. That was the moment I realized I no longer had a home to go back to. The feeling of being a floating puffball that had begun with my dad’s death intensified. My mom’s remarriage made it clear—I had nowhere to go. If something happened between I and my husband, there wouldn’t even be a place for me to retreat to.   I don’t harbor resentment toward them—my mom or my brother. I just didn’t know how to face them for a while. My brother, despite everything, had always been good to me. I remember one time we had meal together, and he drank a bit, he turned to me and said, “Sis, you know what? If not because of the law and order thing, my brother-in-law would have been taken care of, by me.” He was talking about my husband, who had been almost entirely absent in childcare for the three years after the babies were born. My brother saw it, and he had a lot of sympathy for me.   I always tried to keep him grounded, telling him, “Don’t ever do anything rash. The one who deals the first blow loses out.” Things have not reached that point, but I knew if push came to shove, my brother would definitely stand up for me.   Now, my brother has been clean and out of drugs for a long time, also working normally, which I have great admiration for.     Living in the Moment   Sometimes, separation is better than staying together and torturing each other. My husband and I haven’t divorced, and neither of us has brought it up. He focuses on his business, and we live our own lives without interfering each other.   It’s been three years since the pandemic, and three years since my twin sons were born. When I married my husband, part of the appeal was that he didn’t smoke or drink. But somewhere during these three years, he picked up smoking. My friends tried to console me it’s probably his way of coping with stress, and I’ve tried to understand. After all, it’s not like he has done anything worse.   This current state of separation is the best thing for us. He usually stays at his parents' house, and when we do see each other, it almost always ends up with quarrels. We’re both so on edge that we can’t get through a conversation without it turning into a fight. That kind of tension isn’t good for the kids, so it’s better for me to live on my own. Even the kids don’t like going to their grandparents’ place because they sense the constant conflict.   Right now, all I can do is pull myself out of the shadows. I’ve become the manager of the first local swing music club, and it’s been a lifeline. Combining swing dancing with drama and musicals, the club is finally taking shape. Working with people who share my passion has brought new joy and inspiration into my life.   I’m also working as a life insurance financial planner. My team leader is a fantastic person who told me something that really stuck with me. He said, “You’ve got an aloof personality, and that might not be the easiest fit for this industry, but please don’t change yourself. You’ll attract people who are on the same wavelength as you, and you just need to make friends with them. Don’t try to change yourself just to fit in.” That advice resonated with me. I am never willing to change my edges and corners, I even use this lyric from my brother’s song as my social media signature: “I am me, a firework of a different color.”   Motherhood has changed me in so many ways. I’ve always had spiky personality, but having kids somewhat altered it. I’m made more empathetic, more able to put myself in others’ shoes. I’ve become more understanding, more open-hearted. Where I used to see things only from my perspective, I can now approach life with a sense of calm and tolerance that I never had before. My children have made my heart softer, and I’m grateful for that.   These past three years have been incredibly challenging, but I’ve made it through.   What storm could possibly shatter me in the future?

Written by Marta Cámara     I am Marta Cámara, a woman of faith, a writer mom, and an explorer of this world and many other imaginary worlds. Reflecting on my journey, I see how my roots in Madrid, Spain, have shaped my path. Studying law and practicing as an attorney for several years laid a strong foundation for my career and brought me to China. The pursuit of advanced education took me to the National University of Singapore, where I earned a Master of Laws, and later to Durham University Business School for an MBA. For the last nineteen years, since 2005, life in Asia with my husband and our children has been a blend of personal and professional growth. Here, I've had the privilege of discovering and merging my passions for history and writing with my role in advising companies on regional investments and social entrepreneurship projects. I am not afraid of exploring new paths. I love traveling, immersing myself in different cultures, and learning new languages. Writing is my true calling, alongside teaching and advocating for social causes, especially regarding education for girls and vulnerable children and women's growth and development. As an author, I’ve explored diverse genres, penning five historical women’s fiction novels and four contemporary romances under different pseudonyms. My latest novel, published by Penguin Random House in 2023, marks an important milestone in my literary journey. I try to embody the spirit of "Be the change