Launching in 2012, the Women of the Americas Sustainability Initiative (WASI) is a Kleiwerks International Initiative that aims at supporting women and creating a socially and ecologically resilient world. WASI is an association/group of women and women’s organizations that wish to empower communities with the help of ecological design-build practices. A large number of women leaders from different parts of South, Central and North America who are willing to bring lasting changes in their communities are part of WASI.
In this context, applications are invited from eligible women leaders to participate in the Natural Building Institute, during March 2012 in Patagonia, Argentina.
Goals of WASI
WASI has three primary goals:
- Inspire ecological design-build processes that are locally led; affirm, revive and refine indigenous building practices; and generate community participation
- Create regional networks of women leaders to be resources for ecological design-build practices in their countries
- Support a peer-based global alliance of social and ecological change makers
In its first year, WASI will bring together a Corps of: 30 Delegates from 15 Organizations; 20 Global Peers; 10 Instructors & Staff; and Advisory Council members, Partners and Sisters.
How WASI Works
WASI kicks off with a two-week hands-on leadership training convergence. Following the training, the WASI Corps will continue to work together. Throughout its first year, the WASI Corps will connect, share, and learn from each other through quarterly council calls and field reports. At the end of the year, all Corps members will become Affiliates of Kleiwerks International, which will provide them with further support and will help the collective growth of WASI as a formidable force of women leaders, organizations and projects. Participation in WASI is by invitation only. Each member will perform the following tasks:
The 30 Organizational Delegates will:
- Work with their local communities throughout the year to implement the acquired skills by constructing building projects that serve basic local needs like health clinics, educational facilities, community centers, etc.
- Train a minimum of 100 people how to do the same by sharing the acquired skills and involving them in the design build process.
- Provide verbal, written, photographic, and video field reports to be shared with the entire WASI Corps, as well as with their own networks, each consisting of a minimum of 5,000 people, through websites, newsletters, and social media.
The 20 Global Peers will participate throughout the year by developing trans-American PR, multimedia storytelling, documentation, fundraising, partnerships and the growth of the initiative as a whole.
The 10 Instructors and Staff will provide technical and programmatic instruction and expertise for the design build projects and the field projects, as well as overall organizational and global network support for WASI.
If you would like to participate, behind-the-scenes internship positions and on-the-ground WASI Partnerships for groups and individuals are available.
For more information, visit this link.