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A life transformed
transforms others
By Marsha Wallace
DFW Co-Founder
Changing the world is a slow process.
The many programs that we have supported over the years continue to work hard to overcome the poverty and inequities that are so deeply embedded in their countries and their societies. When we look closely, we see changes all the time - but they are often steps toward a larger goal that we may not be around to see fulfilled. So it is really exciting when one of our programs can so clearly change its world.
Changing the world is a slow process. But we are doing it every day. Read my blog.
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Featured Program for September
Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project
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In rural Uganda, more than two million children have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS and most are being raised by their grandmothers. The Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project Training of Trainers program provides resources to these grandmothers to equip them with the business, life, and empowerment skills necessary to improve their lives and the lives of the children in their care.
The peer-to-peer training programs that our $45,000 grant will fund are aimed at improving life skills, helping the grandmothers secure micro-finance loans to encourage economic stability, and to teach them to cope better with being elderly and poor raising small children. More than 273 trainers will be trained and a total of 7,000 women and 43,000 children will be directly impacted.
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3 things you need to know
(about the Nyaka program)
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 Nyaka Founder Twesigye Jackson Kaguri left his village — Nyakagyezi — to go to college. He became a visiting scholar at Columbia in the 1990s and studied Human Rights Advocacy. On a visit home, he was besiged by a group of grandmothers begging for his help in educating their charges. He and his wife used their savings to build a school and launch the program that is now the Nyaka AIDS Orphan Program. For his efforts, Kaguri was named a CNN hero in 2012. Learn more about Nyaka.
 Throughout the world, HIV/AIDS is largely under control, although there is still not a cure. But the people of sub-Saharan Africa remain disproportionately affected by the disease. Seventy-four percent of people who died of the disease in 2013 were in eastern and southern Africa. Learn more about HIV/AIDS in Africa.
 Recipe Curator Linda McElroy is taking up the challenge of finding enticing ways to prepare traditional Ugandan food. The traditional Ugandan Mash — a combination of sweet potatoes, beans and peanuts known as Bufuke — is on the Proven Platter this month. Check out what's on the menu. |
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Leadership Changes
Retirements and new roles seemed to mark the last month. Here's an update (clockwise from the left).
Wendy Frattolin was named the Member and Volunteer Director at the main office. This is a new position. Wendy is a chapter leader (Greenville-1) and a member of the board of Ten Thousand Villages.
If you've been in DFW for any period of time, you know Gina League. Gina's job is remaining substantively the same (she's responsible for everything in the office!) but her title has changed to more accurately reflect the scope of her job. She is now Director of Administration.
Learn more about DFW's senior staff
Linda Dougall is the new co-regional leader in the West. She'll be working alongside Patty Karabatsos. More on Linda and other Regional Leaders.
A sad (for us) but happy (for her) announcement: Debbie Britt, co-regional leader in the Mid-Atlantic group, has announced her retirement effective Nov. 15. Debbie's leadership has been a huge factor in the success of the Mid-Atlantic region, managing significant growth and raising a lot of money for DFW.
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Travel Tales
Trip or donation? A personal perspective.
DFW's Travel Director Patricia Andersson has been asked some pointed questions like this one from a member. She wanted to know why the organization wouldn't be better off if travelers just donated the money they spend on the trip. You'll find Patricia's answer interesting and thought-provoking. Read the blog post.
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