Dear UNWA Members,

The new Board held its first meeting on April 16. To my delight I find myself surrounded by a dedicated group of women who are not only interested in the survival of UNWA, but also in the continued relevance of its contribution to the community that it was created to serve, and to the greater needs of Bangladesh.

We are faced with some “housekeeping” tasks regarding the bank accounts, the project approval process for the Welfare Committee and the revision of the Bylaws. Any changes that we make are intended to improve the way in which we operate as an organization and to ensure that we are meeting our objectives. A special thanks goes to Liti Lissner, our Honorary President, whose contribution cannot be minimized. Liti, with your continued support of the Board and the organization as whole, I am confident that we will have a successful year!

My main message to the entire membership is our need for your participation. The demands on our lives are ever changing. We understand if this is a time when your contribution will be limited due to other demands on your time. But for those members who are in a position to give more time to UNWA this year, it is needed more than ever!

When you fill in your membership form, let us know your skills and expertise. Let us know of your involvement with other activities in Bangladesh. Think of how you can best serve UNWA based on your interests and talents. Select an UNWA Committee, activity or event that will benefit from your special skills. For the full members, please make a special effort to seek out potential UNWA members within your organization. With an expanded full membership, we can further our recruitment of associate members who may be able to add to the rich talent that lies within the UNWA membership overall. We have a lot of good work to do!

Vanessa Brooks