9 October 2012~09:38~MM W:\Asia Pacific\Publication and Promotion\AP Link News\2012\September\Asia Pacific Link News September 2012 final.doc

Asia Pacific Region Members Took Part in Professional Fundraising Workshop

WAGGGS Asia Pacific Region was represented by 20 members out of a total of 120 delegates who attended the International Workshop on Resource Mobilisation (IWRM) Asia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 3 to 6 July 2012. The IWRM Asia is an annual event organized by the Resource Alliance, a UK-based international NGO which has extensive experience in offering training and resources in building capacity for fundraising and resource mobilization. From the 20 members of the AP delegation, ten spent an extra day before the main event to attend Master classes on four important topics “Success in moving your organization from Mission to Money”, “Inspiring support for DRTV and film”, Ready for the Fundraising Revolution”, and “Fundraising Strategy and Governance”. During the main event, participants had the opportunity to attend eight rounds of workshops delivered by experienced speakers from both the corporate and non-profit sectors from India, United Kingdom, France, Australia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia. The workshops were divided into different tracks such as general fundraising, corporates,

individuals, grants, strategy and governance, and communications and advocacy. The Opening speech by Jack Sim (from Singapore) of World Toilet Organization was extremely inspiring. The World Toilet Organization has been enabling people from many parts of the world who still lack toilet and sanitary facilities to have these facilities. Jack Sim linked the work of his organization to child health and safety. Participants were likewise inspired by the Closing Keynote Address delivered by HRH Princess Azizah Iskandar, President of the Tunku Azizah Fertility Foundation (TAFF). HRH Princess Azizah shared about her work in TAFF, a charity which provides financial assistance to needy infertile couples to help them realize their dream of having children. The WAGGGS-AP delegation was delighted to meet HRH Princess Azizah who is also a passionate Girl Guide and the Patron of the Friends of Asia Pacific WAGGGS (FAPW), the fundraising section of the Asia Pacific Region of WAGGGS.

This is the first time that the Asia Pacific Region outsourced a capacity building event to an external organization. After the IWRM Asia, the Asia Pacific

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Region hosted a one-day workshop to debrief and discuss plans for the future. The facilitators’ team did a quick survey with the participants and learned that most of the participants found the knowledge gained from IWRM Asia as useful and applicable in their Member Organizations and that they are confident in delivering the learnings to their respective Member Organizations. The participants from Asia Pacific Region would also like to thank Girl Guides Association Malaysia for hosting us to dinner on 6 July and providing us the opportunity to interact with Board members, leaders and Brownie Guides.

“I had some knowledge and experience gained from my profession but what I learned from the three days here not only updated my knowledge, but much more than that. I’m fully confident to lead in our fundraising strategy. I really appreciated this seminar which offered much more than my expectation.”

- Chihiro Kawai, Girl Scouts of Japan

“Participating in this external event enabled us not to only think about Girl Guiding and the programme/training and that fundraising is everyone’s responsibility. Thank you to AP Region for recognizing this topic as an important issue of the Member Organizations.”

- Niumaath Shafeeg, Maldives Girl Guides Association

Girl Guides Australia - Empowering a New Generation Girl Guides Australia (GGA) has updated the wording of its Promise and Law to empower a new generation

of Australian Girl Guides. There has been little change to the wording of the Australian Promise since 1969. However, since then, GGA has seen great changes in the roles of women in Australian society and an increase in multiculturalism in the country. These changes also include the way girls and

women want to express their commitment to Girl Guiding through the Promise and Law. One of the key policies of WAGGGS is that each Member Organization identifies and establishes its own set of values, related to the Law and that are applicable to its individual national situation. The fundamental elements of self-development, spirituality and commitment to community are constant, but the way they are presented and the relative importance given to them may change over time. The extensive review has taken place over the last 18 months. A committee of six Australian Girl Guide Leaders was appointed to coordinate the review. These women represented a variety of Girl Guiding backgrounds and ages and all had participated at a national level within the organization. Two of the committee members are under 30 years old. The review started with an education process to explain the meaning of the Essences of the Promise and Law, which were laid down by WAGGGS at the World Conference in 1972. This process was followed by surveys for Youth and Adult members and the wider Australian community. It was very encouraging to see a large proportion of the membership engage with the process and embrace technology like webinars. The committee worked with a skilled writer to draft a Promise and Law that reflected the values represented in the surveys. The writer is an expert in girls' education between the ages of 5 and 18 and conducted thorough research into WAGGGS history and policy to complete the task. The draft was launched using a webinar to ensure all members keen to participate could be involved. Members provided extensive feedback using an online survey tool. Slight modifications were made before finalization to ensure that the Promise and Law accurately expresses the values held by Australian Girl Guides. The Promise and Law are the codes by which we live our lives. This personal commitment and spiritual journey is an essential part of Girl Guiding. Girl Guides Australia is confident that this wording of the Promise and Law will be more relevant, meaningful,

Read what the IWRM Participants had to say:

“Thank you to WAGGGS and the Asia Pacific Region for bringing us to this high class conference. I felt very blessed to be the only participant from the Pacific Nations Member Organizations to attend this event.”

- Tai Bolabasaga, Fiji Girl Guides

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empowering, inclusive and will better reflect its diverse Girl Guiding communities. The Promise and Law was launched by sending every Girl Guide member a postcard with the new words and a media launch that was picked up by the world media. Girl Guides became a talking point in many communities which has led to an increase in membership enquiries. Girl Guides Australia Promise and Law Promise: I promise that I will do my best To be true to myself and develop my beliefs To serve my community and Australia And live by the Guide Law. Guide Law: As a Guide I will strive to:

Respect myself and others Be considerate, honest and trustworthy Be friendly to others Make choices for a better world Use my time and abilities wisely Be thoughtful and optimistic Live with courage and strength

Girl Guides Malaysia Strengthen the Spirit of Volunteerism in Environment and Community- Engaged Initiatives

Girl Guides Association Malaysia (GGAM) Perak Branch headed by its President DYAM Raja Puan Muda Perak Raja Nor Mahani Binti Raja Haji Shahar Shah organized the National Organization Annual Conference for 200 Commissioners and Guiders representing the 17 branches in the country on 27 May 2012 in Ipoh. This year, the conference focused on strengthening the spirit of volunteerism for a sustainable environment. In line with the World Thinking Day 2012 theme “We can save our planet’ and UN Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 7: Ensuring Environmental Sustainability, a series of talks by a team of accomplished speakers from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia was conducted, followed by a workshop

“The conference was an opportunity to share and discuss a wide range of issues with other Commissioners from around the country. It is difficult to

ask people to support our efforts. It’s important for us to let them see our cause, that we are really doing something”, said Tek Mohamad, GGAM Deputy Chief Commissioner.

GGAM Chief Commissioner YBhg Datin Seri Hajah Zalillah Bte Mohd Taib closed the one day conference. “The conference provides opportunities for Girl Guides to discover their potential through collaborative effort, fun and friendship. The environmental element reminds us to strive our best in saving and preserving mother nature,” she said.