that you want to see in the world." Growing up, I was involved in social work with my family from a young age, but it was during my time in law school in Madrid that I really committed to making a social impact. While many of my peers were out partying on Friday nights, I spent hours with friends in the city's poorest district, providing warm food, coffee, and company to those struggling with drug addiction. This initiative, called Bocatas, continues to this day. When I moved to Shanghai to work as an attorney-at-law at an international firm, I became involved with the NGO Caritas. I cared for sick orphan children in the hospital and even fostered a very ill baby until he was strong enough to undergo heart surgery. My family and I then went through a long and challenging process to adopt him. My commitment to causes I believe in is something I take very seriously, always putting my whole heart and soul into my efforts. Motherhood has been a profoundly enriching part of my journey. The experience of fostering and adopting a child who needed so much care and love has deepened my understanding of commitment and empathy. Balancing motherhood, writing and my professional and social endeavors has taught me the importance of nurturing the mind, heart and soul, and the impact of unconditional support. I also support International Animal Rescue and live with seven rescued cats. After several years in the legal field, I felt ready for a change and transitioned to the food industry and hospitality. As a Spaniard, food is a significant part of my culture, but it also holds special importance due to my family's teachings and values. Both sides of my family come from very poor backgrounds. My grandmother, Segunda Díaz, was a widow with five children, and despite the hardships, her home was always open to everyone. Her generosity, sense of community, and joyful spirit have always inspired me. My father's family was even poorer. My grandfather, Pedro López, worked fixing bridges for the railroad and traveled extensively, leaving the family to often struggle with hunger. One of my father's happiest childhood memories was when his father brought home a sack full of oranges. These values and the aim of ending hunger and building a healthier, fairer, and more nourishing food system motivated my start in the food industry. In 2020, after 12 years of experience in operations, development, and strategy, I founded my own consultancy, Impactrum7. Through it, I support, mentor, and manage projects related to food with social or environmental purposes and impacts. I took on the responsibility of managing the program for a charity called Shanghai Young Bakers, which provides bakery and pastry vocational training and life skills to disadvantaged youth. Many of the students I worked with faced various challenges, but I never gave up on any of them, even when advised to send some back to their hometowns. One particularly challenging situation involved a girl who had been abandoned at birth and abused by her adoptive mother. During the program, she had an emotional crisis. Despite the high risks and the organization's recommendation to expel her, I brought her into my home and supervised her personally. I believe that every act of generosity requires hard work and pushes our limits, but committing personally is the best way to lead and bring true change to the lives of others. Two of my recent projects involve implementing food waste prevention programs across different countries. The impact of this work is multifaceted. Environmentally, reducing food waste lessens the demand for production, conserves water, soil nutrients, and energy, and prevents pollution. Socially, it ensures that food remains within the system, available for those in need. Financially, preventing food waste saves money, which can be better used elsewhere in the business, benefiting employees. It also raises individual awareness and changes behavior towards food. So far, my work has prevented $635,504 and 203,241 pounds of food waste, avoided 642 metric tons of CO2 emissions, conserved the equivalent of 2,264,493 bathtubs of water, and saved 169,361 meals from being lost. The Man in the Mirror, a song by Michael Jackson inspires me every day: "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change." For anyone who wants to contribute to social causes, my message is this: "Look around you; there is always someone who needs support, a kind word, or a strong hand to hold. Start by helping within your closest square meter and expand until your kind heart touches thousands." In my life, the roles of mother, writer, and socially committed individual are deeply interconnected. As a mother, I’ve learned the importance of unconditional love and sacrifice, which I bring into my social initiatives and writing. As a writer, I channel my experiences and insights into stories that inspire and connect with others, rescuing episodes from History that can fire up our present, while shedding light on social issues and human resilience. My social commitment drives me to create meaningful change, whether through direct action or by influencing minds and hearts through my words. My aim is that each facet of my life enriches the others, creating a tapestry of purpose, passion, and impact. I hope that we can walk this path together as Global Moms.

