For this purpose, we invited representatives of local communities to participate in the planning processes of projects related to their lives.

The concept of gender was confusing to me before I joined the project. Upon my participation with the project’s activities, the concept became clearer to me and I gained better understanding to women’s rights from national and international perspectives, as well understanding the importance of women’s participation as central actors in the development process. As a result, the Municipality Heads and my self began to incorporate gender issues into development projects, development activities and attempt to increase women’s participation in policy planning at the governorate level. We decided to be more active and efficient as gender equality advocators, in particular, in integrating women into the local labour market.

Like everyone else, I had been absorbed by the details of day-to-day work, meetings, and work related targets, all of which took my focus away from bigger, strategic goals. As a result of the project, we are now more organized in pressing local institutions, especially the municipalities and civil society organizations, to develop in an efficient and organized way. This approach also helps us to more effectively manage time and respond faster to people’s needs.

One of the most important skills I gained was how to become a trainer and mentor for others. I have participated in the training programme called “Spring Board,” and this was truly an important session for me in becoming an effective trainer. I trained sixty young women a range of life skills and methods of self realization.

I noticed that the workshops put on by Good Governance greatly improved my ability to formulate realistic objectives, identify short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes and improve my communication skills and ability to network effectively with heads of municipalities and associations so that ideas, experiences and knowledge can be shared.

As a result of the workshops, I understood the importance of women’s participation in the electoral process and in decision-making, and this is what we will be working towards this year and next year. Our ultimate goal is to encourage and enable women to take up administrative positions at the municipal and governorate, and even national levels.

All in all, I must say that I am very happy to have had the experience of participating in the workshops: they served me both professionally and in practice, and made me look to tomorrow with greater hope and optimism.

La rocinha è un 'incidente' di percorso, è la fortuna di aver percepito con alma, sensi e cervello la possibilità che mi si prospettava, è il colpo di fulmine che ebbi appena i miei occhi si posarono sul sorriso dei bimbi di rocinha. Abitavo con la mia amica adriana nel quartiere di gavea, alta qualità di vita e comfort, ma la rocinha si sviluppa proprio lì davanti nel morro di fronte, e le sue luci mi chiamavano, esercitando un magnetismo irresistibile di energia e dinamismo.

Nel palazzo dove abitavo divulgai la voce tra chi vi lavorava - ero già consapevole che la maggioranza della mano d'opera a basso costo deriva proprio dalle favelas - che desideravo conoscere la comunità e Saturnino, un portiere, mi invitò a pranzo in famiglia una domenica. Da allora e con l' aiuto di saturnino e moglie, ne feci la mia casa, non l'ho più lasciata.

Lavoravo come guida di turismo e avevo tempo libero, che lusso! che dedicavo a giochi in strada con bande di ragazzini. Quando passavo con i turisti in jeep, la riempivo di bambini e continuavo così l' escursione. Ricevevo mance che dedicavo a merende e piccole assistenze a quegli stessi bambini. Il progetto e poi l' associazione nacquero così, in modo spontaneo, non programmato, naturale e appassionato.

E Julio, mio marito, ragazzone nero, grande dagli occhi buoni, mineiro favelado? Ebbene, anche lui l' ho conosciuto durante i tour in favela come guida, passavo sempre davanti alla trattoria - un eufemismo - dove mangiava e poco alla volta iniziai ad osservarlo con sempre più attenzione. Ci sono voluti 6 mesi per far cadere le sue resistenze, ma poi la resa è stata totale. Altra grande fortuna, ci meritiamo a vicenda e insieme senza doverne discutere, abbiamo continuato ad occuparci della favela e dei suoi piccoli, entrambi motivati dal senso di rispetto alla vita e il grande amore per la comunità che ci ospita.

Viviamo nel cuore della Rocinha, dieci anni difficili, dolorosi, terribili e contemporaneamente meravigliosi, esaltanti, insostituibili. Tante storie da raccontare, una vita intensa, sorprendente, ricca di umanità e sue contraddizioni.

Julio ed io non cambieremmo per nessun tesoro al mondo. Grazie ai sostenitori della ns associazione "il sorriso dei miei bimbi" e alla sua equipe che rende possibile questo atto di amore.

