May 2013

Asia Pacific Region to Achieve Four Million Members by 2020

At the annual Asia Pacific Regional Committee meeting held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 2 to 8 March 2013, the Committee set a new membership target in the Region. This was after having achieved the target of approximately three million members in the triennium of 2012-2014, two years ahead of schedule. The new membership target of four million members is tied in with the Asia Pacific Regional Membership Development Strategy which sets the direction of the Region until 2020. The Asia Pacific Region has seen a continuous membership increase since 2009. Total membership has grown from 2.6 million members in 2009 to 2.9 million in 2011, the latest being almost 3.07 million members in 2012. The membership increase was due to the concerted efforts of all Member Organizations in the Asia Pacific Region and the Asia Pacific Regional Committee. One of the actions under the Asia Pacific Operational Plan 2012-2014 is to recognize Member Organizations which achieve an increase in membership by 2% or more in three years. Recent Member Organization reports showed that 18 out of the 25 Member Organizations in the Region achieved this and the 18 Member Organizations will be presented with certificates of recognition at the 11th Asia Pacific Regional Conference in Tokyo, Japan this June.

During the meeting, the Asia Pacific Regional Committee also discussed various ways to enhance support to the Member Organizations and to strengthen the growth and development of the Region, with great focus on the Asia Pacific Regional Membership Development Strategy. The Strategy will be discussed with Member Organizations during the 11th Asia Pacific Regional Conference. It consists of six regional strategic priorities:

1. Strengthen the skills of adult members.

2. Deliver attractive and quality programmes.

3. Retain and grow membership and market share.

4. Build strong structures and organizational systems.

5. Expand and diversify funding in Member Organizations and the Asia Pacific Region,

6. Enhance the image and awareness of Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting

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May 2013

Flag for the Future Arctic Competition Winner from Malaysia Chosen by Vivienne Westwood

Dame Vivienne Westwood, the world renowned fashion designer, selected the winning flag design on 8 March 2013 in London. This design will be planted on the seabed at the North Pole in April 2013, closing the global competition run by WAGGGS and Greenpeace as part of Greenpeace’s campaign to Save the Arctic. The contest inspired youth from around the world to create a flag that would symbolize peace, hope and global community, as a statement of the commitment of millions of people who have signed a petition to protect the Arctic from oil drilling and overfishing. The contest ran for three months and inspired designs from young people from 54 countries. The winning design was submitted by Sarah Bartrisyia, a 13-year-old Girl Guide from Malaysia, whose winning entry featured seven brightly coloured doves and an Arctic starflower. The seven doves, she said, represented each of the seven continents; each carrying an olive branch which when brought together formed a laurel wreath, a symbol of Arctic protection. Shi Yun Lim, aged 13, of Singapore was a runner-up in the competition, which means her flag will also be going to the Arctic. “I may live in a hot place, but I know the polar ice is very important because it keeps the whole planet cool. If that ice melts, the earth will heat up even more and small islands like Singapore will suffer because the sea level will rise.”

Shi Yun also knows there are solutions to this problem: “Our world leaders should know that we need to stop using dirty fossil fuel – there are lots of different kinds of energy that we can use, like wind power.”

Sarah’s winning design will be produced as a titanium flag to be planted at the North Pole, four kilometres beneath the ice, and put on the seabed in a time capsule containing the signatures of millions of Arctic defenders. At the moment, no single country owns the international waters around the North Pole, but as climate change causes the sea ice to melt, countries and companies are moving in to exploit the resources including oil and fish in the Arctic Ocean. Sarah’s winning design covered three key areas:

1. Hope - The doves are painted with the seven rainbow colours (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet). Rainbow symbolizes hope for the Arctic. The shape in the centre is taken from a seven-petaled flower aptly called Arctic starflower (Trientalis europea) which grows in the northern climate. It is categorized as an endangered plant in some places. The star is the symbol for hope.

2. Peace - The doves carrying olive branches signifies the world living in peace and harmony.

3. Global Community - The white circle in the middle of the flag represents the Arctic Circle. The

seven doves carrying olive branches form a laurel wreath (headgear). It represents a united "Arctic Defenders" from the seven continents under Greenpeace flagship. The blue areas outside the circle are icebergs floating freely which signifies the threats such as global warming, over-fishing, oil drilling and conflict between countries.

"The creativity of young people is one of the most powerful tools we have to build a better world. The winning flag for the future is a fantastic representation of peace, hope and global community, and I am proud that it’s on the way to the North Pole,” said Dame Westwood.

The judging panel included two Canadian Northern Indigenous artists, Hilary Tam (Chinese/Canadian TV presenter), and 15-year-old Aishah Morshed, a Girl Guide from Ireland. Sarah notes on receiving her award “As a member of Girl Guides Association Malaysia, I feel very happy and honoured to be part of the Greenpeace and WAGGGS’ effort to Save the Arctic and the historic flag ceremony. I wish

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to thank Greenpeace and WAGGGS for this once in a lifetime opportunity. We need to protect the Arctic because it is the home of many indigenous peoples and many animal species. It should be declared a global sanctuary. I found out about the competition during my Environmental Journey in India visit last December to Sangam. After looking at a photo of the two brave Girl Guides taken in the Arctic, I decided to do my little part by participating and supporting the campaign to Save the Arctic. This is a golden opportunity for me to send the message of hope and peace to the rest of the world. I named my flag “Star Artica” or “Arctic Star” which means hope not only for the Arctic but the whole world. We can only save the Arctic for the future generations if we are united in peace and harmony. The Arctic is one of the last pristine places on earth, home to more than four million people as well as unique animals found nowhere else on the planet. Greenpeace is working with youth organizations like WAGGGS to ensure that this precious region is protected for generations to come.”

