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FAWCO Region 5 Meeting in Hamburg in November 2023

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Growing Sustainably

November 3‒5, 2023 

The FAWCO Region 5 Meeting in Hamburg was by all accounts a great success. The Jufa hotel in the Hafen City is very welcoming and has great views of the harbor. The food was  yummy, the speakers were terrific, the entertainment was fantastic, the tours were fun, and  everyone had a good time. 

The AWC Hamburg President, Stephanie Matlock Allen and her team of Jordan Wagner, Carol Harbers, Carol Strametz, Sara Naumann, Susan Stanley-Witt, Tracy Moede and Cat Connor pulled it off without a hitch. We can all be proud of what was accomplished for our Region 5 clubs by getting together in the name of FAWCO. Thank you to everyone who  attended the meeting for your cooperation and participation.  

Of course, a group that can work together for FAWCO and fun can also cooperatively produce an  article reviewing the weekend together. Many thanks to all the clubs for sending in your reports that formed this article. 

 Group Photo Region 5 Meeting 2023resized

 

Opening Evening 

by Tracy Moede, AWC Hamburg 

When the participants went to the registration desk on Friday evening to pick up their  conference materials and name tags, they were asked to submit a list of three things that make them happy. This was to be used for the “Looking for Happiness” presentation on Saturday afternoon. 

More than 70 people gathered in the nautical-themed restaurant at Jufa Hotel. Stephanie  Matlock Allen, the AWC Hamburg president, welcomed everyone and then handed the  microphone over to club member June Waldenburger, who as our master of ceremonies, entertained us through a program of club introductions, organizer thank yous, an impromptu auction, and greetings by Abigail Greenwald, Deputy US Consul General of Hamburg. Afterward, everyone had time to mingle, meet old friends, catch up and introduce the newcomers. New to a Region 5 meeting were three members of IWC Moldova, FAWCO’s newest member club, and IWC Leipzig, a prospective FAWCO member club. 

 

FAWCO, The FAWCO Foundation, Target Fundraising and FAWCO Cultural Youth Program presentations 

By Shanan Rickert, AWC Hamburg 

I was very honored to be able to attend the Region 5 Meeting as a recipient of the Frauke Rademacher Heidmann Memorial Award.  

As a first-time attendee, I did not know what to expect but was really happy that the topics ranged from internal “business or updates” to hearing from local companies that FAWCO partners with. A highlight was hearing about the different volunteer opportunities within FAWCO: for example, the link between FAWCO, the Global Issues Teams and the UN. President Ann Marie Morrow’s (AWC Finland) presentation was perhaps more helpful for me than for others in the room, as I did not have too much knowledge on FAWCO and its roots. Ann Marie covered a lot of information in this presentation: for me, the most impactful topic was hearing about the work that FAWCO does with Global Issues and the opportunities for FAWCO members to participate in UN meetings. I have since signed up for the Global Issues Digest on the FAWCO website. Ann Marie finished her talk focusing on the magazine Inspiring Women, a publication that I also recommend signing up for: more  Frauen power – who doesn't need that! 

Foundation President, Janet Davis (AIWC Cologne), presented on the FAWCO Foundation. It was helpful to understand how it is a separate entity that focuses on aiding charitable and educational programs and supporting the rights of women and children throughout the world. As a mom, the Education Awards were of course interesting to me, however the most impactful are the Development Grants and Target Projects – and WOW, these are making a difference on a large scale, and it was so impressive to see the amount of effort/time and fundraising that all FAWCO groups have committed to these. This was really  inspiring and a space where I could really see the passion and dedication from the women of FAWCO. 

Tracy Moede’s (AWC Hamburg) presentation on Target Fundraising was an additional example of the time, effort and creativity that goes into this sector of FAWCO. Fundraising  was being done “live” at the conference at the small market that was open during each break, with a lovely assortment of homemade goods. And the plans for holiday fundraising sounded really fun and are sure to be effective to raise money for the Target  Project, Awesome Blossoms. It was amazing that two members of the Awesome Blossoms team traveled from Kenya to present live at the conference. 

