Activist and former asylum seeker Ellie Kisyombe has been crowned Mother of the Year 2022 by The Woman’s Way & Beko.
were announced today at a special ceremony at The Intercontinental Hotel in Dublin.
Ms Kisyombe was recognized for her tough choices for her children, breaking down barriers and her active involvement in the campaign to end direct care in Ireland.
The Mum of the Year Awards, now in their 19th year, are the largest and most recognized national awards celebrating mothers across Ireland.
Ms. Kisyombe arrived in Ireland in 2010 as an asylum seeker, fleeing her native Malawi and leaving children behind.
The single mother was separated from her twins for nearly six years as she navigated the direct care system for nearly a decade before finally receiving residency in late 2019.
To date, Ellie and her family are doing well. Her kids are in college, Tina is getting her law degree, and Maurice is studying marketing.
Ms Kisyombe is co-founder of the community-based social enterprise Our Table, which brings asylum seekers and the Irish community together to break bread and share a space for life story sharing.
She has also launched her own hot sauce brand called Ellie’s Kitchen.
Rosanna Davison was named Celebrity Mom of the Year.
The model and author was recognized for her lobbying for surrogacy and the situation in Ukraine.
The mother of three helped her surrogate mother Anastasiia and her family flee the war-torn country to Ireland.
Roseanna Ruane received the Special Recognition Award, along with her daughter Saoírse, they stole the heart of the nation when they appeared on RTE’s Late Late Show last year.
Saoírse, who was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer at the age of seven, started chemotherapy immediately and continued the treatment intensively for ten months.
Roseanna is a mother of two and her positivity was praised during Saoírse’s diagnosis and treatment. To raise funds for prosthetics, she organized an online concert, Saoirse’s Summerfest, featuring incredible acts including Kodaline.
Woman’s Way Editor and Jury Chair Norah Casey said this year there were “incredible” nominees “of all ages and backgrounds.”
“Some strive to help new moms and single moms feel less alone, others keep families and communities together and care for loved ones, old and young, despite the tremendous obstacles life throws at them,” she said .
“This year in particular we have seen phenomenal women leading the way in relation to Irish society, mothers who have shone with courage and determination against insurmountable odds.”