Our History
background
Fiona J. Almeida a native of South Africa is the Founder and Executive Director of Small Acts for Sustainability (SAS). In 2013, she visited her ancestral land of India for the first time and this is where her passion to empower women, youth and communities were confirmed. During her visit to India Fiona stayed in a remote village along the western Ghats of Karnataka, among a Siddi community and other marginalized groups of Indians. Here she learned about the challenges/obstacles people in this specific region face due to their ethnicity, gender, facial features and geographic location. With much determination, I was eager to learn why were these young girls not attending school and are being isolated.
In particular, she experienced first hand how many adolescent girls were isolating themselves during their period. The girls would remove themselves from daily routine activities, skip school for 3-5 days.
. . Fiona is 4 generation South African and was eager to learn more about her family’s roots. She arrived in India to a village where she lived with a group of people of African descent “Siddis” who were brought to India as enslaved people over 700 years ago.
Since 2013, she has dedicated time to work with marginalized groups of women and youth in rural villages of Karnataka, India. In 2013 Fiona visited India for the first time
We have served over (##) Siddi families in Karnataka, India and other minority groups in its surrounding villages. Thanks to local hostels and (clothing vendors), the small act of educating women about their periods promotes discussion around good hygiene practice, sexual abuse, mental health and environmental consciousness. In our sanitary napkin project, women were taught how to make reusable cotton sanitary pads. They were educated on topics like puberty, the reproductive system, and the taboos surrounding periods. The sanitary pads provided an environmentally friendly solution to keep girls in school during their periods. Small Acts for Sustainability empowers people and their families to create their own sustainable projects that make an impact on the entire society.
BIO
Fiona Almeida is a native of South Africa who now lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is a recent graduate of Tufts University, where she obtained her Master’s degree from the Urban Environment Policy and Planning Department. Fiona obtained her BA from Wellesley College and her AS from Middlesex Community College, Boston, MA. Almeida is passionate about Global Healthcare, Education, Gender Equality and the intersection of Culture and Identity. Fiona’s research focuses on a minority group of African Indians called Siddis, living in Karnataka, India. She conducts ethnographic research and focuses on culture, identity, mental health, education and women’s reproductive health, specifically menstruation. Fiona has implemented two ongoing projects in several Siddi villages in Karnataka. She teaches women the skill of making reusable cotton sanitary napkins and raises awareness on menstrual hygiene. In 2016, she implemented an awareness and prevention project called Break Free From Depression for Adolescents. The projects in India are part of her ongoing interest and commitment to women’s education and reproductive health. Fiona has a varied and richly textured background and has held various positions at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Wellesley College, and Harvard Smithsonian – Center for Astrophysics. She has recently worked with the Deshpande Foundation in Hubli where she worked on their English and Communication curriculum.
When Almeida, is not buried in research and designing projects, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, trying out new food spots and enjoying outdoor activities. Fiona also runs a South African networking group for South Africans in Massachusetts and neighboring states. She is currently a member of the following boards: Middlesex Community College Alumni Association, African Indian Alliance and Commonwealth Honors Society at Middlesex Community College.
