Click title to open and close articles.
January 2012
Greetings! It is hard to believe that already nearly a month has passed by since we welcomed in another new year. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone good health and happiness in 2012.
ACWW Canada Area Project
I am pleased to report that contributions continue to be received from members for the Area project in the Caribbean, Central and South America Area entitled ‘Climate Change and its effects on Women and Agriculture-Women as Change Agents’. To date, donations amounting to $6,000.00 have been received with another $4,000.00 needed in order to reach the Area’s goal of $10,000.00. I have received interesting letters from some Area members who shared information about their fundraising events to raise monies for the project. Thank you to those who have already made contributions and I encourage others as well to contribute to the project.
Ms. Philomena Pierre, President of the Grenada Homemakers’ Association, in her thank you letter to Canada Area wrote “We are very grateful to you and your women’s organization for your willingness to support us financially so that our conference/workshop would turn out successful. Warmest regards to your hard working ladies for helping other women and ensuring that they are ok. All the best and may God continue to bless your organization.”
Area Visits
I am pleased to have visited the societies of NLWI, FWIO, MBWI, NBWI, PEIWI, and QCWI. Hopefully, I will be able to visit the remaining societies before the end of my term in 2013.
My visits to the societies give me an opportunity to personally meet with members, and, as well, to promote the work of ACWW. My sincere thanks to the Societies for your invitations and the kindness and thoughtfulness shown to me during my visits.
Area Fees
Thank you to the Category 1 Societies for sending your annual dues of $400.00. As you are well aware, this financial assistance covers travel expenses for the society visits of the Area President.
ACWW Funds
All society members are encouraged to continue with your generous donations to the Pennies for Friendship Fund. Your donations may be forwarded at anytime to the ACWW Central Office, London, England. As you are very much aware, this is a voluntary fund which supports International Projects, UN links and networking, International Extension work, and the management of the core work of ACWW.
Donations can also be made to Women Feed the World Fund, Water for All Fund, and the General Projects Fund.
The Collecting Boxes introduced at the ACWW Triennial Conference in Arkansas, USA by ACWW treasurer, Alison Burnett, continues to be a popular way for many members who wish to contribute financially to ACWW. I know that some groups have been very creative in using the boxes for fundraising. For example, hosting Afternoon Teas; passing around the Collecting Box at branch meetings for members to donate their loose change; and hosting Morning Coffee are but just a few of the uses for these boxes.
ACWW is grateful for the financial support you give in helping the organization to carry out its work of helping women and their families worldwide.
Individual Memberships
Individuals who are interested in the work and activities of ACWW may apply for individual membership at the cost of £20 per year or £50 for three years. As an individual member, you will receive a copy of ‘The Countrywoman’ and may attend Triennial Conferences and Area Conferences.
WOMEN WALK THE WORLD
Have you already made your plans for this great ACWW event which is be held on or around ACWW Day, 29th April 2012? ACWW members throughout the world are asked to join in ‘Women Walk the World for ACWW’.
The walk could be an organized ramble; a walk around a neighbourhood; a walk to the well to get water; a walk to the fields to tend animals; a stroll in a park; or whatever you like. The aims of the walk are to raise the image of ACWW; promote ACWW; and increase ACWW funds. Where possible, members are encouraged to seek local sponsorship.
By everyone starting their walk at the same time in different time zones, it would result in members walking at all times during a 24 hour period. For more information about this great event, you can go to http://www.acww.org.uk/latest-news.html and click on ‘ACWW Women Walk the World’.
Photos/News Clippings
I would appreciate receiving any photos or news clippings of ACWW activities that are been carried out in the societies. Also, if you wish, you could also forward your items directly to ACWW London office for publication in ‘The Countrywoman’.
UNITED NATIONS
The 2012 Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will be held in New York, USA, from February 27 to March 9, 2012. The 2012 priority theme of the Commission on the Status of Women is “The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges”. The ACWW UN Committee will meet in New York on March 3rd to facilitate attending the 2012 Commission on the Status of Women.
The following are upcoming International Days for February – April.
