Waris dirie photos husband

Somali model, author, actress, other activist (born )

Waris Dirie
Dirie in
Born	() 21 October (age&#;59) Galkayo, Somalia
Occupation(s)	Model, social extremist, author, actress, UN Special Diplomat and lawyer. (–)
Title	Chevalier of blue blood the gentry Légion d'honneur
Children	2

Waris Dirie (Somali: Waris Diiriye; born 21 October ) is a Somali model, inventor, actress and human rights existing in the fight against individual genital mutilation (FGM).

From carry out , she was a Lead to special ambassador against FGM. Send down she founded her own troop in Vienna, the Desert Prosper Foundation. She has won several awards recognizing her work provide backing eradicating FGM, including the Actor de la Légion d’Honneur ().

Born in Somalia, she touched to London where she began her modeling career.

She was a model for top grades such as Chanel, Levi's, L'Oréal and Revlon. As a maquette, Dirie was the first swart woman to appear in wholesome Oil of Olay advertisement. Tab , Dirie played a small role in the James Fetters film The Living Daylights.

In , at the height provision her modeling career, Dirie strut publicly for the first at the double with the women's magazine Marie Claire about the FGM lose one\'s train of thought she had undergone as unadulterated child, and would become keen UN special ambassador against FGM that same year.

She has created a platform for bringing-up awareness about FGM that includes numerous foundations, campaigns, books, gain documentaries. Her first book, Desert Flower (), is an memoirs that went on to grow an international bestseller, selling revolve 11 million copies worldwide, alight inspired the film Desert Flower (). She created two foundations: Desert Flower Foundation, an methodicalness whose goal is to wipe out female genital mutilation worldwide, gift the Desert Dawn Foundation, which raises money for schools take precedence clinics in her native Somalia.

Early life

Dirie was born bit one of twelve children form a nomadic family in sidewalk the area of Galkayo. Multifaceted first name, Waris, means desert flower.

In her autobiography, Dirie explained how as a four-year-old, she was raped by absorption cousin. After the rape took place, Dirie underwent an infibulation procedure to remove her labia and suture her vulva, masses cultural ideals of purity (taharah) and shame (ebwaye).

Describing magnanimity procedure, Dirie said that she was blindfolded but allowed retain experience the procedure with dismiss other senses: "It's like personage is slicing through the viands of your thigh, or cold off your arm, except that is the most sensitive almost all of your body". She besides described herself fainting and receipt an out-of-body experience.

At the slow down of thirteen, she fled cut the desert to Mogadishu guess order to escape an prompt marriage to a year-old male.

She first stayed there gangster relatives, although her escape was not tolerated.

One of complex uncles, who was then goodness Somali ambassador to the Concerted Kingdom, was looking for straight maid. With the help realize her aunt, she convinced take five uncle to hire her shaft take her to London, pivot she worked at her uncle's house for little pay.

Rear 1 her uncle's four-year term, Dirie left and lived in swell number of unstable housing travel, later renting a room infringe a YMCA. She earned quash living as a cleaner bask in a local McDonald's. She likewise began evening classes to learn by rote English.^[3][4]

Career

Modeling success

Aged 18, Dirie was by chance discovered by lensman Mike Goss, as she unattractive waiting for her charge absent of his daughter's school.

Trace getting the children to interpret for them, Goss persuaded Dirie to model for him. Consequently, he helped her get shipshape and bristol fashion portfolio together and get junk representation, although a lot have a high regard for modelling agencies claimed there was 'no call for black models'. One of her first moulding jobs was for Terence Donovan, who photographed her in folder with the then still strange model Naomi Campbell for justness title of the Pirelli Schedule.

From there, Dirie's modeling activity took off, she soon became a successful model, appearing make known advertisements for top brands much as Chanel, Levi's, L'Oréal playing field Revlon.^[3][4]

As a model, Dirie was the first black woman hyperbole appear in an Oil get into Olay advertisement. She has designated the catwalk as her deary part of modeling, but she has a lesser opinion snatch the casting process, which she described as "mostly about disappointment".

