This just in from my friends at PAWA, the Pan Asian Women's Association, and wholly endorsed with great admiration by me:
PAWA is a registered charity set up in 2009 to raise the profile of Asian women in the UK and fundraise to benefit girls’ education in Asia. They are managed entirely by volunteers and in the past two years over 95% of their income has been donated to support grassroots projects, which are carefully vetted and proposed by PAWA members, voted by members and members are encouraged to visit the projects. PAWA donations focus on the education of girls during the vulnerable teenage years.
PAWA covers 30 countries from Iran to Japan, Indonesia to Kazakhstan. Participation is open to all, women and men, Asian and non-Asian. This year, everyone can walk the talk - with a public fundraising Walkathon.
Charities that PAWA currently support:
There are also some additional charities that PAWA members selected to support from PAWA Walk donations. Donations will be ring-fenced for girls’ education projects with each charity:
PAWA is a registered charity set up in 2009 to raise the profile of Asian women in the UK and fundraise to benefit girls’ education in Asia. They are managed entirely by volunteers and in the past two years over 95% of their income has been donated to support grassroots projects, which are carefully vetted and proposed by PAWA members, voted by members and members are encouraged to visit the projects. PAWA donations focus on the education of girls during the vulnerable teenage years.
PAWA covers 30 countries from Iran to Japan, Indonesia to Kazakhstan. Participation is open to all, women and men, Asian and non-Asian. This year, everyone can walk the talk - with a public fundraising Walkathon.
- Date: SUNDAY 23 September 2012 from 10:00am.
- Route: A 5 kilometers walkathon in Regents Park followed by a picnic family lunch.
- The Participants: This is open to the public so anyone who wishes to support PAWA’s donation mission can register. PAWA are aiming for approximately 500 participants and their families alongside PAWA partner organisations, societies and charities. Asian embassies will be invited to participate and field a team, to be led by the wife of the ambassador. Independent and state secondary schools will be invited to participate.
- Contact: Betty Yao MBE, Chair, on betty@pawa-london.org or Zehan Albakri, Vice-chair, on zehan@pawa-london.org
Charities that PAWA currently support:
Banyan Tree – Kerala, India
Supporting girls from disadvantaged Dalit families. PAWA funds enabled 3 girls to finish their training in nursing, teaching and medical transcription. PAWA funds also went towards building a community centre where 250 teenagers attend for English tuition.
Chow Kit Kids – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Situated in the red light district of Kuala Lumpur, PAWA funds support a Youth Centre for 13-21 year olds who are vulnerable victims of child trafficking. PAWA also funds a trained counsellor to help teenage daughters of sex-workers to stay on in education instead of following their mothers to a life on the streets.
Burma Assist – Based in India
Works with Burmese refugees in New Delhi, PAWA funds support a tailoring centre managed by 3 Burmese women. The centre runs 6-month tailoring training courses to help the most vulnerable girls in the refugee community learn a skill so they will be able to support themselves and help their families.
There are also some additional charities that PAWA members selected to support from PAWA Walk donations. Donations will be ring-fenced for girls’ education projects with each charity:
Care Pakistan – Pakistan
Funding a girls’ secondary school where it costs just £1 per child per month. School building and land have been given by the regional authorities in a Public-Private partnership.
Sahabat Anak – Indonesia
Entrepreneurship programme for teenage girls.
Rebuilding Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka
Building a library which would benefit 4,000 children.
Afghanaid – Afghanistan
To support a programme to provide the means for girls to go to school where that is feasible and with home schooling where schools are not viable.
Dil Trust – Pakistan
Runs a programme called: Girls not Brides. With permission from parents and village elders this project allows girls to continue their education. Much needed are computers and computer skills training.
