The League in Africa: the beginning of a longlasting relationship

National Voter, Jan-Feb, 2003 by Zaida Arguedas

We explored new opportunities for advocacy and agreed that what we had started during the League's 2002 workshops were the crucial first steps to creating a new spirit of cooperation devoted to the empowerment of the next generation of Zimbabwe's women." Sarah Diefendorf (San Francisco, CA) and Ida Johnson (Merced, CA)

Yvonne Mahlunge (2000 intern) recently reported that she was part of the high-powered Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) trio negotiating with the Zimbabwe African National Union Political Front (ZANU PF) at talks brokered by the South African and Nigerian Presidents following the February 2002 Presidential Elections. Mahlunge attributes some of her accomplishments to her LWV exchange experience.

SUMMATION

Without a doubt this entire experience has been a win-win situation for all three major partners in this program--the targeted African countries, the League and the funding U.S. governmental agencies.

This exchange program has unquestionably expanded understanding between the two continents, and all are now stakeholders. This has been a positive learning experience for the hundreds of Americans (in more than 15 U.S. communities) who have been exposed to the 72 African women participants, and particularly the 22 League members who traveled to Africa.

There is no question, either, that this exchange program has left an immense imprint at three different levels in Africa. The local NGOs--the partners--benefited greatly from partnering with the League, an organization with a worldwide reputation. The participants, the interns, also are beneficiaries. The prestige associated with being selected to travel to America to participate in an exchange program is not easy to quantify. Having visited four of the targeted countries, this writer can attest that the interns enjoy an increased prestige and their public and political profiles have been tremendously enhanced by their participation in this program. This addition to their resumes truly facilitates their work and effectiveness; many more doors have opened and accessibility to decision makers has increased. The local women who attended the workshops were exposed to ideas and concepts that cannot but start the germination process that will have a lasting impact in their communities and their countries.

Woman Power Politics has ignited a process that cannot be stopped. The League is committed to continuing this relationship and nurturing the excellent network of committed and talented women working for change and for democracy in the African countries. As 2002 Intern Alice Mkandawire declared, "During my visit to Washington, I discovered that this project was not only enabling sharing and learning experiences with American counterparts, but African counterparts as well. This was really wonderful--it is not easy to make these connections ourselves. We now exchange a lot of information with U.S. counterparts and Africa counterparts about activities that we are undertaking."

Zaida Arguedas is LWVUS deputy director as well as director of Global Democracy Programs.