Yap Women's Association

Ladies in Yap! We have a general assembly tomorrow, Thursday at 11:30am at the Small Business Development Center. Please make the time to join us. We will be discussing the upcoming hosting of the National Women's Conference.

PLEASE SHARE THIS PAGE WITH PEOPLE YOU BELIEVE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THE ORGANIZATION.

YAY! In the last week, we passed the concrete mix and have started placing the concrete footings. Now, I think in the construction world this means "it's a GO ladies! "

Please visit and like this page.
Https://m.facebook.com/Yap-State-Human-Trafficking-Task-Force-1944922525731994/

Yap State Human Trafficking Task Force The Task Force was established in 2015 to prevent illegal movement of people, typically for the purposes of forced labor or commercial exploitation.

HAPPIEST NEW YEAR TO ALL THE AWESOME WOMEN OF YAP! LET'S SHOW'EM HOW IT'S DONE THIS YEAR!

We are ready to lay the foundation.....just have one more thing to do.......test the concrete mixes

Get this. So, before the actual pouring of a foundation or such involving concrete, the mixes need to be tested. This is a picture of two types of concrete mixes in water. They will be taken out after a set number of days and then be placed in some sort of crusher that measures each segments strength. Unfortunately, Yap does not have a working machine so these segments have to be sent off island for testing.

YWA construction entrance is beginning to look very official....Remember your hard hats visitors.

Japan Grassroots Grant Program and Joint Site Inspection.

My apologies ladies for the late post. We were busy last week with the US Ambassador and Grassroots Coordinator visits.
UPDATE: Thanks to the JC Company, Public Works, MCE and YWA officers diligent work, our project is back underway! Also, a great big Thank you and heartfelt appreciation goes out to the 9th Legislature who have provided $22,700 towards the project.!

Construction is ongoing at the site of the future Yap women’s center. During her last visit in Yap, the Ambassador met with Leona Letun and Regina Raigetal to get an update on the construction schedule and to discuss issues of common interest.

We are so Proud of you Jennifer! Keep it going!

FSM boxer Chieng wins ANOC award FSM boxer Jennifer Chieng was presented an award for Best Female Athlete of the Pacific Games in Washington, D.C.

I like to think that this is one of the many reasons we in Yap like to reuse and recycle...

in the ocean breaks down into such small segments that pieces of plastic from a one-liter bottle could end up on every mile of beach throughout the world!

UPDATE FROM: Alison Shirley author (NOT Kanu Hawaii) of this image

****"made this as a rough example from similar images from the Internet , this info is not 100% accurate.

photo credit to

Thank you Na!
YAY!!!!! Go YAPESE GIRL POWER!!!!
Congratulations Ladies for a job well done!!!!

AMAZING MOM! CONGRATULATIONS JENNIFER!

FYI...
Article for Yap State News: PREPARING FOR THE UPCOMING DROUGHT AND WILDFIRES
We are currently experiencing an El Nino year. That’s why there were a lot of typhoons earlier in the year, and why we are experiencing especially low tides.
Scientists who study the weather have noticed that there is generally a drought (a big yal’) following an El Nino year in our area. While the current El Nino is still ongoing, they are predicting a drought for Yap. The 3rd quarter ENSO Bulletin predicts that Yap and Ulithi could get only about ¾ (75% ) as much rainfall from October to December of this year. Then from January to March, 2016 they are predicting only half the normal rainfall (!) For April to June 2016 the predictions call for about 70% of the normal rainfall. Rainfall could return to normal by about August of 2016. These predictions will be updated as they watch the behavior of the El Nino.
Given these predictions, this is the time to prepare water catchments and to be very careful with burning activities as the drought occurs at a time of strong NE trade winds (marngek) that could spread wildfires fast.
In response to Yap’s wildfire problems, the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Fire program has been assisting Yap State with wildfire prevention and suppression. This assistance has included the medium size green fire truck which is capable of reaching places that the bigger fire trucks can’t reach, support for fire prevention education programs and the planting of shaded fuel breaks which will eventually limit the spread of wildfires. This project has resulted in the planting of nearly 12,000 trees within the municipalities of Maap, Rumuung and Tomil. The program also hires college level interns to assist with the program and to develop local capacity in wildfire management.
In addition to the provision of the fire truck and firefighting tools, the US Forest Service Fire program has provided training to the local fire station. Since Yap has few firemen, the Forest Service program has also been working with communities. This has included the development of a Community Wildfire Preparedness Plan with the Municipality of Tomil who have planted trees for a green belt to limit the spread of wildfires in their fire prone savannah site.
Last week a U.S. Forest Service Fire team came to Yap to provide practical hands on training in fire suppression to enable Tomil community to better manage their wildfires once they occur. The team consisted of Trudie Mahoney, Assistant Director, Fire and Aviation Management; Mark Courson, Technical Assistance Cadre Leader; and Ken Kempter and Dave Valencia, Fire Suppression Experts working in collaboration with Margie Falanruw, U.S. Forest Service IPIF; Ryan Talken and Pius Liyagel of Yap Division of Agriculture and Forestry, the Yap Division of Public Safety Fire station and the Municipality of Tomil TRCT which was well organized from upper leadership to youth.