World Thinking Day 2013

Thinking Day 2013 Celebrations by Yeppoon Queensland Australia

Members of Keppel Coast District Girl Guides, Boy Scouts, families and friends were invited to Thinking Day activities which began with a bushwalk to the peak of Kemp Beach National Park. There was lots of laughter and stories about the view or the climb on the return to the site of the ceremony which included recalling the journey from the beginnings of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting over 100 years ago.

There was such a feeling of the Baden-Powell spirit as the flag bearers proudly presented their flags to the eager crowd and a very poignant moment when Trish Brown made her promise as a Girl Guide Leader with the Tropical Pearl Girl Guide Unit. The story of the Beaded Necklace was read as Girl Guides and Girl Scouts came forward with cardboard beads relating to passages in the story. Soon the circle became involved in beads, strengthening bonds as each differently-coloured bead was added, symbolizing the strength in diversity. This story was adapted from the Canadian Girl Guide website. “Hey,Hey Hey it’s Thinking Day” was sung while Girl Guides collected donations for the

Thinking Day Fund, which helps support Girl Guiding in Ireland, Jordan, Malawi, Pakistan and Venezuela. The Region’s International Consultant shared a display of World Thinking Day post cards, highlighting benefits for all members to be involved in World Thinking Day activities each year. Contacts were made with four of the five World Regions, and a letter was read from an English Girl Guide Unit who in turn, enclosed a letter they had received from the Africa Region. Through the post card exchange, Girl Guides learnt about cultures, food, badges, games and programme ideas from other countries. The day was capped off with a huge homemade birthday cake provided by a member of the local Support Group. The whole area could hear the Girl Guides singing happy birthday as the cake was cut. What a fitting ending to a great day of celebration!

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May 2013

World Thinking Day and Let Us Share 2013 Carnival Celebrated by the Hong Kong Girl

Guides Association The Hong Kong Girl Guides Association held “World Thinking Day and Let Us Share 2013” Carnival on 2 March 2013 at Discovery Park, a popular shopping mall in the New Territories. “Let Us Share” is a programme for delegates of International Exchange Activities to share their insights and experiences learned. They combined the World Thinking Day Ceremony and “Let US Share” together to promote the image and visibility of Girl Guiding in Hong Kong, and allow Girl Guides and the public to understand the characteristics of Girl Guiding such as international exposure and international friendship. The carnival included World Thinking Day ceremony, booths for sharing from overseas delegations, promotion of WAGGGS, and membership recruitment. Over 700 participants joined the event.

Pax Lodge World Thinking Day Celebrations

Amy Graham, Programme Coordinator-: Events at Pax Lodge, gave an idea of what World Thinking Day was like at the London World Centre: “World Thinking Day at Pax Lodge is always a big event and this year was no exception. Over the weekend, Pax Lodge opened its doors to over 200 Girl Guides and Girl Scouts who were given the chance to explore the building by following a trail of activities put together by the international team of staff and volunteers. Pax Lodge’s Thinking Day celebrations started on the afternoon of Friday 22 February as staff, volunteers and guests gathered together to attend the Evensong service at Westminster Abbey. After the service they were able to visit the memorial in the Abbey for Lord and Lady

Baden-Powell and take time to reflect on why we celebrate World Thinking Day. With Girl Scouts from the USA and Norway present, along with the diversity of the staff, the feeling of international togetherness was strong. It was a chance to celebrate the Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting glue that holds us all together and focus on what we could do to make the world a better place not just for ourselves, but for all the mothers and children around the globe – as was the theme for this year’s World Thinking Day celebrations. It was a calm and quiet reflection with friends – very different from the craziness that was about to come! Over every World Thinking Day weekend, as per tradition, there are open days where guests pick a morning or afternoon slot to visit. This year was no different. When the guests arrived, they were greeted by an enthusiastic reception team armed with coloured wristbands. These wristbands split the troops and units up into groups and determined the route they took around the building. A wonderful collection of the Friends of Pax Lodge held a fete in the dining room and one by one the groups were taken out to start their adventure. Every single possible area of Pax Lodge was taken over by a different member of the staff and volunteer team who was ready and waiting to share a song, dance, game or craft from their country. There were also ‘MDG’ stations with activities on the Millennium Development Goal themes for that year. Each participant had a passport which they filled with flags from each of the countries and they also received a special Pax Lodge pin. The evenings were again a chance to forget the boundaries between people as everyone sang songs at a campfire and played games. Everyone knew the songs and games in one form or another, and were willing to learn, and this again showed the beauty of our movement; bringing us together in ways we never would have imagined possible. All in all, World Thinking Day 2013 at Pax Lodge was a truly magical experience and despite the hard work and long hours, everyone came out feeling like it was their best Thinking Day yet.”

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May 2013

Bharat Scouts and Guides Project Gives Support to Tsunami Affected Children The Bharat Scouts & Guides organized a year long project “Support to Tsunami affected children project- Food, Education and Clothing for all”, for 1,000 Tsunami affected children aged 5 to 15 years at the Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh with support by the WAGGGS Tsunami Relief Fund. The project started on 22 February 2012 and concluded on 22 February 2013. The objectives of the project were: To equip ten schools by providing teaching

aids and educational materials; To improve the learning environment in

Tsunami affected areas by involving 1,000 children in curriculum and extra–curricular activities within the Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting spirit and encouraging the participation of parents and other active community members in school; and

To open Scouts/Girl Guide units in the locality.

