MMEG TALKS: IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO PROTECT A FAMILY

We invite you to join the upcoming MMEG Talks: “It Takes a Village to Protect a Family Confronting Domestic Violence”.

One of the greatest changes for MMEG over the years has been the emergence of women professionals and scholars addressing domestic violence, once almost a taboo subject. Women are speaking out more than ever against this scourge, harmful to both individuals and deeply damaging to both individuals and their communities. In this program in honor of Women’s History Month, MMEG presents three grantees with impressive expertise in domestic violence who are willing to advocate for changes in the law and society, for they well know that It Takes a Village to Protect a Family.

Felicitations to MMEG Latin America Selection Committee

On January 13, 2022, MMEG's Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Selection Committee proudly presented the 10 exceptional women they had identified as grantees from a large pool of candidates. We thank the Selection Committee for their dedication and hard work!

 Despite the persisting challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic during 2021, a record number of applications from the region was carefully reviewed by the Selection Committee to find exceptional women who, through their education, will uplift the lives of women and children in developing countries. The increasingly diverse fields of study of eligible applicants confirms our belief that women are leaders in all facets of their communities!

 MMEG LAC is fortunate to have a Selection Committee composed of volunteers from 10 different nationalities and various professional backgrounds, all with the same passion and a single common goal: to identify the extraordinary and exceptional women that our grantees represent.

 The FY 22 LAC grantees are citizens of nine different countries and are currently studying at one of the program’s nine  partner universities. Their fields of study are Sociology, Engineering, Psychology, Agro-Commerce, Gender Studies, Economics, and Public Policy. They also have a strong presence volunteering in disadvantaged communities and with the vulnerable. Truly, they are extraordinary women!

 El 13 de Enero de 2022, el Comité de Selección de América Latina y el Caribe (LAC) de MMEG presentó con orgullo a las 10 mujeres excepcionales  que habían identificado como beneficiarias entre un gran grupo de candidatas. Agradecemos  al Comité de Selección por su dedicación y arduo trabajo!

 A pesar de los persistentes desafíos de la pandemia de COVID-19 durante 2021, el Comité de Selección revisó cuidadosamente un número récord de solicitudes de la región para encontrar mujeres excepcionales que, a través de su educación, mejorarán las vidas de las mujeres y los niños en los países en desarrollo. Los campos de estudio cada vez más diversos de las candidatas elegibles confirman nuestra creencia de que las mujeres son líderes en todas las facetas de sus comunidades!

 MMEG LAC tiene la suerte de contar con un Comité de Selección compuesto por voluntarios de 10 nacionalidades diferentes y diversos antecedentes profesionales, todos con la misma pasión y un único objetivo común: identificar a las mujeres extraordinarias y excepcionales que representan nuestras beneficiarias.

 Las beneficiarias del año fiscal 22 para LAC son ciudadanas de nueve países diferentes y actualmente estudian en una de las nueve universidades asociadas del programa. Sus  campos de estudio son Sociología, Ingeniería, Psicología, Agrocomercio, Estudios de Género, Economía y Políticas Públicas. También tienen una fuerte presencia como voluntarias en comunidades desfavorecidas y con personas vulnerables. Verdaderamente, son mujeres extraordinarias!

Kudos to MMEG’s South Africa Program Selection Committee

Ten exceptional women recently learned they were the most recent recipients of a MMEG South Africa Program education grant. These grants will allow them to complete their studies, by paying their tuition, financing their research, or paying the rent.

Behind those grants are other exceptional women—and men—who make up MMEG’s 2021/22 South Africa Program Selection Committee. The South Africa Program Selection Committee could hardly be more diverse: its 12 members represent 11 nationalities, spanning Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. And most of them have lived and worked in two, three, or more countries. 

Committee members’ professional expertise includes the expected and respected fields of business, finance, public health, economics, law, agriculture, corporate banking, ethics, and food policy, but our committee members are also passionate about art, woodworking, and teaching. Most of all, they’re passionate about ensuring that the right women obtain MMEG’s grants. 

We are grateful to these dedicated volunteers, who spend countless hours fulfilling MMEG's mission: to support exceptional women from developing countries in their pursuit of higher education to uplift women and children. 

Thank you South Africa Program Selection Committee! 