I was working in the handicraft department supervising the handicraft work done by disabled persons. These disabled workers were staying in a home belonging to Craft Aid near their place of work from Monday to Friday. Disable persons face disproportionate poverty and severe unemployment, Craft Aid had given them the opportunity to show their ability to work, most of these persons have never left their house to work, it was difficult for me to supervise them, I make them believe that I am equal to them, I have given them opportunities , I had taught them how to work in team, how to communicate with colleagues, how to share their knowledge and even helped them in their work and I had always done it with pleasure, I had been looking after them as my own children . I could not bear to see suffering around me, I have always find solutions to their problems. To break the routine work, I organized events every year and through these activities they were able to know each other better.

I admire the courage and faith of my Managing Director Mr. Gabriel Kamudu who has put all his efforts to preserve the work of poor and disabled persons. Time passed away, with patience and hard work these men and women have admitted that they like their jobs, some parents have even witnessed that their children do not want to stay home even though they are sick. They have benefited much from the company, they are paid above what is prescribed by the authority and have also a shared profit and this have helped them to find a place in society, helped their families to come out of poverty. Some of these disabled workers have even got married and is leading a normal life. Some have been able to get better jobs outside Craft Aid such as to teach sign language.

On behalf of Craft Aid I also visit homes regularly, I organized for sharing lunch, put on some music and the old persons enjoyed themselves and wait for me to share their day to day life and to feel comfortable.

There has been a great change in my life since I joined Craft Aid, I look forward to come to work the next day, it’s a pleasure to see the progress done by some of the disabled persons who can now write their names and read .

In this context, I would like to introduce a women whom I consider a pioneer in making vast changes to her community through her contributions and efforts that are presently considered among the MDGs.

Born in Egypt in 1944, Mrs Ebtessam Abdel Kader Hassan was among the Minister of Culture's staff from 1967 till 1975, where she demanded to be transferred to the Egypt State Information Services in 1975 due to its proximity to her residence, favoring the investment of more time into motherhood rather than her ambition and career advancement.

Mrs. Abdel Kader has spent more than 20 years in the State Information Services and advanced from an editor to the head of the African researches department. Through her published work, Mrs. Abdel Kader's researches and books tackled progressive local as well as international economic, political and development subjects. Some of her work was banned from publishing such as books on the peaceful application of the nuclear energy, and the new and the renewable energy. However many of her publications saw the light; the list of her publications with the State Information Services included air pollution, combating terrorism and religious fundamentalism, addiction and its dangers, rational consumption of energy and developing Egyptian exports. She also presented some researches on Africa; including North-South dialogue, Rwanda-Burundi refugees' crisis, Africa and the refugees' crisis, political development in Africa, the African economy: the problem and its solution, and clearing Africa out of nuclear weapons. A glance at these publications makes one realize how progressive she was in tackling such issues in a developing country in the late 80s and the early 90s. She was also a guest speaker in several workshops and conferences with the aim of spreading awareness on these issues.

At the workplace, she aimed the provision of services to the women thus decided to step up to the Syndicate. She ran and won. She successfully provided several services to her peers, and most importantly took a special attention in giving tribute to women at work place by initiating a yearly ceremony to honor ideal mothers on the Egyptian Mothers Day.

Mrs. Abdel Kader was also among the founding members of the Green Party- the first and only Egyptian party targeting the dissemination of environmental preservation awareness.

I apologize if my humble English cannot give Mrs. Ebtessam Abdel Kader Hassan her worthy credit, but it remains for me to assure you that the services rendered to her community have designated her on daily basis a pioneer who considered her community's needs in the light of the available resources, with no purpose other than seeking its prosperity and well-being. Therefore, I nominate my mother, Mrs. Ebtessam Abdel Kader Hassan, to the "Women make it happen" prize.

The clock strikes 8:00am and the bell goes.It is assembly time and you can not help but notice the zeal and energy that characterize this early morning activity. Conducting the assembly is Elizabeth,the "veteran" primary school Headteacher.

