“World Movement" Of Women

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32018, 19 June 1969, Page 2

“World Movement" Of Women

(By

MARY KILLY

in the

"Christian Science Monitor”)

NEW YORK. Smail groups of women—>often with small resources—are “building up a world movement of people who deeply care what happens to others,” Mrs Athena TsouderosAthanassiou, of Athens, president of the world Young Women’s Christian Association said recently. Mrs Athanassiou, on her way to Canada, was speaking at the luncheon gathering of the Y.W.CA. of the city of New York. In 76 countries on five continents branches of the Y.W.CA. are active. Many of them are feeling the new push from youth.

A new forcefulness is showing up in programmes affecting the social, economic, and political stability of their communities, she said. “I am a great believer in work done by small groups at

the local level,” she added. “If we don't start at the grass roots and begin in smaller ways, we cannot have a national or world movement.” Concern For Peace “Our concern is peace, education, advancement of women, aid for refugees and migrants—a world in which people can live in dignity and equality.” Describing some of the quality things carried on by a handful or more of women in Africa, the Middle East and India, Mrs Atbanassiou listed: An “extremely lively” group in Tanzania which has organised a children’s clothes factory that is growing as fast as the population is—this on a self-help basis. An industrial programme for girls in Lebanon under which girls from 13 to 18 who formerly signed their names by thumb prints have learned to read simple books. Uganda, where a home for the Y.W.C.A. has been made available, a place which provides ingenious recreation. Children enjoy home-made "television” achieved by two hand-wound rolls of paper with pictures pasted on them. . A “youth-speaks-with-youth” programme in Kenya, where-

in college students spent their summer vacation on adventurous bus trips, meeting the needs of children along the way. They talked with adults about how to bath a baby; what food to give a child; how many children they “should” have. Calcutta where care was given to the children of women in gaol, at boys’ clubs and girls’ clubs. Special Praise

When she came to Ethiopia she paused in special praise. “They have a most wonderful building in Addis Ababa; neighbourhood women of all ages come to it. They sit and work for others. They make a special dough which they cut up and bake in primitive ovens. The product is canapes or candies which they sell. "They use the money to lend to each other on need. It is a mutual chest.” Speaking of young people, she urged that “we listen more carefully” to them. "The world is at another stage today. We need the healthy co-operation of youth. But young people need more humanity." People in general were lacking in this. “More warmth, more depth,” is the world need, Mrs Athanassiou said.