Tools were given to the community to assist with fire suppression and basic fire suppression techniques were explained and training exercises performed by the community and Yap Division of Public Safety. Over 37 community members joined the training and community Fire “Captains” were chosen to assist with coordination and ensure that the training is an ongoing activity once the USFS Team has left Yap.

The fire program is ongoing and other communities are invited to develop community wildfire preparedness plans as a first step in managing their wildfire problems.

Ladies,
I have it from a very good source we are going to have a bad drought.....recommendations are to tank up on water as much as possible. If you think it is bad now, it is going to get worse come December.

Yap's All girls Volleyball team headed to Guam for the tournaments. GOOD LUCK GIRLS!

CONGRATULATIONS JENNIFER! KEEP ON PUNCHING!

The last couple of weeks were most of the same thing, hole digging. But at last, it is done! Next will be compaction of the bottom of those holes to prepare for stabilization. While that is going on, others are preparing the skeleton for the columns, I think....hehehehe It is so exciting right now to watch all the work happening! I hope they don't get tired of me asking all sorts of questions and constantly taking pictures. When a new stage comes up, I will be sure to post. The next two weeks will be all about fundraising to complete the building. Wish us luck and if you want to donate/contribute of if you know of someone who can help, please contact Ms. Laura T. Ngaden at P.O. Box 593 Colonia, Yap FM 96943 or you can email me at [email protected]. Please be sure to state "Attn: Ms. Laura Ngaden, YWA President" in the subject heading.

I am not sure if I shared with you all that has happened with the Yap Women's Association Multipurpose Building project. I am pretty sure that I shared last year that the project had broken ground and construction was underway.
Well, about a month after groundbreaking, YWA was informed that the design given to them was faulty and could not support the second floor...All hell broke loose, the project was halted and YWA was forced to seek out a new engineer to redesign their building. To make a tedious long story short, after nine months of deliberations, hot discussions, compromising and finally cooperation, we are finally ready to recommence the project! Kudos to the officers of YWA who have tirelessly and fearlessly battled the arena of construction and engineering to get this project moving!

2016 Greg Urwin Awards
Call for Applications

The Greg Urwin Awards are a joint initiative of the Australian Government-funded Pacific Leadership Program (PLP) and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS). The Awards were established in 2008 to honour the memory and legacy of the former Secretary General of PIFS, the late Mr. Greg Urwin

Applications for the 2016 Greg Urwin Awards are now open. Up to five grants of AUD$25,000 will be awarded to outstanding Pacific Island professionals, researchers and emerging leaders to undertake a 3-6 month placement with a regional organisation or institution that has the potential to contribute to the positive development in the Pacific.

General Eligibility Criteria
Up to five (5) grants will be made for the 2016 Greg Urwin Awards. Successful applicants will:
- Be citizens of Pacific Island countries.
- Have completed, or will complete in 2015, a postgraduate qualification (Masters level or Phd. level)
- Have confirmed a placement with a host organisation or institution (including Australia and New Zealand).

Applicants must arrange their own placements and show exemplary academic achievement and leadership experience in their academic and/or professional field and in local community.

Applicants must be able to explain how their chosen placement will provide valuable professional experience, exposure to new ideas and create networks that will develop their leadership capacity in the Pacific Islands region.

Priority Areas

Applications are sought from scholars and professionals in a diverse range of fields including the private sector, public sector, civil society, health sector and academia.

At the request of the late Mr Urwin’s family, special consideration will be given to applicants in the health sector who wish to pursue a project related to cancer awareness, treatment and/ or research.

