Zeinab Mistou Akkaoui has been involved for more than two decades in helping families and their children throughout the South Shore of Montreal.

She arrived in Quebec in 1975 and has several children; she knows intimately how crucial the support of the local community for women and mothers is for their well-being, for the development of their children, and for their integration into society.

In order to put her values into action, Zeinab and a friend created the Association des femmes d'ici et d'ailleurs in 2013. Since then, other women volunteers have joined the association to help and support families from here and elsewhere. This includes Syrian refugee families who settled in Longueuil and Brossard in 2015 and 2016.

Zeinab and her associates ran francization workshops for families fresh off the plane. They actively supported them in learning French and integrating into Quebec society. They organized mother-daughter outings, intercultural dinners, and meetings with the Longueuil police services. Zeinab even personally accompanied 22 women during the delivery of their child.

In recognition of her dedication to the families and children of the South Shore, Zeinab Akkaoui received the Governor General of Canada's Award in 2024. She and her associates have also won numerous awards for their volunteer work, including the 2019 Accomplishment award at the Gala de l'action des bénévoles de la ville de Brossard.

Her involvement does not stop there. She has been a volunteer at Charles-Le Moyne Hospital, the CLSCs (as part of the vaccination program), the Maison Internationale, the Maison de la Famille de Brossard and the Red Cross since 2005. She is also involved with the organization MOM.

As Zeinab affirms, the important mission of helping women and families continues to shine through its relevance; when you help families, you help a society, you help a country.