Difference Maker: Uzma Aziz serving behind the scenes, advocating for women

Uzma Aziz has worked for Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence (SEMO-NASV) for almost 20 years, making her the organization’s longest serving staff member. Aziz has chosen to stay because she truly loves her job and the positive impact she’s able to make on area adults and children. She says she couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.

SEMO-NASV is a child advocacy and rape crisis center offering services to children and adults in nine counties throughout Southeast Missouri. The not-for-profit offers counseling services, medical exams, forensic interviews, prevention education and advocacy services. As operations director, Aziz works behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly and SEMO-NASV is able to serve its clients.

She completes human resources requirements, prepares grant reports, billing and payroll, and advises on policies, procedures and the overall vision for the organization. She also supervises the volunteer and support staff. Aziz does it all to make sure SEMO-NASV’s mission of helping clients comes to fruition.

“It’s a lot, because when you work for a nonprofit agency, you need to wear different hats. It’s a nonprofit, and the mission of SEMO-NASV is in my heart. It’s my second home. I love my job. I love it, because I know what we are doing, what all the staff is doing,” Aziz said.

Since SEMO-NASV is a not-for-profit, Aziz says most of the staff is financed by grants. It’s up to Aziz to compile all the information needed, which she’ll give to Kendra Eads, the executive director, who writes the final grants that keep the organization running.

This career is not something Aziz could have imagined for herself. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Karachi in Islamabad, Pakistan, where she grew up. After that, she taught home economics to high schoolers, before relocating to the United States with her family in 2001. She lived in Atlanta before moving to Jackson, Missouri, with her husband Umar Aziz in 2002.

“It’s like a big, big change. I’m a city girl, but [one] main reason for staying in this area is my job. Because I’m so happy with this job and the work I do, and the work my coworkers are doing,” Aziz said.

Aziz says the subject of sexual violence is not discussed as openly in her culture, so taking the job at SEMO-NASV was a learning experience for her. She says she felt like she was learning something new every day and becoming more passionate about the positive impact she could make in her role.

She originally applied for a part-time receptionist position at SEMO-NASV in 2004 because she was looking for an office job as she completed her certification in Business Office Technology, Billing, Coding and Excel from the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center.

She says the position turned out to be “much more” than an office job. She was promoted to her current role as operations director within six years of starting with the not-for-profit.

Outside of her job, Aziz enjoys cooking, going for walks and spending time with her husband. She is also a member of the Islamic Center of Cape Girardeau. On weekends, she enjoys gathering with her community and cooking meals together.

For Aziz, it’s the mission of SEMO-NASV that makes her job so fulfilling. It’s what has helped her stay at the organization for almost 20 years and counting. She says she wants to be part of the “healing” of those individuals affected by sexual trauma.

“Because I know that I’m helping,” Aziz said. “I’m not directly involved in providing the services, but I’m helping them. I work for billing and I’m bringing the money and that’s helping clients. It’s really, really satisfying. When I go home, I feel so relaxed, it’s not like I’m tense or tired, but I feel so satisfied that [I know] I did something to help.”