One year on.....
Connecting with Compassion 

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” Mother Theresa

It is a year since we travelled to Nepal to embark on our Connect with Compassion adventure and begin our white scarf project. The White Scarf of Compassion was literally found in July last year, (based on the Tibetal Khata scarf of compassion) and its creation and development  commenced during our inaugural Connect with Compassion trip to Kathmandu, Nepal. 

In that time the fairtrade organisation, ACP (Association of Craft Producers), and Seven Women Nepal have made and stitched 1000 scarves, created 350 compassion beads and these have all arrived in Australia . 

So here we are, one year later and it's time for reflection on the places we've stepped into, sharing the mindfulness concept of nurturing self so we can serve others. 

Our intention to share compassion has been strengthened with the emotional responses that we've witnessed during many visits and interactions experienced within this amazing year. We believe that sharing compassion can create a global cycle of giving and receiving to improve the mental and physical well-being of people from east to west.

Our mission is to embed mindfulness, in individuals' lives and within communities, for connection of the human spirit, by sharing compassion, gratitude and kindness across the globe. Our White Scarf of Compassion is a mindful reminder to self-nurture and regularly reduce the stress in our lives to preserve our health. Sourcing & selling our fair-trade white scarves provides financial and educational support for marginalised women in developing countries suffering both physical hardship & mental stress.

Go to www.connectwithcompassion.com.au for more detail

 
We have held 10 Events in Melbourne, Wangaratta and Bali where over 800 people have joined us for documentary screenings, lunches, Tai Chi and Mindfulness training.    

Our scarves sold like hotcakes and now women are wearing them in USA, Asia, Europe as well as Australia which is amazing!

We have raised:

$8177 from Documentary Film Fundraisers screenings of The Connection- Mind Your Body (the documentary that tells us why meditation is so important for nurturing our physical and mental health)  and Bringing the Light  (the story of Seven Women organisation in Nepal creating opportunities for disabled and marginalised women). These documentary Film fundraising events have meant we have raised the awareness of the positive influence that mindfulness and compassion can have for nurturing self and others. Donations to  Seven Women has provided  funds to sponsor and support women and children to further their education at the Seven Women Centres and the rural schools.

$3058 for Baliwise  from White Day Women's lunches and Tai Chi in the Park (these were gatherings for learning the art of mindfulness and compassion and the most important things in life). These funds were donated to Baliwise which is another organisation that focuses on empowering young women. We have sponsored four young girls, to date, to complete their Hospitality and Tourism Course.

> $4000 in donations & sales of white scarves and compassion beads (The scarf or beads are a tangible token to wear as reminder to self nurture our health on a regular basis).  Scarf sales currently support a university Nursing Scholarship for one Nepalese student, and several vocational scholarships for Indonesian girls at Baliwise. 

When 10% more girls go to school, a developing country’s GDP increases an average of 3%. 

The life of a marginalised woman is so hard, regardless of the country she lives in. Malnutrition and poverty hit women hardest. Women usually worked harder and longer than men. Unskilled women get pregnant earlier and have more children than their educated peers, continuing the poverty cycle. Nepalese girls will often be married by the age of 13, or sex-trafficked over the Indian border. Unskilled Balinese women earn $50 per month. Skilled women can earn $200 per month and improve their families lives. 

At our lunches we asked all of the women to write some words of wisdom in regards to “What is the most important thing you have learnt in your life”.  We compiled a book using the quotes and photos of our Bali and Nepal travels and sent it to Seven Women and Baliwise for the women to gain inspiration.  A link to the book is below if you are interested to look at ( before 11 August) and you can purchase a copy for $70 by clicking on the Trybooking order link. 
www.trybooking.com/XAFK

Download Attachment   

(Available until 11 Aug 2018)

In March when we visited Baliwise we gave the organisation Director, Fena a white scarf from Anita who is the Seven Women Director.  We have put them in touch so they can connect and exchange ideas and offer support to eachother.  The scarf was gifted from the ladies at our lunches which continued our cycle of giving and receiving. 

 We want to expand on this concept for our current four Baliwise scholarship students and their peers who graduate on October 6^th  2018. We would like to give each of the girls a white scarf with a message of wisdom and inspiration from our Connect with Compassion Community.

We are encouraging you to click on the link below to “pay it forward” and buy a scarf for yourself or a friend and one for the Baliwise graduates. Our “pay it forward” white scarf project will be open now and until 31^st August as we will need to send off the scarves in early September for their Ceremony in early October.

 If you buy one for yourself you have the option of having it posted to you or picking it up from Liz or Mandy in Donvale or Wangaratta.  

Go to : WHITE SCARF “PAY IT FORWARD” for BALIWISE PROJECT GRADUATES  www.trybooking.com/XAFK

In the next year we hope to continue our Events and give people across the world the opportunity to connect with compassion and remember to take time out to nourish themselves.  

If you would like to support this Connect with Compassion not-for-profit project by purchasing a White scarf for nurturing your physical & mental well-being (or that of someone you care about) then please choose to Pay Forward the gesture of support and goodwill to marginalised women in Bali and Nepal. www.trybooking.com/XAFK

Smile and share your compassionate self with the next person you meet......and the next.......and the next.

 Liz and Mandy hope to return to Bali by the end of this year to connect with the sponsored Baliwise graduates who should be gainfully employed in lives filled with new promise. 

Mandy and her husband, Marty, and daughter Clare will return to Kathmandu in August 2018 to visit Seven Women and their educational projects that have been developing rapidly. They will also meet with Student S who lives at NAG School and is studying Nursing as a result of the kind donations and fundraising efforts over the last year. 

Many thanks for your support and encouragement over the past year and we look forward to seeing you again at one of our Events in the future.

Kind regards

Liz and Mandy

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” Mother Theresa