Posts from — October 2008

GONAÏVES, Haiti - Islande Bonne Joseph is sitting in front of me wearing a pretty checked dress, her hair carefully tied back. Her huge smile is warm and heartfelt. Dressed in her Sunday clothes, Islande may look timid but this young woman is anything but shy. When Hurricane Ike hit Gonaïves in Haiti, Islande displayed great courage, leading her neighbors to safety on top of her house as the flood waters rose dangerously high. [Read more →]

In the Islamic state of Mauritania its illegal to have a boyfriend or girlfriend. Rape is undefined in the country’s law.

Women on the Front Line: Mauritania (Part 1 of 2)
Women on the Front Line: Mauritania (Part 2 of 2)

Source: UNFPA

Morocco is coming to terms with the human rights abuses of its recent past.

Women on the Front Line: Morocco (Part 1 of 2)
Women on the Front Line: Morocco (Part 2 of 2)

Source: UNFPA

In 2007, CARE and Parsons The New School for Design began a journey with Ajkem’a Loy’a, group of women participating in a CARE project in San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala. Ajkem’a Loy’a connects local and global citizens to Mayan women through rich cultural stories told in the designs of handcrafted goods.

This year, a group of Parsons faculty and students returned to San Lucas Toliman to work side-by-side with Ajkem’a Loy’a for four weeks. Through a series of workshops, the women of Ajkem’a Loy’a developed their business and organizational skills and experimented with new tools and technologies. [Read more →]