In this interview, Yomi Wilcox, founder of Iya Henry (IH), talks about shifting how society and organisations approach women’s advocacy in Nigeria and beyond.

Instead of the traditional ‘save women’ narrative, she argues that women are already capable, high-functioning individuals who need spaces to be heard, understood and supported without being treated like they are broken.

IH, launched in 2020, is described as a women-focused, tech-enabled and impact-driven platform that creates safe, honest environments for modern women to engage with real-life experiences through conversation, storytelling, community and support systems.

A key innovation from IH is its ‘Listening Line’, a tech-based channel that allows women to express themselves freely, vent, and process emotions without immediately being corrected or given unsolicited solutions.

Wilcox explains that technology helps IH go beyond physical boundaries, enabling continuous support and virtual engagement for women across different locations and life stages.

She also highlights that modern women are dealing with layered realities, from career pressure to identity struggles, societal expectations and personal reinvention.Rather than assuming one universal problem for all women, she stresses the importance of acknowledging diversity in women’s experiences.IH therefore focuses on personalised and flexible support systems instead of one-size-fits-all solutions.

Wilcox further connects her background in branding, education, and strategy to IH’s design, explaining that real impact goes beyond visibility and followers to actual emotional and social transformation.

She also notes that corporate institutions should treat employee wellbeing as essential, not secondary, since people’s personal realities affect productivity and creativity.

Ultimately, IH aims to build a trusted ecosystem where women are not pressured to constantly perform or ‘be more’, but are instead supported to grow authentically, rest when needed, and evolve at their own pace in both personal and professional life.