Elizabeth got her first experience of being an administrator as the Assistant Headmistress of Ebenezer Primary School, Lagos. She continued at that position for about a year until she was redeployed to United African Methodist Primary School, Lagos as a Headmistress.In the year 2000, seven months to the Millennium Summit in New York, Elizabeth was transferred to Anglican Primary School, Isawo, a rural area in Ikorodu, Lagos.The situation Mrs Onyeahialam met at Isawo was, in her own words "quite pathetic.It did not even look like a school,there was no office for the Head teacher.There was just a single block of three classrooms which were in a terrible bad state,the pupils were having classes sitting on the floor,and population was very low:150 pupils- with only 55 girls".

Elizabeth set out to work immediately by running campaigns in the villages appealing to the parents to send their wards to school. She also formed a vibrant Parent-Teacher Association where the villagers pooled together very little individual resources to procure desks,chairs,tables and benches.Within a space of 18 months,word had gone round about the work Mrs Onyeahialam was doing in Isawo.As a result of this,the then Chairman of the Ikorodu-West Local government donated a block of 7 modern classrooms with 2 office rooms and sanitation facilities.School population grew by over 700% with a 95% increase in girl enrollment.The result of her tireless efforts earned her the awards of "Best Headteacher for Ikorodu local Government" from 2000 to 2002 consecutively amongst other awards which the school won. In September 2009,Elizabeth was transferred and it almost caused an uproar among the inhabitants of Isawo.

Mrs. Onyeahialam has also impacted on the social and economic development of women in the different communities where she has found herself.She was the President of the women group of her Hometown Union based in Lagos from 1983 to 1995.During his period,she encouraged the women to be financially independent and initiated a women dance group through which funds were raised to build a hospital in their hometown in Mbano, Imo State. She is also a very active member of the Catholic Women Organisation in her local church parish successively holding the posts of Financial Secretary and Vice President amongst others at different periods. On the 13th of May 2005, the "Lagos Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women Organizations" presented her with an award of excellence in recognition of her "outstanding contributions in her career, enhancement of better life for women and in the preservation of the dignity of womanhood".

By this time Aye Awo was about eight or nine years old, and life still was in debt of her right to simply be a child. Aye Awo, loved her mother, for she was an amazingly caring and beautiful woman who loved her daughter. So as young as she was she did nothing but to take care of her mother and the sickness that was taking her light away. Her mother died, and somehow, at the age of fourteen, Aye Awo was given her first chance to actually be a child. And she held on to that chance.

She is now seventeen, and she is still living at Whispering Seed, being the older sister to her four adopted Burmese brothers and sisters that also live with her.

Aye Awo is receiving education, and her capacity of giving love, to her mother in the past, to her siblings in the present, does not end, for she pretends to build her life in order to give love back to others. I was lucky to receive some of that love my self.

She is a woman now, but she never misses the chance to take life as a child would. Her words are now mature and sensitive, but she will never pass on a good laugh. She has assume grown ups responsibilities, and she takes them with passion, courage and hope every day of her life. She makes a diference in this world, every day of her life.

• Children unable to attend schools, due to mandated tuition requirements,

• No libraries,

• Deplorable healthcare systems, and

• The beginnings of a hyper-inflation (38 zim : 1 usd), ending in 2009 with 5 trillion Zim providing local bus fare and 50 billion buying a loaf of bread.

The ‘Now’: March 2011 -

• Homestead restoration through building of huts, toilets, and wells, (wells being built by a young men’s training program),

• Fuel-efficient smokeless stoves built by women,

• A Community Center with a garden and orchard plus residential tree plantings,

• A preschool with a community-built playground serving children daily with a healthy meal, teaching age-appropriate academics, hygiene and music,

• Home-based businesses, including a women’s peanut-butter coop, serving the community due to micro-loans,

• 500 children sponsored to attend school (preschool to University),

• Girl Guides and Boys Machapro programs (like scouts) providing after-school, weekend, and holiday activities,

• A program buying underwear for girls without,

• A library with Shona and English books,

• A Health Center staffed with a Senior Nurse, Village Health Worker, and pharmacy assistant that provides not only free health-care but community education, and

• Two organizational infrastructures that directly serve 2,700 people, and indirectly many more.

HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN? One girl grappled tenaciously with the world’s enormous inequality, poverty, and suffering. As an adult, she discovered the world of Zimbabwean Shona music, which led her to humanitarian outreach embracing the needs of the many. Being moved by this spirit-filled music in 1990 began a life-transforming path for her, and empowerment for thousands of others. Four points stand out:

• She, Jaiaen Beck, had a realization that her compelling drive towards compassion was about more than ‘helping someone’. It also has had the effect of bringing global citizenship within arm’s reach for many, through founding Ancient Ways, a charitable non-profit.

• Being determined by selfless devotion she inspires others with her enthusiasm, breathing on embers, lighting their fire even brighter.

• Jaiaen’s vision reaches out with unusual candidness and a use of words that wrap themselves around your brain and throughout your heart. This gift has been a key to opening doors of communication for all concerned.

• She always emphasizes that it’s not about her, but instead the teamwork – those here who donate money, time and consciousness, and those there who are running the programs and providing the services. Nothing would exist without all the pieces. She thanks her godparents, desiring to pay-it-forward.

Those of us who are close to her know that, at the heart of it all stands Jaiaen. Her insight, energy and passion brings this dream into reality and her tireless dedication sustains it. It’s an honor and a pleasure to assist her in this work. She has surely made it happen!

Supplying to and owning their own company is making a significant impact on the lives of families in Malawi , Mozambique , India , Nicaragua , Bolivia and Peru. Thanks to the work of Liberation, farmers in Malawi are building the country’s first ever peanut processing plant that will further increase the income of farmers (many of whom are female and looking after AIDS orphans) and provide better quality peanuts to local markets in Malawi and elsewhere in the region. This will improve the heath of the local population and contribute to efforts to tackle acute and chronic malnutrition. In India , Liberation’s shareholder farmers are using the proceeds from their Fairtrade nut sales to protect their local environment and wildlife in their region of exceptional biodiversity.

These are just two of the ways a small enterprise is able to have fairness, empowerment and environmental benefits at its heart, and Kate is at its helm.

From the age of eight Punnam was forced to work as a domestic help, to support her mother following her father’s death. Feeding five hungry mouths was no easy task and Punnam’s mother passed away shortly after her husband. Taken in by a reluctant relative, Punnam slaved in fields, selling grass and firewood to make ends meet so she could continue with her education.

Just when the family managed to ensure a decent life for themselves, the village ojha declared the children’s grandmother to be a witch who devoured the lives of the villagers. Soon after this pronouncement, a man in the village died. The villagers stormed into Punam’s home, beating up all the family members. Barred from entering people’s homes and the marketplace, the family were declared as ‘social outcasts’ by the community and persecuted mercilessly. Known locally as the ‘witch’s children’, Punnam and her siblings were brutally beaten if anyone set sight on them on the streets.

Eventually, tired of the constant abuse, Punnam moved to Ranchi to finish her education. It was there that she was able to obtain a small grant and set up Mahila Sangathon, an organisation which works to improve the lives of slum dwellers. Today the organisation covers 32 slum colonies in Ranchi, holding regular rallies and protests in support of local community development. A big supporter of the arts, Punnam has been widely praised for using drama to create awareness on the issue of women being unfairly branded as witches. Her play Gudkayan Daho has gained recognition all over Jharkhand and is giving people a better understanding of the ‘witch hunt’ violence that she suffered growing up.

With more than 10 years of experience in theatre, Punnam was awarded the "Best Change Maker” Youth Award, in 2004, presented through Oxfam. Meanwhile, she has also contributed to several inspirational documentary films including National Geographic’s Tantra, which focuses on the theme of witch hunters and a women’s rights film.

In 2000 Uganda Crafts 2000, Ltd. was formed when the company was able to stand on it’s own without donations, on the strength of it’s export sales. At times employing hundreds of women, Uganda Crafts is often the only opportunity standing between women in the community and destitute poverty.

