Meet Andrea Williams of I Will Stand International in McKinney and DFW

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Williams.

Andrea, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Rising up from a childhood of abuse and neglect and walking through my own healing process, I now work to bring hope and opportunity to vulnerable women and children around the world through I Will Stand International. IWSI was founded after I went to Rwanda through one of my Master’s classes through Regent University. I began to share my personal struggles with groups of women which began to challenge their perspective, bring hope, and create a oneness or sense of not being alone in their struggles.  We started with an emergency rescue shelter for street kids and abandoned or orphaned children and in 2015 transitioned over into a foster care type system.  IWSI now works to give opportunities to the most vulnerable through sending children to school, helping with emergency expenses, and teaching skills through our sewing school at our empowerment center. Locally, we have worked over the last six years with women in domestic violence, homeless, jobless, and other hopeless situations. We have provided shelter, transportation, mentoring, deliverance, help with everyday items such as clothing, housewares, furniture, and vehicles. I speak to groups about overcoming, finding purpose, healing after trauma, making a difference, and other topics that inspire people to do and be better.

Has it been a smooth road?
We have faced many challenges along the way. Learning how to lead and manage international teams, difficulties with people being stuck in their situations thinking they want help but not ready to receive help, challenges in gaining resources need to do the work we need to do and breaking out of our personal contacts for support and growth.

We’d love to hear more about your work.
I Will Stand International is a 501c3 nonprofit that works locally in DFW, in Southeast Texas, with the Navajo Nation, as well as in Rwanda and Uganda Africa. We work with vulnerable women and children bringing hope, encouragement, helping with tangible needs, and empowering people to rise up to their full purpose and capacity.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I do think that DFW is a good location for charity work. There are a lot of needs here and a lot of people willing to step up and help fill those needs.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.iwillstandintl.org
• Phone: 903-436-4166
• Email: andreawilliams@iwillstandintl.org
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/iwillstandinternational

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