| Indigenous Women's Alternative Leadership for Transformation (IWALT) Regional Follow up Training 
What is IWALT? One of the major focuses of CCA EGY is to promote indigenous women's ecumenical leadership development. The IWALT in Asia is a three year project of CCA in partnership with 'World Council of Churches' supported by 'United Church of Canada' and 'Canadian International Development Agency'. Between 2005 and 2007 there have been three sub regional trainings in India, Thailand and Philippines. Regional follow up on the IWALT Training was recently held in Chaing Mai Thailand from 4th to the 8th February 2008. 32 participants from previous sub regional IWALT work shops attended the meeting which was held in order to gauge and evaluate the multiplying affect of the IWALT training in local communities. The context for the need of IWALT in Asia Indigenous, Dalits and ethnic minority women are the most oppressed and vulnerable people in Asian communities. They suffer from sexism, casteism, exclusion and marginalization, all factors that undermine community and ultimately threaten life itself. However, despite such sufferings women have tremendous skill to build communities of peace. The purpose of IWALT was to enhance these skills as part of their ecumenical formation training. Specific Objectives of Regional IWALT Training: 1. To assess the attainment of objectives of the sub regional trainings through the participants sharing about their follow up activities. 2. To deepen and sharpen participant's understanding of feminist theologizing and the reading of the Bible through indigenous and Dalit women's eyes. 3. To evaluate the applicability of alternative i.e. feminist leadership in their respective contexts. 4. To build a platform for action, solidarity and cooperation among indigenous and dalit women on building communities of peace. Highlights of IWALT Regional Follow up Training Alternative Transformational Leadership Dr Anna May Say Pa, a renowned indigenous feminist theologian from Burma, gave the keynote address and led a Bible study on feminist leadership. Dr Anna May said that women are more transformational leaders, use power from charisma, interpersonal skills, and hard work, rather than power from the organizational structure, and are lead by attempting to transform the self interest of the worker to the larger interest of the group.
The transformational leaders serve as role models, help others to develop their skills, energize them and motivate them to be more creative
A Frame Work of Asian Feminist and Women's Theologizing Dr Hope Antone (Executive Secretary for CCA FMU) facilitated the Asian feminist theologizing but critically locating it in the context of indigenous and Dalit women. In small groups, participants went through the steps of feminist theologizing by naming oppression, identifying agents of oppression, identifying dominant theology and ideology that reinforce oppression, doing feminist critique of religious texts and cultural practices, and planning transformative action.
Re reading the Bible through Indigenous and Dalit Women's Eyes Indigenous and Dalit women have unique resources for theologizing their folk stories, oral traditions and myths. Dr Limatula Longkumer an indigenous Naga feminist theologian who is a contributor to IWALT said 'Folklore, oral traditions are indigenous people's expression of faith, beliefs, struggles, sufferings, fears and hopes and has ethical value. Therefore, it is an inevitable tool to understand a society and community its past, its traditions, culture and worldview and also to re read the Bible.' Dr Limatula Longkumer facilitated the participants to share their myths and folk stories to use it as an hermeneutics to re read the Bible.
Towards Self Reliance: Handful of Rice The group discussed how they can continue promoting IWALT and multiply its effect. Ruth Raksham, a Garo woman from Bangladesh, and Langsanpui, a Mizo woman from India, shared how women keep a handful of rice every time they cook. Such handfuls of rice are later collected from every house and sold to raise funds for women's training program. Such an "in kind" contribution from Asian indigenous women cannot be compared with dollars or pounds but it reveals the power of Asian indigenous women to contribute to grassroots women's ecumenical movement. No More Sorrows in God's Garden of Justice Participants shared amazing stories of multiplying effect of IWALT in local communities. As a part of IWALT follow up in India the indigenous students in the seminary wanted IWALT to be a part of the college curriculum. A book named No More Sorrow in God's Garden of Justice and edited by Dr Limatula Longkumer was also published gaining inspiration form IWALT. (For a detailed report about this IWALT meeting see www.cca.org.hk ) Women's Ecumenical Accompaniment for Vision and Empowerment (WEAVE) Project - in Timor Leste WEAVEis an ongoing project of CCA-EGY to assist new CCA member Churches or Councils in need of capacity building in the area of women in ecumenical leadership as well as organizational and program development through a full time Ecumenical Accompanier. WEAVE has been operating in Timor Leste since 2007 as part of an ongoing project of EGY-CCA for capacity building of women in conflict ridden societies. Previously the WEAVE project was implemented in Cambodia. Dominica F. Faurillo from the United Church of Philippines is a full time ecumenical accompanier of CCA in Timor Leste working in collaboration of 'Igrja Protestante Iha Timor Loro Sae'- (ITPL) - Protestant Church of East Timor. IPTL is the newest member Church of CCA. WEAVE Objectives: Accompany Church women in Timor Leste in order to help them to develop leadership skills for conflict transformation. -
Accompany Church women in Timor Leste in order to help them to develop leadership skills for conflict transformation. -
To encourage CCA member Churches and Councils to support newer Churches. -
To Link Women's organizations in support of women in conflict situations. At present WEAVE in East Timor is also facilitating the organization of Church Women and supporting the formation of a full time women's desk of IPTL. (More information and updates of activities will be shared in the April issue of 'CCA Women's Voice') EGY and 'South Asian Ecumenical Partnership Program' (SAEPP) Joint Collaboration for Women's Capacity Enhancement The main aim of this joint collaboration between CCA-EGY and SAEPP is to promote 'Capacity Enhancement Ecumenical Leadership Development for South Asian Church Women'. This ecumenical endeavor will also facilitate South Asian Church women to: - Strengthen networking and evolve common action plans to promote Gender justice;
Promote South Asian women in decision making process of Church and society; Promote advocacy and campaigning for Women and Children's Human Rights in South Asia. Ms Moumita Biswas - Executive Secretary of EGY and Rev Vinod Victor - SAEPP Coordinator had a meeting in Bangkok on 9th March 2008 especially planning for the first capacity enhancement training which will be held in August in Bangladesh. For further information about the work of the EGY please contact Moumita Biswas moumita@cca.org.hk
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Christian Conference of Asia
