by Margie O’Rourke, AIWC Dublin and Talia Southgate, AIWC Frankfurt
John Dewey once said, "Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." Education equals possibility. It is an enlightening experience that opens doors, builds confidence and sometimes, even changes the direction of a person’s life. The FAWCO Foundation, which is the philanthropic branch of FAWCO, recognizes the power of education. As a result, they created the Education Awards Program, one of FAWCO’s most meaningful extended projects.
The Education Awards are created by and awarded to FAWCO and FAUSA members, as well as children and grandchildren of members. In order to engage a broader audience, the Awards cover a wide range of interests including, but not limited to, arts, science, humanities, STEM, etc. The purpose of these awards is to promote international understanding and goodwill by offering monetary incentives to support study at the high school, undergraduate, and even graduate levels in both the United States and abroad.
The FAWCO Education Awards Program began in 1972, and since then, 386 awards have been granted. Behind every one of those awards is a person, a dream and a story. Margie O’Rourke and Talia Southgate, two FAWCO Education Team members, will be embarking on a journey to “visit” these individuals who dared to dream. In the series, we will be interviewing past educational award recipients to share what receiving the award has meant to them and to discover what doors have opened and what direction their life has taken since.
After all, education is not only about classrooms and textbooks, it is also often about encouragement, opportunity and recognition of potential.
Join us on this journey which will begin in September.
When FAWCO launched Target Project 6.0, Power Her Pathat the 2026 Interim Meeting in Malta, the visual identity of the project was introduced alongside it. These graphics were designed not simply to represent the project, but to reflect the journey at its core — one of growth, movement, and forward progress.
From the donor medallions to the fundraising thermometer to the Power Her Path logo, each element was created to feel connected and intentional. Together, they form a visual language that supports the story of a project centered on creating pathways to dignity and opportunity for survivors rebuilding their lives.
Donor Medallions
The donor medallions were designed to recognize participation in a way that feels symbolic rather than purely decorative. Each bird represents a stage in a broader journey — reflecting growth, movement, and expanding possibility.
Lark ($100-$1000) — The lark represents beginnings. Known for its upward song and early morning flight, it symbolizes hope, renewal, and the first spark of action. Every movement begins with lift-off.
Swallow ($1001-$3000) — Swallows migrate in community, traveling long distances together. They symbolize perseverance, safe return, and shared direction. Progress builds through connection.
Crane ($3001-$6000) — The crane is associated across cultures with longevity, dignity, and vigilance. Its steady, deliberate movement reflects sustained commitment. Endurance strengthens the cause.
Albatross ($6001-$9000) — With the longest wingspan of any bird, the albatross represents reach and resilience. It crosses vast oceans, sustained by strength and balance. Vision expands with courage.
Dove ($9001+) — The dove is an enduring symbol of peace and human rights. Echoing the UN’s hand-shaped bird emblem, it represents protection, advocacy, and shared humanity. The ultimate goal is freedom and dignity for all.
Together, these birds form a visual progression — one that mirrors the path from first opportunity to independence and stability.
Because the medallions appear on the Donor Wall, they do more than identify giving levels. They create a shared visual rhythm across the campaign and reinforce the idea that every contribution is part of something larger.
The Fundraising Thermometer
The fundraising thermometer was designed to feel like more than a simple progress indicator. Rather than only marking dollars raised, it visually follows a journey upward.
At the base, the imagery begins low and close to the ground. As the campaign grows, the flock rises, expands, and gains momentum, with birds gradually lifting higher into the open space above. By the top of the thermometer, the movement extends beyond the frame, suggesting not just reaching a goal, but creating something larger and farther-reaching than a single number.
This upward movement reflects the spirit of Power Her Path itself — the idea that support can create lift, and that collective effort can help open the way toward greater independence and opportunity.
The POWER HER PATH Logo
The final logo brings the project together in a single mark. At its center is a rising path, paired with a human figure moving upward and forward. The circular motion surrounding the figure suggests both momentum and connection, while the path itself gives visual form to the project name.
The surrounding blue arcs echo elements of Pacific Links Foundation’s visual identity, subtly reinforcing the partnership at the heart of the project. This connection grounds the design in collaboration while maintaining a distinct identity for Power Her Path.
The design was created to feel dynamic without being complex, and symbolic without becoming abstract. It reflects movement, partnership, and the idea of a future that can be shaped through support and opportunity.
A Shared Visual Language
Taken together, these elements were designed to work as a cohesive system. The medallions, thermometer, and logo each serve a different purpose, but all reflect the same underlying idea: progress is built step by step, and collective support can help create real pathways forward.
As Target Project 6.0 continues, these visuals will appear across campaign materials, donor recognition, and project updates — helping create an identity that is both recognizable and meaningful within the FAWCO community.
Be Part of the Story
Power Her Path is more than a theme — it is a shared effort to support women rebuilding their futures with dignity, skills, and opportunity.
We invite you to follow the campaign, explore the Donor Wall, and be part of the collective effort behind Target Project 6.0.