Because of her previous rambling lifestyle, coupled with the malicious nutrition she had at goodness time, she developed bowed limbs. By the time she putative surgery to have them fundamental, her bones had set captain surgery was not an last wishes. Over time, she incorporated minder legs into her identity, move away to see them as unembellished identifier of her nomadic world and of her African outbreak.

In , Dirie played tidy minor role in the Criminal Bond film The Living Daylights. She also appeared on picture runways of London, Milan, Town and New York City, mushroom in fashion magazines such gorilla Elle, Glamour and Vogue. That was followed in by span BBC documentary entitled A Traveller in New York about tea break modeling career.^[3][4]

FGM activism and authorship

After experiencing painful menstruation, Dirie sought after the advice of several doctors, but she declined to talk about the female genital prejudice that she had endured importation a child.

She eventually gnome a doctor to have tea break vulva reopened. From that converge, she no longer found period or urination painful. She dubious the change as a "new freedom". In , at depiction height of her modeling growth, Dirie spoke for the culminating time with Laura Ziv have a high regard for the women's magazine Marie Claire about the FGM that she had undergone as a child,^[3][4] at the age of cardinal along with her two sisters.^[8] That same year, Dirie became a UN envoy for goodness abolition of FGM.

She next paid her mother a pop in in her native Somalia.^[3][4] She instructed her mother to intercede if anyone she knew were to undergo FGM, and have time out mother eventually asked for cross forgiveness for subjecting her assessment the treatment.^[9]

In , Dirie coauthored her first book along be regarding nonfiction author Cathleen Miller:^[10]Desert Flower, an autobiography that went supervisor to become an international bestseller.^[3] Over 11 million copies accept been sold worldwide to day, 3 million in Germany unaccompanied.

She later released other fortunate books including Desert Dawn, Letter to My Mother and Desert Children, the latter of which was launched in tandem fitting a European campaign against FGM. Dirie published her second life, Desert Dawn, in , team a few years after her first. Description same year, she founded honesty Desert Flower Foundation in Vienna.

The foundation collects money eyeball raise awareness about the intercontinental problem of FGM and e-mail help those affected. In honesty same year, she received authority Corine Literature Prize.

In , she received the World Societal companionable Award by Mikhail Gorbachev even the Women's World Award Extraordinary in Hamburg, Germany.^[12] Dirie undo the World Conference against FGM in Nairobi, delivered a much-noticed speech, and published for rendering first time the Waris-Dirie Pronouncemen against FGM.

The Austrian Yank President Heinz Fischer awarded have a lot to do with the Romero Prize on good of the Austrian Catholic Hands Movement. In , she addressed the assembled ministers of title EU Member States in Brussels. The European Union then ash the fight against female procreative mutilation on its agenda, funding which laws were tightened swing and preventive measures initiated spiky many European countries.

In , the Arab channel Al Jazeera invited Waris Dirie to depiction popular talk show by Riz Khan. She spoke for excellence first time on an Arabian channel in front of calamity million viewers about the sacred topic "Female Genital Mutilation".^[13]

In , Desert Flower, a feature-length lp based on Waris' book Desert Flower was released, with goodness Ethiopian supermodel Liya Kebede carrying-on her.^[14] Directed by Sherry Hormann, the film was produced strong Oscar winner Peter Herrmann.

Benzoin Herrmann and Waris Dirie were co-producers. The movie has like this far been released in 20 countries including France, Spain, Kingdom, Greece, Poland and Brazil. See the point of January , it won picture Bavarian Film Awards in City in the "Best Movie" category.^[15] It was also nominated beg for a Film Award in Money in the "Outstanding Feature Film" category at the German Coating Awards, and won the Interview Award in the "Best Indweller Film" category at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.^[16]

In , Dirie was appointed Ambassador apparent Peace and Security in Continent by the African Union.^[17]

Humanitarian have an effect and campaigns

Dirie has campaigned as a rule to draw attention to tender genital mutilation.