Delegates and 50 Queen’s Guides visited the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve & Eco Learning Centre, one

of the best managed tracts of mangrove forest in the world with an area of more than 40,000 hectares. After listening to a talk on how the mangrove ecosystem functions, they learned about nature and environmental sustainability first-hand by planting 300 mangrove saplings, taking a tour by boat of the mangrove forest and taking a guided excursion to see how

freshly cut trees are stacked and loaded into large baking kilns to produce charcoal.

“It was really fun, stepping in the mud and planting the saplings. I feel proud for what I did as it’s really important for nature. This is a very meaningful activity as it reminds us to take care of our environment. Mangrove trees can reduce erosion and also the impact of any natural disaster”, said Ivy Lee, 27.

GirlGuiding New Zealand Keeping Girls Safe and Secure Online GirlGuiding New Zealand has formed a partnership with non-profit organization NetSafe to develop a new NetSafe Digital Citizen badge.

The badge gives girls the opportunity to explore and learn about many aspects of the online world with simple and fun activities. “It is part of our role as leaders and as an organization to keep

our girls as safe as possible, no matter what activity they are involved in,” says Sonia Faulkner, GirlGuiding New Zealand’s National President.

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“Girls use computers and smart phones every day and we need to make sure they are aware of the security and safety risks and what they can do to prevent this.” GirlGuiding New Zealand is currently piloting the programme with Brownies from the Eden District. “The learning materials and activities included in this guide will help Girl Guiding leaders learn about core computer safety and security areas and prepare girls and their families for the online environment,” says Sonia. Scouts New Zealand are also trialling the NetSafe Digital Citizen badge. “We believe the boundaries between offline and online spaces are reduced for young children who don’t know a time before the internet and so it’s important that traditional ‘good citizen’ values be practiced online too – by respecting yourself and others, standing together as a community and understanding the responsibilities that come with the benefits of internet access,” says Chris Hails, Cyber safety and Security Consultant of NetSafe. A range of fun offline and online activities need to be completed before the girls receive their NetSafe Digital Citizen Badge. These include learning about protecting yourself online, writing a family contract for using computers and digital devices, choosing a strong password and creating an online cyber security comic.

NetSafe also has advice for parents to help keep their daughters safe and secure while using the internet and other online services: Use the latest operating system; Use a firewall; Use anti-virus

software; Set your computer to automatically update all of the above; Use a strong password; Back up data regularly. Girl Scouts of the Philippines Holds 22nd National Council Convention

The Girl Scouts of the Philippines successfully held its 22nd National Council Convention from 25 to 27 May 2012 at the Traders Hotel Manila.

Highlighting the event were the Opening Ceremonies held on 25 May at the newly-refurbished GSP Pilar

Hidalgo Lim Auditorium; the election on 26 May of the new Central Board Members-at-Large and the GSP officers; and, also on 26 May the celebration of the GSP’s 72nd founding anniversary at the Manila Hotel. Department of Education Secretary Bro. Armin A. Luistro, FSC, was the Guest of Honor and Keynote Speaker. His inspiring extemporaneous message was an outpouring of confidence and full support to the organization for the relevant programs it provides to Filipino girls and young women which complement the basic educational curriculum offered by the State. The best part of Sec. Luistro’s message was his commitment to promote and protect GSP as a single-gender organization, believing that girls have unique needs, potentials, and capabilities. WAGGGS Asia Pacific Regional Chairman Ms. Low Lih Jeng graced the event and spoke about WAGGGS’s Vision 2020, with the theme, “Vision 2020: Focus, Lead, Change,” which is its new challenge for the Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting movement around the world: “All girls and young women are valued and take action to change the world.” Two goals to help achieve WAGGGS’s mission were specified: one is providing girls with more opportunities to grow and lead; and another is empowering them to be agents of change in the world. Philippine President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III greeted the Girl Scout delegates with his video message. WAGGGS World Board Chairman Nadine El Achy also sent her video message. On the second day of the convention, the National Council delegates voted for the new 15 Members-at-Large. The elections during this Convention was also historic, it being GSP’s first automated election, the success of which was made possible by enormous planning, hard work, and great luck.

As the convention ushered in a new triennium, the new Central Board of the GSP promises innovation in its program, so that more lives will be transformed through Girl Scouting!

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Australia Trainers Gather for a Training TREAT It was a treat to have 49 trainers from all states of Australia gathered in Sydney to participate in TREAT12 (Technology, Resources, Evaluation, Analysis, Transformation, 1 weekend, 2gether) – a training for Australian trainers. One of the highlights of the weekend was the focus on technology, its place in training, and the potential to engage more learners more easily. Trainers were treated to activities at a local school with some Geocaching (using a GPS to locate hidden articles), Facebook Facts and a lesson in Green Screen movie filming and editing. A technology workshop using w wide range of computer programs, phone apps and websites enabled everyone to try something that appealed to them and have the time to explore – a treat in itself! Each patrol randomly chose (via dice shaking phone apps or other technological means) a training session to present, and two technology items or programs that had to be used in presenting the session. Of course, technology costs money and patrols had to earn their ‘money’ finding geocaches, solving computer puzzles etc and purchasing items or professional assistance from “The Whiz”. With lots of frantic activity, bartering and even a bribe or two with special treats, each patrol produced amazing results and we were treated to fantastic sessions that exceeded our expectations! The other hot topics were the Learning and Development Review that Girl Guides Australia is undertaking and Managing Change. It was a treat to hear the review results, analysis and recommendations and to begin work on making changes. Regenerating Girl Scouts of Japan (GSJ) to be a Powerful Organization On 14 July 2012 a training was held for the secretarial staff members under the guidance of the Staff Reformation Working Group Members, International Commissioner Minori Yuda and Board Member Chihiro Kawai. The staff training course reinforced both the importance of following WAGGGS guidelines as part of its mission and vision, and a deeper awareness of strategies towards the achievement of GSJ’s goals.

The meeting ended with a common idea of the strategy to strengthen and revitalize the organization. Everybody agreed to make full use of their potential and reflect this in future management. Girl Scouts of Korea Develop GS-LDP Award

The Girl Scouts of Korea developed the GS-LDP Award, which focuses on the needs of Korean girls. There are three areas covered in the GS-LDP Award: Discover, Development and Take

Action. “Discover” promotes better awareness on the concept of the leader, her values and potential development. On the other hand, the “Development” area deals with communication, teamwork, harmonizing and innovation. If girls complete at least one activity of the Discover and Development areas and accomplish an activity in the “Take Action” area, they can receive a GS-LDP pin and certificate. Through the activities, the girls are able to discover their leadership potentials. The activities also promote self-esteem. The girls are expected to contribute to make the better world by taking action to change their local community with others in an effective way. Pakistan Runs Summer Training Programme The Pakistan Girl Guide Association-Punjab Branch organized a Summer Training Programme for Senior Guides of Punjab from 6 June to 6 July 2012 at the Provincial Headquarters in Lahore. The objective of this training was capacity building of Senior Guides. Resource Persons from different Government and Non-Government Organizations shared strategies to achieve the target of women empowerment. 80 Senior Girl Guides participated from different colleges of Punjab.

