The United Nations Department of Public Information presents Activists tell of grassroots fights against poverty

Thursday, 15 October at 10:30 a.m. - Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium, United Nations

The following grassroots leaders will brief representatives of non governmental organizations:

Edith Wakumure heads the Uganda Women Concern Ministry, which equips women to reduce their vulnerability to AIDS as well as to poverty through counselling, home care and access to education.

A leader of the Jordanian Women's Union, Miyasser Al-Saadi developed a plan to teach sewing skills to women from poverty stricken families, who are now earning an income and asserting their roles in family and society.

Fatima Bee became the first women ever to head the village committee in Kalva, India, using her position to secure clean drinking water and sanitation units for all poor households in the district, as well as to initiate soil and water conservation measures and campaign against childlabour.

On-the-job training and education for formerly unschooled women, a "solidarity bandwagon" which meets the essential needs of the destitute in the city of Clerand, France, and a vacation residence for children of impoverished families are among the projects organized by Nicole Roulet, herself once a member of the chronically unemployed in France after being laid off from her metal working job.

Sonia Beltré is a leader of El Nuevo Curro, a Dominican Republic community whose residents built their own homes and then successfully weathered the onslaught of Hurricane Georges.

The day after addressing the Department of Public Information briefing, the five women named above will receive awards from the United Nations Development Programme at a gala 16 October event hosted by UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Danny Glover.

Also speaking at the 15 October event, on the theme of "poverty, human rights and development", is Ron Daniels, executive director of the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights, self-described "scholaractivist", former deputy campaign manager for Jesse Jackson, and former Rainbow Coalition national coordinator.