Teresa Nahwegahbow-Daynes is the first nominee for Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta and Syncrude Women of Inspiration series 2017-2018.
The Women of Inspiration is a partnership between Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta and Syncrude, with a goal to recognize women throughout the Wood Buffalo region who inspire others, break new ground or old barriers and help create change.
The series also aims to show local girls positive role models who live right here.
About Nahwegahbow-Daynes
Nahwegahbow-Daynes is Ojibwe from the Whitefish River First Nations in Ontario.
Raised by her grandparents, her family moved off the reservation after two of her uncles were taken away to residential schools in hopes no other children would be sent away.
They were the only Indigenous people in town and her grandmother instilled in her the importance of responsibility and being “a good Indian woman.”
When her grandmother passed when Nahwegahbow-Daynes was just 13, she moved back to the reserve with her parents and had a hard time fitting in.
Terese attended Conestoga College, became a personal support worker after graduation and went back to university while raising her two daughters.
She met and married her husband and relocated to Fort McMurray in 2006 where they both found jobs with Athabasca Tribal Council and developed an employment training program.
Soon after they branched out to the Paudash Group where she worked with Indigenous People in the area and helped them become employment ready.
Nahwegahbow-Daynes found her passion in helping others and loves to work with youth and adults.
She became active in the Nistawoyou Friendship Centre and worked hard to make the Centre inviting for everyone.
The Friendship Centre became a great source of pride for hert and after the fire and evacuation, she and her staff worked to make it a port of re-entry, a distribution centre and a place to host the Red Cross efforts.
Promoting youth and her culture are what keep her going despite losing her home to the fire and dealing with her husbands’ health issues.
Honouring her culture through programs such as vigils for Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women, promoting the Moose hide Campaign, sharing Aboriginal culture and traditions with people from all backgrounds is her mission.
Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta and Syncrude will honour Nahwegahbow-Daynes and 11 other nominees, at the Women of Inspiration Celebration which will take place in June, 2018.
You can nominated a woman of inspiration visit online or contact the Girls Inc. office at 780-790-9236.
