Camila Batmanghelidjh - Born 1963
British-Iranian Political Activist, Charity Founder and Author
Added to the album by a wonderful woman called Jules
Perhaps it is simply that her story is fresh in my mind but while putting today's blog about Camila Batmanghelidjh together, I find myself making a number of comparisons with yesterday's Wonderful Woman, Marie Curie (Wonderful Woman No. 42 - http://iamawonderfulwoman.blogspot.com/2012/02/marie-curie-wonderful-woman-no-42.html), who was also suggested by Jules. In yesterday's blog, I wrote the Marie Curie was responsible for saving the lives of a great many people and the same can be said about Camila, it would be impossible to calculate the number of children who would not still be living were it not for Camila. I also wrote yesterday about the struggles Marie Curie had overcome before achieving her greatness, I feel the same is true of today's subject.
Camila was born into great wealth in Persian, Tehran and was sent to boarding school in England at the age of 11. While she and her siblings studied in England, the Shah in her homeland was overthrown in the midst of the Iranian revolution. Her father was imprisoned and for a while, the children believed he had be executed, a belief that caused the suicide of Camila's sister. With the help of her school, Camila was able to gain access to her father's bank account and to obtain political asylum and British citizenship. Camila overcame the obstacles of dyslexia in order to obtain a first degree and Theatre and Dramatic Arts at Warwick University and later trained to be a Psychotherapist. She went into a career in the Family Service Unit, providing therapy for children on the At-Risk Register.
I became determined to take the service to where the children are, and to structure the service from the child's perspective only.
Camila Batmanghelidjh
Camila went on to found two charities The Place2B and Kids Company, which have provided services for children in disfortunate circumstances, including those who have suffered abuse and neglect, young offenders and children living in poverty. Her schemes provide support, counselling, medical care, education, hot dinners and a wealth of other services to the most vulnerable of society, and has existed largely without government funding, Camila herself often financially scaffolding the organisation, on two occasions re-mortgaging her personal property to keep them afloat. Camila is often at loggerheads with the care system in the United Kingdom, her charity, Kids Company, having taken a number of local authorities to court over access to the Child Protection Register and demands for care orders. She believes that the whole care system is in need of overhaul and speaks passionately about prominent cases (such as the Baby P case that caused such uproar in the UK) and the failings of the system. She has campaigned for systemic reform and is often seen as a
talking head on the news on stories about child protection. I felt her incredible strength. I have met few truly extraordinary people in my life, but Camila is definitely one of them.
Helen Mirren, Another Wonderful Woman
Camila has produced many pieces of literature about child protection, including the book Shattered Lives: Children living with Courage and Dignity which tells a number of children's stories and the effects of their earlier traumatic experiences and is critical of structures in the social care system and the bureaucracy involved.
This is one of the most difficult books I have ever had to read but inspiring in its energy and vision.
James Woodward, Theologist and Book Reviewer
In 2009 the Women in Public Life Awards named her Businesswoman of the Year and she has received praise and recognition for her work, dedication and belief. She is a fabulous human being and a much deserved addition to the Wonderful Women in this album.
I was nine years old when I announced to my parents that I wanted to work with vulnerable children. For me, it's a calling.
Camila Batmanghelidjh
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