- World Wetlands Day – February 2
- International Mother Tongue Day – February 22
- International Days for Women’s Rights and International Peace – March 8
- International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination – March 21
- World Poetry Day – March 21
- Week of Solidarity with Peoples Struggling Against Racial Discrimination – March 21
- World Day for Water - March 22
- World Meteorological Day – March 23
- World Tuberculosis Day – March 24
- World Health Day – April 7
- International Earth Day – April 22
- World Book and Copyright Day – April 23
Perhaps, your society might like to plan UN programs around these special international days.
ACWW PROJECTS
In my September 2011 Newsletter, I listed some of the ACWW programs/projects carried out in rural communities through its Projects and Trust Funds. ACWW is carrying out some 29 development projects in various rural areas worldwide. For example, ACWW is financing a Micro Credit project for 50 Lavial Women in Haiti to assist them in generating more income in their newly formed or existing businesses.
The following ACWW projects are being carried out by Canada Area Societies.
- Water and Sanitation (MBWI)
- Trauma Intervention Reduction and Post-abortion Stress, South Africa (Les Cereles de Fermieres du Quebec)
- Assisting with projects in Cameroon, New Guinea; and India (York County WI, ON)
27th triennial conference
A reminder that the dates for the 27th Triennial Conference to be held in Chennai, India are from September 26-October 2, 2013. Empowering Women Worldwide – Encourage, Educate, Enrich is the theme for the conference.
ACWW Website
The ‘Pennies for Friendship’ labels are now available on the website in a format whereby you can print directly onto ‘sticky labels’ (the sizes given on the website). If you would like to take a look or share with anyone, the direct link to the page is http://acww.org.uk/acww.label.html.
The ACWW website (www.acww.org.uk) is updated on a regular basis. It is a great resource tool for members to access information about ACWW.
World President
I share these words by George Bernard Shaw from the message of the World President, Mrs. May Kidd, printed in the October-December 2011 publication of ‘The Countryman’. “The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that is the essence of inhumanity.” I am sure that these words are very meaningful to all of us. Let us as ACWW members in our concern of for humanity continue with our support to strive to do all we can to empower women worldwide.
You may contact me by e-mail or post, please contact ACWW Central Office for the details.
Thank you Canada Area members for all you do to support the work of ACWW.
Enjoy the winter and have Fun!
Regards,
Margaret
Yetman, ACWW Canada Area President
June 2011
Canada Area Project
I am pleased to report that contributions are being received from members for the Area project in the Caribbean, Central and South America Area entitled ‘Climate Change and its effects on Women and Agriculture-Women as Change Agents’. I am sure that the funding amount committed by the Area for the project will soon be realised.
The project will enable women in the area to learn about climate change and its effects on women, girls, the economy and agriculture. The workshop will help to provide women with the skills necessary to move upwards and achieve better economic standards for themselves and their families. Canada Area is once again seizing an opportunity to reach out to women and their families in need.
Area Visits
During this triennium, I have, to date, visited the following Societies:
Newfoundland & Labrador Women’s Institutes
Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario
Manitoba Women’s Institutes
New Brunswick Women’s Institutes
Prince Edward Island Women’s Institutes
I will be visiting the Society of Quebec Women’s Institutes in June of this year.
My visit to the Societies gave me an opportunity to personally meet the members, as well as promote the great work of ACWW.
Thank you to the Societies for the kindness that I receive during my visits.
Area Fees
A reminder that the payment of $400.00 for each Category 1 Society will be due on August 16th, 2011, the financial statement’s form to accompany the payment; has been sent out to the provincial office of each Society.
ACWW Funds
A reminder to forward your donations to the Pennies for Friendship Fund, this is a voluntary fund which supports International Projects, UN links and networking, International Extension work, and the management of the core work of ACWW.
Members can contribute extra money to this Fund by using the Collection Box, which was introduced at the 26th ACWW Triennial Conference in Arkansas, USA by Alison Burnett, ACWW’s Treasurer.
You can also make contributions to Women Feed the World Fund, Water for All Fund, and the General Projects Fund.
ACWW is grateful for your financial support in helping the organisation carry out its work of helping women and their families worldwide.
Individual Memberships
Any individual, who is interested in the work and activities of ACWW, may apply for individual membership at the cost of £20 per year or £50 for three years. As an individual member, you will receive a copy of the ‘Countrywoman’ magazine and may attend Triennial Conferences and Area Conferences as a non-voting delegate.
I would encourage society members to take out individual memberships and by doing so will help increase financial support and membership, which will assist ACWW in its efforts to help women and their families in countries where it is badly needed.
