International Women's Day - March 8, 2013

Kinandi (shelling beans) - our Agricultural Instructor is a widow who looks after her extended family by selling her farm produce

Women - we are mothers, spouses, lovers, teachers, business leaders, caregivers and much more. Next week we celebrate women around the globe who keep the home fires burning with Womens' Week. It culminates in celebration with International Womens' Day on March 8, 2013. In my travels, especially in Africa, I have met women who have been involved in a variety of horrible situations - rape, abuse both mental and physical, husbands who have given their wives HIV and Aids and then left the women to raise their children alone. I am totally amazed at the resilience of these women who bravely continue on most without the assistance of any kind of social aid.They seems to have an inner spirit that allows them to continue on, to work to support their families with food, clothing and school fees.

We women here in the developed world are so blessed with our abundance. For the most part we have so many opportunities for a wonderful life and for those who do encounter difficulties there are a multitude of social service agencies to help those in need. I don't think we can even imagine what some of the women I know in the developing world have gone through and yet they have survived  and still want the best for their families.

On March 8th, please think of women worldwide who suffer silently but are filled with an inner beauty and spirit, a resiliency that transcends their difficulties. I know I'll be thinking of my women friends in Wongonyi Village and Nairobi, Kenya -  Kinandi, a widow and our Agricultural Farm Instructor; Beatrice, our Community Health Care Worker; Margaret my basket making Instructor; Getrude, Ronnie's mother and host to visiting university students and in the slums of Nairobi, Mama Caroline and her co-workers of Jitolee Crafts in Kibera Slums and the women of Bega Kwa Bega Craft Group in Mathare Slums. Remember to speak up for those women. Together we can tell their stories told and all make difference in the lives of women worldwide.

One Billion Rising - February 14, 2013

You might be surprised to learn that some of the  teenage girls in this group, like many girls across the African continent have already been raped, beaten or abused by a male in their community, a teacher (in exchange for the promise of good grades or the ability to stay in school) or even a male family member. Abuses that can have effect on these young girls for a lifetime.

Now meet Mama Caroline (in centre), an HIV positive woman living in Kibera Slums in Nairobi, Kenya. Mamany Caroline and many other women living in Kibera have been raped, beaten or abused on a regular basis for simply needing to relieve themselves at the public washrooms. In Kibera people do not have indoor toilets in their homes and must access the public toilets (for which they have to pay to use). The need to use them, especially at night, usually results in being raped, even when an HIV positive woman reveals her status to her abuser. I can only imagiine what these women have goone through and how they continue to live on when there are few social services available to assist them. I truly do admire these women and girls for their resiliency.

Today, February 14th, we acknowledge the violence that has been perpetrated against women around the globe with One Billion Rising, a day of global action to bring awareness to violence against women. Today here in Muskoka as around the world women will join together at 1:00 pm to dance to show their support. The name One Billion Rising was created to mark the 15th anniversary of V-Day, created by Eve Ensler,Tony Award winning author and playwright who wrote The Vagina Monologues. The title makes reference to the UN statistic that one in three women on the earth will be raped, beaten or abused in their lifetime, and for some women that may happen many times.

So today on Valentine's Day - the day of love, I encourage you to rise up with your fellow sisters and brothers around the world and show your support for those women who do not have a voice and are unable to speak out on violence against women. By supporting and helping those we come in contact with who have experienced such abuse, we can help to break the chain of silence on violence.

For more information visit their website at onebillionrising.org.