RTDM: Allison Shigo — The Risk Takers Dream Makers

Aug 17

Aug 17 RTDM: Allison Shigo

Allison Shigo
Executive Director, Healing Hands of Joy
Charlotte, NC

We want to get to know you! Briefly tell us about yourself: Where you came from, where you've been and how you're living your dream?

I'm originally from New Hampshire. I lived in New York City for 20 years working as a documentary film producer. I'm living my dream of helping women in Africa after working on a documentary "A Walk to Beautiful" that followed women with obstetric fistula, a preventable childbirth injury prevalent in Ethiopia. Fistula has been eradicated in the US in the 19th century. Several years later, I co-founded Healing Hands of Joy an organization that is working to eliminate obstetric fistula and empower women who have suffered in Ethiopia fulfilling my dream to work for women in developing countries.

How do you define success?

Success is creating and building sustainable transformation in lives that have experienced deep hardship and hopelessness.

What did it take to make your dream happen and how do you make it sustainable?

Lots of prayer! I had a desire to reach women forgotten by society in Ethiopia and started Healing Hands of Joy to fill critical gaps in holistic rehabilitation and prevention/education in rural Ethiopia. I worked with key partners in Ethiopia to develop our Safe Motherhood Ambassador model and help build a sustainable program. I've also been blessed by strong partners and supporters in the US.

What are you most proud of? Go ahead, boast a little!

I'm most proud that we've been able to train over 1,600 former fistula patients as Safe Motherhood Ambassadors and they have educated over 50,000 pregnant women in Ethiopia. Recently one of Safe Motherhood Ambassadors from Southern Ethiopia was invited to speak at the US Embassy in Ethiopia for Intl. Women's Day. Last year Healing Hands of Joy was invited to present at the United Nations for Intl. Day to End Obstetric Fistula. I'm also proud that our film won an Emmy Award!

What was your biggest obstacle/fear and what was your turning point?

My biggest obstacle was when my co-founder left the work to pursue professional opportunities and I was overwhelmed with the thought of building Healing Hands of Joy on my own. God brought other partners and reminded me I am never alone in His work.

What’s the best advice you’d give to a younger you?

Be more patient and take time to celebrate success.

How do you stay motivated and purposeful when you feel overwhelmed?

Breath. Pray. Reflect on past challenges and how they were overcome. Rest is crucially important.

Tell us a time when a perceived failure was actually a blessing in disguise or served you in a surprising way.

When our Country Director of several years resigned I felt like a failure but I've come to realize she served our organization for a season and the only way to continue to grow our work was to have another Country Director come on board could help us scale and strengthen our org structure and staff. You come to realize you have to bless and release those that are called into the work for a certain time period.

What is your favorite vice/guilty pleasure/strange habit? Come on now, we all have them!

Wine and cheese for dinner.

What's the smartest investment you’ve made for yourself?

Art

What’s MOST important to you right now?

Love - strengthening relationships - finding Joy

Share 1-2 books that have impacted you the most:

"If you want to walk on water you've got to get out of the boat" John Ortberg "Sacred Pace" Terry Loper

What have you learned to say no to?

Still learning but too much travel

What's something surprising about you?

I love to dance, especially in Ethiopia but really anywhere