AI generated photo to show old village of China Written by Zhang Runlian English Translated by Pan Liqing My mother is the person I love the most. I love her, and she loves me too. She loves each her children, and she loves the family she worked so hard to support throughout her life. Lunar calendar day October 2nd, 2021 was a day of enormous sorrow for us seven siblings. It’s the day we lost our mother! Now almost two years have passed since then, but my longing for my mother has only grown stronger. Every time I return to my hometown and see the room where my mother once lived and the things she used, it feels as if her image and smile are right in front of me. I recall that back when my mother was healthy, whenever she knew that her children working away from home were coming back, she would always wait for us at the doorstep until we got out of the car. We would habitually shout, "Mom, I'm home!" and she would happily respond, "Hey, my dear, you are home!" then help us carry our luggage inside. When our mother was still around, we siblings living afar in cities would always feel that our mother was our home, and our home was our mother. Time flies, and life is short! Now, as I approach the autumn of my own life, I deeply understand the difficulty of raising children! Whenever I think of the hardships my mother endured throughout her life, feelings of guilt arise! The time I spent with my mother was too little, and the duties I fulfilled were too few! So little happiness of her was attributed to me. During her memorial period, I could only write these words as a tribute, as a token of the children's meager remembrance of her. For all her life, my mother was diligent, kind, and understanding. She was always helpful to the weak, loved doing good deeds, and displayed great wisdom! She was in some way a famous figure and known by people within a hundred miles! She lived harmoniously with the neighbors and took great care of the family! Despite the many hardships in her life, she never let difficulties defeat her! Even when she had no rice to cook and had to borrow from others, she would still not hesitate to share if she meets the poor who really needs. If she come across monks who collect alms or funds for building bridges and repairing roads, she would also donate, no matter how difficult it was for her. She told us children to do more good deeds, so that the heaven would look after us! My mother was a true believer of Buddhism and karma. She often told us that Buddha would bless us, that difficulties were temporary, and that good times would follow hard times. And that’s because Buddha was always silently watching over and protecting those who accumulated virtue and did good deeds, and he was able to tell all the good and evil in the world! Influenced by my mother, I also hold my firm belief in this. My mother is just such a person with such simple faith. She lived a simple life, was not afraid of hardship or fatigue, and did her best to raise her seven children. She was an ordinary yet great mother! My mother was born into an ordinary rural family, the only daughter among four siblings, and was very pampered. As a result, she was not very good at farm work! As she grew up, she married my elder sibling’s father, and the marriage was the union of beauty and a talented. The husband was tall, handsome, and quite capable, serving as the village committee secretary at a young age. They had five children and lived a happy life for twelve years! During this time, my mother was mostly giving birth and raising children, with the help of other family members and elders. Although it was not easy, it was still a happy time. My mother hardly did any heavy farm work during this period, and at that time such as lifestyle was quite decent in countryside. However, fate took a cruel turn. My mom’s first husband developed heart disease in his early thirties. Medical technology was underdeveloped at that time, and he did not receive proper treatment. He passed away at just thirty-five, leaving my mother and five young children behind! The eldest sister was only eleven years old, and the youngest brother was not yet a year old. When the villagers saw the five young children in mourning clothes kneeling at the grave, everyone wept. The villagers sympathized with them, saying that such a good person and such a happy family had collapsed because the pillar was gone. My mother fainted from crying at home back then. But life had to go on. After a period of grief, my mother wiped out her tears and transformed from a weak woman into a strong mother who protected her children! After a year of hard life, many people suggested my mother to remarry so that a man can support her, and she finally accepted the advice. Through a matchmaker, she married my father. My father's ancestors were craftsmen and quite wealthy, with some seven of eight generations working as carpenters, passing down the craft! My father was also pampered as a child and had not done much farm work either, and developed a selfish personality. Due to societal changes, he went from a rich young master to a sinner who got criticized and denounced, and therefore lived a muddled life. He was not putting his heart into carpentry, and was unable to support such a large family! Moreover, after marrying with my mother, me, a daughter was born. My father, like many men of his time, valued sons over daughters, and suggested giving me away because girls are “useless”. My mother, out of anger, really sent me to a family in the same village who wanted a daughter. My eldest brother and sister cried when they knew I was given away, and my mother also was not so cold-hearted to abandon me. Then they come with a plan. Mom had my brother and sister go to that family's place to get me back, using the excuse that she feared I might be hungry so needed to be nursed. That family had guessed that my mother must have regretted and allowed them to take me back. I returned to this big family and joined the hard times of kids not having enough food and clothing. The difficult time continued for two more years, and then my younger sister was born. Seeing a daughter again, my father wanted to give her away again because he wanted to have a boy, but my mother won’t agree. This was the final straw that led to the complete breakdown of their relationship. My mother felt my father was irresponsible and incapable of taking great responsibility, so she decided to stop having children and underwent sterilization! My father said, "If you won't give me a son, why should I support this big family? Let's live separately in the future." Since then, my father lived his life, and my mother lived hers. Two more years passed, during which time