In recognizing the accomplishments and contributions of Dr. Oluremi Adewale, a health professional with over 20 years of experience, we aim not only to highlight her work but to also encourage others to take steps in their communities. From an early age, our trailblazer has held the belief that knowledge and education can empower and shape the lives of people.
Dr. Adewale is renowned for her experience and expertise in the field of health. Dr. Adewale’s unwavering commitment to excellence is evident in her educational journey, culminating in a Doctorate degree in Education specializing in Health Policy and Health Education. With an illustrious career spanning over two decades as a Canadian-trained registered nurse, Dr. Adewale has profoundly impacted mental and physical health, leaving an indelible mark locally and internationally.
As a proud Canadian woman of African heritage, a leader, and a community advocate with an intersectional approach, Dr. Adewale’s fundamental beliefs are rooted in helping people, especially women and girls, reach their potential. Dr. Adewale’s diverse skill set has allowed her to support newcomers to Canada, both less privileged, and professionals. She has spent her time mentoring and coaching youth and women in various areas including health promotion, youth civic engagement, personal development, and economic development. She is committed to breaking down systemic barriers and building up girls, women, families, and communities. Dr. Adewale is driven by her passion and dedication to inspire and empower people and to improve the lives and well-being of communities.
About Women Focus Canada, Inc (WFC)
Strong community engagements have profound impacts on lives, but not all communities have the tools or resources to best help the people. Dr. Oluremi Adewale saw the gap of capacity building for women and young girls as an opportunity to give back to her community. In 2018, this passion gave birth to the registration of a Canadian charitable organization called Women Focus Canada, Inc. (WFC). Dr. Adewale is the driving force steering the helm at WFC as the Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer. She is a seasoned leader uniquely poised to propel WFC’s mission and organizational transformation.
WFC is dedicated to relieving poverty in Canada through the collaborative delivery of transformative programs targeted toward women empowerment. WFC aims to empower women and girls, particularly those from underprivileged communities, with a special emphasis on racialized communities. WFC creates safe and inviting platforms for knowledge exchange, learning, networking, and skill-building. WFC envisions Canada where every woman and girl can achieve her fullest potential and participate in all aspects of life. WFC was built on a vision and a way to give back to what Dr. Adewale identified was missing from our communities.
Through its initial programming, WFC delivered key community programs and made progress in addressing the psychological impacts of isolation and lockdown due to COVID-19, building capacity, and encouraging women to improve their lives. For example, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Adewale collaborated with a multidisciplinary team to run twelve-week webinars on Covid-19 Information & Prevention reached over 1000 people.
Similarly, Dr. Adewale has identified a blind spot in intimate partner violence education and awareness for women and girls living in shelter settings. This is why Dr. Adewale led a project to address domestic violence issues aggravated by the pandemic and its effects. The project provided a three-month Zoom series for empowerment, addressing individual and group wellness and self-care counselling/therapy, employment and reskilling counsel, and support. The target goal was 50 women and girls; however, project exceeded its target goal threefold. “At WFC, we believe that without community cohesion and solidarity we will not be able to ensure equity, diversity, and inclusion, and to this point we bring all women together, irrespective of their various intersecting identities,” Adewale said.
She added that “Together we can improve opportunities and outcomes”. Visit their website for more information and how to support www.womenfocuscanada.org
Convener of the Youth Civic Engagement Program
In 2021, WFC expanded services to youth, so that the organization’s mission of poverty reduction could be approached from multiple angles. Youth civic involvement is essential for developing in young people a sense of empowerment, responsibility, and social awareness. Young people can work with like-minded peers and mentors and make a collective impact on their communities by joining youth-led groups, clubs, or non-government organizations that are concerned with social issues; examples include groups dedicated to promoting human rights, protecting the environment, and reducing poverty.
Dr. Adewale recruited and worked with a youth-led workgroup on the inaugural Youth Civic Engagement Program, an initiative designed to encourage young women aged fifteen to twenty-nine to learn about Canada’s political infrastructure and governance systems. YCEP’s key purpose is to foster increased political literacy and youth engagement through knowledge, leadership competencies, community engagement, political advocacy, and careers in public service, and networking. Overall, WFC’s inaugural YCEP was a success with key objectives of the program being met, and Women Focus Canada aims to launch the YCEP at the national level. “We are seeking talented individuals to join our team and take our YCEP to the next level”. If you are interested, contact them at info@womenfocuscanada.org
Dr. Adewale is motivated to promote the interests of women, ensuring representation and equal participation of women and men. She is devoted to encouraging women’s active participation at all levels on all national boards, government institutions, and committees.
