Development aid charity
Icco and Wendy
Wendy has been approached by the development organization ICCO to devote herself to the "Strong Women" campaign which shall start in January 2008. This campaign shall be focussing on the position of women and UN resolution 1325. Development organization ICCO labours for a world without poverty and injustice. ICCO is active in as many as 50 countries and is one of the largest development organizations in the Netherlands. In January Wendy and ICCO shall be travelling to Nepal, the poorest country in Asia, which is trying to get back on its feet after a bloody civil war. The position of women in Nepal is extremely bad. Wendy: "I was approached by ICCO who informed me of the issues affecting women, resolution 1325, and the situation which women in for example Nepal find themselves in. It is vital that this subject is brought to the attention of the public at large and I am honoured that I get to play a role in this. Women in Nepal are viewed as second class citizens. Violence has become a part of their society. Many women are victims of domestic violence or end up working as prostitutes at a very young age. Being a model, I have seen a lot of the world. I was fortunate enough to gain many beautiful experiences and my work has handed me many opportunities. Yet at the same time I realize that I have seen only part of the world; the parts that my fashion travels have taken me to. In my profession we introduce people to a world of illusion. This time I have been given the chance to show them a different world. For me this journey to Nepal is a very interesting counterpart of my modelling work in which beauty and perfection, the idealized image, are always at the centre stage."Press
Press coverage of ICCO and Wendy Dubbeld. Sterke vrouwen in conflictgebieden 23 jan 2008 De organisatie wil de strijd zichtbaar maken van vrouwen in (voormalige) conflictgebieden. Deze vrouwen hadden het ten tijde van de oorlog al zwaar te verduren, maar ook hierna is het niet makkelijk omdat hun stem niet wordt gehoord in de wederopbouw. ICCO wil de strijd van deze vrouwen zichtbaar maken, onder meer door solidariteit te kweken tussen sterke vrouwen in Nederland en in post-conflictlanden. Bron: Telegraaf Goodies article Nepal (pdf 1,7Mb, in Dutch) Metro 18-01-08 (jpg 2,2Mb, in Dutch)
Photos
Check out pictures by Sigrid Spinnox of Wendy's trip to Nepal.Nepal, all pictures by Sigrid Spinnox
Nepal, Kathmandu
Nepal, girls from the entertainment industry
Nepal, girls from the 'entertainment industry
Nepal, 'girls from the entertainment industry'
Nepal, girls from the entertainment industry'
Nepal, girls from the entertainment industry
Nepal, Dr. Renu Rajbhandari, Worec
Nepal, Worec staff
Nepal, Kathmandu
Nepal, Kathmandu
Nepal, writing my diary on the airport, next to a monk
Nepal, The Mount Everest
Nepal, The Mount Everest
nepal, Warm Welcome Worec staff
Nepal, warm welcome with a 'Tika'
Nepal, warm welcome with a 'Tika'
Nepal, Worec Staff, Udayapur
nepal, with Joytsna Maskay
Nepal, with Joytsna Maskay
Nepal, Wendy & Womengroups
Nepal, talking with local women groups
Nepal, women at work, while carrying their children
Nepal, women are the workers of Nepal
Nepal, women at work
Nepal, women at work
Nepal, women at work
Nepal, women at work
Nepal, women at work
Nepal, women at work
Nepal, women at work
Nepal, women at work
Nepal, women at work
Nepal
Nepal, women at work
Nepal, Nepali girl
Nepal, strong woman
Nepal, Nepali woman and her child
Nepal, beautiful girl at a religious ceremony
Nepal, kids from Rauta
Nepal, first time their picture was taken
Nepal, school
Nepal, girl from Rauta
Nepal, kids of Rauta
Nepal, Rauta Model academy
Nepal, Rauta 'Model Academy'
nepal, 'chick on a mission'
Nepal, long walks through the nature
Nepal, with Joytsna Maskay
Nepal, strong women
Nepal, strong women
Nepal, womengroup
Nepal, womengroup
Nepal
Wendy's Diary
Wendy's Diary of her expreriences in Nepal.&wendydiary=Jackie Charity Special
March / April 2008
Preparations
My phone rings. ICCO calls to ask if I would like to commit to the women in Nepal and come along on a press trip. After a brief explanation on the situation I quickly make my decision: of course I want to put in my two cents. "We are going back to basics, something you're surely not used to," sounding like a warning. 'No problem,' I hear myself reply.