During the programme, Girl Guides had the opportunity to experience group work, learn useful skills, develop leadership qualities, run a media

campaign, learn floral decorations, gain entrepreneurial skills, raise awareness about drug abuse prevention, learn vocational skills, camping skills and to know more about different issues related to women’s empowerment in Pakistan.

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Thai Girl Guides at Girls World Forum 2012 Two Girl Guides from the Girl Guides (Girl Scouts) of Thailand were represented at the Girls’ World Forum from 12 to 16 July 2012 in Chicago. The

Thai delegation was accompanied by their chaperone, Thamonwan Na Nakara, who attended the Young Women’s World Forum 2010 in England. The Forum focused on the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) comprising MDG1 “Eradicate poverty and hunger”, MDG3 “Gender equality” and MDG7 “Environmental sustainability”. Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from around the world met to find solutions by sharing, brainstorming, and learning from each other. “On the first day, I was very proud of myself to carry my country’s flag at the opening ceremony. It’s an awesome experience. Thank you for giving this opportunity which makes me more of a leader” writes Pinyada Thongrom. Napassorn Wattanasiri notes: “On the international night, we dressed in Thai traditional costume. Everybody was interested in the Thai culture and asked to take photos with us. It was fantastic to see people from many countries wearing their national dresses. We had a great time there. Not only did we gain experiences, but it was friendship in a world of the new generation of volunteers!” Thamonwan Na Nakara states: "It was such an honour to have the opportunity to represent my country and my Member Organization again in WAGGGS and GSUSA's event in chaperoning the two girls. I sometimes think they mirror myself two years ago when I was at the YWWF2010. “The resources and discussions we had there are very useful and sent very important messages to young women and girls around the world that something needs to be done in order to make this planet a better place for them." Japan Takes Part in the Games Go Global Badge Troop 3 of Chiba Council undertook the programme for the Games Go Global Badge at the Funabashi Youth Camp Centre on 1 July 2012.

Brownie Girl Scouts and their parents participated in

exciting games such as “ Standing like Elegant Flamingo”, Field Hockey and discus throwing. Before the competition, everyone did a warming-up exercise called “Japan Swimming warming-up exercise”. Even fathers participated in

the Field Hockey competition, playing with a milk carton shaped like a quadratic prism, and being hard to handle, the game became quite exciting. The games were simple and easy to join in and everyone enjoyed playing them. Finally, all participants received a special Olympic medal made by leaders. The project was held shortly before the Olympic Games in London. Girl Scouts of Japan Create New PR image On transiting from an Incorporated Association to a Public Interest Incorporated Association, the Girl Scouts of Japan created a new PR image. Their tagline, "生きるが育つ。ガールスカウト (Living is Growing – Girl Scouts)" gives a fascinating and worldwide Girl Scouting impression to the society. Following this, GSJ carried out a complete reform on the design of their PR image. The Girl Scouts of Japan was also featured both in a Financial Business Magazine and also the Life Style Magazine. In collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment, they inserted the new GSJ logo on the poster of “Precure All Stars”, an animated film popular among nursery and elementary school students. They also had close cooperation with other organizations and companies and took part of the “London 2012 Living Clock Countdown” organized by the United Kingdom's International Organization for Cultural Relation and Educational Opportunities. Girl Scouts of Korea Provide Scholarship for Leaders and Persons with Special Needs Girl Scouts of Korea (GSK) provided Imdang Scholarship for nine Girl Scouts with special needs in June 2012. The Imdang Scholarship was established in 1990 by MoonHee Kim, former National President of Girl Scouts of Korea, with the aim of encouraging the girls with special needs to have positive attitudes and overcome their own handicap through Girl Scouting.

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In total, 340 students have received the scholarship since its beginning. In addition, GSK provided Yebin scholarship for two young troop leaders in April 2012. The Yebin scholarship was established in 1996 by Juseon Byun, former National President of Girl Scouts of Korea, with the aim of encouraging leaders to have international experiences for self-development. 80 leaders have received the scholarship since its launching. Renovation of Girl Scouts of Korea National Headquarters Building The Girl Scouts of Korea National Headquarters building was entirely renovated to improve their image as a modern and dynamic movement in society and instill the sense of pride into their members. It has been 43 years since the building was built. The ceremony to celebrate the completion of renovation was held on 27 April and attended by 60 people including donors and Girl Scout leaders. Queen of Malaysia launches Two GGAM-WAGGGS Centenary Commemorative Coins

In conjunction with the Centenary of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting, Bank Negara Malaysia (Central Bank of Malaysia) issued two

commemorative coins. They were launched by the Girl Guides Association Malaysia (GGAM) Royal Patron Her Majesty The Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah on 29 May 2012 at Kinta Riverfront Hotel and Suites, Ipoh. She also officiated the opening of the association’s annual general meeting. The event was hosted by GGAM Perak Branch.

Earlier in the morning, Her Majesty The Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah and 200 Girl Guides released 100,000 fish fry of three different species into the Kinta River in conjunction with the launching of the Girl Guides theme `We can save our planet’. She then led the planting of six Bucida Molineti (Pokok Doa) trees along the river bank. Present were GGAM President YABhg. Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor who is also the wife of the Prime Minister of Malaysia, GGAM Deputy President DYAM Raja Puan Muda Perak Raja Nor Mahani Binti Raja Haji Shahar Shah and GGAM National Chief Commissioner YBhg Datin Seri Zalillah Mohd Taib. The Queen later presented 29 Asia Pacific Leadership Awards to adult leaders in recognition of their achievement in the association and the Queen’s Guides awards to 50 Ranger Guides.

Pakistan Runs Seminar on Violence against Women

A seminar on “Violence against Women” was organized by the Pakistan Girl Guides Association- Punjab Branch on 16 June, 2012. The aim of the seminar was to inform young girls on violence against women, its forms, practices, factors, its

perpetuators, laws protecting women and their rights and status of women in Islam. Dr. Ismat Laghari briefed about the issue of violence against women in an Asian society. SHO (women) Miss. Bushra Aziz shared her professional experiences of different cases related to the violence against women. Mr. Waqas Qadeer Dar elaborated on the legal status and laws related to women, and said that the basic reason of women discrimination and violence in our society is lack of awareness among women about their rights given by the laws. Pakistan Holds Training Workshop on Drug Abuse Prevention

The Pakistan Girl Guides Association organized a one-day training workshop on “Drug Abuse Prevention” on 29 June 2012. The reasons for drug addiction were discussed and its dreadful

effects were also revealed to the younger generation. The guest speakers shared that use of tobacco is the first step towards the use of drugs. Senior Guide participants expressed that this type of workshop responded to today’s needs to provide the younger generation with information regarding important issues. Girl Scouts of Philippines pay tribute to Girl Scouts with Special Needs In observance of the 34th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week from 17 to 23 July 2012 with the theme “Mainstreaming Persons with Disabilities in Economic Development”, the Girl Scouts of the Philippines paid tribute to Girl Scouts with disabilities. The half-day event was attended by 285 Junior, Senior and Cadet Girl Scouts, Troop Leaders, Regional and Council Staff from Northern Luzon, Central Luzon and Southern Luzon Regions. Girl Scouts from different councils performed various intermission numbers to the delight of the audience.