How to Apply

Further information and application requirements for the 2016 Greg Urwin Awards can be downloaded from the PLP website http://www.plp.org.fj/opportunities/greg-urwin-awards/

A selection panel will be convened in late October 2015, with a view to placements commencing in early 2016.

Closing date for applications is COB Friday 23 October 2015

Greg Urwin Awards - Pacific Leadership Program The Greg Urwin Awards are a joint initiative of the Australian Government-funded Pacific Leadership Program (PLP) and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS). The Awards were established in 2008 to honour the memory and legacy of the former Secretary General of PIFS, the late Mr. Greg Urwin

So, after months of back to back meetings, confrontations, planning and a hearing, YWAs Multipurpose building is finally going to break ground for the second time. YWA has received the approval and go ahead from USDA-RD to start construction on the new location (within the same compound). CONGRATULATIONS YWA!

Mogethin Ladies!
I know it has been awhile since my posts. YWA has been crazy busy trying to get our Multi-Purpose Building Construction back up and running.
Good News: We are awaiting Confirmation to Start construction again in the next few weeks!!!!!
When it comes to big projects such as this one, funding is very important and hard to come by..........but, thanks to FSM Congress, USDA-RD, Yap State Government, Japan Grassroots and many more supporters, this project will come to fruition!
Just as a reminder:
This building started with our grandmothers. They wanted to house activities that they felt would support our island community on its way to development the island way. It will house a great array of programs.
1. a local food shop where we can go to buy local produce in bulk, per pound, cooked, uncooked, specially prepared and/or ready to eat.
2. a local handicraft shop where we and visitors can go to find that special handicraft we want prepared and crafted by us.
3. a laundromat where we can drop off our dirty laundry, go to work and pick it up on our way home, washed, dried, pressed and folded....ready to throw in the closet or use.
4. Finally, an administration office
5. a conference room that will have so many purposes that scheduling is an absolute necessity. it will be used to hold conferences, workshops, trainings, social gatherings etc.,
And that ladies, is only the first floor.
The second floor will have two or three apartment style units that can house victims of domestic violence, Human trafficking etc., and can also, during downtime, cater to women leaders coming to Yap.
The whole building will be strong enough to be used as a typhoon shelter when needed.
So,
For those of us who would like to donate, support or contribute to this effort, please contact us by either calling 691-350-5973 or emailing [email protected].

Kammagar Bernie Grong! This definitely should be all women's motto!

Thank you Juanita Blaz, It is a good reminder.

Most Women Blame Themselves For Their Sexual Assault Depressing But Not Surprising Study Finds When it comes to sexual assault, the only person responsible is the perpetrator, full stop, end of story. However, as activists have long observed and as a new study points out, victims of sexual assault often blame themselves for the attacks. And believe it or not, that's not the saddest finding

National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence

Jimmy Carter Dedicating The Rest Of His Life Fighting For Women's Rights Jimmy Carter Dedicating The Rest Of His Life Fighting For Women's Rights. He told CNN that this is going to be his focus from now on in life.

Why We Need Older Women in the Workplace They show us who we want to be.

Nationally we have International domestic violence awareness day. Locally, we have a Human Trafficking law. We wanted a law on domestic violence but, there is already a law on assault.....Go figure.

Domestic Violence Against Women on Yap, Federated States of Micronesia Anecdotally there are high rates of domestic violence in the small Micronesian State of Yap, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), but there have been no studies to quantify the prevalence or characteristics of domestic violence in Yap or in any other ...

Jennifer has proven that the sky is the limit...........CONGRATULATIONS DUGWEN!

Thank you Bernie Grong! Ladies (and gentlemen), what say you?.........

Applications Open for Women, Peace and Security Internship at UN Women Location: New York, United States of America.Starting Date: 24-Aug-2015.Duration: 4 months. The Peace and Security Section leads on UN system-wide coordination on Women, Peace and Security, provides technical and financial support to the peace and security work of UN Women field offices, and impleme…

Thank you Juanita Blaz. Ladies, How does this differ in your neck of the woods?

Types of Abuse – www.loveisrespect.org There are many types of abuse and they are all difficult to experience. Explore the tabs below to learn the different ways abuse can occur so you can better identify them. Remember, each type of abuse is serious and no one deserves to experience any form of it.