Last updated: 14th April 2008

HARPENDEN MOTHERS' UNION Scroll down for more details

Hands Across the World: Members from St Nicholas Branch attended a Diocesan day at Old Welwyn on Saturday 12 April where they heard various speakers talking about projects, both at home and overseas, where the Mothers’ Union is involved. Following is a brief summary of some of the work being done in the name of the Mothers’ Union overseas and two of the projects in this Diocese which our own Diocesan Mothers’ Union is supporting. MELANESIA: young women suffer 'gang rape', and Mothers’ Union gives support. It is not a matter of if young women are raped in this country it is when!! Parenting courses are also run. Membership has increased from 8,000 to 20,000 in last 10 years. JAMAICA: Many women are forced to be drug traffickers to United Kingdom, serve prison sentences in United Kingdom and on their return to Jamaica need protection and the Mothers’ Union provides safe houses. They also run drug awareness courses. MYANMAR: Mothers’ Union (illegally) visits displacement camps for Karin community in Thailand. Mothers’ Union members cross border at night to give support to the displaced people until they are allowed to return to Thailand. Mothers’ Union Members have to trust in their friends to find the way there and back. We now have members in two more countries - Finland and Norway. Family Life Programme in Uganda: This programme’s main aim is to improve the value and quality of family life in Uganda. It uses group discussion and training and encourages all sectors of the community, young and old, those with faith or none to participate. It prioritises offering support to marginalised and disadvantaged groups such as single parents, widows and orphans. Nutrition and food security have been high on the programme's agenda. Poverty related issues such as high unemployment and sickness have resulted in malnutrition, kwashiorkor and other conditions caused by poor diets. Finding resources to buy food to provide a balanced diet is one of the daily challenges faced by communities in Luwero. The programme sought to find a solution by setting up a 'Model Home' to demonstrate the types of nutritional vegetables one can grow. Group members then take seeds so that they can grow the items in their homes. They encourage the members to grow as many fruits and nutritional leaves as possible and improve their soil with compost and manure; they are presently growing: peas; lettuce; broccoli; onions; carrots; local greens; Jack fruit; coffee; pumpkins; passion fruit; banana plantation; potatoes; mango trees; avocado; cassava; ginger. Cooking demonstrations are also given using the fresh produce grown in the 'Model Garden' to show families how to produce cheap, healthy balanced diets. At the model home the FLP Trainers and facilitators also demonstrate how to care for livestock and have cows, goats, chickens and rabbits. They provide a service where members can cross breed their goats to provide more offspring and milk. They also collect goats’ droppings to be used as fertilizer for members who have none. "Before FLP, people in the communities expected hand outs - free things. But now the Mothers' Union is giving them knowledge. Knowledge is better! They say 'with knowledge we can get what we want'. This makes a difference. But with FLP the knowledge will never die because the knowledge is with us. There is a spirit of helping one another and building relationships that before did not exist. It has helped me as well as the community." Ruth Segane, FLP Trainer, Luwero. HIV Drop in Centres: - The Crescent in St Albans, in Luton and Ware. We heard about how the volunteers and professionals help to support those affected by this decease. We forget people in this country as well as overseas, are affected by this illness. Christian Family Care Bedford: We heard about its history and development and present day work at the Women’s Refuge, and Charis, mum and baby unit and the Community Services at children/family centres at Bedford and Sandy.

Safe Delivery in Burundi: One of the projects that St Albans Diocesan Mothers’ Union is supporting this year is “Safe Delivery in Burundi”. “Many mothers live very far from a hospital and, as a result, many mothers and babies die during childbirth. Mothers’ Union members will be trained in midwife skills to save mothers before they arrive at hospital.” - Mrs Veberande Ndaruzenze, Mothers’ Union worker in Muyinga. Having a baby is, for most people, a very happy time. Having a baby in Burundi is also a happy time – but it is also a very dangerous time. Many mums die in childbirth, and often their children are at risk from the simplest things. Limited access to basic services and acute food insecurity and malnutrition contribute to this high maternal mortality rate. In Muyinga, Veberande decided to organise a training event to equip Mothers’ Union members with knowledge and skills that they could pas on to others in this rural community. 50 members are being trained in reproductive health, hygiene and childbirth. The reproductive health session will focus on the importance of a nutritious diet for pregnant women and babies and will include family planning. The session on hygiene will look at how illness and disease can be avoided by making small but significant changes to the immediate living environment – like using mosquito nets and drinking safe water. The childbirth session will look at how to prepare for the birth and the role of a midwife. All the above work needs support and Ł4,770 is required to pay for this programme. Our parish branch will be helping to raise some of this much needed money, so if you think that you can help the Mothers’ Union with this in some way, by a donation or holding an event – please speak to Chris Powell (07891 174586) or Jean McIntosh (01582 761362).

Harpenden Mothers' Union Programme: MU Programme 2008 – Theme for the year – “Time for Relationship” Wednesdays 8pm St Nicholas Church Halls April 16 – “Project Workshop” – Chris Powell May 21 – “The Marriage Course” – Christine and Keith Fox June 18 – “The Clergy Team” - Rev Christopher Futcher July 16 – no separate afternoon and evening meeting – visit to Toddington September 17 – “Climate Change” - Jenny Lane October 15 – t.b.c. November 19 – “Relationship with other churches” – Rev Jenny Pavyer December 3 – Joint meeting with Women’s Forum Thursdays 2.15pm St Nicholas Church Halls April 24 – “The Quakers” – Trevor Evans May 29 – “The Contact Centre” – Loretta Ramswell June 26 – “Strawberry Teas” September 25 – “The joys and sorrows of being a Grand Parent – Jean McIntosh October 30 – “Oh I do like to be by the seaside” – Alison Bailey November 27 – t.b.c.

About the Mothers' Union: Who and What the Mothers’ Union is: Mothers' Union is a Christian organisation with more than 3.6 million members in 78 countries worldwide. The backbone of the Mothers' Union is its worldwide network of grassroots volunteers. Whatever their individual backgrounds, members are united in their commitment to supporting marriage and family life. They give their time to generously help others, whether by running local projects, supporting international campaigns, or fundraising. Mothers' Union also employs over 300 paid workers around the world. These are women drawn from local dioceses, so they speak the language, understand the culture and customs and have first-hand experience of the problems their neighbours face. Mothers' Union workers provide vital leadership for efforts in the community. They enable people to gain essential skills, develop and encourage sustainable self-help projects, and run training seminars for local Mothers' Union members and the wider community. Workers also run the Literacy and Development Programme in Malawi, Sudan and Burundi. This programme enables learners to become literate and numerate as well as gaining skills in health, hygiene, HIV/AIDS and poverty alleviation. Mothers' Union is also involved in campaigning and lobbying on a number of worldwide issues such as parental rights, international debt relief and child poverty. We are happy to be working in partnership with various organisations, including the United Nations and other ecumenical groups. Read about all our campaigns and policy work in What we do? Mothers' Union is a Christian organisation with more than 3.6 million members in 78 countries worldwide. The backbone of the Mothers' Union is its worldwide network of grassroots volunteers. Whatever their individual backgrounds, members are united in their commitment to supporting marriage and family life. They give their time to generously help others, whether by running local projects, supporting international campaigns, or fundraising. Mothers' Union also employs over 300 paid workers around the world. These are women drawn from local dioceses, so they speak the language, understand the culture and customs and have first-hand experience of the problems their neighbours face. Mothers' Union workers provide vital leadership for efforts in the community. They enable people to gain essential skills, develop and encourage sustainable self-help projects, and run training seminars for local Mothers' Union members and the wider community. Workers also run the Literacy and Development Programme in Malawi, Sudan and Burundi. This programme enables learners to become literate and numerate as well as gaining skills in health, hygiene, HIV/AIDS and poverty alleviation. Mothers' Union is also involved in campaigning and lobbying on a number of worldwide issues such as parental rights, international debt relief and child poverty. We are happy to be working in partnership with various organisations, including the United Nations and other ecumenical groups. Website: themothersunion.org St Nicholas Parish Branch Contacts: –   Catherine Lawrence – 01582 460927   Jean McIntosh – 01582 761362   Chris Powell – 07891174586 We have members in our branch from all three churches in the Parish. We pay an annual subscription to the central Mothers’ Union to assist with it’s work both nationally and internationally and we raise funds in various ways for different projects overseas and here at home. Members take part in various diocesan and deanery events which are advertised via our diocesan and branch newsletters. Please contact any of the above if you would like to know more about us!

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