Canada Area Conference
Plans are well underway for the Area Conference, which is being held July 8-10, 2011, at the Mount Saint Vincent University in Bedford, NS. The theme for the conference is ‘Empowering Women Worldwide – Encourage, Educate and Enrich’. The Planning Committee is busy finalising plans to ensure that the conference will be enjoyable for everyone. It will be an opportunity to learn more about the work of ACWW.
Women Walk the World
On or around ACWW Day, 29th April 2012, members throughout the world are asked to join in Women Walk the World for ACWW.
The walk could be an organised ramble; a walk around a neighbourhood; a walk to the well to get water; a walk to the fields to tend animals; a stroll in a park; or whatever you like. The aim of the walk is to raise the image and promote the work of ACWW as well as increase funds. Where possible, members should seek local sponsorship.
Everyone should be starting their walk at the same time, say 10am, in different time zones; this would result in members walking at all times during a 24 hour period. You should start now to plan how you will carry out the ‘walk’ in your area.
Photos/News Clippings
Please send me any photos or news clippings of your ACWW activities or any ACWW projects you might be carrying out in your own society. You may also forward your items directly to the ACWW London office; for publication in The Countrywoman.
New Society
Congratulations to the Southern Ontario Support, who recently became a Category IVa Member Society of ACWW. Canada Area is pleased to welcome you as a Member Society.
World President
I would like to share these words with you from the World President’s message, printed in the April-June 2011 of The Countrywoman.
ACWW -EMPOWERING WOMEN WORLDWIDE: this is the theme for the triennium 2011-2013. That broad statement covers every aspect of the work of our organisation. Whether we are training women farmers in Uganda, providing rural families in Bangladesh with safe drinking water, or giving women a voice through our long-standing consultative status with the United Nations; we are empowering them and benefitting whole communities.
You may contact me by e-mail em.yetman@nf.sympatico.ca or postal mail at 10 Barbour Drive, Mount Pearl, NL, A1N 2H8.
Thank you Canada Area members for all you do, in supporting ACWW.
I am looking forward to seeing many of you at the Canada Area Conference in Bedford Nova Scotia.
Regards,
Margaret Yetman, ACWW Canada Area President
January 2011
Canada Area Project: I am pleased to report that a Canada Area project in the Caribbean, Central & South America Area has been approved by the ACWW Projects Committee. The Area will fund £8,596 towards air travel, accommodation and meals for five participants from the Grenada Home Makers’ Association at a workshop on climate change and its effect on women and agriculture. They will also be able to attend their Area Conference – theme, Women as Change Agents – which coincides with the workshop.
Canada Area Conference: the conference, hosted by the Women’s Institutes of Nava Scotia, will be held at Mount Saint Vincent University, Bedford, Nova Scotia, from July 8-10, 2011.
Area fees: To date, all Category 1 societies have submitted their 2011 dues. Your financial support will assist with my travel expenses in visiting societies and promoting the work of ACWW. Thank you!
ACWW funds: Pennies for Friendship is a voluntary fund which supports international projects, UN links, extension work, and the core management of ACWW. A collecting box designed to help members raise donations was introduced by Treasurer Alison Burnett at the 26th Triennial Conference in the USA. It is also a publicity tool promoting the good work of ACWW; it could even help to gain new members.
Individual membership: I would encourage anyone interested in the work of ACWW to apply for individual membership at a cost of £20 a year or £50 for three years. They will receive copies of The Countrywoman magazine and be able to attend Triennial Conferences and Area Conferences as non voting delegates.
United Nations International Days: In December 2010, Sharon Hatten, UN Committee Chairman, circulated a letter to Canada Area Societies, attached to which was a document outlining important events at the UN. She suggested that the themes for these be made available to members for discussions within each society and the results reported to her committee. I encourage societies to do so and help its advocacy for a better life for women and their families.
News clippings/photos: I would appreciate any news clippings or photos of your ACWW activities, not only for my own information but the Area scrapbook. You might also forward these items to The Countrywoman for publication.
I would also be glad to receive brief descriptions of any ACWW projects that are being carried out within your own societies.
Thank you to all member for all you do to support ACWW.
Regards,
Margaret Yetman, ACWW Canada Area President
Click title to open and close articles.