By Frauke R-H

Originally published in Currents, October/November 2004
Copyright ©2004-2005 AWC Hamburg

 

A beautiful late summer day at the Hamburg Rowing Club with a spectacular view of the Alster and Hamburg’s landmarks crowned the first Forum of the new season 2004/2005. Traditionally, the first Forum has had the theme of FAWCO. In addition to many long-time members, our president Irmingard welcomed four new members – all ambitious, heartwarming, lovely young ladies. This September 9 meeting encouraged us all to continue with our work and programs, and it will be an exciting new season with loads of activities and events. Check out the new Activities Calendar on our website at www.awchamburg.org, and let the details entice you to stay involved.

Our guest of honor, the 2nd Vice President of FAWCO, Kathleen Simon, came from Staffordshire, U.K., to join us and speak to us about “Inspirational Women from Unlikely Places.” Kathleen, born in Pittsburg, Penn., studied at Fordham University in New York and at Georgia Tech. After getting her Master’s Degree in City Planning at the University of London, she spent time in Zambia working in her new profession, but soon wound up in Staffordshire, U.K. – the reason being a charming English man, which seems to be a familiar reason why many of us in the AWCs tend to wind up in unexpected places.

Kathleen, herself an unlikely lady, held up an imaginative mirror when she mentioned all the unlikely women in our own club. Over the years, members of the AWCH participated in FAWCO as a former FAWCO president, vice presidents of FAWCO, regional representatives and AWCH FAWCO representatives. Our club can be proud of the involvement, dedication and the achievements, which count most, that came about in the FAWCO world based on the work of this team. To name one member in representation of all the others, I must thank Becky Tan for her impressive work in FAWCO, her never-ending patience and dedication and her inspiring encouragement of others.

For the 2005 FAWCO Conference in Birmingham, U.K., our club has been requested to present projects to be nominated for FAWCO Foundation Grants. Two projects were nominated and presented for voting by club members:

Laudes Infants, a project in Columbia with the plan to support building a community center for single mothers and children in Bogota-Bella Flor, called Casa Taller, helping them to improve their living standards and prevent the children from becoming street children, open to abuse and danger.

Hope Through Education, a project of Amnesty for Women (AfW) in Hamburg, to ensure that approximately 600 foreign women, trafficked to Hamburg and currently trapped in the sex trade, can attend German and English language courses and workshops at AfW, allowing them to improve their skills to find a way to different jobs and visas, relieving them from forced prostitution.

In the event that the AWCH can apply for two different grants, club members voted to nominate both projects. In case we are allowed only one grant nomination, the members voted for the project Hope Through Education. We also learned about the project Afghanistan Schools, with the goal of providing education, material and schools for children in Afghanistan. The club will keep this project on the list for possible future support.The Forum, though filled with news and information, still allowed ample time for discussions, conversation and small talk while enjoying tea, coffee and beverages, cake and small sandwiches, and listening to the well-taken-care-of babies and children next door. Please check the Activities Calendar for exact time and date of the next Forum, planned for January 2005.