By Izolda Matevosyan
I am myself — Izolda: a woman, mum, business development consultant in Yerevan, Armenia. I am a human being, a dreamer; a person who loves this life. I started school in Armenia earlier than others and graduated with honours. Since my school years were during a post-war era, there were not many extracurricular activities to undertake, apart from music school and I did well there for 7 years. I used to participate in many school competitions since the age of 13 and being a girl made it harder to win those trophies, but more rewarding when I did win.
English is my second language and I started studying it at the age of 12. I was so lucky to have a fantastic teacher who taught me to start ‘thinking in English’ if I really wanted to master the language. I had to translate at least 3 books, learn them by heart and speak to myself in front of the mirror for hours to get past the insecurity stage and just speak the language. Russian is my second native language, as a citizen of a post-Soviet country, and Armenian is my mother tongue. I suppose, languages teach you to think differently. You learn a different way of making sentences and a different grammar set, which helps you realise that there is another way of saying things, another way of thinking. You are more open to cultural differences and differing opinions.
Since the age of 15, I have dreamt of studying in the UK. Financially that was impossible as I was from a middle-income single-parent family in Armenia. But after finishing my BA in Economics, at the age of 22, I worked with an Irishman who helped me apply for scholarships. I applied and didn’t get through the first year. Nor, the second year when I was told that I had no chance as I needed to ‘know key people’. I persisted. Finally, I received a fully-funded Chevening scholarship for an MA at the University of Manchester, UK — they funded my stay as well!
I have always been told off by my Mum for being too outspoken, and that I don’t think twice before saying something a girl should not say. I agree that being diplomatic is very important, but I can never agree that because I am a woman I should keep my mouth shut and let the ‘superior sex’ speak. I really relate to what Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez means when she said, “Justice is about making sure that being polite is not the same thing as being quiet. In fact, oftentimes, the most righteous thing you can do is shake the table.” To be honest, I think that wise people respect women (regardless of gender) who are not afraid to share their opinions, because they are happy to learn from you.
I hate betrayal, lying and corruption. I have been a fighter for equality ever since childhood. I feel sad when I see carelessness, indifference and apathy. But I feel hopeful when I look at the youth in our world and their energy and awareness of issues. I want all the people in the world to have a secure and happy future. My role at Includovate gives me a chance to contribute in a worthwhile manner.
About the author:
After completing her BA in Economics in Yerevan, Armenia and working shortly within the development cooperation, Izolda applied for Chevening Scholarship and was funded to complete her MA in International Development Management in the University of Manchester, UK. Most of Izolda’s professional career has been within the development cooperation with different multinational organisations.
While working with an IT company focusing on the international development community, Izolda still felt the lack of tangible development-related work, and joining Includovate happened at the right time. She believes in teaching by actions rather than words and that principle is followed in her personal/professional life. Izolda thinks it is never too late to learn new skills while one is walking on the Earth. Izolda is bilingual from birth, Armenian and Russian are her native languages, she is also fluent in English.
Includovate is a feminist research incubator that “walks the talk”. Includovate is an Australian social enterprise consisting of a consulting firm and research incubator that designs solutions for gender equality and social inclusion. Its mission is to incubate transformative and inclusive solutions for measuring, studying, and changing discriminatory norms that lead to poverty, inequality, and injustice. To know more about us at Includovate, follow our social media: @includovate, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram.