MEMBER PROFILES
Kum-Kum Bhavnani, producer and director of the award-winning documentary The Shape of Water, was born in India, lived over 30 years in England, and now resides in Santa Barbara, California. A professor at the University of California, she connects her activism with her academic commitment. From an interview she did with Rural Women Making Change, she remembers this transformation: “I had always been active in the connection between feminism and anti-racism and always been interested in Third World development, but never had taught about it. . . . As I started to teach about women in relation to third world development I began to develop in a different direction. . . . It is from women in the Third World that everyone can learn how successful change is created.” Dr. Bhavnani notes that, “We need to attend to women because when you look at women, you see the complexities of people’s lives. It is in women’s lives that you see how the public and the private, or everyday life, are enmeshed – when you look at everyday life you are able to see agency. . . . I emphasize to my classes how the world is made better and by whom – to show there is always the possibility of change.” Member since 2007.
Kathleen Edwards, is a World Neighbors trustee and is based in Seattle, Washington. Says she, " I joined WOW! for several reasons. First, I knew I had much in common with the women who participate in World Neighbors programs, even though our lives are very different. . . . Second, when I visited World Neighbors programs in Ecuador and Guatemala, I met many of our women participants. In doing so, I learned that the biggest difference between us is the abundance of opportunities I have had in my life that is lacking in theirs. Third, I believe the most effective way to alleviate poverty, promote health, educate children and raise the standard of living throughout the developing world is to empower women by helping them create opportunities for themselves and their families." Founding member of WOW!
Jeanne Haws is assistant dean for operations in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. Reflecting on why she supports WOW! and World Neighbors, she says, “I have been especially inspired by the success of World Neighbors work in Karnataka, India, where reproductive health services were integrated into agriculture activities in two villages in 1998. An evaluation of this program documented that as a result of World Neighbors integrated approach, women not only increased their use of family planning methods, but the women themselves also reported positive changes in women’s decision-making, property ownership, girls’ education and a reduction in violence against women.
A favorite musician of my youth, Sir Elton John, recently said, “To look after our own at home is a sign of strength; to reach out to others around the world is a sign of greatness.” Through my association with WOW!, I have a chance to live my dream and reach out around the world. Member since 2004.
