The Education Team will inform FAWCO members about recent developments in the global effort to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all (UN Sustainable Development Goal #4), especially related to issues in education for girls.
Learn more about the Education Team
The Environment Team encourages environmental stewardship and promotes awareness of climate change...
FAWCO's Environment Team aims to inform members about global environmental issues that confront our planet, such as air, soil & water pollution, energy efficiency, conservation and waste reduction, and the major issues of global climate change. Since we believe that each person can make a difference, one of our main goals is to help members become more environmentally minded through the choices they make in their daily lives. The Team also seeks to promote informed action within FAWCO, at both global and local levels. Major past activities have supported carbon sequestration through tree planting and water awareness in conjunction with the First Target Program.
For more information and to get involved with us, contact the Environment Team Chair at .
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Anne van Oorschot-Warwick (AWC The Hague) |
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The Health Team provides information on women's health and aging to allow you to make informed health decisions. We will take a holistic approach to help us safeguard and nurture our bodies, as well as enrich our minds and spirits. There will be articles and reports, suggested books, and FAWCO member contributions. We will also include practical information and resources, such as caring for loved ones from a distance, for ourselves and family members.
In 2014, we re-launched Clubs in Motion, with the goal to walk or run around the globe before the March 2015 Conference. That's 40,000 kms, so we better get moving! To learn more, sign up your club's walking or running group, and check how far we've come, go to Clubs in Motion.
We have gathered information from FAWCO Clubs about their Heart Pillow Projects to help women who have had breast cancer surgery. If you have Heart Pillow news to share, please send it to us at .
We are currently looking for a Health Issues Team Chair. Please contact if you are interested in the position.
Clubs in Motion!
Join Clubs in Motion and get moving with FAWCO. If your club has a walking, hiking or running group, this is for YOU! You can dowload a flyer to publicize the program to your club members by opening Clubs_In_Motion.doc.
Let's get moving! Join FAWCO Clubs in Motion today! Happy and healthy!
Our FAWCO Leadership was caught in the act - out WALKING while attending the Geneva NGO Forum Beijing+20!! From left to right on the rock... Kathleen Simon (Counselor & AWC Bern), Maggie Palu (AWG-LR - thanks to Maggie for the photos), My-Linh Kunst (President & AWC Berlin), Monica Jubayli (1st VP & AWC Lebanon), Suzanne Wheeler (Foundation Board Member & AAWE Paris), and Sallie Chaballier (2nd VP & AAWE Paris). Well done ladies!
Clubs in Motion is a FAWCO initiative to encourage members to stay physically fit.
Keep your club members healthy and increase FAWCO awareness. Start sending a record of all those kilometers or miles your clubs' walkers and runners have walked or run NOW!
Who can send in kilometers/miles?
FAWCO Club activities can include walking groups, participating in walks/runs in your area, organizing a walk with your club members ,etc. In order for the kilometers / miles to count, three or more members must be exercising together. We are not gathering data from individuals walking on their own, because this is about both the physical benefits and the mental benefits of getting active together!
How will the kilometers/miles be tallied?
Send kilometers from club activities with club name to and the number of participants. Please include the name and location of any organized walks/runs - for example: breast cancer awareness, club walking group, marathons, etc. and any special locations. Send photos!
You'll find updates on the FAWCO Clubs In Motion page under the Health Team site, so you can check the progress of the various clubs.
Why should clubs get involved?
Exercise benefits your health. Did you know that for every hour of regular, vigorous exercise you do, like brisk walking, you can live two hours longer? And we all know that it's more FUN to exercise with friends. Clubs in Motion will be a fun way to get your members active and interested in FAWCO, and introduce them to FAWCO's website.
Top 10 reasons to Get in Motion with Clubs in Motion:
When do we start?
NOW! Let’s ‘move it’ together -- with FAWCO!
Many FAWCO member clubs are involved in making heart pillows to donate to help the recovery of women who have had breast cancer surgery. AWC The Hague has a Heart Pillow Best Practice with instructions for how you can start your own heart pillow project that you can access in our members-only Best Practices section (you must be registered and log in to see these). We also have Heart Pillows featured in these articles: Heart Pillow Project and Stitched with Love.
All FAWCO members are invited to get involved in their area of interest. If you don’t see yours here, let us know. Please email Therese Hartwell, Chair of the Human Rights Team at to discuss participation.