The philosophy of the project was that every human being is a unique individual and that we all have a right to good health, education and basic needs, all of which, the children lost at the time of the tsunami in 2004. The achievements of the project include the following: Eight schools affected by the Tsunami have

reopened; Children of 586 families received education; 13 new schools opened Girl Guide/Girl

Scout Units; Thinking Day materials were distributed to

the children; First Aid boxes were given to the 13

schools; Eight children almost overcame leprosy

diseases through annual medical treatment; Five parents received treatment for

tuberculosis.

The project started with a village survey participated in by 1,515 families. The survey covered all the affected areas of Campbelpet, S.N.Gollpalen, Giripuram, Pallitunnalapalem, Polatitippa, Kunuru, KPT Palen, and Malakayalanka of the Krishna District. After the survey, the Girl Guides/Girl Scouts identified the affected families and their children who have suffered from poverty, illness and illiteracy. The Girl Guides and Girl Scouts arranged to meet the parents to motivate them to send their children to the schools. On 15 August 2012 (Independence Day of India) a health checkup camp was organized where around 1,300 children and their parents were seen by 15 specialist doctors who provided their services voluntarily. The local hospital and health care center worked together with the Bharat Scouts and Guides. From that day onward, the Health Checkup Camp continued every second Saturday of the month. Necessary medicines were provided to the patients by local health care center. The Girl Guides and Girl Scouts also started company meetings and troop meetings for those who attended school. During these meetings, they learnt Girl Guide and Scout skills. Regular Girl Guide/Girl Scout classes were conducted by the Unit leaders to motivate the children towards school and guide them in proper manner. 13 schools registered with the Bharat Scouts and Guides during this period. On 22 February 2013, with the celebration of Thinking Day, a sports day was organized for the Tsunami affected school children who were already Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. Around 1,250 girls and boys and their teachers participated in different games and sports. Invited guests included Shri G. Surya Prakash Rao- I.P.S., D.I.G. of Police, Shri Rao Garlanding, Shri Aroop Sarkar, Assistant Director and Project Coordinator. Local media

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and newspapers gave extensive coverage of the programme. The project continues with the help of local people, health care centre and bonafide Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. The project was coordinated by Shri Aroop Sarkar, Assistant Director, Bharat Scouts & Guides. Pakistan Runs First Aid and

Rescue Trainings

A

number of First Aid and Rescue trainings were organized by Pakistan Girl Guides Association Punjab at Lahore, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Jhang and Gujranwala with the collaboration of Rescue 1122 and the Pakistan Red Crescent Society. The representatives of these organizations trained Girl Guides, Senior Girl Guides and Guiders in handling the injuries and emergency situations, providing first aid and to treat the bleeding, fractures and viral infections. They were also trained to make stretchers and first aid boxes with limited resources. Lectures on Mother Health and Child Mortality were also part of these trainings in which trainers learned how to prevent a new born inheriting different diseases from her infected mother at the time of birth.

Bangladesh Runs Training of Trainers On 10 February 2013, a full day training was conducted by the Bangladesh Girl Guides Association at their headquarters. The training was run by Catherine Heath Chiu from the Hong Kong Girl Guides Association. Catherine is also a member of the Asia Pacific training Resource Pool and a certified WLDP trainer of WAGGGS. 13 trainers from regions across Bangladesh Girl Guides Association, 25 National Executive Members and 12 office members of the association participated in the training. The training focused on different techniques of innovative training, new methods to introduce oneself by identifying strengths, how to identify the needs of the girls and prioritize those needs, learning by doing, and lastly how to motivate someone to achieve goals. The association is very grateful to Cathy who spent a full day with the members of the association during her annual holiday in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Girl Guides Association is also grateful to the Asia Pacific Regional Committee for arranging the training for their association.

Bharat Guides and Scouts Hold State Level

Executives Meeting The Bharat Guides and Scouts State Level Executives namely State Secretaries, Joint State Secretaries, State Organizing Commissioners and State Training Commissioners gathered at their National Headquarters, New Delhi, India to evaluate last year’s performance and to formulate the timetable of next year’s events. The meeting was held from 26 to 28 February and the outcome was ratified at the National Level Planning Committee Meeting on 1 March 2013. The meeting started with a formal inauguration where Chief Commissioners of both wings were recognized. Top professionals of the National Headquarters facilitated the meeting. Fruitful interactions were held on different topics such as the state profile, strategies, communications, and regional events. At the end of the meeting the recommendations were

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presented to the National Commissioner for further action and follow through.

New Zealand Rangers Looking Forward to their January 2014 Event, F14ME Rangers in New Zealand are already looking forward to hosting their own event in January 2014. Called F14ME or Flame, the event will be held near Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. A girl consultation group has been set up to ensure event activities are pitched at the right level and leaders with specialist expertise have been asked whether they would like to lead a two to three day activity offsite. F14ME will be held from Saturday 4 January to Saturday 11 January 2014 at Wesley College in Pukekohe, south of Auckland. Rangers from all over the world are invited to join the New Zealand girls for this fun mid-summer event. For more information email flame@girlguidingnz.org.nz or visit GirlGuiding New Zealand’s website www.girlguidingnz.org.nz. Girl Scouts of Japan: Don't Look Down on the Power of Canned Tuna! Canned tuna is by far Japan's number one top seller among canned goods. Amazing skills to maximize the use of canned tuna were introduced on a popular Japanese morning information television programme. The Girl Scouts of Japan (GSJ) was invited to appear on the programme. GSJ introduced a way of using canned tuna that would be useful in the event of a disaster. By using the oil in the can, if you make a hole in the can (with the tuna still

inside) and set light to it, you can use it as a lamp in the event of a power failure.

A Girl Scout trainer who has been teaching Girl Scouts how to respond to disasters since the Great East

Japan Earthquake in March 2011, went on TV and showed viewers how to do it. She

demonstrated how to insert a wick made from tissue paper into a hole in the can and showed how the flame burned for more than an hour. She conveyed how ingenuity in times of emergency is what Girl Scouts' "Be Prepared" is all about. Girl Guiding New Zealand Helping Out in the Community

Pippins, Brownies, Girl Guides and Rangers helped out in communities throughout New Zealand during last year’s inaugural Girl Guide Action Month. The annual Action Month runs during May and June each year and provides the girls the opportunity to take part in community service and to help others within their local areas. Girl Guide Action Month not only helps communities but also strengthens and heightens GirlGuiding New Zealand’s profile and visibility. “Although our girls are always out and about in the community, it was a great opportunity to focus on helping others in a concentrated way for a month,” said Sonia Faulkner, GirlGuiding New Zealand’s National President. “It is also a chance to be involved with other local groups and services.” Community work undertaken during Girl Guide Action Month included collecting money for the local hospice, food for the SPCA and books and toys for doctors’ surgeries along with visiting retirement homes in their area. In New Plymouth, Pippins aged five and six raised

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money for the Kiwi – New Zealand’s native species of flightless birds - on Mt Egmont by picking and selling feijoas and making crafts and cards. Girl Guides in the Manawatu continued their community work in the region by doing a HeartStopper Challenge with teams dressed in Girl Guiding clothes from different eras jumping into pools of icy water – in the middle of winter! All the money raised went to the @Heart cause for children with heart issues. Girl Guide Action Month also fits in with the goals of the organization that focus on leadership development, community engagement and their mission to enable girls and young women to develop their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world. “Girl Guide Action Month is also a great way to promote GirlGuiding New Zealand throughout the country and the way we help girls develop skills and confidence,” said Sonia Faulkner. This year, girls will be out and about from Saturday 4 May to Monday 3 June 2013, Queen’s Birthday Weekend.

Microsoft Supports Sri Lanka Girl Guides

to Strengthen Rural Girl Guiding Microsoft donated $5,284 in Microsoft software to Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association (SLGGA) in support of a project to strengthen communication between the SLGGA and their members in the rural areas of Sri Lanka. The project will enable Sri Lanka Girl Guides to enhance programmes at the grassroots level, especially in the rural areas. SLGGA has many community development programmes including those related to the empowerment of women and wellbeing of the girl child. Said Akhtar Badshah, Senior Director, Microsoft Citizenship and Public Affairs noted “At Microsoft, we believe technology can do amazing things. That’s why we partner with thousands of organizations around the world to help each one achieve its mission. “ Among the objectives of the project are to convey messages from headquarters to districts and provinces, bridge the sisterhood and to meet Girl Guides in the rural areas, link rural Girl Guide companies with Girl Guide companies in other areas, develop life skills of the Girl Guides and share knowledge with Girl Guides and youths.

The first step of the project was the launch of the programme during World Thinking Day this year through Skype calls with Girl Guides/Girl Scouts locally and overseas.

The first overseas call was with Alba from El Salvador. Several other countries also participated, including Cambodia and Malaysia. Girl Guides and Little Friends of SLGGA were very excited to have the opportunity to meet Girl Guides/Girl Scouts from other countries online, especially on World Thinking Day.

Thailand Receives Letter of Commendation from Former President United Nations

Women’s Guild Geneva

The Girl Guides (Girl Scouts) Association of Thailand (GGAT), has received a complimentary letter from Mrs. Yvonne Ismail-Urfer, the former President United Nations Women’s Guild Geneva, for GGAT Chiang Mai regarding the Chern Bampen Campsite at Maejo, Chiang Mai. High praise was given to the Chairperson, Miss Utai Isro, for the beautiful buildings and landscape, as well as

GGAT Chiang Mai capability to organize a camp for 400 girls.

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Her Majesty the Queen of Brunei

Darussalam Donates USD20,000 to the Asia Pacific Region

Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam, Patron of the Girl Guides Association of Brunei Darussalam (GGABD), consented to receive in audience Low Lih Jeng, Chairman of the WAGGGS Asia Pacific Regional Committee and Ching Ching Wee-Ong, Regional Director of Asia Pacific Region on 2 February 2013. The audience took place at Istana Nurul Iman in the afternoon. Also present was Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah, as the President of the Girl Guides Association of Brunei Darussalam. The Asia Pacific Regional Team was accompanied by GGABD’S Chief Commissioner, Hajah Siti Hafsah binti Haji Abdul Halim, Deputy Chief Commissioner, Hajah Viviyanti binti Haji Ali and the Honorary Secretary, Aida binti Haji Abdul Rahman. The royal audience was granted during the Asia Pacific Team’s Partnership visit to GGABD held from 31 January to 3 February 2013. In the one-hour audience, the Asia Pacific Regional team thanked Her Majesty for her support for GGABD and previous donations to the Asia Pacific Region. They also shared with Her Majesty the activities of the Asia Pacific Region, WAGGGS initiatives and GGABD’s progress and initiatives for 2013-2016. After the audience, the Asia Pacific Team received a donation of USD 20,000 from Her Majesty to the Friends of Asia Pacific

