The Wilmington, NC Chapter of The Links, Inc.

Archive for the ‘International Trends & Services’ Category

One of the Signature Programs of  The Links, Incorporated is the fight against childhood obesity. The Chapter Umbrella Program is centered on this issue and during 2009-2010 all facets focused their efforts on addressing childhood obesity in our community.

The International Trends and Services Facet arranged with Mrs. Valerie Lingo, proprietor of Jamaica's Comfort Zone restaurant in Wilmington to host children from Girls, Incorporated at her restaurant. She engaged the girls in a discussion of "eating from the land." The children learned about and tasted foods native to Jamaica and healthy Jamaican cooking. Following the lunch, we attended the Intercultural Festival at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Link Barbara with Girls, Inc. children

More photographs of our fun day of International eating and learning, February 20, 2010. 

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Photos by Link Gloria Monroe.

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For those who wanted some more information about Mamaa Kits and The Links partnership with the program,  here are some links to information you will find informative.

Maama Kits From Medilinks Africa: http://bit.ly/bX6yvK

Maama Kit: Making Childbirth Cleaner and Safer:  http://bit.ly/bnL18O

Please purchase a Maama Kit (10 dollars!) whenever you can.  It doesn't cost much, but it helps a great deal.

Link Gloria Monroe is the featured speaker at the October 26 meeting of The Sister Cities Association of Wilmington dinner program. The meeting will start at 6:00 p.m. at the Downtown branch of the New Hanover County Public Library. The program will explore modern Tanzania without the dangers of the bush. Link Gloria, an IBM executive who participated in a Service Corps project in Tanzania is a member of the Wilmington, North Carolina Chapter of The Links, Inc. She serves on the International Trends and Services Facet.

International Trends and Services
“You do not have to travel internationally to make an impact globally”

The Global Trilogy of International Trends and Services, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), and the Signature Program, “Education Across the Miles” mission is to expand the global platform for programs designed and developed to service the educational, health and cultural needs of people of African descent throughout the world.

All components of the Global Trilogy will execute a measurable delivery model created to reach women and their families through long-term programs committed to economic empowerment, education for youth, health initiatives and public policy leadership in advocating for social justice.  The programs are enhanced through partnership, mentorship and advocacy.    It is imperative that programs are accessible to the chapter’s membership as well as those in the Diaspora.

International Trends and Services Initiatives

Safe Motherhood: To develop programs that address the issues of Family Planning, Antennal Care, Clean and Safe Delivery, and Essential Obstetric Care Preventable death    and disability among mothers and expectant mothers are all-encompassing tragedies for families, for communities, for societies, and most of all, for children.

Safe Motherhood supports basic maternity, primary health care initiatives and equity for women.

•    Clean and Safe Delivery: “Mama Kits” were developed by the Uganda Ministry in Health in 1997.  In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO), Ministry of Health, and The Links revitalized the program.
Action:  Expand the program and partnerships to include broader territory in Africa and the Caribbean.
•    Primary Health Care: Water Wells, Electricity and other related needs.
Action:  Continue Chapter support.  Expand the program initiative to cover more African countries and look at aboveground wells for safety/purity (Mozambique, Kenya, other African nations and Haiti).
•    Family Planning/Primary Health Care: HIV/AIDS Projects–New to agenda, but critical globally.
•    Essential Obstetric: Fistula Obstetric fistula is a hole in the birth canal caused by prolonged labor without prompt medical intervention, usually a Caesarean section. The woman is left with chronic incontinence and, in most cases, a stillborn baby.
•    Basic Maternity: Education and Nutrition
•    Equity for Women: Mentoring program for African and Caribbean Women interested in nursing and other programs that promote equity in women.  This includes initiatives that provide for safe heaven for mother and child(ren).

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO)

Exploring Women Empowerment
Program:  Economic Empowerment for Women (Mentoring) Program Objective:  Support programs that provide economic empowerment for African women and their families.  Offer Link Chapters the option to work with one of three programs endorsed by The Links ITS Committee, such as:

•    Public Policy Issues: The Links Care
Objective:  The Links would take an impartial position on issues affecting the Good of Mankind.  Example:  Genocides in Rwanda and Darfur.

Darfur
o    Chapters can start a letter writing campaign to the Congressional Chair of the International Committee.
o    The Links, Incorporated ITS would draft a generic letter for Chapters to use and provide buttons with “The Links Care” on them.
o    ITS would arrange for the National President to meet with Congressman Gregory Meeks of New York, African-American Congressman on the International Committee.
o    “The Links Care”—create a symbol and button to support the position taken:  Darfur, AIDS, Orphans or Women issues of inequality.
Action: Darfur letter, special “The Links Care” button or ribbon, meeting with Congressman Gregory Meeks and National President of The Links, Incorporated.

•    The Model UN
Objective: Chapters will work with historically Black colleges and universities as well as middle and secondary schools to encourage and inspire students to become interested in international and world affairs through the work of the UN.

“Education Across the Miles” ITS Signature Program (Mentoring, Partnership, Advocacy)  “Education Across the Miles” will focus on the  commitment to support and refurbish schools in Africa to make a direct difference      in the lives of African families.
Program:  Continue to focus on the commitment to support and refurbish schools in Africa to make a difference in the lives of African families.

•    Program Objective:  Provide sponsoring Chapters with status reports on schools
•    Program Objective:  Include schools developed by Chapters in other countries under the EATM umbrella
•    Program Objective: Develop strategies to maintain and support schools
•    Program Objective:  Develop additional partnership to assist in supporting the initiative

JKB/aa (International Trends & Services 2007)