Millennial Business and Life Mastery - Barbados 001 | Page 8

Top 30 Millennial Bajan Entrepreneurs Under 30
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THE BARBADOS AS-
SOCIATION OF MUS-
LIM LADIES
tities to promote the development of a peaceful and inclusive
Barbados.
1.) Who is Firhaana in business (describe) ?
I’m a team player and stand for fairness in all that I do-
business or otherwise.
2.) What inspired you to first start BAML?
Through my studies, travels and personal experiences I
realized that I wanted more for myself and the girls in my
community. Looking back, I think many things inspired me
along the way and played different roles what later inspired
the creation of BAML, however, the final point was when I
commenced University, and realized that there were no so-
cial places that allowed Muslim females to flourish, feel safe,
heard or even understood. After seeing other spaces in my
community created for boys, I decided it was time to stop ask-
ing for such spaces and just create it!
3.) What are some of the tangible results that you have
seen since starting BAML?
Firhaana Bulbulia
The Barbados Association of Muslim Ladies (BAML) was
founded in November 2010 with the initial aim of providing a
safe and Islamic social space for Muslim females in Barba-
dos.
What first began as a group on social media, has devel-
oped today into a community based organisation with the
primary aim of promoting the personal, socioeconomic and
educational development of Muslim females in Barbados.
In line with our aims, we have developed our activities to
focus on the following areas:
• Educational and professional development of Muslim
females
• Advocating for women’s rights and inclusion
• Providing a network of support for and to represent the
religious and cultural interests of females in our community.
• Provision of safe, enjoyable and Islamic social spaces
for Muslim girls/women to develop wholesome experiences
• Inter-faith and cross-cultural dialogue
• Organisation of outreach activities related to sustaina-
ble development
• Mobilisation of resources for needy women, children
and families
• Contributing to and collaborating with other relevant en-
Millennial Business and Life Mastery Magazine
The results have been immense, Muslim women and girls
in Barbados are now being seen as an imperative voice to be
included in national issues and affairs. Our opinions, solu-
tions and efforts matter. We receive regular invitations to sit
on panels, provide input to shape policies, advance initiatives
and meaningfully engage with government entities and var-
ious national and international organisations. Moreover, we
see the results within our community, with more women and
girls feeling confident and interested in participating in na-
tional events and lending their time to social causes. More
importantly, our activities have provided a safe space for our
girls to play, learn and grow!
4.) What in your opinion are some of the main differences
between Millennials and previous generations as it relates to
your organization?
We are unapologetically ourselves. We have opinions on
issues that affect our day to day lives and refuse be to be si-
lenced on them. We now have platforms such as social media
where we can easily connect and share new information and
ideas that are shaping our generation. Facebook was crucial
in the creation of BAML- as we started simply by forming a
Facebook page!
5.) Fun lightning round:
Coke or Sprite: Coke
Vanilla or Chocolate: Chocolate
Hunter or Gatherer:
Favourite Bajan sweet treat:
Facebook or Instagram: Instagram
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