World Wide Challenge Met By Y.W.C.A.

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29367, 21 November 1960, Page 2

World Wide Challenge Met By Y.W.C.A.

How the Y.W.C.A., in world fellowship, has met the challenge of helping to alleviate the suffering of refugees and others living in distress in underprivileged areas, was mentioned last evening in Christchurch by Miss Olga Lawrence, associate general secretary of the Y.W.C.A. in New Zealand. Miss Lawrence was formerly on the staff of the Y.W.C.A, in India for 35 years and was national general secretary there for five years. Spending the week-end at the Christchurch Y.W.C.A., Miss Lawrence took part in the association’s observance of World Fellowship Week held in conjunction with the Christchurch Y.M.C.A. World Fellowship Week has

been held annually for the last 93 years by both associations throughout the world. Seventy countries now unite in prayer and fellowship at this time, when members think of the needs of other associations—particularly those in countries faced with serious human problems. Thinking bf Others

Discussing practical fellowship at the world-wide level. Miss Lawrence told of a Y.W.C.A. social service centre established near a desert refugee camp in Karachi, where thousands of adults and children live in huts they have made of hessian, rags and oil tins.

Attached to the welfare centre is a clinic to treat children suffering from diseases and malnutrition. It is served by a doctor, a nurse and a compounder who work voluntarily. Adults are

taught to read and write, how to sew and knit their own garments. Older girls are taught embroidery, for which a market is found. “Gradually we are trying to build up the refugees’ self-respect, and to encourage them to do things for themselves,” Miss Lawrence said. Home In the suburb of Heliopolis, near Athens, the Y.W.C.A. conducts a home for the aged, where 164 Greek and Armenian refugees (mainly from Turkey) will be looked after for the rest of their lives.' - This home is a large building and on the ground floor shops are being established, so that the elderly residents will not need to go to town to buy what they need. Already two of the refugees have established a grocery shop and a cafe there. When the coconut industry failed in Travancore (south India) and famine followed, Y.W.C.A. officers heard of a village that had reached a desperate level. “On investigation they found terrible conditions—dead bodies scattered throughout the long roadside village,” Miss Lawrence said. “It was decided to begin by helping the children. “An old school was taken over and used as a community centre. Children were giyen meals, clothing and medical treatment. Later a little weaving industry was set up and eventually the centre became self-supporting.’ ’ “Girls’ Town” “Girls’ Town” in Madras is another Y.W.C.A. project in South India. In the Madras Y.W.C.A.’s compound are three hostels where 12 beggar girls have been taken off the streets, given free accommodation, education and industrial training, and are making remarkable progress. This project was made possible by the “Miss-a-meal” campaign started by a German Y.W.C.A. president, concerned about conditions in Madras, whose own family missed one meal a week and put the equivalent cost into a fund. Their example was followed by many others and so “Girls’ Town” has been operating for five years. Miss Lawrence spoke at the World Fellowship tea, held at the Y.W.C.A. last evening and attended by about 100 members of the Y.M.C.A. and the Y.W.C.A. Later in the evening members attended a special service held at the Durham street Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. A. K. Petch. The Old Testament lesson was read by Mr R. J. O’Kane, general secretary of the Christchurch Y.M.C.A., and the new testament lesson by Miss Lawrence.