GAT in action

WAGGGS’ Global Action Theme (GAT) focuses on the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight specific goals to be met by 2015 that aim to combat extreme poverty across the world.

GAT Champions

WAGGGS encourages everyone to take action and change the world around them and 20 Member Organizations have made the commitment to ‘champion’ the GAT within their country and region. These 20 ‘GAT Champions’ have contributed to the development of the GAT resources. They have worked on MDG topics in the past and have agreed to work with the GAT programme in a big way with their members. The diverse experience and advice of these ‘GAT Champions’ will help every MO to take on the challenge of the GAT.

There are GAT Champion Member Organizations in the following countries:

• Africa region: Burundi, Kenya, Madagascar, Zambia
• Arab region: Egypt, Lebanon, Kuwait, Tunisia
• Asia Pacific region: Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Thailand
• Europe region: Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, Italy, UK
• Western Hemisphere region: Canada, Barbados, El Salvador, USA

Girl Guides teach life-Skills for living a meaningful life in Thailand

Girl Guides Association of Thailand implemented a community action project and 30 girls and young women aged 8 - 18 years old join the project which was held on Saturday and Sunday. The activities focused on the environment protection, tree planting and waste disposal. Moreover, they also gather to plant the vegetables for their food and sell to earn an extra income. They learn how to plant the vegetables and mushroom, the processing of the agricultural products to be food and sweets for selling as a way to help reduce the poverty and hunger. Planting the medicinal herbs that they can gain the knowledge and can be told to their family, friends and also their community.

National Service project in Canada tackles hunger and poverty

Eradicate Hunger and Poverty was created as a National Service Project, part of Girl Guides of Canada’s (GGC) 100th year celebrations. Units across the country were asked to implement local service projects that addressed the issues of poverty and hunger. Almost 60,000 actions have been counted so far (counted as dollars raised, hours volunteered, or kilos of food donated), and the project continues to stimulate community action. At the National level GGC has partnered with Food Banks Canada, which has facilitated community level relationships with local food banks.

GAT Badge is launched in Kenya

The Kenya Girl Guides Association (KGGA) launched the WAGGGS GAT Badge curriculum in July 2009 at their headquarters in Nairobi. The theme girls worldwide say “together we can change our world” was illustrated by a tree planting ceremony and a donation of five sacks of maize to commissioners from Eastern Province to aid people facing hunger. Guide leaders and units are now working on the Millennium Development Goals topics and integrating the curriculum into existing programmes.

The Chief Commissioner, Dr Christine Sadia, says:

KGGA is one of the ‘GAT Champions’ that have contributed to the development of the GAT resources. The Association is also involved in a number of community projects and educational and community services addressing the MDGs.