From the moment you enter until the moment you leave, there is something to gain from being a part of WIL meetings.
February’s gathering introduced me to a new aspect of women’s empowerment: the challenging advocacy work that happens behind the scenes to ensure women’s voices are heard at the UN policy-making table. Our two speakers, Cate Owren and Eleanor Blomstrom, were from WEDO, Women’s Environment & Development Organization.
What intrigued me most about the presentation was how the organization was formed. A few female friends of like mind saw a need, a gap, and they knew they had to do something to fill it. WEDO founding member Thais Corral of Brazil said it all started with a question, “What if we, as women, use this opportunity of the UN Conference Environment and Development to be the change we want to see in the world?” So this group of friends, of female activists, decided they must take action. They moved forward. Now, twenty years later, the results they have achieved on behalf of women worldwide are outstanding. (Visit their website to learn more: www.wedo.org).
And, that’s how WIL of Greater Philadelphia started too. A few Philadelphia based women who cared about women’s issues wanted to gain more of a global perspective. They wanted to be able to do something to assist women in other parts of the world. So, they started meeting. They found a way to touch lives through raising money and funding eight microfinance banks to date.
It is a joy to now be personally involved in what they are doing.
Isn’t that how all great things start? They start small and grow with focus, commitment and determination.
I left the meeting reminded of the truth that Margaret Mead, American cultural anthropologist expressed so well, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
You and I, and especially when WE join together, WE can create ripples of positive change on the issues that matter most to us. So, take some action today. . .the World will benefit so greatly if WE DO.
Hope to meet you at our next meeting on April 9th (http://wil-gp.org/events.html)!
