IWCNZ Admin Council

The New Admin Council 2021-2023

Islamic Women Council Team in New Zealand

ALIYA 'ALLYN' DANZEISEN

‍NATIONAL COORDINATOR

Aliya founded and leads WOWMA, a youth programme for Muslim females in the Waikato which as been identified as best practices nationally and internationally. She’s been invited to participate in five global summits and has been finalist for the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards twice (2016 & 2020).

In her day job, Aliya leads the Spanish Department at a high school in Hamilton, New Zealand. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Juris Doctor, a Master of Laws and is currently pursuing another master degree in educational leadership. Originally from the USA, Aliya has lived in South America, the Caribbean, and Japan before coming to New Zealand.

RADIYA ALI

ASSISTANT NATIONAL COORDINATOR

Radiya is originally from Eritrea. Radiya grew up in the Waikato and has served as a Waikato representative for IWCNZ four years prior to relocating to Palmerston North. Radiya was a WOWMA youth coordinator (2015 – 2018) coordinator in 2015 at the One95 Global Youth Summit Against Violent Extremism. In her day job, Radiya is Quality Practice Advisor. She holds Bachelor Applied Social Science – Social Work.
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EMAN BSISOU

‍ASSISTANT NATIONAL COORDINATOR

Eman Bsisou has been an Auckland representative for IWCNZ for the past 5 years and is an active volunteer at Al Manar trust for over 20 years organising and running community events, including lessons, workshops, outdoor activities, and camps creating motivational and collaborative learning environments that encourage social, Islamic and emotional growth. Eman is a high school computer science teacher at Mt Roskill Grammar School. She has finished her Bachelor in computing systems in 2017 in a software engineering pathway with a “Top student graduate award”. She received an IBM scholarship in 2016. She has joined the Aotearoa NZ histories group that works for the Ministry of Education in 2020 ensuring that all communities are included in the new NZ histories curriculum decisions. She has done Islamic and Quran Studies overseas and was an Arabic and Quran teacher prior to teaching computer science. She has a diploma in Diet and Nutrition and has an interest in healthy habits for a better lifestyle. Eman was born in Jordan and migrated to NZ with her family in the 1990s. Shas has three children born in NZ. She values respect, honesty, resilience, dedication, and self-development.

WEAAM BASSIOUNI

SECRETARY

Weaam Bassiouni served as the Auckland Youth Representative for IWCNZ for the past two years. She helped organise the 2018 National camp and 2019 Auckland conference as well as various small events for the female youth over the past few years.

Weaam is part of a variety of other community organisations where her role is to also promote inclusivity, connect communities and empower youth. She is a project manager assistant for Eyeview Ethnic Trust, and Community Events Coordinator for the North Shore Islamic Association.
Weaam is currently a student at the University of Auckland doing a Bachelor of Global Studies, majoring in Global Environment, Sustainable Development and Spanish. She is also completing her Certificate of Languages, focussing on French and Chinese. Weaam is originally Egyptian but has lived in New Zealand her whole life.

MUNIRA KHANUM ‍

NATIONAL TREASURER

Munira Khanum is the National Treasurer for IWCNZ, a role she has held for over ten years. Munira has over 30 years’ experience in the New Zealand financial sector, having held varies roles including Authorized Investment Adviser and Insurance advisory. She also holds a Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning. Her association with IWCNZ started with the desire to connect with other migrant families and help new migrants settle in New Zealand, a journey she had travelled herself having migrated from Fiji in the 1980s. Munira has served as a trustee for the Fatimah Foundation, an organization which served disadvantaged families and operated Halal food bank. Today, her work focuses on helping women build community connections through social and sporting events. She has raised two adult daughters, is a proud grandmother and enjoys travelling and swimming in her spare time.

The Previous Admin Council/Our Team

Islamic Women Council Team in New Zealand

DR. MAYSOON SALAMA

‍NATIONAL COORDINATOR

Dr. Maysoon Salama is a scholar in science with a PhD in Food Microbiology and Molecular Biology from Oregon State University. Dr. Maysoon received many prestigious awards for her research and holds two patents. She has publications in the field of microbiology in prestigious journals and academic conferences. Dr. Maysoon is the co-founder and manager of two An-Nur Child Education and Care Centers, one in Christchurch which was the first Islamic Centre in New Zealand established in 2000, and the other in Dunedin, established in 2014. She has a passion for community service and compassion for sharing the beauty of Islam through radio speeches, conferences presentations and workshops. Dr. Maysoon has served as the National Coordinator for Islamic Women Council of New Zealand since 2012.
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SAMAH ANDY

SECRETARY

Samah is the secretary of Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand (IWCNZ). She served as the Muslim women representative for Manawatu Muslim Association (MMA) for four years. She also served as the treasurer for NZ Arab Association for one year. She was the administrator for Iqraa Islamic school for two years where kids attend classes every Sunday. Samah is currently a Medical Imaging Technology full-time student. Samah moved to New Zealand eleven years ago where she did community voluntary work. She is a mother of four children. Samah was born and raised in Jordan and speaks Arabic as her first language. Samah has a bachelors degree in Agriculture Economics and Agribusiness from University of Jordan. At a personal and professional level, Samah supports Muslim women around the country.

ALIYA 'ALLYN' DANZEISEN

GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT

Allyn “Aliya” Danzeisen served as the Assistant National Coordinator for five years. At the behest of IWCNZ membership and its executive, Aliya retained the government engagement portfolio for the organisation and continues to advocate matters for IWCNZ. Aliya founded and leads WOWMA, a youth programme for Muslim females in the Waikato which as been identified as best practices nationally and internationally. She’s been invited to participate in five global summits and has been finalist for the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards twice (2016 & 2020). In her day job, Aliya leads the Spanish Department at a high school in Hamilton, New Zealand. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Juris Doctor, a Master of Laws and is currently pursuing another master degree in educational leadership. Originally from the USA, Aliya has lived in South America, the Caribbean, and Japan before coming to New Zealand.

IWCNZ Regional Representative 2021

Auckland

Tasneem Yaseen

Auckland

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Naz Sharif

Auckland

Saja Abbas

Auckland

Shama Nhazeem

Auckland

Muryum Landi

Auckland

Christchurch

Mai Morad

Christchurch

Heba Said

Christchurch

Dunedin

Marwa Safa

Dunedin

Nur Hidaya sabry

Dunedin

Wellington

Mariah Armaghan

Wellington

Zeenah Adam

Wellington

Palmerston North

Shelly Rafiq

Palmerston North

Hanadi Majed

Palmerston North

Hamilton

Khadija Talbi

Hamilton

Safiya Noorazi

Hamilton

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITES