Women Connecting for Change
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Women Connecting for Change |
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Women Connecting for Change is a group of Adelaide women committed to making a difference by sharing resources that will enable women in developing countries like India, to better support their families and communities. The Group has organised a series of fundraising events to raise money for rural women in India.
The Rural Women in India Income Generating Project is a collaborative partnership with The Depressed People’s Welfare Association (DPWA), a non government organization in Tamil Nadu, Southern India. The DPWA runs a range of programs including schools, orphanages, programs for people with disabilities, health services, women’s’ support groups and housing development. The DPWA women’s self-help groups have already identified the following projects for support: · A Provisional store selling goods such as oil, dahl, chillies and rice on behalf of DPWA schools and orphanages; · Womens’ co-operative tailoring unit to make uniforms for DPWA school children and others for commercial purposes; · Purchase of goats and cows for milk production for local use with the long-term aim of developing milk co-operatives and breeding goat farms. Representatives of Women Connecting for Change are going to India in March 2005 (fully self-funded) to work with the DPWA women’s self-help groups to identify further opportunities for small business development projects.
2005 WCFC
had a fantastic time connecting with the rural women, spending time in
several villages to better understand their way of life.
We were impressed by the micro-credit schemes established by the
women’s self-help groups, whereby each group member contributes a small
amount of money every week into a group bank account.
After saving enough money, the group is able to get a bank loan, for
instance to purchase goats and cows which in turn are used as a means of
income generation. Individual
members are also able to borrow from the group fund to help meet specific
needs such as buying school books or paying medical bills. Our
visit culminated in a women’s rally involving over 1300 women from about
45 villages. It was truly an
amazing experience to join the women as we marched from one village along
the national highway (about 6 metres wide!) to the next village, where we
gathered for a two-day conference of information exchange and developing new
ideas about We
visited the Eye Camp run by DPWA where they undertake cataract operations.
Some of the group members viewed an operation; others (like me)
ducked for cover at the sight of blood! The
‘Animators’ are the community development workers who help establish and
support the women’s self help groups.
They are amazing group of 8 women, who have been selected from the
local villages and provided with intensive training in group work, health
education / promotion skills etc. We
are still discussing with DPWA the best way of supporting the Animators.
DPWA wants to employ more animators to keep up with the demand of
villages to establish women’s self help groups.
We would also like to assist the current Animators with additional
training. TSUNAMI DPWA immediately
following the tsunami to assist with their relief efforts in the
coastal villages around Nagapattinam, Pudukottai
and Cuddalore areas. One of our most special days was spent with 50 children who were recently orphaned as a result of the tsunami. The DPWA is renting a very small four room house in the beach side town of Vailanganni to accommodate the children. Conditions are very basic, the children sleep on small mats, sharing small rooms with a large number of the children. They are very happy children with few possessions, their ongoing needs range from basic physical support to ongoing emotional and developmental needs. We are keen to continue to support the children, but we need your help, so please large or small donations whatever you are able to give us. All donations go directly to the children and the orphanage. Thank
you again for the tremendous support you have given Women Connecting for
Change to work with the DPWA in supporting positive change for rural women
and communities in India. Natalie
Anne Fitzpatrick and the Cycle of Learning Anne is a final-year student in upper primary/lower secondary education from Flinders University in South Australia. In 2001 Anne spent three months volunteering for the PEAK program in Tamil Nadu in India's south. Anne has developed a passion for social justice through her travels and her teacher training. She is an accomplished speaker with a gift for being able to relate complex social issues in a way that even younger students can understand. In 2005 Anne will cycle around Australia visiting schools and community groups. This trip has a three-fold purpose:
You can check her progress on her website: www.cycleoflearning.org
For more information on the fund raising activities of Women Connecting for Change or the project contact: Natalie Fuller on mobile 0419823137 or email natalie@nataliefuller.com.au Rochelle Woodley-Baker mobile 0411096851 email rochelle@rwbsocialplanners.com.au Bec Cawley on mobile 0431546916 or email richieandbec@bigpond.com.au Meredyth Taylor on phone 83901829 or email meredyth@rubida.net Fiona DeRosa on mobile 0431863357 Debbie Saegenschnitter on mobile 0408810312 or email deb@outerspace.net.au Rosa Gagetti on mobile 0404058564 or email rgagetti@portenf.sa.gov.au Barbara Jennings on mobile 0418 133377 or email barbaraj@starnet.com.au
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