I appreciate My-Linh Kunst (AWC Berlin) giving a detailed background on the history of the FAWCO Youth program; it helps to understand how many women have helped to push this program forward. An additional presentation was given on the youth event chosen for 2024  in Scotland – and what a great way to bring together children of the world to learn about cultures and to share the ideals and values of FAWCO. An amazing program and agenda has been put together, and I am a little envious that I could not join in on this cultural adventure! 

FAWCO members in Hamburg and around Region 5 are really involved in topics that are pressing and impactful. The entire experience was a great eye opener to me on how much FAWCO is involved in and how big the reach is. I look forward to more FAWCO meetings and to seeing and being part of the impact that FAWCO has! 

 

Sustainability Presentations 

by Daphne Chiang-Ratke, AWC Berlin 

Among the many presentations in the Saturday morning sessions, Holly Todd (AWC Hamburg (AWCH) Philanthropic Liaison) presented AWCH’s project at Hanseatic Help. AWCH supports the project by sorting donation items for refugees, homeless people and others in need in Hamburg and in crisis areas. Hanseatic Help is a local non-profit organization, which collects and distributes badly needed items to numerous organizations. Katja Diembeck, Hanseatic Help e.V. Sustainability Coordinator, pointed out the burden of the surplus donated textile items Hanseatic Help has received. Most of these are fast-fashion nightmares.  

To raise awareness of the sustainability problem and the subsequent disposal caused by fast  fashion, Hanseatic Help has started the “talk” with the government and fast fashion companies and offers educational workshops to various groups, such as school kids. The school kids also learn to exchange their clothes with their schoolmates or shop at second-hand stores. 

Dr. Brigitte Bernard-Rau (AWC Hamburg) presented her book “Sustainability Stories: The  Power of Narratives to Understand Global Challenges.” We were so honored to listen to four amazing stories of the total 40 stories in her book. The stories were from Hamburg, Nairobi, New Calcutta City and Guadeloupe. 

 

Target Project: Environment – Awesome Blossoms 

Empowering Change: The Visionary Journey of Peninah Nthenya Musyimi and Awesome  Blossoms 

By Brigitte Bernard-Rau, AWC Hamburg 

On this autumnal Saturday afternoon, Amanda Drollinger (AWC Central Scotland), the FAWCO Target Environment Program Chair, introduced us to Peninah Nthenya Musyimi, the heart and soul of Awesome Blossoms, our Target Project for 2023-2025.  

In a calm yet powerful voice, Peninah began by sharing her remarkable story – a story of  resilience, determination, inner strength and empowerment. Having promised her little self a future with a proper house and necessary amenities, she now applies the lessons learned from her own life to champion educational and empowerment programs for girls in the Mathare slum area of Nairobi. Peninah shared with us the profound impact these programs have had, creating a ripple effect of positive change within her community.  

Now, with Awesome Blossoms and thanks to the support of its Project Manager, Allan  C’oredo, Peninah has pioneered the establishment of organic, water-efficient urban farms, cultivating hundreds of gardens in Nairobi, Kenya. Consequently, these local initiatives are  now generating impactful outcomes for the community, including environmental resilience, gender empowerment and sustainable economic development, among other positive  effects.  

First, from an environmental perspective, the project provides crucial access to local, healthy,  and sustainably produced food in the slums of Nairobi. The innovative hydroponic system ensures consistent yields while minimizing exposure to synthetic chemicals, thus mitigating environmental pollution. Second, through organic hydroponic farming, Awesome Blossoms equips women and girls with valuable skills, fostering economic empowerment. The project focuses on nutritional workshops and the systematic use of organic biopesticides. It not only enhances community health but also addresses gender equality by offering women a meaningful role in agribusiness. And third, the project secures sustainable economic activities through finalized commercial contracts with local hotels and land lease agreements. In conclusion, Awesome Blossoms stands as a testament to the extraordinary vision and resilience of its founder, Peninah Nthenya Musyimi. Peninah herself is an embodiment of an awesome blossom!  

