National leadership in the hands of women does seem to be on the rise, e.g., Germany , Brazil, Argentina, Thailand and Australia. Their impact is as yet unclear. More impressive is the role of Aung San Suu Kyi , leader of the opposition in Burma.

Perhaps more concrete social change is the work of Dr. Yunus and the creation of the Grameen Bank, which focuses upon micro loans to mostly women in Bangladesh and around the world. In Mexico FWOP has tried to support En Via Foundation in Oaxaca that provides microloans to women in two villages. (www.envia.org ) .

The Green Belt Movement that was organized by Professor Wangari Masthai , Nobel Prize for Peace in 2004 has been empowering women for thirty years across Kenya and Africa. Their goals is now one billion tree campaign . Turk Pipkin is recent film Nobeity focuses in part on her outstanding work. ( www.greenbeltmovement.org )

In Denton Texas , the tree planting goal for 2011- 12 is 30,000. Our local Rotary Clubs working with the 120 or so students from high schools in our District planted some initial trees in July on the TWU campus. UNT -FWOP Chapter, a new Rotary Club at UNT and other clubs in Denton will be asked to complete the task this coming year.

We can not fail to also focus upon the work of Mujeres Vigilantes and the 675, 000 women across Mexico who are building houses for low income citizens, developing employment options, and creating local sustainable enclaves.

As the economist interviewed by Turk Pipkins of Austin, Texas suggests, full paid employment may not be a realistic vision for the future. Thus, creating local sustainable communities or enclaves where families can be protected from the periodic downturns of national economies may be one way to survive with dignity.

Our Board Member, Professor Isidor Wallimann with his colleagues has been working for some ten years to develop a social economy for the underemployed and unemployed of Basel, Switzerland. A Social Economy allows to establish a more formal barter economy to maintain some quality of daily living. Basel as with other models across Europe has created its own local currency ( Bon Netz Bon ). Below is a definition of their philosophy and approach.

“The Social Economy Network Cooperative and its mission

The Social Economy Network Cooperative Basel is a local and regional social movement organization to promote social and ecological sustainability. As such, it is also critical of globalization as presently practiced by the capitalist world market system. Therefore, it issues the BNB as an alternative currency to promote local and regional exchange patterns promoting local economic wellbeing while simultaneously enhancing social and ecological sustainability. However, the network is also otherwise engaged on several fronts relevant to social and ecological sustainability.

The Social Economy Network Cooperative Basel is a democratic network in which each member organization has one vote. In turn, membership is confined to democratic organizations that adhere to the one vote per member rule. Check here https://dublinpaintingpros.ie/. All member organizations must also subscribe to the tenets of social and ecological sustainability. Membership organizations may be not-for-profit civil society associations or consumer and producer cooperatives. The latter must demonstrate that membership decides (by the one member one vote principle) on all questions pertaining to the hiring and firing of workers, and to the use of economic surpluses. In sum, the Social Economy Network Cooperative Basel is a democratic network composed of democratic organizations to ensure the democratic control of its alternative currency and to foster economic democracy in general. “ http://www.viavia.ch/bnb/pmwiki.php?n=Main.SocialEconomyBasel

COFIMICH and Mujeres Vigilantes in Mexico have joined efforts to create housing development with low maintence costs and local food production in Mazamitla, Sahuayo , Ocotlan, La Barca and Morelia in the states of Jalisco and Michoacan. In the State of Hidalgo on August 12^th they broke ground for the first 50 houses out of 200 near a Lake and small tourist development. Thus the staff for the resort will have quality housing es and assured work. Visit the two FWOP partners’ website by going to our sponsorship section of this website.