KVLV focusses on Guinea
KVLV, the Belgian member based organization and partner of Trias, exists 100 years. To celebrate this, they organized a big event in the historical city Leuven. 20.000 celebrating women came to join 200 different activities, such as workshops, concerts and theatre.
During the festivities everybody could become acquainted with the projects developed by Trias and KVLV. On a big square Trias had several stands about the cooperation between Trias, KVLV and Guinea. A Guinean music group made all visitors dance around the colorful square. It was a beautiful sunny day with lots of happy visitors.
The exchange with Guinea has led to initiatives to strengthen Guinean women. Trias, KVLV and the Guinean farmers’ federation have established a women’s council. Their first project aims to improve basic hygiene. “Via the women’s council Guinean women learned that washing their hands with water and soap would half the amount of infant mortality caused by diarrhea” tells Trias – KVLV volunteer José Witters to the public at the KVLV-event.
The visitors were also interested in the other projects in Guinea. Trias supports Guinean fabric dyers, because dyeing of fabrics is the main source of income for many Guinean women. Visitors of the event could learn everything about the process of dyeing fabrics in Guinea. Through a workshop, the KVLV-members could paint their own fabrics. “We can learn a lot from the creativity of Guinean women”, said a participant.
With help of KVLV and Trias, entrepreneurial Guinean women rebuilt a washing machine which they saw at the ’Museum for Old Techniques’ in Belgium. Now they can wash more easily. At the event people tried out different washing techniques. “It brought back nostalgic reactions. Some women recognized the washing techniques from their childhood”, said Jan Selleslags from the ‘Museum for Old Techniques’.
The cooperation between Trias and KVLV caught much attention. Visitors experienced how working together empowers Guinean women. It was great to let others become acquainted with the projects of Trias and KVLV, because it inspired KVLV-members to promote the cooperation within other departments of KVLV. Furthermore, the successes in Guinea are reason to continue working together on improving the situation in the North and South. Soon KVLV will also support a Brazilian women’s organization.