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Ms. Maricel S. Apatan, a former Girl Scout and a Josefa Llanes Escoda Golden Heart Awardee, who is now a Pastry Chef at EDSA Shangri-la Hotel, was the Guest Speaker. At a young age, she experienced hardship in life yet remained strong and determined in achieving her dreams. Her disability (loss of two hands) did not stop her in

pursuing her goal. She serves as an inspiration to all. She encouraged the Girl Scouts to continue dreaming and to reach for their goals despite adversities in life. Gespie, Girl Scouts of Philippines’ mascot, provided extra fun as she made a surprise appearance and performed a dance number with the girls. Thailand Receives Excellence Award

On the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of Thai Women’s Day (1 August 2012) a project submitted to the National Council of Women of Thailand (NCWT) received the Excellence Award.

The project was carried out by the Girl Guides (Girl Scouts) Association of Thailand GGAT-Northern Training Center working to help the under-privileged in the rural, remote areas in the northern province of Chiang Rai. The selection criteria for the award included projects which benefited the community are ongoing and sustainable and involve networking. Associate Professor Dr. Wadee Kheourai, President of GGAT received the Exemplary Award Certificate from President of NCWT and also a plaque from HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who represented Her Majesty the Queen of Thailand.

Friends of Asia Pacific WAGGGS New Membership Categories Introduced for Friends Asia Pacific WAGGGS Friends of Asia Pacific WAGGGS (FAPW) introduced three new categories of membership as part of their

strategy to further develop FAPW and to increase funding for the Asia Pacific Region. The three new categories are Crystal for children under 18 years old at a membership donation of GBP40, Titanium category for membership donation of GBP500 and Platinum category for membership donation of GBP 700.

Level Donation (GBP) Crystal 40 Silver 80 Gold 200 Diamond 300 Titanium 500 Platinum 700 Major Donor 1,000

The decision was made at a two-day meeting of the FAPW Working Group held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The meeting held on 13 to 14 June 2012 was attended by the six members of the FAPW Working Group, three members from the Asia Pacific Regional (APR) Committee and Dr Juseon Byun, Founder of FAPW. Among other strategies of the FAPW are to work with the corporate, high network individuals, legacies and to enhance marketing and public relations activities.

The FAPW is the fundraising arm of the Asia Pacific Region of WAGGGS. The funds raised are used to support capacity building activities for girls and young women in the Asia Pacific

Region. Currently, the FAPW has 1,616 members from 24 countries, including several countries from outside the Asia Pacific Region. Since its inception in 1999, the FAPW has raised a total of GBP600,000 and funds raised has supported many girls and young women from the Region to attend regional and global training and capacity building activities, as well as life skills projects including 19 “3L Projects” (life-long-learning) since 2005. Everyone is welcomed to be a member of the FAPW with a minimum donation of GBP80 for adults above 18 years old and GBP40 for children under 18 years old. The membership donation is a one-time payment and provides life membership to the FAPW. However, members are encouraged to upgrade their membership by increasing their donations from time to time. Crystal membership will cease when the member reaches 18 years old, therefore Crystal members are encouraged to pledge for other categories of membership upon reaching 18 years old. For more information about the FAPW, please visit here http://asia.wagggsworld.org/en/friends

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Asia Pacific Region Welcomes New Young Donors

The Friends of Asia Pacific WAGGGS (FAPW) welcomed the first group of Crystal members at the “Girls Go Green” Dinner in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 15 June 2012. The dinner was hosted by Brownie Guides of Bukit Damansara

Primary School and Junior Guides of Seri Hartamas Secondary School in conjunction with the 10th Anniversary Celebrations of the FAPW Malaysia. It was a historical moment as HRH Princess Azizah Iskandar, Patron of the FAPW presented membership pins and certificates to 28 girls who pledged as Crystal members, a new category of membership of the FAPW, barely two days after the category was launched. The Crystal membership category caters specially for children under 18 years old who, as other adult members, also wish to contribute to the development of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting in the Asia Pacific Region. The ceremony also witnessed a special presentation of Diamond membership pin and certificate to HRH Tunku Soraya Tuanku Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, daughter of His Majesty the King of Malaysia. HRH Tunku Soraya is a Diamond member of FAPW since 2011. In the same ceremony, HRH Princess Azizah Iskandar also presented membership pins and certificates to 11 girls who pledged as Silver members and one girl who pledged as Gold member. All the girls are from of Bukit Damansara Primary School and Seri Hartamas Secondary School. The FAPW also managed to attract several of the girls’ mothers to become members of FAPW as five mothers signed up as new Silver members while one upgraded to Gold membership and another two upgraded to Diamond category. The “Girls Go Green” Dinner was fully planned and implemented by girls from the two schools as part of the efforts to empower girls to develop leadership and self-confidence. The dinner theme “Girls Go Green” is in conjunction with this year’s World Thinking Day theme “Together we can save our planet” which focused on MDG7 “Ensuring environmental sustainability”. The dinner decoration, food and performances were all based on the “green” theme. Even guests came dressed in green. Guests were wowed with performances by the girls which included traditional dance, cheerleading, slide show, street dance, Girls Speak Up session, theatre, traditional puppet show

(wayang kulit) and flash mob. Outside the banquet hall, the girls set up several stations selling products they made such as patches, button badges, wrist bands and cupcakes. Celeste Chew, a Junior Guide who was part of the planning team of the dinner said “Guiding has given girls like me the opportunity to play a role in saving the world’s environment.” As part of the “green” theme, girls from the two schools also took part in the “100 Tree Quilt Project” where each girl sewed a patch with symbol of a “tree” from their point of view and the 100 patches were joined up to be a quilt. The quilt was auctioned at the dinner and HRH Princess Azizah Iskandar placed the winning bid at RM 5100. Money raised from the auction will be used to support activities of the Brownie Guides and Junior Guides of the two schools. FAPW Malaysia Celebrates 10th Anniversary

The Friends of Asia Pacific WAGGGS (FAPW) Malaysia Chapter celebrated its 10th Anniversary with a fun-filled event participated by 180 Friends from 10 countries. The event

which was held from 15 to 18 June 2012 also managed to attract new members to the FAPW and two membership ceremonies were held to recognize the new members. Since its inception, the Malaysia Chapter of FAPW boasts of nearly 200 members and had been actively participating in FAPW events around the Region. FAPW Malaysia also had the honour to host the first General Assembly of FAPW in 2005. HRH Princess Azizah Iskandar, Patron of the Friends of Asia Pacific WAGGGS (FAPW) said “It remains and will continually be my ardent hope to promote and increase membership which is open to all, any individual, Corporation, Foundation or Organization willing to support the work of WAGGGS Asia Pacific Region. The funds raised and collected thus far has supported many Member Organizations in offering Life Long Learning Skills for their girl members and initiated some income generating projects for some Member Organizations including skills training on decoration and cooking in Cambodia, Information Technology Literacy in Nepal and Pakistan, Health Education in India and many others.” The first day of the event was a special day as the FAPW witnessed the inaugural installation of Crystal members, a new category of FAPW membership

