Tax Appeal 2010 – Help us reach our target of $155,000!

“In my country, the men say “Yu meri tasol” (you’re only a woman).”

In the Pacific, many women struggle to have a say in the use of economic resources which have a profound impact on their lives.

And you are in a position to change this situation.

Your gift today will help IWDA to provide programs that develop sustainable livelihoods for women in Asia and the Pacific.

For 25 years, IWDA have catalysed positive changes for women in the Asia-Pacific region and their communities however major challenges remain and we need to continue our work. In most developing countries, women continue to be viewed less than equal citizens, and hence progress is limited.

That’s why we need your assistance to raise $155,000 by 30 June. We need to establish programs that enable women to have a sustainable livelihood. And the good news is AusAID will match every dollar* from your donation with up to $5 more. This means that your gift today will help us raise even more funds for our programs empowering women in the Asia-Pacific.

We are implementing, through our partners, programs that give women the skills, the knowledge and the self-esteem to face the issues in their lives. We encourage them to analyse their own needs and to find the most appropriate solutions for their situation. We’ve already seen our work benefit in communities.

For example, in Papua New Guinea, the women’s organisations with whom we partner are addressing cultural attitudes and social beliefs which create barriers to women’s ownership and control of land and resources. In an area where, traditionally, women were recognised as the custodians of the land, pressure for development and an increasingly market-driven economy has eroded women’s roles allowing men to dominate decisions around land resources.

Wide Bay Conservation, one of our local partners, is holding forums to provide a safe space for women to actively participate in decision-making in relation to their land and resources. Women from different clans are sharing ideas on how to improve their network; learning from women elders and identifying solutions for the issues affecting them.

And while these forums are strengthening women’s voice in land use and sustainable development, they are also providing vital life skills training. Using local trainers and community-held resources, participants at the last forum learnt how to produce home-made soap and washing detergents, replacing their need for costly and inaccessible store bought items. Together with this practical skill, the training promoted good hygiene practices to benefit community health by reducing easily preventable illnesses and food borne diseases. But that’s not all.

Through Wide Bay’s trainings, women in these communities now have access to the primary resources to make soap for free, and some are even hoping to establish their own micro-enterprise – selling soap! Doing so would help generate income for their families and promote a new source of livelihood.

One thing is for sure. It is amazing what even a small donation can achieve. Take just $80. For the cost of one ticket to a concert, Wide Bay supported a local trainer to deliver two days of vital hygiene and skills training to over 20 women including raw materials and equipment.

You are crucial for our work to continue and you can make this happen for other women in the Asia-Pacific region. Our programs are changing lives, for good.

Thank you in advance for your support.

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* IWDA is able to attain matching funds that multiply your donation. Here’s how it works: AusAID will match $5 for $1 donated to IWDA by Australian Community donations. As such, a $150 donation becomes $900. There is an annual cap on funds that can be matched by AusAID on the 5:1 agreement.

Tags: Papua New Guinea

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 20th, 2010 under Recent.