WAGGGS (FAPW). Her Majesty has been a Major Donor of the FAPW since 2011. Low Lih Jeng, Chairman of the Asia Pacific Regional Committee said “The Asia Pacific Region is deeply honoured by Her Majesty’s support for our work and that Her Majesty shares our vision to develop girls and young women to their fullest potential to become responsible citizens of the world. We are inspired by Her Majesty’s continued support for the Girl Guides Association of Brunei Darussalam in their work to develop the girls and young women of Brunei Darussalam into leaders with confidence, character and courage to serve their community, their country and the world.” During the visit to Brunei Darussalam, the Asia Pacific Regional Team also attended a fundraising dinner organized by the Friends of Asia Pacific WAGGGS Brunei Darussalam which raised donations amounting to GBP 1,500. The dinner was graced by the Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of Brunei Darussalam, Datin Paduka Hajah Adina binti Othman. The Partnership visit to Girl Guides Association of Brunei Darussalam provided opportunities for the Asia Pacific Regional Team to have working meetings with the Executive Committee of GGABD and interacted with both girl and adult members. The Asia Pacific Regional Team also had the honour to plant a tree in the Asia Pacific Garden in the compound of GGABD. Links to media articles/video http://www.rtbnews.rtb.gov.bn/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7904:dinner-reception&catid=34:local&Itemid=66 http://www.brudirect.com/index.php/Local-News/the-girl-guides-association-of-brunei-darussalam-hosts-dinner.html http://www.bt.com.bn/news-national/2013/02/02/brunei-girl-guides-membership-drive

Nepal Scouts Revisits Strategic Plan to Achieve Membership Target of 60,000 in

2020

WAGGGS Asia Pacific Region worked hand in hand with the World Organization of

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the Scout Movement- Asia Pacific Region (WOSM-APR) in order to help Nepal Scouts achieve a membership of 60,000 by 2020. This goal was shared by 49 participants representing 35 districts who attended the National Strategic Plan Review at the Nepal Scouts National Headquarters from 16 to 20 January 2013. Dr. Abdul Rahim Mikarani, Hon. Member of National Planning Commission, opened the workshop on 16 January, with Mr. Hari Prasad, Secretary of Youth and Sports Ministry, as a special guest at the opening ceremony. Shree Ram Lamichhanne, Chief Commissioner welcomed the participants and guests from abroad and gave an overview of the achievements of Nepal Scouts over the past three years. Among the notable achievements are increase in membership of Nepal Scouts; support of core government personalities to Scouting resulting in a grant of 2.5 million for the current financial year; inclusion in the Sports Ministry budget the construction of one to two training centres; and renovation of existing headquarter buildings. Other notable achievements are the regular publication and uploading of Scouting bulletins, newspapers, and events on the website; and the improved on-line communication exchanges with 30 districts. This includes the dissemination of information for upcoming events, and the results are apparent with the effective mobilization and success of recent events such as the Youth Forum and various training. Normala Baharudin, Vice Chairman, Asia Pacific Committee and Katheri Ann Charcos-Puyo, Development Executive, Asia Pacific Region represented WAGGGS at this event. Both are proud to note the active participation of women leaders in the event and challenged them further to do more for the girls and young women in Nepal.

Achala Thapa, Lalitpur District Executive Member and Unit Leader of the Vajra Scout Troop, shared her experience: “After 20 years of teaching Science in secondary and higher secondary students aged 14 to 18, I changed my profession to Principal for primary school students (3+ to 10 years) five years ago. As the school upgraded one class per year, I felt a strong need for Scouting to be introduced to my students as they play a vital role in society. I thought of

introducing Scouting will help the children to be physically, socially, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually developed and have strong character. Also, Scouting gives them the opportunity to learn and practice leadership, team work, unity, improve self-confidence, reliability, trustworthiness, responsibility, readiness and other characters of a model human being.

Today, Nepal Scouts asked me to be a facilitator in the National Strategic Planning Review Workshop for 2013. It has made me very proud at being the part of the workshop not only as a group facilitator but as representative of the women and girls of Nepal. Through this workshop, I gained skills and felt more confident not only in my professional life but also encouraged me to be more responsible in working with Nepal Scouts in order to move its growth forward.“

New Zealand Finds New Ways to Include Every Girl

The determination of GirlGuiding New Zealand (NZ) that every girl in the country be

part of the organization has led to a new way of

delivering programmes to what was formerly known as Lone Guiding. The

creation of the Aotearoa Region enables GirlGuiding NZ to reach these girls by delivering programmes in a different way, through mobile phones, the post, email and the internet. "As we work towards developing our current programme content to be more technology friendly we will start to use the internet for more programme delivery,” said Kathy O’Neill, Aotearoa region’s Regional Coordinator.

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There are currently 50 girls within GirlGuiding NZ who cannot attend regular unit meetings, whether it is because they live in isolated rural areas or overseas, they do not have a unit within their local area or have gone to boarding school. Within the Aotearoa units, these girls now have the opportunity to choose a Buddy Unit so they can interact with other girls when they can. These units could be the nearest one to where they live, they have a friend going to that unit or it is near where their grandparents live. Once the girls have chosen their Buddy Units, the leaders of that unit then invite her to activities, events, camps or skills development sessions. ”This give the girls the opportunity to interact with other girls and learn things which might be difficult on their own,” said Kathy O’Neill. The name Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand and means land of the long white cloud in English. “Through the Aotearoa Region and the Buddy Units, we want to make sure that our programmes are available to every single girl in New Zealand, no matter where they live or what barriers are in place as far as attending regular unit meetings,” said Kathy. ”We are very excited about this new way of delivering programmes to these girls.”

can

Girl Guides Australia International Jamboree – Fantastic 2013

More than 1,600 Girl Guides and Leaders attended “fanTAStic", the Australian International Jamboree in Tasmania in January 2013. As Tasmania is a rural island state of Australia, the vision focused on Millennium Development Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability. The “fanTAStic" vision statement was: “To offer Girl Guides from around Australia and overseas a unique Tasmanian experience focused on friendship, fun and the environment linked to the fundamentals of the Australian Girl Guide Program. “

