Fuzia – A Platform Helping Women Fight For Empowerment, Gender Equality, Prejudices

Pune, 23rd May 2021: If women are to break away from the clutches of orthodox, patriarchal, pseudo/liberal patriarchal brackets, then economic independence becomes a prerequisite for them. From equal pay, rights, opportunities to freedom from patriarchy and sexism, there’s a lot that women need. Although things are changing, there is still a long way to go for them.

Women empowerment is the need of the hour, and women like Riya Sinha and Shraddha Varma are leading the charge of the movement in their own ways. As an 11-year-old living in California back in 2012, Riya’s thoughts were always ahead of her time.

She wrote a book called the “Runaway Twins” that was sold in the local bookstore and made a little girl of six come up to her and say that she also wants to write a book like her.

While most kids are busy with homework and sports at that age, Riya was gearing up for a small writing club, which today has turned into an organization, Fuzia, to support women. She has been awarded the “Iconic Teen Entrepreneur and Innovator” at Women Economic Forum in 2018 and was also invited into TED Sonoma County, where she shared her story and inspired women to work towards their dreams.

While Riya is currently studying at UC Berkeley, the co-founder runs the show at Fuzia. Despite coming from different generations and backgrounds, Riya and Shraddha share the same views and want to see fellow women thrive. They bonded over their vision to uplift sister women and mutual frustration against the stereotypes of society.

Shraddha is a management expert and an entrepreneur who is currently managing the global marketing operations and acts as a mentor to the Fuzia family. She is a professional marketer who comes up with innovative solutions to problems. She effortlessly leads the organization with her effective communication skills and knows how to walk together as a team. Having witnessed gender discrimination from a very young age, Shraddha wanted to work for women in a way that promotes not only their professional but also their creative sides. She is a huge advocate of women’s empowerment and the need for women to support fellow women. She strongly believes in gender equality and feminism.

Many speak about the importance of women’s empowerment, but only a handful actually do something about it. Women just need a push from someone they trust, and Fuzia acts like an older sister who always has their back, no matter what. In a society, where women are often perceived as rivals and are thought to be jealous of each other, she has brought together scores of women from across the globe to work and connect. Through her expertise and experience, she has helped expand Fuzia in various arenas and is touching new heights every day.

Shraddha is striving to give equal opportunities to everyone to work remotely and earn from the comfort of their homes. As women, we tend to have more responsibilities than the “man” of the house, but it shouldn’t mean we should be dependent on them. We keep our priorities after others’ and turn a blind eye towards them in the process. That’s just how society wants us to be. The ever nurturing mother, wife, sister, and daughter, the labels are just there to restrict a woman’s ability and put her into the shackles of “love”. It’s high time we move past these ideas and break open the chains trying to limit us. It just requires a little bit of hard work, a lot of passion and determination for women to take a step towards writing their own destiny. As Virginia Woolf said in A Room of One’s Own, “A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.” But we at Fuzia believe that a woman just needs a room of her own. She can make her own money and earn financial freedom, Shraddha says.

Although the platform is open to everyone regardless of their gender, Fuzia derives its power from the women breaking glass ceilings every day. Well, men can come second for once, right? Also, they need to play an important role in women’s empowerment. They can act as allies to the women and stand with them in the fight.

The female energy is as positive as one can imagine. She believes that being a woman is a superpower and we must be our own role models. We have so many talents that we keep hidden as there is not a “safe world” out there for women. “Why should women take a step back and compromise every time?” Women’s empowerment is also about giving women a space to use their skill sets and voice out their opinions without the fear of being judged and looked down upon. Shraddha aspires to bring this space to women if they can’t come to it.

Shraddha is proud to note that the community is not only limited to India but is spread across countries like the United States, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc. Our countries might not see eye to eye many times, but the sisterhood knows no boundaries. No matter where we are based, each woman deserves support and a platform to showcase their talent. Each of us is unique in our own way and approach and we need to celebrate each other’s qualities and successes. We are grateful to all the Fuzia members who have been a part of this amazing journey and continue to do so. They have all carved a beautiful path for themselves whilst being an asset to the team, Shraddha informed.

To mention a few:

Ira Gore, Content Intern, Fuzia: “Working as a content writer at Fuzia for a year now, I feel the growth in me as a writer with each passing day. It’s incredibly great of Fuzia to offer such remote opportunities to students and individuals, who can work and learn outside their classrooms and homes, by staying indoors!”

Sarita Das, Website Member, Fuzia: “I’m a passionate art and music lover. I love making diverse videos for the company. Fuzia helped me join in as a website and Relation member and now I contribute the best of my talent.”

Humaira Ferdous, Fuzia: “I believe that the more you praise and celebrate life, the more there is in life to celebrate. Fuzia helped me celebrate life to the fullest. I work here as a Graphic Designer now, but it feels like only yesterday when I couldn’t even think of being on this pedestal.

Shraddha and Riya both know that the fight for women’s empowerment, gender equality, and against the prevalent prejudices is going to be a long one. But they are very much ready to win this battle, along with millions of women and also possibly men by their side. The night is always the darkest right before dawn. Women deserve the best of the world and nothing can hold them back from getting what they want. Here’s to every step towards making the world a better place for women and everyone else. Cheers!