And sign up to receive the Human Rights Team Bulletin at Subscriptions.
Therese Hartwell, AW Eastern Province
Chair, Human Rights Team
Ending Violence Against Women is a Committee of the Human Rights Team, addressing issues of domestic violence and sex trafficking, as well as other forms of violence against women. The Ending Violence Team was created in April 2008 to address issues of domestic violence, human trafficking and sexual exploitation in order to increase awareness and empower those women and children affected. Over the years, the Team has put a spotlight on the issues to get people talking about them. We also promote tangible actions that we can all take to help eradicate these forms of violence. When you look at the facts you see that we still have a long way to go.
1 in 3 women has been sexually assaulted in her lifetime;
Rape continues to be used as a weapon during war and conflict;
Globalization and climate change are having the most profound impacts on women and children who are disproportionately displaced and left without options;
Gender-based violence is an affliction that millions of women and children suffer in silence and shame. Many become victimized by those who are supposed to love and protect them.
Please share these three one-page information sheets on issues of Domestic Violence, how you can help victims of Domestic Violence, and global issues of Violence Against Women with your club members.
For a worldwide listing of domestic violence agencies, see the Hot Peaches website.
You'll find a link to the Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center (AODVC) website on our homepage under Domestic Violence.
For more information or to get involved, contact the Committee Co-Chairs.
Co-Chair, Global Issues, Tonya Teichert at .
Tonya Teichert (AWC The Taunus)
Co-Chair, Global Issues
Co-Chair, Domestic Violence and AODVC Liaison, Karen Lewis at aodvc@fawco.org.
Karen Lewis (FAUSA)
Co-Chair, Domestic Violence and AODVC Liaison
Women Peace and Security is a committee within the Human Rights Team. Its goal is to raise awareness about violence against women in conflict zones and the role of women in the peace-keeping process.
The theme of women and conflict resonates with the very origins of FAWCO. According to The Red Book, FAWCO: A History 1931-2011:
Caroline Curtis Brown founded FAWCO on the belief that "enlightened women, working cooperatively throughout the world, could do much to help achieve permanent international peace; and that this was especially true of American women living abroad who had acquired special experience in living in foreign lands among foreign people and foreign customs. Their American clubs not only provided a home away from home, she felt, but also served to promote sympathetic awareness of the needs and problems in countries other than the United States." Our founder's words are perhaps even more relevant today than in her own time. In our globally connected world, wars have a real impact on the lives of all of us, even when they occur in a distant land. A peaceful world benefits everyone.
In 2009, FAWCO and The FAWCO Foundation announced the Target Program to bring a critical global issue to the attention of FAWCO Clubs, their members and the world. The Target Program offers opportunities for local FAWCO Clubs to make a global difference.
Target Programs:
In keeping with FAWCO’s Resolutions and Recommendations, Target Programs have the overarching goal of improving the lives of women and girls. The FAWCO Board, in consultation with The FAWCO Foundation Board, chooses Target Issues on a revolving basis through our four areas of interest: Education, Environment, Health and Human Rights.
The NetWorks Malaria Project (2005-2009) was the FAWCO-wide global issues effort that was a precursor to the Target Program. It encouraged FAWCO members to make a significant commitment to worldwide malaria prevention. FAWCO partnered with the Swiss Foundation BioVision in support of their integrated approach to malaria prevention in pilot projects in Africa. In total, FAWCO distributed $165,885 for the purchase of insecticide treated bed nets and integrated malaria prevention. Additionally, FAWCO applied for and received a $100,000 grant from the Hilton Foundation that was paid directly to our partner Biovision in 2008, for a grand total of $265,885.
The 2009-2013 Target Program focused on the Environment and the UN MDG on access to clean water. In addition to raising awareness about the importance of clean water in all the countries where we are represented, we asked our member clubs to fundraise specifically for Tabitha Wells for Clean Water, Cambodia. Details about the Target Program for Water are available here.
The 2013-2016 Target Program focused on Human Rights for Women with a primary focus on Protecting the Rights and Improving the Lives of Women and Girls Worldwide. The Education and Awareness portion emphasized women’s rights as human rights, specifically in the areas of political empowerment, economic empowerment, peace and security, and ending all forms of violence against women. FAWCO Member Clubs chose FREE THE GIRLS: Providing Economic Opportunity to Survivors of Human Trafficking as the Target Project, raising over $172,000 by the end of the program.