Girls had the opportunity to be informed, challenged and were given take home strategies to be the change they want to see in the world in relation to the environment as part of an integrated, challenging and fun programme at “fanTAStic“. The natural environment of Tasmania and the icon and jamboree mascot of the endangered Tasmanian Devil provided a unique opportunity for Girl Guides Tasmania to deliver a camping experience that met the needs of today’s girls and young women. The group and sub camps were named after Tasmanian threatened vulnerable or endangered animals or plants. At the opening ceremony the message given to the girls was that ‘Together we can change the world’. This theme was repeated throughout the camp with the aim that the participants come to understand that working together makes a huge difference. Everybody endeavoured to ensure environmental sustainability through recycling: for instance, 150 polystyrene vegetable boxes were collected to be used for storing resources, activity and food items while the lovable group camp mascots were created reusing preloved items and recyclable materials. Preloved handbags and shopping bags were repeatedly used to pass out instructions to the Leaders and the Girl Guides. An afternoon programme initiative, “enviroTAStic”, saw participants sampling eight activity pods comprising more than 100 different activity-based ideas including Tasmanian flora and fauna, energy, recycling, thinking about the environment and back to basics craft ideas. A youth forum was also included in this session to engage Girl Guides in the issues that really matter to them. Both the “fanTAStic" campfire and Guides Own were interwoven with the theme of MDG7. The campfire was based upon the book The Lorax by Dr. Seuss which followed the narrative told by the ‘Once-ler’ about how he exhausted the natural resources of the environment. The Guides' Own took the theme of "Plant a seed, Let it grow" The 10 – 13 year old Girl Guides had the challenging opportunity to bivouac (camp in the bush with only the basics provided). This creative programme element was based on a refugee wide game where Girl Guides moved around in patrols (refugee families) between six make believe refugee bushland camps,

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participating in a wide variety of activities including completing a family entry sheet in a number of languages. Girl Guides were exposed to what it might feel like to be a refugee with no home, job or knowledge of where their next meal may come from. The girls were told at the end of the wide game that a new refugee camp was being established along the road where they were given a tarpaulin, ropes and pegs to create their home for the night. The next morning was a celebration of unity supported by migrant community members from Launceston, Tasmania (refugees themselves) with a concert and the Girl Guides having the opportunity to join in with activities based on the cultures of the community members.

Water Filter Project Run by Girl Guides Association of Cambodia through Funding

from Girl Guides Australia, Queensland- Gold Coast Region

The Girl Guides Association of Cambodia ran a successful Sanitation and Water filter Project with support from Girl Guides Australia, Queensland- Gold Coast Region. Cambodia is one of the countries in Asia that has a lot of easily accessed water systems. Despite this, many Cambodians lack basic access to clean water and sanitation. Poor communities, particularly children, face many health problems related to water. Problems include intestinal and stomach issues, typhoid, dysentery and skin problems and large epidemics of diarrhoea caused by cholera. To address this issue, a group of young Girl Guide leaders initiated projects in Khandal, Takeo, Kampong

Thom, Kampot and Kampong Speu provinces to teach families and communities to change their behaviour from drinking raw water to drinking filtered water and using proper and clean toilets. Srey Touch, an 18 year old girl who joined the water filter project in Khandal province said “Previously, my family drinks raw water directly without boiling or filtration like the time of our grandparents. But I noticed that my family and the people living in our community usually have a lot of health problems like children having intestinal problems, diarrhoea, typhoid and even death caused by cholera. Doctors suggested that we drink safe and clean water but because it is difficult to find wood to boil water and we are not happy to wait for the boiled water to cool before drinking, my family still have the same problem. We are getting so poor as every month, my family spends a lot of money to buy medicines.”

The idea of the project is to work with small groups of people to educate other young people who will then educate their parents. The project funded the building of 80 water filters and five toilets for Girl Guide members and some families from poor communities. From 2007, Girl Guide members were given the message of the importance of drinking clean water, basic knowledge of hand washing and using toilets at every Girl Guide meeting. This training was also included in the unit Leaders training schedules. Water filters are provided at every place where Girl Guide weekly activities are held to encourage girls to drink clean water. The water filter project has brought changes to the personal behaviours of Srey Touch’s family and community. “Right now, I can drink water as I want because this water is safe and makes my family healthy too”, Srey Touch said. Girl Guides Association of Cambodia is very thankful to Girl Guides Queensland (Gold Coast Region) for their support in this project. Every patrol in each Girl Guide unit in Gold Coast Region of Girl Guides Queensland raises $15 to fund the water filter project. Girl Guides Cambodia also raises their own funds for this project by having girls make crafts to sell.

Joy Ord, member of Girl Guides

Australia who helped raise funds for this

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project said “I believe strongly that unit leaders of Girl Guides Association of Cambodia can make important changes in people’s lives with “small” things. A water filter is a small thing really but it has big consequences for health.” Girl Guides Association of Cambodia would like to ensure the sustainability of this project and to support more communities across the country. To donate to this project, please contact Girl Guides Association of Cambodia at ggac@online.com.kh Girl Scouts of Japan Peace Project Greener

x Greener Girl Scouts of Japan launched the Greener x Greener Peace Project in 2010. The project uses profits earned from local action programmes related to environmental conservation in Japan to improve the environment in refugee camps. This project started with activities in Japan, but from 12-20 January 2013, the third year of the project, a four-member delegation visited two refugee

camps near Cox's Bazar in southern Bangladesh, made an inspection tour and engaged in activities to increase the amount of

