Cheering on the recipients of a $250K Grant to Days for Girls International in London

Somehow I got from a Vassar College post about Climate Action to a podcast on the site of Goldman Sachs. Then I was trying to share their podcast on ways to adapt to the climate change challenges such as more extreme temperatures, storms, wildfires, city constraints and ocean acidification and landed on their FB page. So I am sharing a current bit of good news from their site as follows:

"Congratulations to the winners of this year’s #GSGives Analyst Impact Fund finals. The team, based out of London, secured a $250,000 grant for Days for Girls International, an organization that increases access to menstrual care and education. https://click.gs.com/wnde "

Kudos to all who were in the competition and to the winners, Days for Girls International which is based in London, who will be able to further their important message and work for women.

 I mentioned The Jewel Story which is an audio I recorded (Catherine Palmer Paton) and hope to put the second part out soon which compares us to being parts of a great jewel...and also speaks to the wonder and reality of how humans are formed, so far from and egg and sperm, though when I wrote it 30 years ago, in vitro was not common so I was speaking about the old-fashioned way.

I was hoping to clarify the importance of the man and woman being in a safe, respectful relationship with mutual care and understanding about having a child. Now that it's been a few decades I realize there is plenty that could have been said and likely there'll be a greater outreach to speak to the importance of these themes and realities..and clarify that it is the woman's choice to carry a pregnancy or not early on and through whatever is deemed legal in one's country, state and so on (even if a partner, social group or religion is not supportive.)

Although that too is now a modern concern being hashed out. Helping women and men know what is possible in terms of how one may be pressured into a relationship or physical involvment, grooming or other factors 'wearing a person down' whether alcohol, drugs, lack of sleep or being asleep, etc are all things that unfortunately many people learn 'on their own' and feel all alone. Without giving more perpetrators ideas of what to do, somehow the efforts for women and others to be safe need to be upgraded across the board.

Accepting that many people even who are 'older and wiser, well-off or generally holding good values' may not be able or willing to address these issues is important so progress can be made with younger generations. Likely podcasts and information online would be a fair place to start with a comprehensive education campaign.

Domestic abuse and other agencies 'chasing around in circles' with laws and parts of society that don't manage to provide a comprehensive set of guidelines with recommendations early and often rather than consequences after a crime or concern is raised could put more effort into a 'series' of shows more youth and adults could watch to shift into a modern understanding of reasonable interactions and safe, respectful relationships (without pressuring people to make life long commitments to protect assets or have access to their children etc.) There's lots more to consider, but these points hopefully can help more people tune in. For more resources google resources such as rainn.org, and 211.org or 311.org in NYC.