Betty is now struggling to keep Uganda Crafts afloat during the economic crisis. While she once employed hundreds, she can only afford to purchase baskets from about 20 individuals as export orders shrink. She hopes that her business model will be able to sustain her and her artisans through these hard times.

http://www.ugandacrafts2000ltd.org/

She is featured in the work-in-progress film, Crafting Hope (www.craftinghopethemovie.com)

Loreta looked around her community for a way to help, and saw flowers, weeds and reeds. With the help of her husband and community, SHAPII was born. From an original staff of just ten individuals, SHAPII has grown to employ hundreds, completely transforming her disrupted community in the process.

Along the way she developed a foundation that provides scholoarships for bright but poor students in the community. Other initiatives have included computer literacy training, a food co-op, healthcare, maternal education classes and small-business classes to encourage other community members to create livelihood projects of their own.

Loreta is now dealing with the complications that come with the growth of SHAPII from a small initiative to a large company with worldwide aspirations. Loreta remains unsure if she can balance her mission of social responsibility with the equally important task of being competitive in a global marketplace.

http://www.salayhandmade.net/

She is featured in the work-in-progress film, Crafting Hope (www.craftinghopethemovie.com)

At the 2010 Clinton Global Initiative, Melissa announced her commitment to action in partnership with Mercy Corps and the Batonga Foundation. Through the Empowering Ethiopian Women and Girls for Peaceful Change project, Melissa is implementing a four-year program to empower approximately 450 underprivileged but entrepreneurial girls, women and their families in the Derashe and Konso districts of southern Ethiopia. The program includes school scholarships, household loans, job apprenticeships and vocational training. Melissa travels frequently on Mercy Corp’s behalf, and wherever she goes, she seeks opportunities to speak with young girls about their ambitions, educations and lives. In addition to Derashe and Konso, recent visits have included Addis Ababa and the Israel and Palestine West Bank.

Melissa is often recognized for her philanthropic efforts in Africa on behalf of Mercy Corps and the Adakum Foundation; the latter provides educational and healthcare opportunities to poor and disadvantaged families and strives to alleviate hunger and reduce illiteracy, poverty and poor health conditions in Ghana. In 2008, the Foundation recognized Melissa for her efforts in helping to build a library and computer lab at the L & A Memorial Academy in Accra, Ghana. The Zorkin library was named her honor.

In her role as international philanthropist, Melissa sees firsthand how innovation can help solve basic issues like hunger, poverty and health. Also in Ghana, she helped build a middle school outfitted with computers, and a chicken coop housing 1,000 egg-laying hens which provide a healthy source of protein for the children of the Good Shepherd Orphanage. In Ethiopia, she works with the Women’s Initiative for Self Employment (WISE) both on her own and through Mercy Corps. Among WISE’s many inventions, Melissa’s favorite is a clean-burning fuel briquette made from garbage.

As CEO, Melissa ensures her company walks its talk by devoting 1% of annual pre-tax revenue to charitable giving and pro-bono services, and by giving employees 16 hours off annually to service their favorite non-profit organizations. As a part of WE’s 2010 internal Year-end Giving Campaign, she invited employees to choose donations on the agency’s behalf, to Worldvision, UNICEF, Save the Children, Oxfam and Mercy Corps, raising close to $21,000.

In addition, Melissa and WE are longtime supporters of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation’s Race for the Cure. Komen is the nation’s largest private funding source for breast cancer research and community outreach programs, and Melissa served on its Board of Directors from 2004–2006. From 2005–2007, Melissa also served on the Fred Hutchinson Board of Trustees, and today continues to serve on the Hutchinson Board of Ambassadors.

David's parents were everything but not good and kind with Marija. She got her first baby boy, my uncle Vedran. A year after that Marija got another son Slaven, my father. David's parents were always kept bread and butter hidden under the kee and there were nothing to eat more than three times per day,not even for the kids. She got very sick and the kids too and they went to the hospital for three months.After a while they bought their own house in Bunjani.One day has come and that day marked her life so strong,the day when David decided to leave them.Years passed by and boys were growing up, ending their schools and finally they has gone to the army. Slaven went to Zagreb and met a very young girl .That young girl Stefany got pregnant, and she left her regular education. After a while I was born and I got so young parents in their early eighteen.

