BUY SHARES IN MARIAM’S COWS TO
HELP MARIAM AND NORMA ATTEND THE WLW COHORT
 In 2005 I had the great privilege to attend the inaugural Women Leaders of the World (WLW) cohort at Santa Clara University. Sponsored by the Global Women's Leadership Network (GWLN: www.gwln.org) and the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University, the WLW provides training and a network of resources for women leaders from around the world to fulfill their goals in bringing positive social change to the world.
In 2006 I nominated two women, Mariam Mukalezi and Norma Vallejo, to attend the 2005 WLW Cohort so that they could benefit from this incredibly empowering training. Mariam comes from the countryside of Uganda, and Norma Vallejo lives in a rural agricultural city in Veracruz, Mexico. Norma is a sociologist; Mariam has not had the opportunity to attend college. These two women are natural leaders dedicated to assisting indigenous, poor, and abused women in their countries to become independent businesswomen. They are working together with me to create working collectives so that these women have an income and a chance for a life outside of desperate poverty.
 We Need Your Help!
Buy shares in Mariam’s cows
The WLW training is very intensive and includes world-class executive training. The cost of the program, which includes food and lodging, is $6500. We depend on donations to help women attend the program. Attendees are expected to raise some funds toward their scholarships.
Mariam Mukalazi is a Muganda woman from the Lake Victoria region of Uganda. She has two boys, Faisal, who is seven and Sula, who is five. She fled an abusive marriage after her husband harmed their boys and nearly killed her. She now lives in a small home in the countryside and represents the Yeboah Farmers, a group of farmers throughout a large region of Uganda. She earns $60 a month, barely enough to support herself and her two boys.
Mariam has organized over 200 women at her church in Kampala. Some of the women fled the war and violence in Northwestern Uganda. This region is affected by the Darfur war in Sudan, the remnants of the terrible genocide in Rwanda, and the war in the Congo. Others are widows or fled abusive marriages. Nearly all have AIDS and most have children. Mariam started a program where the women could be of emotional support to one another and get counseling.
 The program was so important to Mariam that she was ready to sell her cows – a primary source of income for herself and her two sons – in order to attend. The leaders at the GWLN were so amazed that Mariam would actually sell her cows to pay her share of the training that they told Mariam not to sell her cows. Instead, they created a special sale using the picture of Mariam's milk cow on a certificate so that people could buy shares of Mariam's cow to pay her way to the program.
Unfortunately, the American Embassy in Kampala would not give Mariam a visa for the program, citing that she doesn't earn enough money to support herself and therefore could be a flight risk. We were heartbroken that she couldn't come to the program. But hope springs eternal. We are waiting for the Mexican government to issue Mariam a visa. When she comes to Mexico, Norma and I will share all that we garnered from the WLW program. Further, we intend to do our best to get her a visa to the US to have her attend the 2007 WLW cohort, ideally after she visits the Mexican plantations and we finish our plans for the women's collectives businesses.
Get your Cow Share today!
To buy cow shares directly from the Queen, people should send me their check, payable to Santa Clara University GWLN. Cow Shares begin at $25.00. Donors will receive a certificate with Mariam’s Cow emblazoned on the front. Mail to: Patricia Rain · PO Box 3206 · Santa Cruz, CA 95063 |
For further information on the GWLN and the WLW program, please visit th Queen's Blog.
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