Remembering Margaret H. Lane

“Vibrant” is the first word that comes to mind as I recall Margaret Lane, then “dynamic,” “charismatic,” “and “warm-hearted.” Tall and beautiful, with enviable red curls, she was a commanding presence whenever she entered a room. Margaret was an extraordinary, memorable person, as remarkable inside as in appearance—intelligent, perceptive, kind, empathetic, and dedicated—with a cheeky sense of humor that lit up her blue eyes and created a throaty, contagious laugh.

Margaret Lane first volunteered in WIVES, the precursor of today’s WBGFN, then joined the Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund Board in 1986 during its early, formative years, serving until 2005. Fundraisers were her forte, from the first balls and raffles to the International Arts and Crafts Fair. I had the great pleasure of working with her from 1996 to 2001 as president of the board, and came to depend on her great common sense, instinctive understanding of the board’s responsibilities, and warmth and goodness. She opened her home to grantees when the Fund still invited recipients to Washington, DC., sharing her memory of her houseguests in MMEG’s October 2021 40th Anniversary video. As it turned out, her visitors followed the same religion and sang hymns to her as she provided meals and hospitality for them. Margaret confided at the time that the guests recognized each other’s faith because neither wore jewelry.

Some may remember that she was a mainstay in the British Embassy Players, a talented group that occasionally put on an old-time rollicking Music Hall Show at the World Bank along with dramatic performances in other venues. One of her last roles was Mrs. Higgins in Shaw’s Pygmalion. She led an active social life with her many friends, sharing enthusiasm for the arts in salons and home concerts. In her professional life, she was a gifted massage therapist, receiving many compliments for her sensitivity to an individual’s condition.

Margaret’s husband, Jeremy, predeceased her, and she is survived by her children, Nicola and Stephen, and their children, whom Margaret cherished. MMEG extends its heartfelt sympathy to them, and to all her family and friends. Many will mourn her loss, myself among them, but rejoice that we had the good fortune she touched our lives and left a treasured gift of delightful, colorful memories.

Priscilla Linn, January 4, 2022

Letter from Francoise Rubgega (South Africa Program-FY20 Grantee):

We have received very good news and a heart-warming letter from Francoise Rubgega, who was awarded a grant in 2020 through South Africa Program. We wanted to share it with our donors and volunteers and feel proud together.

"Today I would like to celebrate a win…actually a great win for me.

I got my bachelors degree at the University of Botswana school of Medicine in October 2015, as the second group of graduands from the school. It was a very new school when we joined. I remember while the school was still being built, we had our lectures at Kgogolamoko House; a warehouse next to the bus rank. We were told by many that we will never be at par with the world, that we are trained to be retained in Botswana. Basically, that we had no future in the medical world. UB however , despite its limitations, taught us good medicine, it taught us the power of determination, discipline, hard work mentality as well as the skill and love for research. In 2019, I presented our first paper from UB (done by Dr Lone Bogwasi and I) at the Consortium for Universities of Global Heath conference in Chicago. Just on this note, to all UBSOM graduates, you are conquering the world!
In November 2018, 2 months into the reg programme, I started working on my MMED research; amidst adjusting to a new environment, a new country, new languages, a huge hospital and tertiary level or care. I think being a registrar is one of the toughest if not the toughest thing I have done, and being self-funded, away from home, makes it even tougher, but forward we go…

Today, as I share my MMED research (https://ihpublishing.com/documents/ogf-volume-31-issue-3/2/), looking back at where I came from, looking at how I have grown not only as a Dr but in all spheres, I give nothing but thanks to the All Mighty for carrying me through. I give thanks to God for helping me meet the right people who have supported me through this journey. I give thanks to God for my family, who have always been there for me. I give thanks to my supervisor and HOD Professor Soma-Pillay, my mentor Professor Dreyer, and the UP O&G department at large, for the support and always believing in me even when I didn’t.

I dedicate our work to the Margaret McNamara Educational Grants, a volunteer non-profit organization founded in the USA, who chose me as one of the 2020 South African grantees. This organization was founded in 1981 to honor Margaret McNamara and her commitment to the well-being of women and children in developing countries. Grants are provided annually to support the university education of women from developing countries who are committed to improving the lives of women and children. I represented my country as well as the University of Pretoria, as one of the South African programme grantees. This grant came at a time where I was almost on the verge of giving up, thinking of going back home to work a bit and come back.

