“Breaking the Cycle of Poverty of Women and Girls Through Education and Training”

To begin this blog I would like to return to the subject of my last blog on the lack of male participation in Consultation Day and am thrilled to say that at the “Breaking the Cycle of Poverty of Women and Girls Through Education and Training” parallel session, out of a four person panel, one panelist was in fact a gentlemen, Alvaro J. Pereria from Food for the Poor. The moderator of the panel actually made a point to mention the necessity of having a male panelist in order to “balance the gender.” I was pleased to see the acknowledgement of the need for a male presence in a forum designed to address women’s issues!
Focusing more on the actual breakout session, in addition to Pereria, the four other panelists were Sheila Gladys Ngema and Tolakele Maria Mkhize, Commissioners for Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation in South Africa, Linda Raftree from Plan USA, and Ellen Maree Al Daqqa from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The moderator of the session was the CEO of Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation who when asked after the session what she hoped people gleamed from the panel and discussion said “that empowering women is meant to provide them with strength however strength is not gleamed purely from financial success, this can come and go, true power comes from understanding the concepts of gratitude, respect, and love.” From a more personal note I recognized the importance of including the community members in all ground projects. Alvaro said, that it was important to listen to the local voices as opposed to just telling them how to develop, and Linda argued that the people on the ground recognized what they need and are capable of thinking for themselves. From this participation Sheila has observed in her experience in South Africa that when community members were given opportunities they would turn around and give back to the community. Women contributions to the community often resulted in improved treatment of women, for example, among the Zulu women in Africa wearing pants was unacceptable but women who participated in the Tzu Chi programs of aid were “granted” the right to wear pants. The most powerful quote came also from Sheila when she described her overall experience as “the left hand gives while the right hand receives.” I would describe the efforts of Tzu Chi as a cyclical event of aid.

Auf Deutsch (ein bisschen abgekuerzt)

Zuerst möchte ich zu meinem letzten Blog zurückkehren. Mein letzes Blog hat über wie “Consultation Day” wirklich keine Männerteilnehmer gesprochen aber heute bin ich froh zu sagen, “Breaking the Cycle of Poverty of Women and Girls Through Education and Training,” (Brechend der Kreis von Armut von Frauen und Mädchen durch Bildung und Training.) Ausser einem Ausschuss von vier Personnen, Ein war einen Mann, Alvaro J. Pereria aus “Food for the Poor.” Die Moderatorin sagte, es war sehr wichtig einen männlichen Diskussionteilnehmer zu haben, um Genus zu balacieren. Ich bin sehr froh die Annerkennung des Bedarf eine männliche Anwesenheit zu sehen.
Jetzt die aktuelle Session, ausserdem Pereria, die andere Diskussionteilnehmer waren Sheila Gladys Negema und Tolakele Maria Mkhize, Bevollmächtigten für Buddhist Tzu Chi aus Sud Afrika, Linda Raftree von Plan USA, und Ellen Maree Al Daqqua von UNHRC. Die Moderatorin der Session war die CEO Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation. Nach der Session habe die Moderatorin gefragen, was hoffen Sie die Teilnehmer aus der Session und Diskussion aufgefleuchten. Ihr Antwort war “that empowering women is meant to provide them with strength however strength is not gleamed purely from financial success, this can come and go, true power comes from understanding the concepts of gratitude, respect, and love.” (Bevollmächtigen Frauen sollen ihr Macht geben aber Macht kommt nicht nur aus finanzieller Erfolg, dieser kommt und geht, treu Macht kommt ausser dem Verständnis den Konzepten Dankbarkeit, Hinsicht, und Liebe.)