FAWCO
Development Grant Recipients
Nominated by AWCH
BY CAROL S .
ENVIRONMENT
Nurturing Our Planet : $ 4,000
Sponsored by Patti Meek of AWC Dublin , in memory of her parents , James and Ethel Meek .
Recipient : Harvesting and Storing for a Better Living – Palghar District , Maharashtra , India ( Nominated by AWC Hamburg )
The tribal families living in rural areas of Maharashtra , India , live in tiny one-room homes where they have limited space to store their harvested grains and seeds . Because of the lack of storage , these families are forced to sell their crops during the harvest season at a low price . The DG funds would finance a solidly constructed 40-square-meter storage building that would allow 22 families ( 120 persons ) to not only protect their harvest from bad weather and predators but also to obtain a minimum 20 % increase in revenue by selling when demand is high . This increase in income will provide families with basic necessities and access to healthcare and education . A better living for the tribes will sustain the successful watershed program implemented by the Nandanvan Trust , which regreened and restored desertified land in the area , making possible the cultivation of grain crops as well as fruit and nut trees .
GLOBAL ISSUES
Close To Home : $ 4,000
Recipient : Empowering Refugee Women in Hamburg , Germany ( Nominated by AWC Hamburg )
Close to 60 % of refugees entering Germany today are women . Many are fleeing sexual violence , forced marriages , and “ honor ” killings , not to mention war and terrorism . Their path to integration is especially difficult . Hanseatic Help has brought a sense of community to refugee women through shared meals and volunteer work alongside local residents . A learning and support center was launched that will further empower these women . Volunteers will assist professionals in teaching basic computer and communication skills and help with bureaucratic applications for childcare , vocational schools , and work — filling the gap where government
-sponsored institutions fail . The DG funds would support this center by funding needed equipment , books , furniture , and supplies . Up to 40 women will benefit from the center in the first year , improving their prospects for entering the job market or pursuing a career , thus allowing them to live independently and giving them a sense of purpose , responsibility , and community .
Photo of participants at the virtual FAWCO Biennial Conference by Shelly Schoenshoefer
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