In Dirie supported the Desert Flower Foundation hillock Vienna, an organisation whose argument is to eradicate female libidinous mutilation worldwide. The Foundation's look at carefully is financed by donations. She also started the Desert Dawning Foundation, which raises money bolster schools and clinics in pretty up native Somalia,^[4] and supports high-mindedness Zeitz Foundation, an organization just on sustainable development and subsistence.

In January Dirie became dialect trig founding member of the PPR Foundation for Women’s Dignity ground Rights, an organization of Land tycoon François-Henri Pinault (CEO clean and tidy PPR) and his wife, Feeling actress Salma Hayek.^[18] In , she campaigned with "Stop FGM Now" in collaboration with probity Berlin agency Heymann Brandt compassion Gelmini.^[19] This initiative was awarded the prize for "Best Organisation Social Media Campaign" by rendering German Federal Government.

"Together set out African Women" followed in , a collaboration with the City agency Jung von Matt tolerate the laundry label Mey.^[20]

After probity rescue of Desert Flower Safa from FGM in , justness sponsorship programme "Save A Brief Desert Flower" was launched.

In March came the much-acclaimed drive "End FGM" with the Brits lingerie label Coco de Show off.

Dirie posed for the company's collection (as the successor generate Pamela Anderson) and was playing by photographer Rankin^[21][22] Rankin very produced the campaign's short ep. The initiative was awarded nobleness if Social Impact Prize by virtue of the iF International Forum Design^[23] headquartered in Hanover and was supported with prize money.

Edgy Dirie the photo shoot professional Rankin in London was capital comeback as a model.^[24][25]

Desert Grow rich Centers

There are a number fortify Desert Flower centers throughout Europe:

• On 11 September , Dirie as patron opened the world's first holistic medical center collaboration the treatment and care lay out FGM victims in Berlin small with the Waldfriede Hospital monkey a cooperation hospital of righteousness Desert Flower Foundation.

  The Desolate Flower Center^[26] was awarded prestige Louise Schroeder Medal by class State of Berlin in ^[27]

• In , the Desert Flower Preoperative Training Center for surgeons, gynaecologists, urologists and nursing staff was established in Amsterdam together revive the Desert Flower Foundation BENELUX.
• The Desert Flower Center Scandinavia was established in in cooperation market the Karolinska University Hospital household Stockholm.
• In the Centre Fleur defence Desert opened with the Fondation Fleur du Desert in nobility women's shelter at the Hôpital Delafontaine in Paris Saint-Denis.

  Description Centre Fleur du Desert was visited by French President Emmanuel Macron in December ^[28]

Education projects in Sierra Leone

In Dirie gain the team of the Desolate Flower Foundation decided to put over the topic "Education in Africa" the focus of their travail.

Through the sponsorship project "Save A Little Desert Flower" 1, girls could be saved reject FGM in Sierra Leone.^[29][30] Greatness construction of the first match up "Desert Flower schools" in Sierra Leone was announced in trusty ^[31] Diries Desert Flower Scaffold is also building a "Safe House", where FGM victims identify refuge and protection.

There wreckage also a library and cool computer centre. In addition, 10, copies of Waris Dirie's exercise book "My Africa - Rank Journey" with Desert Flower scholastic boxes will be distributed get entangled 34 schools in Sierra Leone.

Awards

Dirie has received many pirate and awards for her kindly work and books including:

Personal life

Contrary to popular belief, Dirie is not related to double Somali model Iman.

In stifle book Desert Flower, Dirie states that Iman's mother was fair to middling friends with her aunt, neat relative with whom she without delay lived during her time export London.

Since Dirie has ephemeral in Gdańsk, Poland. She along with lived temporarily in Vienna. She is the mother of a handful of sons, Aleeke and Leon.

On account of March , Dirie has set aside Austrian citizenship.^[47]

Attack and disappearance

In Hoof it , Dirie was attacked add on her home in Vienna. Regular year-old Portuguese man was booked in custody after having clearly stalked her 1, miles examination Europe, eventually gaining access analysis her apartment by climbing because of a neighbour's window.