Allan spinachresize 300 Nov 23 Region 5Her journey from the slums of Nairobi to becoming a qualified lawyer is a beacon of hope, and through projects like Awesome Blossoms, she continues to inspire positive change. As the organic gardens flourish, so too does the potential for empowerment and transformation, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of the girls and women of Mathare. 

Fun fact: How can we not remember this afternoon when Allan and Peninah, determined to help us better understand their commitment to creating positive change within their community, directly involved us in two different creative and transformative activities? First, we all stood up, and shook our bodies to perform a lively Kenyan dance. Then, we were  invited to follow the steps to grow our own baby spinach, with pots, rocks, earth, coconut fiber and nutrients. It was a brilliant experience, filled with so much fun!  

 

Afternoon Workshops 

by Ginny Trowman, Heidelberg IWC 

Anna Sizorina (AWC Hamburg): Looking for Happiness 

FAWCO members had the opportunity to learn about finding happiness inside themselves  and how the rest of the world compares, from Anna Sizorina who is a Psychological  Therapist. This was a fun and interactive presentation. We were asked to write down all the  words that represented happiness to us. We learned that happiness is experienced in the here and now through communication and connection, and we thought about what words we associate with happiness. These words and the meaning of happiness can differ between countries. The World  Happiness Report, which ranked Finland as being the happiest country, was interesting to see. 

Jordan Beck Wagner (AWC Hamburg): Growing & Sustaining Your Club Membership with  Technology 

This talk was by Jordan Beck Wagner, who has her own digital marketing business. We learned  how to grow and sustain our club membership with technology. It was really informative, and Jordan gave simple tips around using social media to help market your club. Jordan explained how to utilize social media more through Facebook and Instagram so we can attract more younger members, which is essential for the survival of member clubs. A good tip was that when you post a picture on social media of an event at a cafe/restaurant, tag the cafe/restaurant and it will be seen by a lot more people who may be interested in joining  the club! She also advised making club websites easier to use and more modern with up-to-date event photos. By using WhatsApp, you can get information to your members in a quick, easy and efficient way. The new WhatsApp Communities is a good way of communicating announcements and events where you can close off replies. Photo copyrights were also discussed as an important topic. Whether photos can be posted online or not depends on consent of the individuals and whether the photo is in the public domain.

 

FAWCO & FUN – Enjoying the City 

by Tracy Moede, AWC Hamburg 

Walking Tour Groupumbrellas resized Reg 5 2023

Saturday afternoon ended with time for discussion of club issues, facilitated by Region 5 Coordinator Angelika McLarren (AWC Berlin). This type of idea-sharing is always valuable for FAWCO reps, club presidents and all club members. It lets us see what works for other clubs and gives the opportunity to gather ideas that we can implement in our own clubs. 

That evening, we gathered for a nice dinner at Catch of the Day, a nearby restaurant in the harbor area. Diners enjoyed getting to know one another better and discussing all they had heard throughout the day’s meetings.  

After a very busy Saturday, the participants were given the opportunity to see Hamburg on Sunday with AWCH guides. Even the gloomy weather failed to make the city unattractive. One group took an early morning visit to the lively Hamburg fish market (pic above). Holly Todd, an accomplished art historian, led a group through the Hamburger Kunsthalle to tour Impressionism: German-French Encounters. And Jordan Beck Wagner gave a walking tour of the beautiful Speicherstadt area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Previously, early arrivers visited the famous Miniatur WunderLand model train museum on Friday afternoon.  

Time just flew by, as it does at all FAWCO events. However, FAWCO 5 stands proudly as the region that has the most fun, and we had guests from other regions to prove that point. The members of our region are more than fellow FAWCO members: we have become friends and look forward to seeing each other once a year at this annual event. Next Year, AWC Berlin will be the host of our meeting in honor of that club’s 100th anniversary.

 

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