Building on almost 25 years of experience and harnessing our most powerful resources, Terrawatu's Women’s Initiative empowers women of all ages. By sponsoring education, providing essential health resources, and creating entrepreneurship opportunities, we are driving sustainable development that is transforming communities and improving lives.
The Lynn Bretsnyder Women's Centre (LBWC)
At the end of 2021, Terrawatu announced the sad news that our dear friend and Terrawatu USA Board Member, Lynn Bretsnyder, of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, passed away on 6 October 2021. Lynn left a portion of her estate to Terrawatu and we decided to honor her by building a Women's Centre in Mkonoo village, Tanzania.
Lynn was a champion for Mother Earth and a long-time believer in empowering women. The Mkonoo Women's Network had asked for assistance for many years to provide them with a clean and secure space for producing their handicrafts and for gathering together to plan how to feed their families and support their future. We knew that there were other networks of women in the area that would benefit from having a place to come to and create.
Ground was broken on 8-8-2022. The whole community was involved in the construction process. Adjacent to the Terrawatu Permaculture Demonstration Farm, the Women's Centre includes a large space for workshops, office space, and 2 rooms for volunteers. An official opening was held on 12 October 2024.
Programming at the LBWC has begun and plans to make the centre self-sustainable by 2027 are in full-swing. Major support is still needed to outfit the centre with locally-crafted furnishings, capital for the development of small businesses, and to bring speakers and trainers in from around Africa and the world.
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Supporting the Education of Girls
Terrawatu Women’s Initiative plays a pivotal role in supporting children's education, particularly that of girls, who face cultural barriers to accessing opportunities in Tanzania. Since 2020, we have worked closely with Huruma Orphanage, providing educational sponsorships and covering daily living expenses for the girls. We introduced permaculture techniques to enhance their farm and initiated cooking and nutrition classes that teach life skills and promote healthier eating. Our near-term goal is to establish a farmers' market at Huruma to generate income and teach business development skills to the children.
Women's Health Clinic
Not far from the LBWC is Terrawatu’s partner Mkonoo Health Center. For years, we have been supporting essential health services, including pre- and postnatal care, birthing kits, and workshops for pregnant women.