THE local Terrace Women and Development group recently held a successful garage sale that raised funds for the several overseas projects that it supports.
The group began in 1985 when a delegation of Terrace women was inspired by speakers at an International Women’s Conference in Nairobi and decided they wanted to support projects focused on women and girls in developing countries.
Funds were raised in a variety of ways by selling Peruvian arpilleras, delivering Sears catalogues, raking leaves and window cleaning, operating a concession at the annual Farmer’s Market Christmas sale, and holding plant and garage sales.
At that time. the funds that were raised were given to Match International, a Canadian NGO that matches local contributions to support small economic developments in the developing world and Co-Development Canada which supports projects in South America.
In more recent years, Women and Development has sponsored the local annual Farm and Garden Tour, and
held book sales and plant sales.
The group has supported projects with a local connection, such as a safe home project for street children in Brazil through now-retired Terrace teacher Bob Bussanich; the Gardens Afghanistan Project in Kabul with Heather Bellamy; ALBAY Association for the Deaf with Vanessa Urbantke in the Philippines; and a Ghana children’s project with Bridgitt Sloan-McMullen to help build a school that sparked an add-on effect of contributions from the project’s local community.
Contributions have been made to the Stephen Lewis Foundation which cares for and educates children orphaned by AIDS, to an organization to support the building of a school in Guatemala, and to Plan Canada’s child rights program Because I Am a Girl.
The group meets once a year in January to plan the year’s fundraising events and distribute its current funds to selected projects.
The group welcomes new members and suggested projects.
If you would like to be a part of a group of women supporting women internationally, please contact Rosemarie
Goodwin at roset5@telus.net for more information.