My father soon realized it was better to send me to my granny. She was the happiest person in the whole world .That little ranch were we lived was too big for a woman. She had a four cows, ten pigs, lots of chickens,turkeys,cats, geese, dog,and she was taking care for all those annimals allone.Marija has found some old very poore people Matek,Joža,Kata and they were sometimes helping her to end some overmuch jobs around the ranch. Marija during thewinter time helped the neighbors, who were poor and hungry and thirsty, so even I remember the time when we get them some meat, wine, flour or something else. When she saw the smiles on their faces, that was enough for her. She was a great woman.

We didn't have a bathroom but we have found the way to wash ourselves every day before we went to bed.We even didn't have a toillete in the house but we had one outside the house. We didn't have water in the house not even a washing mashine but we lived without it. Every morning she was taking two canisters fulled with water to her cows ,then to the piggs, then to the poultry. Every day she was supposed to milk her cows in the morning and in the evening too.When I grew up I helped her sometimes between my school obligations.

Marija got a brain attack one day and after a while she died in a hospital in her seventy five. My heart fell into pieces that day wondering, why she, my granny. When she died, one week later on a same day, at the same time David died too in a hospital because of cancer.

Her life was ordinary,she was a ordinary woman. How many good things has she made in her life? Women don't have to be successfully public people to make a difference.When a woman does something positive, even if it's only for her own family it is worthy to praise.This story sends a message that it is a good moment to change a view about ordinary women. I was very lucky that Marija brought me up. Thank you granny!

Ela é enfermeira, professora revolucionária na educação em saúde, na medida em que questões de gênero, raça, cidadania, controle social, empoderamento norteiam sua prática voltada à promoção de saúde e atenção as demandas femininas. Fundadora-líder do Núcleo de Estudos sobre Mulheres, Gênero e Políticas Públicas – NEMGeP, do Centro de Ciências da Saúde do Departamento de Enfermagem da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, coordena e executa projetos de extensão que buscam intervir na realidade das mulheres.

Dentre estes podemos citar um dos seus frutos de grande esforço e determinação, o desenvolvimento do Programa de Extensão Universitária “Mulheres Conquistando Autonomia”,financiado pelo Ministério da Educação, e ainda em andamento em 2011, o programa teve como principal objetivo contribuir com a efetivação do II Plano Nacional de Políticas Públicas para as Mulheres.

Tendo como foco o primeiro eixo desse documento – “autonomia econômica e igualdade no mundo do trabalho, com inclusão social”, desenvolveram-se, em 2010, três edições de curso profissionalizante na área da construção civil dirigido a 60 mulheres, trazendo mudanças positivas na qualidade de vida das mulheres cursistas e de suas famílias.

Mas os esforços em transformar a realidade não param por aí, destinada a contribuir na implementação e políticas públicas voltadas a questão de gênero e raça, Maria Celeste Landerdahl também está na linha de frente do Curso Gestão de Políticas Públicas em Gênero e Raça – GPP-GeR, em parceria da Secretaria Especial de Política para as Mulheres, Secretaria Especial de Políticas de Promoção da Igualdade Racial, Secretaria de Educação Continuada, Alfabetização e Diversidade, Secretaria de Assuntos Estratégicos e Fundo das Nações Unidas para as Mulheres. O Curso GPP-GeR está sendo destinado a gestores das três instâncias do governo, ONGs, delegacias de polícia, conselhos de direito, dentre outras instancias de controle social.sua militância pelo controle social e implementação de políticas públicas voltadas a mulher .

Professora Celeste, como carinhosamente muitos a chamam, tem sido uma figura de inspiração e motivação para pessoas como nós, integrantes do NEMGeP, alunos, colegas de trabalho, pacientes do serviço de saúde, e a todos(as) que buscam contribuir na superação de desigualdades entre homens e mulheres. Promover a igualdade entre os sexos e autonomia da mulher para ela não só é um objetivo presente em suas ações cotidianas, mas uma verdadeira forma de viver e ser no mundo, sempre com brilho no olhar, alegria estampada no rosto, fazendo o possível acreditando em um futuro melhor. Já dizia Simone de Beauvoir “Ninguém nasce mulher, torna-se mulher”, Maria Celeste Landerdahl tornou-se uma Grande Mulher.