My first client. My longest doggie-love, Bobbi, aka Bobo, aka Bobo-na-Gogo (her African name that i invented once I knew Joanna and Ellen were going to Africa for 3 – 5 years.) Joanna and Ellen, Bobo’s moms, after two years of my walking and babysitting Bobbi, asked me to formally adopt her and they pay me for her upkeep. This is what Mummy Jo does for a living. She accepted the job last June as CEO of Action Aid, the 8th largest charity in the world. About 40 countries report to their CEO, Joanna. Bobbi is very proud of both her moms, who work around the clock to assist women and children, and men of developing nations.

ON IMPACT: JOANNA KERR’S LATEST BLOG POST ON THE HIVE
https://hive.actionaid.org/CEO_Blog_/default.aspx

A short dance with the alleged witches in Ngani, Ghana

from her blog:

Dear ActionAiders,

Last week I was in Ngani in northern Ghana visiting a camp for alleged witches, one of six such communities that ActionAid works with. The majority of the inhabitants are old women and widows who have been accused of witchcraft, attacked and chased out of their homes, and who have little contact with families and their former way of life.  For most of them, a mere suspicion and denunciation from a jealous neighbour finds them in long-term exile…their power as women too threatening.  But now, only after a couple of years of participatory work in the community with Reflect circles and consciousness-raising, these women are asking to go home.  Emboldened by new possibilities and knowledge of their rights, they have asked ActionAid to prepare their home communities for reintegration.  Even ActionAid Ghana colleagues were surprised and delighted by this new sign of hope.

Probably one of the best parts of this job is experiencing change like this and witnessing the real impact on the ground.  In the picture below from last week, you’ll find Hussaini (CD for Nigeria) and I sitting in a makeshift classroom in Kogi State, Nigeria. The structure, the land it is on and the two teachers who attend to these kids are a result of a hard fought battle by the community to get the government to provide what was rightfully theirs. It’s not much, but it’s a start.

Nora again here. Both Bobbi’s moms work for the improvement of the quality of life of women and children and men in developing countries. They also wrote a book together called . . .

The Future of Women’s Rights

The Future of Women’s Rights identifies the emergence of various trends threatening the advance of gender equality, women’s human rights and sustainable human development. These phenomena include the impacts of globalization and neoliberal economics, developments in biotechnology, the neo-conservative backlash against women’s rights, monopolistic ownership patterns over information technologies, the rise of identity politics marginalizing women’s issues, and the increase in violent conflict and war. The contributors to this volume are united in seeing a pressing need for women’s movements to evaluate their methods, with a view to making their future political work more effective. They identify current issues and trends in the world, thinking through how these may impact women and the work of women’s movements.

About the Author(s)

By Joanna Kerr, Ellen Sprenger and Alison SymingtonJoanna Kerr was, then, Executive Director of the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID).

Ellen Sprenger, at the time of writing, was Executive Director of Mama Cash, a women’s fund based in The Netherlands.

Alison Symington was Senior Researcher at AWID.

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Ellen Sprenger, Bobbi’s other mom, also works to improve life for people in developing countries. She coaches people who want to do that exact thing, who are already working hard to try to help the suffering people and animals of the world. She is a life coach and a consultant for individuals and for non-governmental organizations (NGO’s). She and Ellen are married and have to be the kindest, most approachable, down to earth, loveliest, gentlest, most loving people I know.  They truly are the most special, loving, wonderful people I’ve ever met. They love to laugh, and are easily moved to understand everyone’s situation they meet. Bobbi is very blessed with their loving care and so am I.

http://www.springstrategies.org/about-ellen/