BRAZIL WOMEN OF COURAGE, GLOBAL PRESS INSTITUTE BRAZIL, –NEXT Meeting Friday March 10 Noon Pacific

Join us as we discuss the Coffe Plantation, the Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Awardee who AWIU hosted on tuesday night in DC and much more.  Everyone interested is welcome.  Call in 1-605-475-6150 password 988993#  And learn more about our grant for a new South American Bureau in Recife Brazil for the Global Press Institute.  

BRAZIL PRODUCES MORE COFFEE THAN ANYWHERE AND WE ARE GOING TO LEARN MORE

MEET MARCOS CROSE AND SILVIA BARETTO Owners Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza, a coffee plantation in Brazil.  The delegation will visit the Plantation in September.

The Last two days of the Brazil/Paraguay Delegation will be spent at a coffee plantation about 180 miles outside Sao Paulo Brazil.

We will learn about coffe plantations, marketing coffee world wide.  And we will meet with rural women from the Cafe Igarai Cooperative.  They will educate us on the challenges and opportunities they have as they gather to market their products in Brazil and around the world.

You can read the bios of the women members.  

Want to help plan this important and information delegation?   Visit Virtual Chapter 2, a Chapter that meets in cyber space and is studying Brazil and planning the Delegation in September, 2012.   To learn more about the American Women for International Understanding visit awiu.org 

NEXT MEETING FEBRUARY 17 NOON PACIFIC TIME

Delegation Planning continues.  We will be discussing Dilma Rouseff the current President and how the Brazilian economy is booming at the moment.  Guests are welcome.  

1-605-475-6150 password 988993#  Please join us.

NEXT MEETING January 27 Noon Pacific

On the 27th, the Chapter will continue Delegation Planning.  There are two new Brazil AWIU relationships to consider.  

GLOBAL PRESS INSTITUTE:   Effective February 2011 AWIU will partner with the Global Press Institute for their first South American Bureau.  The Bureau will be located in three countries–Brazil, Argentina and Chile.

In Brazil the office will be headquartered in Recife.  

Nine women will be hired by these bureaus and will be trained as journalists.  After training, they will earn a middle income wage working as reporters in their home country.  The South American initiative is expected to reach an audience of several million.

AWIU will establish a mentor relationship with these women.

WOMEN OF COURAGE:  

Women of Courage 2011

This week the US State Department announced the countries for the 10 International Women of Courage recipients for 2012.  These women will be honored by AWIU at a Gala Celebration at the National Press Club on March 6.  You can register to attend The International Women of Courage Gala Celebration  This is a truly inspiring event.  Each woman will receive a monetary grant from AWIU to support her work in her home country. 

Member Betty Houbion Reports on South Carolina Human Trafficking Efforts

Member Betty Houbion is working to stop Human Trafficking in South Carolina. 

 Click to see what South Carolina is doing.

Delegation to Brazil/Paraguay September 16 to 30, 2012

The Chapter has set the new dates for the Brazil/ Paraguay Delegation as September 16 to 30, 2012.

First the delegation will go to the city of Sao Paolo for some important meetings in that vibrant urban setting.  We have wonderful contacts with  Human Trafficking organizations.  And Kathleen Huston will take the lead in estabilishing contacts relative to ecology and green economy initiatives.  

On the 22nd the delegation will go to Asuncion, Paraguay for 5 days of meeting hosted by Cynthia Bendlin, International Women of Courage awardee 2008.  

On the 27th the delegation will return to Brazil ending with a 2 night stay at a Coffee Plantation 180 miles outside Sao Paulo.  Here we will meet with local women from this rural setting and learn about the coffee business in Brazil.  

Robin Winter Odem will work with the coffee plantation and a Brazilian Author for our program during our 2 days at the Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza coffee plantation http://www.fafbrazil.com/fafbr/ip.asp?op=News&lg=E&sc=A     

The Chapter is exploring a delegation option for 2013.  Countries under consideration include Myamar and Pakistan. 

PARAGUAY/BRAZIL DELEGATION UPDATE

Since our last posting there have been several important changes to our delegation.  

BRAZIL:  We have developed a number of new connections and potential meetings.  We are planning to end the delegations on a Coffee Plantation 180 miles from Brazil.  Here we will learn more about the rural and agricultural economy in Brazil.  We will also meet with local women co-ops.  See the wonderful Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza here

http://www.fafbrazil.com/fafbr/ip.asp?op=News&lg=E&sc=A

NEW DATE FOR THE DELEGATION:  The delegation will be re-scheduled for 2012 likely in the September 2012 timeframe.

SEE THE US STATE DEPARTMENT NOTES ON PARAGUAY

The US State Department has overviews on countries of the world.  See their overview of Paraguay here  http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/1841.htm

THE DELEGATION PROPOSES MEETING AT EMBASSIES

 

Cynthia Bendlin US State Department International Women of Courage awardee who lives in Asuncion has offered to enhance our delegation with introductions to Paraguayan officals and specialists along with exposure to local artisans.  Cynthia has been in touch with the US Ambassador about a meeting for the delegation at the Embassy in Asuncion.

 

Paraguay is noted for its native arts and crafts originating in the many Indian tribes that are indigenous to the country.  Trip participants will be able to choose between outstanding collections of ceramics, embroideries (table cloths and napkins), baskets, silver jewelry and leather works. 

 

We are hoping to meet with U.S. Consul General Thomas Kelly or his designate in Sao Paulo.  Consul General Kelly met with our delegation to Argentina several years ago and is familiar with AWIU and its goals.  

 

Sao Paulo is one of two Counsel General Consulates in Brazil.  The staff is composed of experts in US Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) along with intelligence research specialists.  We look forward to meeting with members of the staff and gaining an insight into the problems posed by human trafficking, child labor, trade fraud and other serious threats to stability in the Southern Hemisphere.

 

 

 

Human Trafficking report 2011–Rankings Paraguay/Brazil

Secretary of State Clinton has released the 2011 Human Trafficking Report.  This report ranks 184 countries in terms of human trafficking.  Countries are ranked from Tier 1 (the lowest problems) to Tier 3 (the highest problems)

Here are the 2011 rankings

Paraguay              Tier 2

Brazil                     Tier 2

United States     Tier 1

Here is a link to a map of the world showing each countries tier ranking  http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/interactive/2011/jun/27/human-trafficking-state-department-country-ranks-map?intcmp=239