At the Interim Meeting in Frankfurt (March 11-13, 2016), Education – Empowering Women and Girls through Knowledge and Skills, was announced as the overarching theme for the FAWCO Target Program 2016 - 2019. The Education and Awareness Raising Campaign explored the issues which prevent millions of women and girls from receiving quality education around the globe. Member Clubs voted in February 2017 to select the 2017-2019 FAWCO Target Project. On April 1 at the 2017 Biennial Conference in Mumbai India, FAWCO announced Hope Beyond Displacement - Building better futures through education, vocational and leadership training for refugee women and girls in Jordan, as the new Target Project. Hope Beyond Displacement is an initiative of the Collateral Repair Project designed to address the pressing issues identified in close consultation with the women they serve. The FAWCO Foundation employed the energy and generosity of our members and a Backing Women Fundraising Campaign to raise over $190,000 for Hope Beyond Displacement.
At the Biennial Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland (March 21-24, 2019), Health: Ensuring Healthy Lives and Promoting Well-Being to Improve the Lives of Women and Girls, was announced as the broadscale theme for the FAWCO Target Program 2019-2022. In March 2020 S.A.F.E. a project of Hope for Girls and Women Tanzania was announced as the Target Project for 2020-2022. Education and awareness-raising campaigns conducted with the assistance of bulletins, presentations at virtual meetings and a monthly blog, explored top health issues and especially the topic of the elimination of female genital mutilation that was central the the Target Project. Incredible resilience and support of members and clubs during the global pandemic resulted in $177,413 raised for S.A.F.E. The new Target Program Environment was announced with the theme: "Our Natural Environment: Empowering Women and Girls to Ensure a Sustainable Future" on March 5, 2022 at the virtual Interim Meeting Part 1: Focus on the Future.
As a United Nations accredited NGO (non-governmental organization) with special consultative status to the UN Economic and Social Council, FAWCO places a high priority on giving our Member Clubs the opportunity to contribute together to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Together, through the Target Program, we are making a significant impact on global issues and supporting the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
In March 2013, Human Rights for Women – Protecting the Rights and Improving the Lives of Women and Girls Worldwide, was announced as the overarching theme for the FAWCO Target Program 2013 - 2016.
The Target Program: Human Rights for Women was composed of two parts: Target Education/Awareness and the Target Project. The Education/Awareness Program focused on women's rights as human rights, specifically in the areas of political empowerment, economic empowerment, peace and security, and ending violence against women. The Target Project was our opportunity to financially support a project that met the Target goal.
Target Education/Awareness continued through the Target Bulletins, Special Programs and Workshops, and with the support of FAWCO's Human Rights Team. Fundraising for the Free The Girls Target Project, through the Backing Women Campaign as well as special events sponsored by Member Clubs, continued through February 2016.
In 2013, twelve Target Project proposals were submitted and the Target Selection Committee developed a short list of three finalist projects announced in December 2013. FAWCO Member Clubs voted for the winning Target Project. The Target Project -- Free The Girls -- was announced at the March 2014 Interim Conference in Brussels. Free the Girls works with former victims of sex trafficking in Africa and Latin America, helping them rebuild their lives through economic empowerment.
From left to right: Melissa Watson, National Director, Free The Girls; MyLinh Kunst, FAWCO President 2011-2015; Kimba Langas, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Free The Girls; Catherine Marland, FAWCO Rep and Application Sponsor, AWC Surrey; Betsy Speer, President, AWC Surrey; Johanna Dishongh, Chair, FAWCO Target Program 2013-2016; Michele Hendrikse DuBois, President, FAWCO Foundation 2012-2015.
Following the Target Project announcement, The FAWCO Foundation launched the Backing Women Fundraising Campaign with the unveiling of Christian de Laubadère’s painting, the inspiration for the campaign logo. The original painting was auctioned at the FAWCO Biennial Conference in Rome (March 2015) with all proceeds going to the campaign.
With the support of The FAWCO Foundation Backing Women Campaign and Member Clubs from every region of FAWCO, over $172,000 was contributed to FREE THE GIRLS, which allowed this start up non-profit the necessary breathing room to streamline operations, fine tune their limited staff positions, all while maintaining a focus on the women they serve. Women who, prior to participating in the FREE THE GIRLS program, did not have a means to support themselves or their families. Women, whose children and very often, children of extended family members, now attend school with school fees paid from their earning. Women, who through their own purchasing power, now support the local economy.
