Deepa Jhaveri, one of the co-founders of the nonprofit media group Women Who Win, discussed the message of the group’s new book, “Women Who Win: Real Stories, Real Women: Inspiration, Resilience, and Ambition from Women Around the World,” and some of the stories from women around the world — and why women should also not be afraid to share their own.
The organization and the idea for the book were created during the pandemic by three women in town: Jhaveri, Dr. Manju Sheth, and Shaleen Sheth.
The book contains more than 100 stories shared by women through the group’s online platform.
When discussing the book, Jhaveri said one story that has stuck with her came from India. It was about a mother whose daughter went through a horrible accident and was hit by a bus.
“This mother has written about her journey, and it’s just phenomenal,” Jhaveri said. “The resilience, the strength, the support… It’s very relatable to women and mothers.”
Jhaveri explained that chapters such as this one cause readers to feel inspired about their own lives
“It’s one of those stories from which you can draw inspiration,” she said.
Another notable story Jhaveri reflected on was one of the book’s many stories about issues surrounding health.
It is about a student studying at MIT who was about to graduate. The student ignored a lump for two months, and found out later that it was breast cancer.
“That story has reached so many people, especially in communities where not many people are active about preventative health,” Jhaveri said. “It has actually encouraged people to have mammograms and breast exams.”
She said that chapters like this are also relatable, and cause readers to reflect on occasions when they ignored their own health while focusing on other parts of their lives.
Jhaveri said that the book is relatable for all generations, featuring stories from grandmothers, mothers, and daughters.
Jhaveri credited the organization’s youngest co-founder, Sheth, for bringing different perspectives and demographics to the group.
“She’ll always say, ‘Well, there are not many young people in so-and-so industry… so we need to get some people to get that perspective so it does relate to the younger generation, the teenagers, and young professionals,’” Jhaveri said.
Jhaveri also described the fear that can emerge as a result of women sharing their stories, no matter their age, but explained the importance of doing so.
She gave an example, saying that there was one writer who is Indian. She emphasized that in the Indian and Indian-American communities, as in many cultures, people often avoid talking publicly about personal issues.
“The community suffers,” Jhaveri said. “They don’t know what people do in situations, so every time someone goes through that, it’s like starting from scratch.”
Jhaveri explained that the woman had written about losing her husband and what it was like to raise her kids in spite of the struggles she was experiencing. She had been nervous about how her story would be perceived.
The three co-founders met with her and talked with her in person and on the phone to reassure her that her story would be shared authentically as she shared it with them.
Jhaveri said that the woman was floored by the support she received afterward, and that no one in her community had known what she was going through.
“I guess for women who are scared to share their story, I would say that this is, like most things, a brave step that takes courage,” Jhaveri said. “But we are open to having a conversation and sharing what the process looks like and being as transparent as possible.”
She added that many people start to realize the importance of having such conversations when they see the impact that it can have on others.
“Sharing their story might help someone else not go through it, or give the education to someone else, or empower someone else in their life,” she said.
Jhaveri said that anyone interested in learning more about the stories and authors should visit the organization’s website at https://www.womenwhowin100.com/. The group will also hold events to promote the book and share its stories.
The first will be held on May 16 at the Lynnfield Public Library, where Karen Nascembeni, general manager of the North Shore Music Theatre, will moderate a conversation with the organization’s three co-founders.
On June 2, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Academy Arts in Burlington, there will be an event run by the co-founders called Women Who Win Summer Summit. They will share stories from the book and segments on managing women’s health and wellness, male allies, navigating comebacks, and other topics.
