Woman Warrior

Trailblazer Christine Amour-Levar is on a mission– and she’s not taking no for an answer.

“I am no longer poor. I can now support my family by making bricks and selling them. My children go to school, and we have enough to eat. I have you and your team of women to thank for my good fortune,” said a Rwandan woman to Christine Amour-Levar when she visited the country in Nov 2017 to see the work of one of her charity partners Women for Women International.

“Her honesty and gratitude touched me deeply. The women we met there are courageous, determined and hardworking survivors of a decimated generation. Today, Rwanda has 64 per cent of its seats in parliament held by women, leading the world in female representation,” shared Amour-Levar. The Peak chats with the multi-hyphenate about her mission to empower women everywhere to reach their full potential.

What first set you down this path of women empowerment?

I grew up in the Philippines, surrounded by very strong women. The Philippines is described as a nation of driven women, who directly and indirectly run the family unit, businesses, government agencies and haciendas or plantations. I also became aware of the poverty and inequality around me at a very early age. Mum involved us in charitable community activities whenever she could, and taught my siblings and me that privilege comes with great responsibility – values that I strive to live by and pass on to my children.