Johanna Dishongh
AWC The Hague
Target Human Rights Chair 2013-2016
In 2009, FAWCO and The FAWCO Foundation announced a four year program to bring a critical global issue to the attention of FAWCO Clubs, their members and the world. The FAWCO Target Water Program was an opportunity for FAWCO member clubs and FAUSA members to work together towards the goal of clean water worldwide.
The 2009-2013 Target Program was focused on the global environmental issues of Water and Sustainability. In addition to raising awareness about the importance of clean water in all the countries where we are represented, we asked our member clubs to fundraise specifically for Tabitha Wells for Clean Water, Cambodia.
FAWCO is an international NGO and the Target Program distinguishes FAWCO clubs from other international clubs by giving them the opportunity to pool their efforts and contribute together to a UN Millennium Development Goal. We asked our member clubs for their support in whatever ways were open to them. Together we have made a huge impact on access to clean water worldwide.
At the 41st Biennial conference in Bern, Target Program Chair Anne van Oorschot (AWC The Hague) received a Caroline Curtis Brown Spirit Award for her tireless work in the last two years. She gave an excellent final report and included a thank-you video from Tabitha's founder Janne Ritskes.
CLUB RESOURCES:
Download the Target Program Final Presentation.
Download PICTURES of FAWCO wells .
Check out our fundraising ideas.
Go to The FAWCO Foundation website for more fundraising ideas and stories from Cambodia.
At the Interim Meeting in Frankfurt (March 11-13, 2016), Education – Empowering Women and Girls through Knowledge and Skills, was announced as the overarching theme for the FAWCO Target Program 2016 - 2019.
Education is one of the most critical areas of empowerment for women. When girls are educated, they lead healthier and more productive lives. They gain the skills, knowledge and self-confidence to escape the cycle of poverty. They become better citizens, parents and breadwinners. An educated girl has a positive ripple effect on her health, family, community and society as a whole. - USAID
On April 1, 2017, FAWCO announced the 2017-2019 Target Project
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Hope Beyond Displacement |
Educating and Empowering Refugee Women and Girls in Jordan
Visit the Target Project page to learn more.
The best way to find out everything you need to know about the Target Program is through our monthly Bulletin.
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Over the next three years, we will take a deep dive to learn what matters in girls’ education. We will explore the issues which prevent millions of women and girls from receiving quality education around the globe. We will become familiar with the goals established by world leaders in education to remedy this injustice. We will look at the impact educating women and girls have on their lives, their families, their communities and society. We will become experts! |
The FAWCO Target Project is a sustainable investment by our Member Clubs to empower women and girls. Over the next two years (2017-2019), The FAWCO Foundation will employ the energy and generosity of our members through the Backing Women Fundraising Campaign to support women's and girls’ education. Proceeds generated through these efforts will support the FAWCO Target Project: Hope Beyond Displacement an initiative of the Collateral Repair Project
Educating and Empowering Refugee Women and Girls in Jordan |
Target Program Flyer
We know it can be hard to explain exactly what the Target Program is all about. This PDF flyer explains the Why, What and How. If there is anything else you need to promote the Target Program in your club, please be in touch!
Tricia R. Saur
In our Blog: Let's Get Schooled we will explore why education matters; we will examine the barriers, one by one, which impede women and girls from accessing quality education and completing their studies; we will become familiar with the strategies to address these issues; and we will discover who the leaders in world education are.
Don't forget you can get this blog posts via email in the Target Program: Education Bulletin sent out once a month. Sign up now and don't miss any information!
"Ensuring Healthy Lives and Promoting Well-Being to Improve the LIves of Women and Girls" was announced as the theme for the 2019-2022 FAWCO Target Program: Health at the Biennial Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, on March 24, 2019.
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity.
– World Health Organization
Health programs that address gender barriers improve development programs overall. When women are educated and can earn and control income, infant mortality declines, child health and nutrition improve, population growth slows, economies expand, and cycles of poverty are broken.
– US Aid
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In our monthly Target Blog, we will learn about the most important issues in women's and girls' health:
What are the top ten issues for women's and girls' health?
What prevents women and girls from accessing quality health care?
