2/26/11 The FIJI Association of Women Graduates (FAWG). UN CSW EVENT – Sponsored By VGIF and WWB The Cutting Edge: Technology and its Impact on Work, Wealth and Women Leadership. “Fostering Women’s Leadership and Changing Culture and Values – Experiences from Fiji”. Wednesday 23rd February, Dr Akanisi Kedrayate

2/26/11 Introduction FAWG is a full member of IFUW and PGWNET FAWG is committed to the promotion, development & advancement of girls & women leaders through education. FAWG has been concerned with the issue of low enrollment in science subjects and technology in secondary schools and tertiary institutions.

2/26/11 Goal – To promote life-long education, to improve the status of women and girls and to enable women to take leadership roles and effect positive changes for a peaceful world.  It has 300 members in the book but only 100 are active.

2/26/11 PROJECTS 1. Scholarship Funds To support young women studying in non- traditional fields. Funds raised from monthly lunches & Quiz nights Also supported by Aus Aid. Aims of Project is to: Promote gender equality and leadership. Provide education opportunities in non- traditional fields for girls & women from disadvantaged socio-economic background. Encourage and mentor them to successfully complete their studies and to provide leadership in their fields.

2/26/11 Project…….continued Support training to empower girls & women to contribute to leadership and decision- making in society where female participation is few. Since its establishment in 2005, 10 girls have successfully graduated in their fields. Plumbing, Carpentry, Electronics, Electrical Engineering, Automotive and Mechanical Engineering.

2/26/11 Student Support FAWG supports the students through mentoring and encouraging process. Students are invited to share their progress and experiences at monthly lunches. FAWG members give regular advice and support. Students’ academic progress provided by the lecturers to FAWG Scholarship committee. Media support, awareness and motivation.

2/26/11 Project B:Supported by VGIF Science workshops for girls and their teachers in rural secondary schools in Fiji. FAWG was concerned with the low enrollment of girls in secondary schools and tertiary institutions particularly in physics, chemistry and technology. Organized three science workshops for girls and their teachers from rural secondary schools in Fiji. Each workshop was generously funded by VGIF. VGIF also supported the purchase of science books to rural primary and secondary schools.

2/26/11 Objectives of the workshops Create greater awareness and interests among girls in rural schools about science education and its values to them and society. Bring girls to the university to be exposed to science laboratories & equipment. Provide opportunities for girls to carry out experiments under the guidance of female lecturers and post-graduate students. Visit other institutions where science and technology are being taught.

2/26/11 Objectives…..Cont Learn from the experiences of successful science lecturers and be inspired to take up science subjects in secondary schools. Be inspired by FAWG members who are role models and leaders in Science and Humanities at the University of the South Pacific.

2/26/11 Workshop One Schools :Eastern, Western & Southern groups Participants: 11 teachers & 11 students years Duration: : 3 days Programmes: Biology,Chemistry,Physics and Environmental Science. Field trips to nearby shore and mangroves. Visit to other science and technology institutions. Role Model Past President of FAWG told participants how she become Chief Technician in Physics and eventually Laboratory Manager.

2/26/11 Workshop Two Schools :Northern and Central Participants :11 teachers & 11 students years Duration :4 days Programmes: Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Environmental Science. Field trips to nearby shore and mangroves. Visit other science & technology institutions. Role Models Head of Chemistry and Acting Head of School of Pure and Applied science shared experiences.

2/26/11 Workshop Three Schools : Selected 10 schools from the two main islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. Participants: 10 teachers & 10 students years Duration : 4 days Programmes: Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Environmental Science. Field trips to nearby shore and mangroves. Visited other science & technology institutions. Role Models Head of School of Humanities and President of FAWG shared her leadership experiences.

2/26/11 Outcomes of Workshops Greater awareness & motivation of the importance of science and technology in everyday life, community, and national development. Students exposed to new ideas in science and modern equipments. Teachers benefitted by sharing their experiences & problems of teaching science in rural schools. Students made new friends and were motivated to take up science subjects in schools and university.

2/26/11 Future Projects Research/ Evaluation on the: “Effects of science workshops on students and teachers”. Research on the: “ Experiences in the world of work of girls and women who have benefitted from the scholarships”.

2/26/11 “The encouragement I received from FAWG was enormous. If it would not have been for their monetary help, I may still be uneducated, probably a cashier or even mothering a few children, as it happens in an Indian culture. I was picked up as a school leaver to be now a Computer Aided Drafting professional. My dream is now a reality.” Doreen Prasad. Advanced Diploma in Civil Engineering. Conclusion

2/26/11 Cont. “I never knew science could be so interesting and related to real life; and also there are women science lecturers; I really want to become one one day”. The End