But enough with the sad story, lol! As the word of the Lord says, as you sow, so you shall reap. One day, which is not so far, I will be a great Obstetrician and Gynaecologist. My win is not just mine, but for all the lives I have touched, and those I will touch.
I don’t like referring to myself as “Dr,” but just for today, I say to you Dr Francoise Dudu Rubgega, ngwana waga Tendo le Nonofo ko Lobatse, you have done well and congratulations...

Now its time to finish strong ! Amidst all the battles you are fighting , finish strong !

Master of Medicine in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Pretoria, done dusted and published!

Amen and AMEN!"

Francoise Rubgega

SPONSOR A SEAT: MMEG'S 40TH YEAR FUNDRAISING EVENT IS LIVE!

SPONSOR A SEAT AT MMEG’S VIRTUAL ANNIVERSARY LUNCHEON AND

HELP RAISE FUNDS FOR NEW GRANTEES!

Imagine all of our MMEG grantees sitting together virtually at one, single table for lunch. We would have to show you a large—very large—table, indeed, to accommodate all 465 exceptional women who have received MMEG grants over four decades. We invite everyone--grantees, volunteers, donors and friends--to help us realize our goal of  filling all 465 seats by sponsoring one (or more) place settings at $40 each.

You can donate throughout the year by clicking here or by  check, payable to “MMEG.” Mail to: 4609 Chestnut St. Bethesda, MD 20814 USA. Please include your name and address so that we can acknowledge your generosity with a receipt for tax deduction. You can also donate using Venmo to MMEG Margaret McNamara Education Gr or Paypal to mmeg@worldbank.org.

With your generous help, gathering all of our remarkable women at the virtual lunch table will help MMEG further the education of more remarkable women and build a better world.

Thank you!

MMEG 40TH YEAR PHOTO COMPETITION

Celebrating our 40th Anniversary MMEG has organized its first MMEG PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION - WOMEN BUILD A BETTER WORLD. Results will be announced on our web page in December.

Congratulations to MMEG’s FY21 US-Canada and Trinity Washington University Grantees!

Applications for FY21 grants in MMEG’s US-Canada and Trinity Washington University programs started rolling in in the second half of September 2020. The applications were screened by MMEG’s Selection Committees for the two programs. MMEG’s rigorous and commended selection process relies on these Committees. For the US-Canada and Trinity WU programs, the committees consisted of 22 volunteers representing a wide range of nationalities, professional experiences, and social backgrounds. The unifying trait of Selection committee volunteers is their passion to fulfill MMEG’s goal of supporting exceptional women to uplift the lives of women and children in developing countries. This year was a particularly challenging one for our Committees and we thank them for their unflagging efforts and commitment.

By March 2021, the Trinity WU Selection Committee had identified two extraordinary grantee finalists. The US-Canada Selection Committee identified six exceptional finalists in April 2021.  The finalists were presented to the MMEG Board of Directors and approved for grants.

FY21 Trinity Washington University grantees are pursuing degrees in the areas of Education, curriculum and social justice, and Psychology and human relations. FY21 US-Canada grantees are from six different countries (South Africa, Ghana, Mexico, Malawi, India and Argentina) and are pursuing post-graduate degrees in the following areas: Public health, Medicine/ nursing, Law, Nutrition, Education, Public administration and international development.

All these grantees are leaders by example, not only in the careers they are striving at, but also in their impressive volunteer work with the vulnerable and within their communities.  

We congratulate this year’s grantees and proudly welcome then to the MMEG family!

To see the full list of grantees click here.

Are we missing your donation?

We are hearing from some of you donors, that we haven't cashed your checks... That is because we haven't received them: disruptions to the US Postal System experienced last Fall resulted in our never (or at least 'not yet') receiving checks from generous donors.

If your donation is one of these, please do let us know by emailing mmeg@worldbank.org with your name and phone number, and we will keep an eagle eye out for your contribution.

If you would like to send a replacement check, please do so to:

Madeleine de Kock - MMEG President

4609 Chestnut Street

Bethesda, MD 20814