What are the goals established by world leaders in health to remedy these issues?
What are the effects of poor health on women and girls, their families, communities and societies?
What is the impact on women and girls, their families, communities and societies when good health is achieved?
Our monthly bulletin, Target Program: Health, will update you on the current status of the Target Program, tease you with a snippet from the blog, and offer a visual inspiration to enhance your understanding of the health issues faced by women and children.
Don't miss a future issue, it's the best way to stay up to date!
Welcome to the new Target Program Health Blog, Health Matters! In this monthly blog we will be exploring matters important to women's (and girls') health: the top 10 issues for women's health according to the WHO, what prevents women and girls around the globe from enjoying good health, which societal and cultural factors play a role in health for women and girls, the targets of SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being, the relationship between SDG 3 and the other SDGs, and more! The subject of health is broad, and encompasses all of FAWCO's focus areas, so there will be something for everyone. Join us as we take a look at how ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being can empower and improve the lives of women and girls.
Please stay in touch!
Join the FAWCO Facebook Group.
Sign up for the monthly Target Program: Health Bulletin to hear the latest news!
SDG Team Leaders
Alexandra De Jager, FAUSA and Katja Malinowski, AWC Berlin
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by all 193 Member States of the United Nations in September 2015.
These goals are ambitious (ending poverty world wide), and comprehensive (including people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership). The more people who know about and support the goals, the more likely countries are to achieve them.
However, on 24 September 2019 UN Secretary-General António Guterres gave a speech at the first Global Goals Summit, saying:
We are far from where we need to be. We are off track... We must step up our efforts. And we must do it now... I am issuing a global call for a decade of action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
In spite of the best efforts of the UN and of UN Member States, the majority of people around the world remain unaware that the SDGs exist. Without adequate awareness and support, we will collectively fail to achieve these goals.
FAWCO Already Aims to Support the Global Goals
The Global Issues Teams and the UN Reps Team promote the SDGs. FAWCO’s Youth Program encourages the next generation to connect to the SDGs, and the Target Program and the FAWCO Foundation also invoke the SDGs in their work. Member Clubs around the world contribute to achieving the SDG with projects in their local communities.
To reinforce the efforts already in place within FAWCO, the SDG Awareness Team is developing actions to inspire FAWCO Member Clubs to integrate the SDGs into their club communications and activities. Many materials exist for clubs and FAWCO volunteers to use, but searching through them is time consuming. Also, not all materials are adapted to the FAWCO Club context. The benefit of this project is that materials will be adapted to the FAWCO audience. The tools selected will integrate a gender perspective. Additional tools will be selected to emphasize the connection between the SDGs and the current Target Program.
We'll regularly publish blogs here.
The Cultural Volunteers module of FAWCO's Youth Program is designed to foster cultural awareness and volunteerism among FAWCO youths. FAWCO teens aged 15 - 18 will be hosted by FAWCO families for a week, and will experience a new culture while volunteering with local charities, working side-by-side with local teens. As part of the program, the participants will create a video about their experiences, and write individual essays reflecting on what they learn. Participants will be able to receive community service credits required by their International Baccalaureate program.
Here are just a few excerpts from reflections by our Youth Cultural Volunteers in 2013 and 2014:
"I made new friends in the UAE --- Emirati teens, who helped us learn more about their culture. Believe me, we may dress differently and practice different religions, but teenagers around the world are pretty much the same --- we're all goofy, curious, and hoping our generation can improve life for all of us."
"In the end, what matters is that you have raised your personal awareness of poverty. And maybe it would have inspired you by then to grab the initiative and take part in a bigger project."
"It was nice to be able to go outside the tourist destinations and contribute to the lives of others who may not have the same luxuries as we do back in our own countries."
"[It was] a wonderful group of people. . . These friendships will last a lifetime. . . I am proud of what I feel I have accomplished with the group, and look forward to hearing about FAWCO Youth’s continued development."
The pilot Cultural Volunteers Program was held in Dubai in July 2013, hosted by AWA Dubai.
The 2014 Cultural Volunteers Program was held in Shanghai in July 2014, hosted by AWC Shanghai.
The 2015 Cultural Volunteers Program was held in Mumbai in August 2015, hosted by AWC Mumbai.
Please contact for more information.
Click to see videos prepared by the Youth Cultural Volunteers for Dubai 2013, Shanghai 2014 and Mumbai 2015.
