A north-east philanthropist has been recognised by the Indian government after launching a website which allows women to connect with each other throughout the world.
Aakanksha Sadekar, 28, from Aberdeen unveiled her Storified.me initiative almost exactly a year ago and it has subsequently enjoyed phenomenal success, with the recruitment of 20 freelance writers, a thriving website and a community of more than 10,000 women in every corner of the globe.
And now, Ms Sadekar, who went to Albyn School in Aberdeen, before graduating from Robert Gordon University as a petroleum engineer, has been identified by the Indian Government as one of the foremost Young Leaders of Indian Origin.
As the chief executive of Storified.me, she has confirmed she is bringing the venture to Britain during a series of events in May, with a tour featuring appearances in the likes of London, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
She spoke emotively about what had motivated her to create the new site after spending time in various parts of the world, which have been affected by natural disasters.
She said: “I went to volunteer in Nepal after the earthquake in 2015 and, while I was out there, I realised there was a need for a platform for women like me to tell the world about their achievements, and their highs and lows, and their own experiences.
“It was all about building a community which was welcoming of others and helpful to each other. There was just so much to be done after the earthquake that it sometimes felt overwhelming, but there were also so many good people who were doing fantastic work in difficult circumstances.
“That’s why I founded Storified.me last year – to let any number of women tell their inspiring stories every day. With the support of my friend, Sohail Khan, I spoke to women from across the globe and went on to profile their stories on our website.
“It just mushroomed from there and we have people joining us every single day, with new stories and connections.”
Miss Sadekar previously worked offshore in the North Sea and in the USA for a variety of major companies including Transocean, CNR and Halliburton.
But, when the industry suffered a downturn, she took up a consulting career in China on the next stage of her peripatetic journey. And now, having racked up plenty of air miles in the last three years, it seems she has found her true calling.
As she added: “Storified.Talks will give the opportunity to 10 inspirational women to come and share their stories with a live audience.
“I am really looking forward to the tour later this year. It will also give me the opportunity to return to Aberdeen, where I curated the Indian Food Mela in 2013 for the Aberdeen Hindu Temple Trust.”
Ms Sadekar has forged many bonds between different people in far-flung countries. The next step lies in bringing the message home.
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