greenery in the camps. Girl Scouts of Japan was delighted that it was possible for the delegates to enter the refugee camps on this visit and implement the programme in cooperation with Uniqlo and UNHCR whose activities are supported by Japanese Girl Scouts. At the site, the delegates were able to work with the staff of Uniqlo and Bangladeshi NGOs as well as the staff of UNHCR Cox's Bazar Office, and in addition to implementing activities to make the camps greener, it was an opportunity to share as well, what the Girl Scouts have organized in the refugee camps. The activities implemented consisted in planting fruit trees and other trees in the vegetable gardens that were already there and in the newly created Girl Scout Garden in order to improve the environment in the refugee camp; holding workshops to teach the young people and camp scouts who act as leaders in the camps about the importance of

the environment and conducting a survey on the lives of the refugees. Asumi Urushibata (29), a Girl Scout Leader who was a member of the delegation, showed her strong desire to contribute to activities in Japan and abroad, saying, "We did nothing more than look for places with the potential to be used as fields and start to plough them. I hope that the Greener x Greener project will be continued so that the refugees will go on to sow seeds, water them and watch them grow, and that Japan and the refugee camps will be lush and green." The delegates will report on their visit to Girl Scouts in Japan, encouraging them to think about global environmental issues and the issue of refugees, and Girl Scouts of Japan will continue to work towards increasing the greenery in Japan and in refugee camps.

Japan Disseminates the Value of Girls’ Education through a Forum

On 24 March 2013, Girl Scouts of Japan (GSJ) held a forum under the theme of “Empower girls, -girls can be empowered further. The competency and environment needed for girls who will build the future.” 106 participants including GSJ members and non-member adults gathered at the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center in Tokyo. This forum contained a keynote address by Mariko Bando, President of a women’s university and women’s junior collage, under the theme of “Develop women as global

leaders.” During the forum there was a panel

discussion by school officials who are experts on girls’ education in

Japan and this included Teruko Wada, member of the World Board of WAGGGS. Parts of the result of a survey on girls’ education held by GSJ were reported in this event, and there was also a video message from Yuriko Koike, a member of the House of Representatives of Japan and a former Girl Scout.

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In Japan, equal opportunity for girls and boys in education is provided. Co-education has been promoted following the war. Today, almost 100% of public elementary schools, and 96% of junior high schools and high schools are co-educational schools. The percentage of girls going on to high schools is about the same as boys’. However, Japan ranks 101st out of 135 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index 2012. The proportion of women in managerial posts and in politics is especially very low. It clearly shows the issue that women are educated academically but not empowered enough in Japan. In addition, the Japanese Boy Scout Association has been accepting girls as their members since 1995. Facing these facts, Girl Scouts of Japan became strongly aware of the necessity to indicate their intention to continue girl-only activities to both members and non-members. GSJ has formed a task group and is studying this further. To prove the effectiveness of the movement, a survey was organized for teenage members and non-members. The survey shows that 75.6% of Girl Scouts aged 15-18 are able to work with other people positively while 58.1%. of non-member girls said that they are able to do the same. The same results for girls aged 12-15 were seen-- 64% of Girl Scouts while 50.7% of non-members answered yes. From the results, GSJ found that Girl Scouts are able to work with other people positively, to accomplish something working together with

their peers, and to challenge them to allow them to have self-affirmation. Also GSJ focused on the fact that these girls have experiences of co-operation, decision-making, and to think and act for themselves. Further, Girl Scouts have a wider variety of life experiences than non-members. One of the most important results of this survey is that half of the girls surveyed, both Girl Scouts and non-Girl Scouts, said they could challenge more things in a single gender environment. This ratio tends to increase as they get older. Even more, 63% of boys answered the same. Through the survey, Girl Scouts described the meaning of the single gender environment as follows: “We can do anything that usually boys would do”, “When we work with boys, girls tend to show only the good side and they are afraid to fail. Then we avoid doing the things we do not have enough confidence in. But when we work with girls only, we will try anything as much as we can.” At the forum, a young leader said her Girl Scout experience helped her in making a decision when she faced a very difficult circumstance in her life. From her words, all of the participants were convinced that Girl Scouting was meaningful. Also, one of the participants said, “We often waiver in our usual Girl Scout activities. But I reflected on the goal and objectives of our movement and gained a new perspective to work with girls through this forum.”

Girl Guides Singapore Partners with Gardens by the Bay for “GB Ambassadors”, a new Volunteer Engagement and Outreach Programme

On 16 February 2013, more than 9,000 members of the Girl Guides Singapore (GGS) and their families celebrated World Thinking Day with two new Garden Trails that were jointly developed by GGS and Gardens by the Bay (GBB) as part of the new “GB Ambassadors” programme. “GB Ambassadors” is a new volunteer engagement and outreach programme of GBB, with GGS as its inaugural partner. To commemorate the launch of the programme as well as the partnership between GGS and

GBB, a tree was planted by Mrs Mary Tan, Patron of GGS, at the Gardens’ Fragile Forest. Girl Guides and Brownies will have the opportunity to be involved in different projects at the Gardens, from Girl Guiding, to facilitating programmes, to assisting in the Gardens’ operations. For a start, 50 Girl Guides from five units have been trained as Garden guides to facilitate the two new Garden Trails. The trails – “Nature and Me” for Brownies and “Experiencing Nature” for Girl Guides – consist of a series of fun and educational activities that encourage children and youth to explore the gardens and discover its diversity of flora and fauna. Moving forward, GGS and GBB will continue to collaborate on various projects, including expanding the series of Garden Trails for use