Stress! I own exactly zero camping goods, and have never slept in a sleeping bag... After a full afternoon of shopping, I feel a lot calmer. Down-filled sleeping bag, an ultra soft sleeping-buddy which according to the salesman will still feel comfortable on pebbles, a cute thermal underwear, and mosquito net: I am ready. Now just to reduce the pile on my bed to the permitted 10 kilos.
Sunday
The day of departure. From the start I already notice how different this trip will be than the average fashion trip I'm used to. Instead of fumbling on hairstyles, talks about the latest gadgets and hair colours, Britney Spears' party behaviors and Tom Ford sunglasses, sharp political and cultural questions are being fired at ICCO representatives. Suddenly, my modeling and ordinary world seem very far away.
Monday.
Upon arrival, I meet my guide and interpreter for the upcoming week, Joytsna Maskay.
She is the deputy director of the local women's rehabilitation organisation Worec and she lives for her ideals.
She calls herself 'a voice' because she speaks on behalf of all women whose rights are violated and suppressed day by day. But apart from this we are also peers and thus we speak about girls stuff, clothes and shopping between the heavy discussions.
Tuesday
We travel down to Chahari, a shelter for girls working in the "entertainment industry" (read: prostitution). Here they receive psychological help, they can share their problems, have a good cry, spend the night if they have nowhere to go and leave the children if they have to work. There is gynecological assistance, and sex education.
I met 21-year-old Binita, who left from the country to the city five years ago, hoping for a better life. But to be able to provide for herself, her child, brother and sister, she soon ended up in prostitution. Together we visited the cabin restaurants - where work goes beyond just serving drinks - and the massage parlors and dhori, a kind of bar where Binita dances and sings in the evening.
At the end of the day I'm quite shocked about the lives of these girls and women. They have nothing to choose from, they're stuck between a rock and a hard place: either a hard life in the country, defenseless against violence and abuse, or end up in the sex industry that comes with the big city. I do not know whether I would have had Binita's strength. I wonder if I would have been so brave had I have stood in her shoes.
Wednesday
We fly to Udayapur with Buddha Air, a flight with along the way a spectacular view of The Mount Everest. After a four-hour drive we arrive at the Woman's refuge centre where we will stay for the following two nights. We get a warm welcome with a tika, a dot of red powder on the forehead. On the table 'Daal Baath' is ready (white rice with beans), a dish that the locals eat both morning and evening, day in and day out.
Thursday
We drive to the village of Rauta. After a long walk and a difficult climb through the beautiful nature, along rice fields and small villages, we arrive at a small house in the hills. The women's group 'Lali Gunaras' is established here. Elaborately and open the women tell me about the hard life and challenges that they face every day. They have joined forces to grow stronger and stand against violence, to learn farming techniques from each other and to jointly save for a water mill or acute medical help for example.
It becomes clear that women are the real workers of Nepal. They are responsible for getting water, all agricultural work and they drag for hours through the hills to gather food, branches and rocks.
And the men, they play another game of cards.
I also hear about typical customs, such as women who must stay by the livestock in the barn during menstruation because they are 'unclean'.
What I strongly realize during the long walk back to the car, is that the women of Nepal would not even understand the issues that concern us in the Netherlands, or other Western countries:the search for happiness, finding the right partner, whether or not to continue working after having children. They simply have no choices, they survive.
Friday
It is not to comprehend that in the same world in which I live - with luxury, glamour and comfort - so much misery can also be found.
We fly back to Kathmandu, where we have a discussion on Saturday with a UN representative and the director of Worec, Renu Rajbhandari. We talk about the UN Security Council's Resolution 1325, through which the United Nations is committed to a better position of women in conflict zones.
Thanks to my journey I can assist the women of Nepal and Resolution 1325 in my way. I call out to all readers to help with this! Go to www.vrouwenstaansterker.nl.