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targeting children below 18 years old at the “Girls Go Green” Dinner hosted by Brownie Guides of Bukit Damansara Primary School and Junior Guides of Seri Hartamas Secondary School. Early the next morning, participants departed for Ipoh, Perak and attended a lunch hosted by HRH Raja Nor Mahani Raja Shahar Shah, Deputy President of the Girl Guides Association Malaysia. At the lunch, participants also had the opportunity to interact with members of GGAM Perak Branch. Soon after the lunch, participants headed for Cameron Highlands. In the evening, participants were treated to dinner by the Cameron Highlands District Office. Girl Guide members from Cameron Highlands proudly showcased some traditional dances to the guests. The third day was full of activities, starting with a visit to the Boh Tea Plantation, one of the biggest tea plantation in the country. Participants enjoyed the beautiful scenery around the plantation and learned about the tea production process. The grand finale of the event was the Farewell Dinner and Membership Ceremony held at Cameron Highlands Resort. During the dinner, new and upgrading members received their membership pins and certificates from HRH Princess Azizah Iskandar. Participants cheered and applauded at the achievements and highlights of FAPW shared by representatives from the Asia Pacific Regional Committee. The ceremony was made extra special with the presentation of Major Donor membership pins and certificates to the two beloved princesses of HRH Princess Azizah Iskandar. It was a very inspiring moment as HRH Princess Azizah Iskandar presented the pins and certificates to HRH Tengku Puteri Afzan Aminah Hafidzatullah Tengku Mahkota Tengku Abdullah and HRH Tengku Jihan Kalsom Aathiyatullah Tengku Mahkota Tengku Abdullah, both Major Donors of the FAPW since 2005.

Friendship Caravan on the Silk Road 2012

About 300 Girl Guides from Hong Kong and several Member Organizations of the Asia Pacific Region embarked on the adventure of their lifetime in the "Friendship Caravan on the Silk Road" event organized by Hong Kong Girl Guides Association. Also joining them are 100 young people from mainland China.

The event aims to promote cultural exchanges, international friendship and developing new skills. This

fun-filled event brings participants to several important destinations along the Silk Road, one of the world's

oldest and most historically important trade routes.

Member Organizations participating in this event are Australia, Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The event began in Beijing with the Kick-Off ceremony on 4 August. Along the journey, participants travelled by train and visited several pit-stops on the way. Among places visited were the Tiananmen Square and Imperial Palace in Beijing, the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, the Danxia Landform in Zhangye, Mo Gao Grotto, the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake in Dunhuang, the Great Wall in Jiayu Pass, and the Yellow River in Lanzhou.

The event also provided the opportunity for participants to interact with local children in two separate occasions through the "Love and Care" visit at Matisi Yugur Primary School and the Open Day at Lanzhou Middle School.

Fourth Pacific Strategy Meeting in Fiji

The Fiji Girl Guides Association (FGGA) hosted the Fourth Pacific Strategy Meeting for sister Girl Guides from the other five Pacific Nations Member Organizations - Cook Islands, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga at the Centre of Appropriate Technology & Development, Nadave, Fiji from 18 to 21 May 2012. The annual meeting allows face to face contact for the Asia Pacific Regional (APR) Committee with the Pacific Nations Member Organizations in order to improve communications,

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share progress and ideas to support the growth and development of Member Organizations in this group. The AP Regional Committee was represented by Melanie Bennett, Chair of the Pacific Strategy Meeting, Ching Ching Wee-Ong, Regional Director of the AP Region and Grace Tam, Development Executive, Asia Pacific Region. During the meeting, each participating Member Organization presented a report of their progress since the last meeting held in Auckland, New Zealand in 2011. It was interesting to note that almost all Member Organizations had increased in membership and presented their ways of recruiting and retaining members. Among the methods were effective training, attractive programme for both girls and adult leaders, and implementing WAGGGS initiatives such as Global Action Theme, Centenary and World Thinking Day to increase profile in the community. All the six Member Organizations had also done projects based on the Global Action Theme as agreed in the meeting in Auckland. In conclusion, there was much improvement to the six Member Organizations at the meeting this time including membership increase, stronger leadership teams and members feeling more empowered to make decisions for the future of Member Organizations in this group. Participating members agreed that this meeting should be continued. The next Pacific Strategy Meeting in the Solomon Islands next year will see a difference where the members will co-organize the agenda for the meeting instead of the whole meeting being run by the APR Committee as in the current format. Delegates from the six Member Organizations also unanimously agreed to explore ways to extend invitations to other Pacific Nations which are not members of WAGGGS to attend the Fifth Pacific Strategy Meeting with focus on the countries with the potential and interest to develop Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting. After the meeting, the APR team conducted a training for participating members and 24 leaders from the Fiji Girl Guides Association. The one-day training covered topics like WAGGGS & AP updates, Centenary, Stop the Violence Campaign, Games Go Global and Imagine More. The aim is to enable participants to learn more about the WAGGGS initiatives and to practically use them in their respective roles.

Thinking Day in South Australia

Sunday the 26 February 2012 in Adelaide was warm and very humid, but that did not deter more than 200 Girl Guides and Leaders from celebrating World Thinking Day by joining in games and activities designed to explore the theme “We

Can Save Our Planet”. Through games and activities, Girl Guides were urged to “Reduce”, “Save” and “Switch”. In “Reduce”, girls learned about bike maintenance, created a collage illustrating ways reduce our carbon footprint, and learned about how we can reduce our environmental impact by choosing local food products. In “Save”, Girl Guides made newspaper bags as an alternative to plastic bags, pledged to help save our environment on cards made of recycled materials and made “switch me off” signs for their homes. Jan Forrest used the Butterfly garden planted by Highgate Guides and the Unley City Council to illustrate the value of butterflies to the environment, and urged Girl Guides and leaders to plant their own Butterfly Gardens. In “switch”, Girl Guides brainstormed ideas for “Fuel Free fun” and then played some of them, illustrating how Girl Guides can have fun and be active without using up the world’s resources.

The 13-17 year old Girl Guides also participated in a “Trees for Life” workshop. “Trees for Life” provides opportunities for people to do something practical to help restore and protect our natural environment. Volunteers grow trees and shrubs for landholders, to assist with re-vegetation of degraded land. Girl Guides then re-potted seedlings into individual pots and learned about how they could participate in Trees for Life. During the day, Girl Guides and Leaders signed four petitions which were sent to State and Federal Ministers for the Environment and members of Parliament, requesting that they “protect our climate system so future generations and we benefit from a healthy environment to live and grow in”.