we constantly borrow life necessities from neighbors! By then, my eldest sister was about fourteen, and my eldest brother about twelve. They voluntarily gave up their chance to go to school, taking on the heavy responsibilities of the family. They did farm work, heavy work, dirty work, and tiring work from a very early age! My mother also did various hard jobs from morning till night to support the family. At that time, my second brother had to look after all the the younger siblings! Fortunately, he was very smart and diligent, and excelling in his studies. My mother and elder siblings all supported him to continue with studies, saying no matter how hard it was, he must receive education. At that time, few people in the countryside valued education. Many were satisfied with just finishing primary school, believing that to know some words and numbers was already enough. Few realized the importance of education in changing one's fate, but my mother was different, and she knew very clearly that only education could change our destiny! Then my aunt advised my mother against letting my second brother go to school, saying it was a waste of money, and it would be much better to have an extra pair of working hands, which not only saves money but also means more income to support the family. My mother did not heed her advice and insisted that my second brother continue his education. She said, "Nothing is more superior than knowledge," urging us to study hard so that we could get away from poverty and the mountains. Indeed, my mother had foresight. My second brother earned good scores in examine and was admitted to Beijing Normal University in 1985. His grades were good enough to get into Tsinghua or Peking University, but he chose Beijing Normal University because it offered a monthly stipend of forty yuan, considering the poverty of our family. The news of this top student from the mountains was like today's headline news, spreading throughout our county and neighboring counties. More and more people praised my second brother and my mother for her educational guidance! My second brother and mother became famous within a hundred miles! My mother's status rose significantly, and she was praised and respected wherever she went! Later, as my second brother pursued his master's, doctorate, and postdoctoral studies, the family's social and economic status improved year by year due to his education! My mother's life also got better and better! As the children grew up, my mother encouraged us younger ones to study hard, and I became one of the few female college students from our area in that era. At that time, few rural girls continued their education. From the years when my second brother went to college, the local customs changed. Previously, people thought education was useless, but later they urged their children to study hard, to learn from my second brother, who could attend a top university in Beijing despite the hardships. Since then, people from my hometown have regarded my mother as an exemplary parent, admiring her tenacious character and indomitable spirit! My mother was just a very simple rural woman. In her youth, she served as the chair of woman’s committee in the village, and she loved beauty! This remained unchanged even in her hardest and most difficult years. She dressed neat and clean every day, full of energy. In fact, I once saw my mother sobbing bitterly, and I cried with her. Looking back now, I realize how desperate and helpless she was, yet also how strong! She always healed herself slowly, always presenting an optimistic appearance in front of others! In my youth, I hardly paid attention to my mother's appearance because she was the closest, most intimate, and most familiar person to us. I never noticed her changes! I never remembered when my mother got gray hair, wrinkles, lost teeth, or a slightly stooped back, until my eldest sister noticed in 2016 that my mother often forgot things quickly, sometimes even forgetting address of home, and forgetting what she had just said. Once a clean-loving person, she then became reluctant to take a bath, and couldn't remember the names of some close relatives. We panicked and realized that our mother had Alzheimer's disease. When my eldest sister described our mother's symptoms to me, she couldn't stop crying! Our mother might soon forget us, so I quickly put aside my work and returned to my hometown to accompany her for a month. That was the most comforting and worthwhile time I spent with my mother! My eldest sister and I took our mother to the park, ate delicious food, and took photos. My mother was as happy as a child! We asked her if she was happy, and she said she was very happy! Knowing that our mother might gradually forget us in the future was heartbreaking, with a lot of sorrow! In the following years, my mother's Alzheimer's disease worsened. She gradually forgot us, gradually lost her mobility, and finally even had difficulty swallowing. My second brother sought medical treatment everywhere to get her better care. Our mother suffered from the illness for several years, and despite years of treatment, she was not cured. She passed away on October 2nd, 2021, according to the lunar calendar. We seven siblings were heartbroken but had to accept her passing, wishing her peace! If it weren't for the torment of illness, our mother's later life would have been very happy, with her children grown up, successful, and living happy lives! She also harvested the fruits of her younger life’s hardworking - now with her children all become prominent celebrity locally and admired by others, and being very filial to her, she was quite admired by others and was very content! One could say my mother's life was extraordinary. She experienced hardships, setbacks, and low points. She has had a happy marriage but also later turmoil. She witnessed life's ups and downs, lived difficulties and happiness, and experienced colds and warmth! In her old age, she had a large family with children and grandchildren, four generations under one roof, living a happy senior life. Although she got illness, she also received good treatment and care, living decently. In the countryside, eighty-year-old was considered longevity, and she passed away peacefully! Oh Mother, the greatest legacy you left us is the indomitable spirit, perseverance, unyielding optimism, and your hard work! No matter the time or place, we, her children and grandchildren, will always remember and be grateful to her! Time and distance will never diminish our longing for her, only deepen it! Her spirit will influence and inspire us, her descendants to never give up and to believe in a better future! Written by Zhang Runlian on September 26, 2023.