Currents Spring 2022 Vol. 38, No. 1 | Page 9

FAWCO Conference Begins

We celebrated the success of Target Project S . A . F . E . and introduced the next topic : Target Environment
Due to the uncertainty around the pandemic at the beginning of the year , FAWCO decided to postpone the Interim Meeting in Luxembourg from the beginning of March to the middle of May . Instead of eliminating the event in March , FAWCO chose to split the Interim Meeting into two parts — a virtual event in March and an in-person event in May !
The virtual aspect in March just wrapped up , and it was an online FAWCO celebration ! With part one as the business portion , this online event addressed and honored the personal- , club- , and FAWCO-wide achievements from the past few years . Held over two days , the main stage events recognized the amazing achievements FAWCO had with its member clubs .
Rhobi Samwelly is the director of Hope for Girls and Women Tanzania and gave an inspirational talk to FAWCO attendees .
Friday evening started with a welcome session on the main stage from the FAWCO , FAWCO Foundation , and FAU- SA presidents . Additionally , there were presentations about the Inspiring Women magazine as well as an overview of the FAWCO Youth Program . This year ’ s Cultural Volunteer program for children 15 to 19 years old will be held in Amsterdam . This weeklong excursion for children of FAWCO members fosters cultural awareness and volunteerism through educational and leisure experiences .
The highlight of Friday evening was the conclusion of FAWCO ’ s 2020-22 Target Project : S . A . F . E . ( Safe Alternatives for Female Genital Mutilation Elimination ), a project for Hope for Girls and Women Tanzania . This incredible organization not only provides a safe haven for girls during the cutting season , but also provides individual and family therapy , educational programs to local communities , income-generating opportunities , and access to the National Health Insurance Fund plan . Introduced a week before the start of the pandemic in March 2020 , the fundraising goal of $ 160,000 was no obstacle for FAWCO member clubs . In total , FAW-
CO clubs raised $ 176,000 for this incredible initiative .
Our club was honored as one of four to reach Diamond Donor level , the highest fundraising tier ! In the past two years , AWCH has raised over $ 10,650 as a group .
The evening ended with an incredible message from Rhobi ​Samwelly , the founder and director of Hope for Girls and Women Tanzania .
Saturday evening introduced the next Target Project — Target Environment ! The team did a fantastic job giving an overview of the environment category as well as a breakdown of how to submit potential projects , the application process , and important deadlines .
FAWCO rounded out the evening with “ Dreams are Made !” In honor of 50 years of Education Awards and 25 years of Development Grants , the FAWCO Foundation had a virtual celebration for all the past recipients and gave an outlook for the future of these projects .
While these two days were a fantastic opportunity to dive deeper into the FAWCO world virtually , we can ’ t wait to attend the in-person FAWCO Interim Meeting this May in Luxembourg . See you there ! ( Jordan W .)
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