Yaina Samuels

Yaina has over 25 years of experience working in private, public and third sector organisations and describes herself as a truth teller social entrepreneur, seeing the world as it is and how it can be.

In 2010, she established NuHi a social enterprise which offers bespoke education and training workshops for people with substance misuse problems. The organisation has enabled Yaina to use her personal experience of addiction, treatment, and recovery to creatively transform her own life and the lives of others.

Over the last decade, Yaina has set up charitable aid projects, provided Information Communication Technology training, delivered substance misuse and safeguarding workshops, and helped to establish a women’s empowerment and leadership group in Sierra Leone.

Through her successful running of NuHi and her partnerships in Sierra Leone, Yaina has developed strong collaborative relationships with stakeholders, organisations and businesses to promote and bring about social change which benefits individuals, groups and communities both in Wales and West Africa.

She was recently appointed Regional Co-ordinator for the Ethnic Minority and Youth Support Team, an All Wales, Black, Asian, and minority ethnic (black, Asian and minority ethnic) Engagement Programme, where she runs a series of initiatives to engage with, represent, and empower black, Asian and minority ethnic people to enable their voices to be heard.

Yaina will use these black, Asian and minority ethnic views and experiences as evidence to positively influence Welsh Government and other bodies so that policy and provision can better reflect and respond to the needs of communities in Wales.

Yaina was nominated by Dr Shumaila Yousafzai.