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The Cultural Volunteers Program was held in Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands, June 28–July 7, 2024, hosted by the American Women’s Club of Central Scotland and chaired by Amanda Drollinger.
There were 12 participants (six girls, six boys), ages 13–17, from Berlin, Heidelberg, Hamburg, Torino, AWG-Paris, Languedoc-Roussillon, Stockholm, Dublin, Central Scotland and FAUSA.
The program ran 9 days, which was longer than our usual 7 days. This was because there were 5 days in the Highlands, arrival and departure days, leaving the teens 2 days in Edinburgh.
They received community service hours for the following:
The participants reflected on their experience through individual essays: Cultural Volunteers: Scotland 2024 – In Their Own Words (you must be logged in to view this content).
The Cultural Volunteers Program was held in Zürich, Switzerland, April 8–15, 2023, hosted by the American Women’s Club of Zürich.
During the one-week itinerary, 12 Cultural Volunteers (CVs) from nine clubs (FAWCO Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 8) and FAUSA who spoke 11 languages (Indonesian, Chinese, Hindi, Swedish, Finnish, Italian, French, Spanish, Dutch, German and English) stayed with local host families and immersed themselves in a variety of enriching activities designed to provide insights into important Swiss culture while offering them opportunities to give back to the local community… all while making new friends and having a ton of fun.
The youth completed 14 hours of community service with the following volunteering activities: sorting toiletries for FIZ (club charity), trash pick-up – Uetliberg panorama hike, farm work at a traditional Swiss farm, Tischlein deck dich (food bank), and sorting books and arts and crafts supplies for the children’s library at the AWCZ Clubhouse.
Their cultural activities included a Zürich walking/history Tour, Lindt chocolate factory tour, Schlafen im Stroh (Sleeping in the Straw), Zürich Opera House tour and workshop, REGA (air medical service) tour, and a United Nations tour in Geneva. They also enjoyed a picnic at the lake, cooking and dinners at the clubhouse, a scavenger hunt and many other team-building activities.
The participants reflected on their experience through a group video and individual essays. CLICK HERE TO READ PERSONAL ESSAYS (you must be logged in).
Below is the highlight video, produced by the youths themselves.
12 FAWCO Youth Cultural Volunteers hosted in Athens by AWO Greece
By Stacey Harris-Papaioannou
Teens from 14 to 17 years old came to Athens from October 16th to 23rd to get a taste of Greek culture and volunteering through the American Women's Organization of Greece (AWOG). The teens were hosted by local FAWCO Chair Georgia Kallis, AWOG Treasurer Stacey Harris-Papaioannou, and Danielle Termote, a Cultural Volunteer Alumna and volunteer from AWC Amsterdam, staying in an AirBnB down the street from Stacey.
The students hailed from 10 FAWCO clubs and live in England, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and France. The youth put in hours at a Caritas soup kitchen serving meals and sorting clothing, helping with AWOG’s heart pillow stuffing, visiting the Sea Turtle rescue center in Glyfada and getting a hands-on experience at Pame Mmazi, the art therapy program for cancer patients at Agoi Anargyri Hospital in Kifissia. The group also visited Merimna center for unaccompanied refugee boys in Exharxia and had the opportunity to interact with some of the 29 boys, ages 12 to 17, currently housed there.
The participants in the FAWCO Youth Cultural Volunteers 2019 in Athens reflected on their experience through the essays posted here. We invite you to read them here (you must be logged in).
They visited the Acropolis, Sounion, Lake Vouliagmeni, the Niarchou Center, Monastiraki and Syntagma— the A list of attractions for Athens. Below is the highlight video, produced by the youths themselves.
The FAWCO Youth Cultural Volunteers Program flourished in its fourth year as seven of our FY Volunteers travelled to Dublin for a week in June. They were hosted by AWC Dublin members and were joined by Carson and Ian, two local youth volunteers. The enthusiastic feedback described the week as “wonderful” and an “unforgettable experience”.
The teens between the ages of 13-17 representing FAWCO were from AIWC Cologne, IWC Torino, AWC Hamburg and AWC Berlin. Thanks to the organization and energy of the Dublin Club President Rheagan Coffey and her capable team, the group enjoyed a fun week that included both sightseeing and volunteering.