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New Zealand Encourages Healthy Lifestyles

GirlGuiding New Zealand (NZ) recently ran a competition to design a cereal as part of its Get Going Girl challenge. From Pippins through to Rangers, the girls had to taste test existing cereals and then create their own recipe, name their new

cereals and design the packaging. Pinky Pippins Pick ‘n Mix, Croccy Wokky Kiddy Munch, Brownie Letter Crunch, Woozle Wonder, Healthy Beast and Waingake Wake Up were just some of the names dreamed up by the girls for their cereals. The supreme winner was 12th Aotea Guides from Taranaki on the North Island’s west coast with Trop-O-Pop - a combination of dried banana, pineapple, coconut, rice bubbles and chocolate raisins. Design a Cereal was judged by a panel from cereal company Hubbards, Outward Bound and GirlGuiding New Zealand. Waikari Pippins won their section with Best Bouncy Breakfast featuring chocolate buttons and yoghurt covered raisins with gourmet jelly beans in a separate packet to be added after the cereal is served. Brownie Letter Crunch, created by the Balclutha Brownies won the Brownies section, with chocolate trefoils from Guide biscuits, dried strawberries, chocolate chips and buttons, pink jelly, cocoa cereal, sugar, butter and crusted nuts shaped into letters. Woozle Wonder won the Rangers section – a combination of rolled oats, dried apricots, walnuts, puffed wheat, dried cranberries and honey. “We were surprised and excited by the range of cereals all the girls produced. Some of their ingredients were very inventive and produced some great combinations,” said Hayley Hickey, Hubbards Ltd, who was on the judging panel. Trevor Taylor from Outward Bound said he was impressed with GirlGuiding NZ’s Get Going Girl Challenge and its focus on girls learning more about keeping fit and looking after their emotional, mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing. Each year Outward Bound runs a course for GirlGuiding NZ leaders to help them be the best they can be. ”The competition was plenty of fun and was a great way to encourage girls to think more about what they eat and how it contributes to their health and lifestyle,” Jane Smithson said from GirlGuiding New Zealand.”

Asia Pacific Chairman Visits Shelter for Abused Girls and Ecology project by a Girl Scout in the Philippines Ms. Low Lih Jeng, Chairman of the Asia Pacific Regional Committee visited project sites involving Girl Scouts on 27 May 2012. She was accompanied by Ma. Dolores T. Santiago, Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) National Executive Director, Katheri Ann L. Charcos-Puyo, Development Executive for Asia Pacific Region, WAGGGS, Ginnie W. Oribiana, GSP Programme Division Director, Francia B. Rama, GSP Programme Staff and Teresita Gonzales, GSP Helenza Z. Benitez National Program and Training Center (HZB NPTC) Director. They visited St. Mary's House in Tagaytay, a shelter for abused girls. A simple welcoming ceremony was presented by the girls.

The Chairman also had the chance to visit an ecology project of Cristle R. Lamo, a Chief Girl Scout Medalist who revived a river that had become a dumpsite in Alfonso, Cavite. The

Chairman enjoyed the warm welcome of the community members who helped the girl realize her project. Sustainable Development in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil Praiyanthi Hemamali Rajapakse from the Sri Lanka Girl Guides writes:

When I heard that I was chosen by WAGGGS, I couldn’t believe it but felt it was a blessing for the work that I am carrying on for the girls and young women in rural and suburban

areas. My Project Director and the International Commissioner arranged for me to meet eminent people for briefings on the environment. I was prepared with a lot of knowledge before I left. Rio +20 was a major event that I had not previously been to, and I felt proud to participate in it. It was very different from the conferences that I had attended before. There were many side events and there were major events where we took turns to participate in. These events were centred on gender equality and women’s empowerment for sustainable development, green economy, green jobs for youth, sustainable

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planet, global water HIV/Aids, youth voice, Asian women and indigenous civil society, amongst others. From the third day onwards we were able to select our own events. The feedback discussion held every day made us aware of all the programmes the others attended. Some of our members represented WAGGGS at high level forums such as the high level round table and the UN Women event. We as WAGGGS representatives provided positivity and innovation through the Tree of Vision and the Awarding of Girl Guide badges. We successfully lobbied for the inclusion of non-formal education in the text, and also ensured that gender equality and sexual and reproductive health rights were part of the conversation. We were busy and productive, and ensured that WAGGGS was presented in a positive light throughout the Rio process. Thailand Receives Grant for its Tsunami Project

Through the Asia Pacific Region, the Girl Guides (Girl Scouts) Association of Thailand (GGAT) received a grant from the WAGGGS Tsunami Fund to

organize a camp in Southern Thailand, an area affected by the 26 December 2004 tsunami. The objective was to raise awareness so the community can be prepared should disaster strike again. The “Be Prepared Camp” took place in Phang-nga Province from 19-22 March 2012 with 160 participants. Activities included outdoor practice on how to command rescue activity, traffic signs, escape route, running to safety, other essential life skills, etc. Rangsiya Boriboon noted “Before coming to this camp I thought that it is a normal camp which gives us knowledge. But when I attended this camp I think it’s different from other camps. I’ve gained knowledge, practiced using rescue toolkits, gained new friends and the most important thing is knowing about natural disasters. In addition to the content was the visit to areas which were destroyed by tsunami.” Miss Kantinee Boonteam writes “I feel good. I have received warm friendship among friends from different schools. I’ve trained to be prepared of tsunami. I have got new experiences and gained more knowledge and more understanding about tsunami. I have learned how to plan and how to be a good leadership. I have learned new knowledge which I never knew before. I am proud so much for once I have been in this “Be prepared of tsunami camp”.

Our Chalet Corner Every AP Link issue, we will feature stories from one of the 4 World Centres. In this edition, read more about activities in Our Chalet in Switzerland!! Volunteers at Our Chalet from Asia Pacific Mary Hookway – Tasmania, Australia – Winter 2011/2012

Throughout the first few days I was here I knew the magical place that I had stepped into. It’s hard to describe the feeling that this place gives you. I have had the joys of meeting some of the most amazing people and discovered wonderful and fun facts about the different

cultures around the world! Throughout my time at the Chalet I have learnt how to snowboard, some Spanish, that going into town is not just a stroll down the road, but a 30 minute hike down and back up the nice steep mountain side. That no matter what your age you can still zoom down black runs like the speed of light and that snow shoveling is my new passion! So my time here at the Chalet is quickly drawing to a close, once Thinking day has been and gone the end is just around the corner. I leave knowing that I have left a little bit of me behind with some of my well know sayings of she'll be apples and I know that 'classic' will be venturing all the way back to Costa Rica. Putri Winata Kartika – Indonesia, Singapore – Spring 2012 I have been a Girl Guide since the age of 9 and involved in running a Guide unit in recent years. I am currently a Young Adult Branch Council as a sub-committee for Programme. During my 3 months at Our Chalet, I faced many challenges (from hiking to Kandersteg International Scout Centre to Skiing) and adventures. As soon as I came to Our Chalet I was welcomed into the family and it felt like I had been here forever not just a couple of days. During my volunteer season, I’ve learnt that being away from home did me a lot of good and that travelling and volunteering at a World Centre gave me a perspective of the world that I would never otherwise experience. I realized that there is so much that you can learn at the World Centres which you can never learn back at home. Among the YAs in Singapore, a

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few of us have been to the World Centres or been to a WLDP seminar, and if only we could take what we saw there to the guides/girls in schools, it would in turn give them the perspective that they need to stay in guiding. It would be a dream come true to bring them to a World Centre, or any of the YAs, for that matter. I would love to see how they react to the life that I’ve known during spring this year. Naomi Peacock – Dunedin City, New Zealand – Summer 2012

So, Our Chalet? Quite possibly the most life changing thing to happen to me so far. I feel like the Chalet is already teaching me how to make a difference. I’ll be returning home with a new prospective on how people from other countries, and a new appreciation for what international links can give me.