The FAWCO Foundation’s Target FUNdraising Team and a Story of Collaboration:
EVERY CLUB IS PART OF A LARGER PICTURE: AND EVERY ONE WAS PART OF OUR GARDEN PUZZLE!
When I became Target Fundraising Coordinator, I knew I could not work alone, a team is always better. So, I put out a call to like minded people, and the result was an amazing group of fun, motivated women. We ‘Zoom’ every month or two, just to brainstorm the best way to keep Awesome Blossoms visible in our clubs (when I say clubs, it always includes FAUSA!) and in our regions.
Before the Interim Meeting we wanted to come up with an idea to engage as many of our clubs as possible, preferably all of them. It started with the usual conversation about competition among the clubs, but with the disparity of numbers of clubs per region and sizes of clubs, there was really no ‘fair’ way to create a competition.
More importantly, we came to the conclusion that collaboration was much better than competition and the Puzzle idea was born.
It started as a ‘virtual’ puzzle, but technology won so we went with old school- let’s build a puzzle. That would be a tactile physical representation of what we are helping to create in Kenya.
From the first announcement of the puzzle creation in October’s Target bulletin, to the last call for donations in March, clubs participated. And the few clubs that could not, were funded by my team, to be sure that we had pieces of our puzzle to represent all of us!
This is how it worked:
Each time a club held a fundraiser, a puzzle piece was added to our hydroponic garden puzzle! Regardless of club size, every club could participate. For example, if a club had only nine members, one member could invite her BFF over for lunch, make her a PB&J and an apple (kid’s meals, yum) and then donate the $20 (or $40 if wine was involved) they might have spent for lunch to Awesome Blossoms. Simple ideas worked.
With monthly Target bulletin reminders that it only took a single member, having a club friend over for lunch or coffee, to donate the amount saved by staying home to Awesome Blossoms, the puzzle grew.
The puzzle allowed us to see what we are creating. It was a physical manifestation of our collaboration..every delegate at the Interim Meeting received a piece of the puzzle. If a club was not in attendance, we placed the piece for them.
We had pieces representing all 58 FAWCO clubs and FAUSA!!!
The puzzle was a hit! From the drama of missing the center piece of the puzzle- no joke, really- to putting in the last piece at the Sunday session, the puzzle was fun. Each rep of the clubs that were present placed their piece of the puzzle. Check out the photographs on the FAWCO members facebook page. Thanks to Anitra Kitts from Munich for picking up not only her piece but the piece inadvertently left on the table for Lebanon. Placing the final piece was much more exciting after wondering if the center would be a hole, colored in with markers or actually completed. No surprise, with this group of resourceful women, no pieces were lost!
Thanks to every club and FAUSA and my FUNdraising team for this incredible collaboration. No clubs were left out, as the team donated on their behalf. With collaboration among this group, there is no limit to the good we can do.
What does one do with approximately10,000 strawberry plants at the end of the growing season?
On Saturday, 28 October 2023, Nu-Paris, an urban farm located on a rooftop in Paris, chose to organize a giveaway--FREE strawberry plants (just the chance to try one’s hand at overwintering a strawberry plant) while encouraging its supporters to donate to a “worthy cause” echoing its activity, an urban farm in Nairobi: our TP 5— “Awesome Blossoms”.
This all came about because I took a tour of Nu-Paris this summer, liked their vibe, exchanged ideas, joined their distribution list-- and they circled back to me with this generous proposition. AAWE in action!
Table presentation featured: postcards (VERY popular; only used French version), A3 posters in French on the board with QR code to FAWCO Foundation page and/or AAWE donation page, a few color photocopies of AAWE designs, a donation box and Awesome Blossoms buttons.
Attendance: A light flow of mainly Nu-Paris adherents, despite chilly weather and the Toussaint school vacation holiday. Interest in the project IS there.
Outreach: AAWE SM blasts, Instagram, Facebook… plus Nu distribution list & SM. The strawberry pick-up for Nu members continues thru 2 Nov. One French language poster explaining the project and several postcards left on site. Therefore, any additional donations will be made via QR code.
As listed on the translated version of the FAWCO Foundation info sheet: every euro counts!
via Sheila Doucet (AAWE, FAWCO Environment Team Co-Chair)
Photographs by My-Linh Kunst, AWC Berlin, Essay by Robin Meloy Goldsby, AIWC Cologne, and Mary Adams, AWC The Hague
This book was originally conceived to support the 2016 Stand Up Against Human Trafficking Symposium sponsored by FAWCO and The FAWCO Foundation.
Survivors of human trafficking – and the change-makers who walk alongside them – turn to hope for inspiration and courage. In the shadowy world of modern-day slavery, hope comes in small, powerful packages – and often appears in unlikely locations. For the men and women battling the tragedy of human trafficking, hope can change lives. The change-makers in Portraits of Hope return dignity to survivors by inspiring hope in them. Portraits and essays include social workers, social enterprises, safe houses, hospitality sector employees, activists, and policymakers
To continue to give survivors hope, this e-book is available for download for a donation of $20. Your donation will support the Breaking the Cycle FAWCO Foundation Human Rights Development Grant.
Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to order the book.