The program including both sightseeing in Dublin and real hands-on volunteering. The group cleared out the gardens of two local residents and both enjoyed working together as a team and they were very proud with their efforts! All of the CVs recognized the satisfaction of seeing how one’s work can make someone else happy.
Laura Wilhelm (AIWCC) summed up her observations beautifully:
„The Cultural Volunteers trip was definitely eye-opening. It allowed me to meet many new people and to learn and experience new, interesting things. I got to spend time with some amazing people and had a lot of fun. With friends, both garden work and exploring a new city were suddenly much more fun! This experience is one I will remember and treasure“.
Read all of the participants' reflections on their experiences, In Their Own Words. You must be logged in to view this content.
The 3rd FAWCO Youth Cultural Volunteers Program took place in Mumbai, India from August 22-29, 2015 and was a huge success! Many thanks to the AWC Mumbai for their hospitality and generosity. AWC Mumbai’s Club President Meenakshi Advani and her team put together a full program and these teens came away full of praise: “Life-changing!” “Amazing” “Wonderful Memories” and they all agreed they made friends for life!
Fifteen teens from seven countries travelled to Mumbai August 22-29 and were hosted by the local club.
The group was treated to a mix of culture and charity. They visited the Foundation for Mother and Child Health (FMCH), an NGO providing preventive health and balanced nutrition in underprivileged communities, VOICE, an organization that helps street children, the MANN Center for Individuals with Special Needs, and URJA, a shelter for homeless young girls.
The tours included watching the Dabawallas work, the Mumbai Heritage Walk, a visit to the Ghandi Museum, a trip to the American School of Bombay, a yoga lesson and Bollywood dancing and lots and lots of fun!
Watch Pascal Shrady's video of the group's experience:
Read all of the participants' reflections on their experiences, In Their Own Words.
The 2014 FAWCO Youth Cultural Volunteers Program took place in Shanghai July 18-27, 2014. Many thanks to the AWC Shanghai for their generosity and willingness to set up this year's program!
Fourteen teens from 8 different countries travelled to Shanghai in July, where they were hosted by the AWC Shanghai. (The list of Shanghai participants is here.) The teens were treated to a mix of cultural activities and volunteering opportunities. They visited Shining Star Orphanage for Blind Children, where Chinese orphans learn English to improve their chances of being adopted into English-speaking homes; the Renewal Center for Homeless Migrants in Shanghai, where volunteers assist homeless people coming in off the streets for a shower, a change of clothes, and something to eat; the YouDao Center for Migrant Children, where the Cultural Volunteers spent time with migrant children; and Heart to Heart Shanghai, a non-profit community outreach organization that supports children undergoing heart surgery. The cultural outings included a tour of the city, sightseeing in the Yuyuan Garden and Confucian Temple, shopping in Shanghai's markets, tours of the Qibao ancient town, and a Shanghai Acrobatic Show… and, as this video shows, lots of fun.
The pilot project for the Cultural Volunteers module hosted by AWA Dubai was a week-long program (July 16-23, 2013) attended by seven FAWCO teens from Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The teens were hosted in AWA Dubai members' homes and had the opportunity to do hands-on volunteering in three local charities. Participants received community service credits for their IB program. The program included cultural learning about the UAE and Ramadan, as well as experiencing the sights and sounds of a new country. Click here to see the program video.
In August 2017, Samuel Witt (son of Susan Stanley-Witt, AWC Hamburg) began his FAWCO UN Youth Rep experience.
From May - August 2017, Paige Higbie was FAWCO's UN Youth Rep in New York. Paige's mother is UN Rep Erica Higbie (FAUSA) and her brother Gavin was FAWCO's first UN Youth Rep. Now enrolled in a Master's program studying international relations in Berlin, Paige serves as FAWCO's UN Youth Rep Coordinator.
FAWCO's UN Youth Rep 2015 - 2017 is Vali Mitsakis from AWO Greece. Vali is studying in New York, and as a former Model UN participant, is excited to be a FAWCO UN Youth Rep.
In 2014, FAWCO had its first UN Youth Rep, Gavin Higbie, son of Erica Higbie (FAUSA), FAWCO UN Rep in New York and former Chair of the Human Rights Team. In August 2014, Gavin attended the Summer 2014 Youth Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City. He also attended the Winter 2014 Youth Assembly, and posted blogs about his experiences.
Gavin Higbie, FAWCO UN Youth Rep
