About SEKHMET
SEKHMET is a young NGO based in Prishtina. With our work, we intend to contribute to the democratization of Kosovo. For us, this means recognizing our individual civic duty to fight for justice through our work, to occupy the public space with competence and responsibility, and to nurture public processes which promote wellbeing for all.
SEKHMET promotes justice and respect for human rights, particularly of minorities and of those excluded from power, representation and recognition, by supporting inclusive social and cultural change. Our work takes the form of research and documentation, through cultural and artistic productions as well as advocacy and awareness-raising activities targeting the general public, mainly on women's and LGBT+ rights.
Why SEKHMET
Sekhmet, “She who is Powerful”, is an Ancient Egyptian goddess of war. Half woman, half lioness, she is the daughter of Ra, the King of the Gods — and his most feared and revered servant. Implacable warrior and with limitless power, Sekhmet exacts revenge on all those who defy the laws of the gods by bringing injustice and imbalance onto the world. As dangerous as the desert, as mighty as the midday sun she wears as a crown, Sekhmet is the annihilator of bad things, she who allows for the restoration of order. As such, Sekhmet is also worshiped as the goddess of medicine, and of just retribution. Also known as Nesert, the “Burning Flame”, Sekhmet personifies raw power, defiant righteousness and unashamed femininity. Destroyer on one hand and creator on the other, mother of balance, she is a goddess of sexual liberation.
At SEKHMET, we celebrate the power of this ancient goddess, and her commitment to make all accountable before justice. We salute her resolve, stemming from her sacred duty to what is right, and her fearlessness in displaying her innate power. We honor the strength of her womanhood and of her unapologetic individuality, and the generative power of her public-spirited pursuit of justice.
Who we are
Dardan Hoti, SEKHMET's Executive Director, has nine years of experience in journalism, covering mainly human rights, with a particular focus on LGBT+ rights. He has worked as an editor and producer in media such as RTV Dukagjini and Euronews Albania. In 2013, he won the first Journalism Poverty Prize awarded by the United Nations Kosovo Team. Between 2014 and 2021, Dardan was a board member of the Kosovo Journalists Association. He is the researcher and producer of the documentary “As I Was Looking Above, I Could See Myself Underneath”, exploring the lives of LGBTQ persons in Kosovo. His most recent works are the realization of “Dealing with the Forgotten,” a photo exhibition on the issue of missing persons in Kosovo, and the coordination of the exhibition “The grave is better than not knowing,” on the same topic, for the Humanitarian Law Center Kosovo. Currently, he is producing the documentary “I have never been on an airplane,” supported by the Kosovo Cinematography Center.
Blerina Avdullahi works as SEKHEMET's Finance Manager. She completed her bachelor's studies in accounting at the University of Pristina, and she is part of the Association of Certified Accountants and Auditors of Kosovo. She previously worked as a financial and administrative assistant at CSDG. From December 2018, she works as a finance and administration manager at Sbunker.
For our projects, we count on a network of collaborators in the fields of journalism, research, advocacy and culture.