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by schools and the public, and looking into the content development for a new “GB Proficiency Badge” for Girl Guides and Brownies. The partnership is part of GGS’ and GBB’ efforts to engage the young and to encourage them to play an active role in Singapore’s natural heritage. It is also in line with the Ministry of Education’s 21st Century Competencies, which seek to develop students to become independent learners, concerned citizens, active contributors and confident individuals. Mrs Chua Yen Ching, Chief Commissioner of Girl Guides Singapore noted: “The theme for World Thinking Day 2013 is “Forging Family Ties” and this celebration is unique in that the girls are celebrating it with their family members in these beautiful Gardens. The Garden Trails help strengthen the bond between the parents and girls. Quality relationship is essential in building strong foundations of the family unit and I am sure this will be a memorable event for everyone.” Mrs Joy Balakrishnan, President of Girl Guides Singapore stated: “This is an important and strategic partnership with Gardens by the Bay - for the girls to have access to the Gardens for learning beyond school and for GGS to share our expertise in developing the materials for learning. In GGS, we remain committed to the mission to enable girls and young women to develop their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world.” Dr Kiat W. Tan, Chief Executive Officer of Gardens by the Bay, said, “Children have a way of seeing things differently and the new Garden Trails will give young people a whole new perspective of looking at the Gardens. Our GB Ambassadors programme is an opportunity for the Gardens to engage the

young and to nurture among them a love for nature and biodiversity, while

developing leadership skills and a sense of

responsibility towards the community. We are delighted to have Girl Guides Singapore as our inaugural partner in

this programme.”

World Centres

FPax Lodge upcoming events

Imagine More Seminar

Girl Guides and Girl Scouts are ‘Imagining More’ for the next 100 years. They’re ‘imagining more’ for the world in which they live and ‘imagining more’ for their futures. Would you like to gain skills, tools and knowledge to help change your world for the better? Pax Lodge is leading an introductory seminar and training on WAGGGS themes for young women aged 18-25. Imagine more for Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting, imagine more for yourself, imagine more for your community and imagine more for the world! Explore the Millennium Development Goals and WAGGGS advocacy campaigns while gaining an international perspective on how these issues affect individuals, communities and our world. Taking place from 8 to 14 September 2013, email programme@paxlodge.org for more information.

New Year in London Are you looking for a new way to bring in another year? Have you always wanted to visit London and see the famous world-class firework display? Well now you have the chance! Why not join Pax Lodge’s New Years in London event and pick and choose what sessions and activities you want to take part in? From ice-skating at a beautiful London venue to learning how our international team celebrates the New Year in their different corners of the world, there’s no friendlier or more exciting place to be when 2013 becomes 2014. Email programme@paxlodge.org to join us – quickly, before it’s too late!

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Hot off the press! It’s been a while since Pax Lodge has had an Asia Pacific volunteer so we’re very excited to announce that by the time you read this, we will have a new Resident Volunteer from Australia, Tandra. We’re looking forward to welcoming her to the team!

Sangam's Community Programme

Have you ever wanted to volunteer for a great organization and really make a difference, but don't have 12 weeks to spare? Then Sangam has just the thing for you! In addition to our 12 week Community Programme, we now have a shorter four-week Programme. Participants in the four-week Programme will jump right into their volunteer experience with one of Sangam's many Community Partners. You will be paired with a 12-week participant and immerse yourself in Indian culture and tradition, while staying at Sangam World Centre. For more information on the Community Programme or scholarship opportunities, visit http://www.sangamworldcentre.org/en/programmes/cp01 or contact crm@sangamworldcentre.org.

Are You Ready to Be the Change?

Come to Sangam’s Be the Change event to experience first-hand the advocacy and community leadership our community partner organizations are doing right here in India. Make your own plan to take home and create lasting change in your community. Join Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from around the world coming together to learn to be the change they want to see in the world. And of course, get the full World Centre experience of Sangam. To book your space now, email guestservices@sangamworldcentre.org or check out www.sangamworldcentre.org/en/programmes/events/bethechange to see our future Be the Change events.

Arts exChange

Sangam World Centre is excited to announce a special event coming up in March 2014, the Arts exChange! This is an event for people interested in changing the world and connecting with other cultures through art. Come together to connect, create and share your artistic talent or your passion for the arts. We’ll explore art in many forms. Special guest facilitators include Girl Scout singer, songwriter Melinda Caroll, known for We Change the World and Ignite! To apply for this exciting event, send a creative expression of interest to wcm@sangamworldcentre.org by 30 September 2013 or before, spaces for this event will be filled on a rolling basis. For more details, visit http://www.sangamworldcentre.org/en/events/20982.

Asia Pacific Scholarship

In 2012 Sangam was delighted to welcome five Amy Bush Bursary participants from the Asia Pacific Region. They participated in our Community Programme, Gifts for Change and Be the Change events. If you would like to take advantage of this scholarship, only available to the Asia Pacific Region, ask your International Commissioner for more information.

Party Time at Sangam!

Every year Sangam gets older, but the party gets bigger! October 2013 will be our 47th birthday, and we've already started planning for our 50th birthday in 2016. We have more than one surprise in store for our golden birthday, so reserve your spot today! Contact guestservices@sangamworldcentre.org for more information.

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Condolences

The Asia Pacific Region is saddened by the untimely demise of Mrs. Mereani Cama, Deputy Chief Commissioner Fiji Girl Guides Association last 26 May 2013.

Mrs. Cama has been instrumental in helping build Fiji Girl Guides Association into a strong and leading organization for girls and young women in Fiji. She also attended two Pacific Strategic Meetings: 2009 PS

Meeting in Brisbane & the 2010 PS Meeting in New Zealand. She also represented FGGA in the APR Conference in 2007 in Malaysia.