I’m developing a new awareness for the outdoors as well. A knowledge that the Great Outdoors are actually great. You might think coming from New Zealand, I’d be all active all the time, in touch with nature and all that. But the truth is, I’m not. I grew up in a city, and I thrive in one too. But here at Our Chalet, I’m learning that I enjoy being outside, not just for a few hours, but all day. I like the feeling of the sun on my back and the wind in my hair. One thing I don’t like is heights. But, already in the last few weeks, being at the Chalet has pushed me out of my comfort zone. And I know, even when my legs are shaking from the top of the smallest rock climb, that this is a good thing. That every time I hear the bell ring when I reach the top, I have accomplished my own little personal battle. By the end of the summer I will be able to do all the climbs, and even come down smiling. I’m learning that my fears are only hurdles, they are never walls. Crystal Wong – Hong Kong – Summer 2012 I joined Girl Guiding as a Ranger at 13 and opened my eyes to Girl scouting skills and community services. Every experience, every person in Girl Guiding has inspired me and shaped me into the person I am. But as years went by, what I could gain from it seemed to reach a bottleneck. This was when my guider told me about the volunteer opportunity at Our Chalet. I applied, hoping that this experience would stimulate and guide me on my journey of girl guiding.

And it does. Our Chalet has the magical power of gathering people of different backgrounds yet with the same passion for Girl Guiding. I have met people who had dreamt of visiting and finally made it after years; troops that had spent years to raise fund for a trip to Our Chalet; mothers who came when they were young and decided to bring their daughters back. I have witnessed young ladies exploring their limits and challenging themselves. They persevered to hike in the dark just for a glimpse of the sunrise, gathered their courage to abseil down a gorge or jump off a bridge; they opened their mind, explored and pushed to their limits. Through these lovely moments I understand the secret of the magic. Staff members including volunteers are all very enthusiastic Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. They empathize with the young guests, and retrieve what they gained from their Girl Guiding experience on program planning. I learn from Our Chalet the value of giving. There is always more in girl guiding than you imagine. Visit Our Chalet and explore! Do you want to come and volunteer at Our Chalet? Being a volunteer offers you the chance to meet Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from all around the world, live in Switzerland, learn new life skills, enjoy the outdoor lifestyle in beautiful Alps, make friends for life, have endless laughs and lot of fun living your dream! You can volunteer here from a few weeks as a short term volunteer offering special skills or experience up to several months as an Our Chalet Assistant. We offer you four different volunteering options suited to your time availability and wishes. Check out our webpage for more information about becoming an Our Chalet volunteer. What has been happening at Our Chalet? Our Chalet Turns 80 this Year

On 31 July Our Chalet turned 80. The day was action-packed with activities, cake, balloons and lots of fun. We had a special surprise for the event arrival day: a waterslide. But that was not the main highlight of the day, abseiling down the outside of Main Chalet was. From the top of the Main

Chalet there was a stunning view, the clear day meant that you could see all of Adelboden below. The staff and volunteers joined the guests in making the most of the lovely weather by cooling off with the waterslide and enjoying a slice of cake at the international cake

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stand. After their welcome tour the guests were treated to an Our Chalet birthday surprise and then tucked into a yummy Chalet cake. The celebrations continue into September when we will be having a special 80th Birthday event. We still have some spaces left so book your place today by emailing info@ourchalet.ch. Australians Visiting for a Winter Adventure Week During the 2011/2012 Winter Season Our Chalet introduced Winter Adventure and Winter Ski Weeks to the programme. These have been a success with participants from Australia, USA and Norway joining in the fun. The group from Australia were the first ever Winter Adventure Week participants: some of them had never seen snow before which made the week extra special for the group. The week consists of a snowshoe hike, sledging, snow Olympics, cross country skiing, Woodcarvers hike, Snow BBQ at Engstligen falls and snow tubing. “I have had a fantastic week at Our Chalet, lots of fun and many great experiences gained. I will definitely be back. Our Chalet has a fantastic atmosphere, the staff and volunteers are keen to join in and we really got to know them” - Australian Participant. Summer 2012 – Youth Events Summer 2012 youth events are in full swing: so far we have had over 140 participants take part in the programme, with another 160 still to come. For the first time this year we have run both a Swiss Experience and a Swiss Adventure event. Participants in both events have had an amazing experience helping to celebrate Our Chalet’s 80th Birthday. During the event the girls take part in a wide range of activities from abseiling and rock climbing to hiking and learning about the environment. “I have learnt to respect the beauty and environment and recycle to keep it that way” Summer 2012 event participant Robin’s Adventure On the 22nd May this year (an Australian) Robin Brown cycled up the Our Chalet hill. The staff and volunteers were very impressed by this (for those of you who have never visited the hill is quite steep!) However for Robin this was just the first step of a long journey, on the morning of the 23rd May the real adventure started. Robin was tracing the route that his mother and friend (Freda Cole, Robin's mother and Doris Rowberry) had cycled in 1939, from Our Chalet to Bergen in Norway. Robin is raising money to support the MDGs and Girl Guiding in the Asia Pacific Region. Read all about Robin’s epic journey here (http://billberryride.com/journals-part-2-1939-and-2012/)

Up and Coming Events at Our Chalet Winter Ski and Winter Adventure Weeks 2012 / 2013 Winter Ski Weeks: Whether you are an experienced or a beginner skier or snowboarder we are sure you will enjoy these weeks packed with opportunities to meet new friends, carve some fresh powder and spend an unforgettable week in the Swiss Alps. Winter Adventure Weeks: If your idea of fun includes snow and the outdoors, we are sure you will enjoy these weeks packed with opportunities to meet new friends, try new quirky activities and spend an unforgettable week in the Swiss Alps. Roverweek 2013 Roverweek is an international event where Rangers and Rovers get together to have fun in the snow. Roverweek is open to male and female members of WAGGGS or WOSM between the ages of 16 and 26. During the week you will take part in many winter outdoor activities in the Swiss Alps such as downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, winter hiking, sledging and a snow BBQ. A week of fun, friendship and adventure for only CHF 980.00. To book your place email info@ourchalet.ch today! Summer 2013 Summer International Events also called Swiss Challenge Events are open to youth (Girl Guides, Girls and Boy Scouts) from 12-18 of age. The last event taking place from 20-28 August 2013 is open for participants from 16-26 years of age! The week will be packed full of adventurous activities including: hiking, rock climbing and abseiling, visiting the adventure park, visiting traditional Swiss towns, trying traditional crafts and learning about local environmental issues. If you would like to come and visit Our Chalet during the summer of 2012 please email info@ourchalet.ch for more details on availability. For up to date information on what is happening at Our Chalet follow us on our Website, Twitter, Pinterest or Facebook.