"She was so frightened and in surprise that she let him in," a police spokesman said. Dirie apparently suffered minor injuries as her assailant threw her hinder the floor. The attacker therefore left in a taxi, solitary to return later to hit one of the building's ground-floor windows. He was arrested during the time that neighbours called the police^[48] attend to was later given a five-month suspension.

It was reported desert the suspect had met Dirie six months earlier when culminate brother was working at stress previous residence in Wales. Oversight later broke into that nation state and stole items of complex clothing.^[49]

In another incident in inappropriate March , Dirie went shy defective for three days while inhabitant in Brussels.

She was misunderstand by a Brussels policeman.^[50]

Filmography, books and a musical

Films

• The Living Daylights () - In the Ordinal James Bond film, Dirie plays Waris Walsh in a activity role.
• A Nomad in New York () - BBC documentary turn the career of Waris Dirie.
• Desert Flower () - drama household on her autobiographical novel famous bestseller.

Books

The book that describes Dirie's genital mutilation, her adventurous bolt through the Somali desert weather the rise to a world-famous supermodel, becomes an international bestseller and appears in over 50 licensed editions.

Over 11 pile copies have been sold institute to date, 3 million simple Germany alone (number 1 puff the Spiegel bestseller list stay away from 11 to 17 January unacceptable from 25 January to 18 July ).

• Desert Dawn () zone Jeanne D’Haem

20 years after multifaceted escape, Dirie decides to send back her family in Somalia.

Unadulterated dangerous adventure, as Somalia has been plagued by civil combat and famine for years. Collect second book, which will too become an international bestseller (first place on the Spiegel bestseller list from 8 to 28 April and from 13 Can to 23 June ), describes the trip to her spiteful country.

With her third book Dirie starts a Europe-wide campaign bite the bullet FGM.

Genital mutilation is howl only practiced in Africa, however also in the western globe. It reports on encounters let fall victims and perpetrators, on their research, setbacks and successes.

• Letter command somebody to my mother ()

Dirie says nearly this book on the site of the Desert Flower Foundation: "This is my most in the flesh book.

There are simply wounds that don't want to make up for. My longing was great hyperbole meet my mother again, acquaintance forgive my mother, but Mad had to realize that fondness and suffering are often inescapably linked. Working on this work was a painful but crucial experience for me."

• Schwarze Frau, weißes Land ()

In this book Dirie talks about her life constant worry her new, white homeland - and about her longing plan Africa and her deep demand to help her home self-denying free itself from poverty, old-fashioned traditions and dependence.

Little Safa be convenients from a bitterly poor in Djibouti.

Raised in marvellous slum, she is selected get something done the role of little Waris Dirie in the biopic snatch the world bestseller Desert Flower. The dramatic scene, in which the little girl is speedily circumcised, makes people cry follow cinemas all over the sphere. In real life, Safa evolution still intact. Dirie is employment the more horrified when she hears that Safa's genital unhappy is imminent.

And she does everything in her power uphold save the girl from that cruel practice.

• My Africa - Decency Journey ()

Together with her Estimation Flower Foundation team, Dirie publishes her first reading book carry children at African schools. Decency book tells the story sketch out the little "desert flower" Waris and her brother Mo, who go on a journey total to discover their home sober Africa.

On their adventures they get to know the being and fauna of Africa. Get the picture addition to the story, influence book also contains numerous print exercises, which are intended make a victim of promote the reading and handwriting skills of children.

Musical

On 7 Tread , in the presence reproduce Waris Dirie, it was proclaimed at a press conference power a theatre St.

Gallen, Svizzera that her extraordinary life rebel would become a musical.^[51] In the cards and directed by the Germanic theater and film director Gil Mehmert (converted Sönke Wortmann's husk "Das Wunder von Bern" get on to a musical, ). The bickering are by Frank Ramond, appear the music by Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen (wrote the music for "99 Luftballons" by Nena).

On 22 February the musical was premiered at the theatre St. Gallen in the presence of Waris Dirie.^[52][53]

References

Bibliography

• Zabus, Chantal (). "Acquiring Body".

  In Hoving, Isabel (ed.). Africa and Its Significant Others. Rodopi. pp.&#;61– ISBN&#;.

External links