News at our Other World Centres Olympic Fever Takes over Pax Lodge

The spirit of the Olympics aligns perfectly with the values and

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friendship of international Guiding and Scouting – and that is immensely evident at Pax Lodge. Our team and guests spend many hours in the OWL room watching and rooting for their own teams as well as each others. Many of our guests and some of our team have even managed to secure tickets to some events like fencing and archery. Each night at the dinner table we get to hear our friends’ exciting recounts of their day and flip through the photos on the cameras. Everyone is excited for each other and eager to share. The friendship a World Centre offers has never been as obvious as it is now. Even before the Olympics officially kicked off, our team members were making plans to see the Olympic torch as it made its way across the U.K. However, it wasn’t until the day before the opening ceremony when the torch came though Camden that many actually made those plans a reality. Our girls got up super early, painted their faces, donned their country flags like super hero capes and walked down to Camden to catch the 6:45 am beginning of the relay. And after the flame was whisked away our team became an attraction themselves. People wanted to take pictures with them – they even had an official photo taken by the press and were interviewed for radio. On the way back to Pax Lodge it hit them; this is it, the Olympics are here and we couldn’t feel any more privileged or proud to be in London supporting our home teams and the teams of our friends. New Volunteer Meet our new volunteer from the Asia Pacific Region:

Hello! My name is Tomomi Shiokawa from Tokyo, Japan. I've been here at Pax Lodge for one and half months as a Resident Volunteer and will stay here until the end of October.

I am in the middle way of my degree; art education for elementary school. I have finished third grade but I stopped studying since April 2011 for a working holiday in Ireland last year and volunteering here. These opportunities have given me a lot of international experience which I would never have been able to get while I was in Japan. So I am really glad to stay here and share wonderful days with everybody. My Girl Scouting life started when I was six years old and I have continued through Brownies, Juniors, Seniors and Rangers and became a Leader. At first, I was not interested in going abroad but when we had a Young Leader Camp at Togakushi Girl Scout Camp

Site, organizers told nice stories about when they went abroad as a Girl Scout. That experience inspired me and that is why I came here! Girl Scouting always brings me a new door to open. So I hope staying at Pax Lodge will show me something new!

An Australian Family Becomes Part of the Pax Lodge Family Life in a World Centre is unique! We would like to thank the Eldridge family from Australia (mum, dad and their two boys) for the laughter that they gave us all during their two week stay. The entire family was always so cheerful, helpful and engaging. The boys helped the volunteers clear the dining room after dinner, did some s shredding in the office and were always so enthusiastic to partake in any activity. On their final night at Pax Lodge, in addition to introducing and serving dinner, the boys also wrote us a new grace to add to our grace books. It was such a hit that following dinner the boys, two volunteers, one intern, one member of staff and two Canadian Guides gathered in the guest kitchen to film a music video to accompany the grace. Follow the link to watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8buKCd9gfE4 Come and celebrate Sangam’s 46th Birthday!

Join in the fun on World Sangam Day together with staff and volunteers on-site! Find out the latest news about the ten million strong World Association of Girl

Guides and Girl Scouts, as we celebrate over one hundred years of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting across the globe. Spots are available for small or large groups. For more details, contact ea@sangamworldcentre.org. For more event details click here: http://www.sangamworldcentre.org/en/events/20454 Gifts for Change

Come to Sangam and give the gift of yourself this holiday season! Volunteer your time to

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a project at Sangam and also work with one or more of our Community Partner organizations in a Community Leadership Development Project. Build friendships of a lifetime as you work in an international Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting team. Discover how to bring about real change in your own life and the lives of others. Join us 17 – 26 December 2012 for this amazing event, Gifts for Change. To book your place, email ea@sangamworldcentre.org. For more information about the event: http://www.sangamworldcentre.org/en/events/20699 Become a Sangam Volunteer Sangam Volunteers are responsible for the development and delivery of Sangam’s international events. They run sessions on Indian culture and the latest WAGGGS developments; lead tours around the local neighborhood and Pune’s city centre; contribute to community action work at Sangam’s Community Partner organizations; support the day-to-day running of the World Centre; and, throughout all of these tasks, serve as representatives of Sangam and the Sangam experience to the many international guests who visit Sangam. They do all this while learning to discover their potential and make lifelong friends from all over the world. Sangam Volunteers must be 21 years of age. Different lengths of terms and different times of year are available. For more information and to download the reference and application forms, check out the website: http://www.sangamworldcentre.org/en/jobs/volunteer Applications are due back to Sangam on 31st December of each year. Become a Sangam Intern Are you ready to volunteer at a World Centre but want additional responsibility than the average volunteer? Come to Sangam as our next Guest Services Intern and Community Relations Intern and learn what it takes to operate a World Centre. For more information about Guest Services Intern, check out the website here: http://www.sangamworldcentre.org/en/jobs/interns/gsi For more information about Community Relations Inter, check out the website here: http://www.sangamworldcentre.org/en/jobs/interns/gsi Applications are due on 31st December. Find us on Facebook and YouTube! Keep up to date about everything Sangam and Like our Fan Page on Facebook! Watch the action on our YouTube channel!

Farewell and Welcome to Membership Development Team members

At the end of June 2012 we said farewell to Sally O’Neill as Membership Development Director. She is moving on from WAGGGS after eight years in her role as Membership Development Director. Prior to that she also worked as World Centre Manager of Our Cabana from 1993 to 1997.

Sally’s new role is Director of International Development Programmes with St John. Like WAGGGS, St John is the umbrella organization for country members around the world. They work in 43 countries, mainly in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. The Order of St John is an INGO, whose organizations provide first aid, health care and support services around the world. Now they want to expand their programmes into specific international development work. We are delighted to welcome Jessica García to the Membership Development Team. She joined WAGGGS on Monday 20 August. Jessica joins WAGGGS as the Membership Development Manager. This is a new role in the team and it includes significant project management work - supporting both the Membership Strategy and World Centres' Business Plan - as well as supporting the ongoing delivery of services for MOs through the Regional structures and the World Centres. Jessica will also provide line management support to Morwenna and Ariana. The role reports to the Membership Development Director. Jessica has experience of working in the nonprofit sector in the UK, Canada and Australia and holds a Master of International Relations. She has most recently been working for Relief International on Act Global, a development education project engaging young people in UK secondary schools with global citizenship and poverty-related issues. Jessica has dual Portuguese and Canadian citizenship and speaks English, French and Portuguese.

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Condolences to Girl Guides Association of Papua New Guinea (GGAPNG) for the demise of Mea Dobunaba, Training Advisor on 12 July 2012 The late Mea has contributed a lot to the programme and training in GGAPNG and was one of the outstanding women in Girl Guiding in the PNG.

She was a participant at the Joint Asia Pacific-Arab Regional Training of Trainers Workshop last year, and was known as a passionate trainer and provided good guidance and coaching to younger trainers. Mea will be greatly missed by the Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting family of the Asia Pacific Region.