CANADA:

Location: Toronto

Listen to the Drumming at ICA Canada is building partnerships with Rotary clubs across the city. This week we booked some appointments to share the work in Africa with these Rotary clubs in the hope that they will partner with us in raising funds for the African ICA's HIV/AIDS initiatives.

We are also beginning to plan an educational event to raise Canadian awareness about AIDS in Africa and to raise funds for the cause. It has been wonderful to speak over the phone with all of you African ICA directors these past couple of weeks--thanks for making time for this!

Liz Donnery           ldonnery@icacan.ca

JAPAN:

Location: Japan and Worldwide

Shizuyo returned from a three week trek to Vietnam, China, and India, marketing, with Chisso International Corp and local colleagues, a revolutionary waste water treatment system which could do wonders for recycling farm and village wastes.  They met two ministers in Delhi who encouraged them to provide sufficient information for a model plant.

Wayne returned from Chiapas, Mexico where he experienced that the Indigenous Womens Program expanding beyond our best dreams!  At the grand opening of the Healing Arts Center Natural Herbal Medicine and Massage there was a 86 year old medicine man who performed personal spirit cleansing for two hours and provided fresh herbal plants which healed Wayne's hands in two weeks, whereas three doctors could not heal his hands in three years in Japan! 

Wayne also introduced Conversation Cafe methodology to focus colleagues on Big Talk from the heart.

Eiki sent a preliminary proposal for biodiversity, irrigation, and community development to JICA India, at their request.

Naomi nearly finished the ICAJ Japanese newsletter in Japanese.Mamiko and Kayo spent the week editing receipts for the Mexico project, according to the tough standards of JICA. 

Paulo in Mexico met with Maria from Phoenix and Juaquina from Guatemala where they will do another ToP training with the Chiapas counter-part team.

Kaoru is on an exchange program from the Philippines to Peru to converse on advanced agricultural technologies.

And, the whole team reviewed the 2008 conference planning documents, in preparation for launching their fund raising Campaign for 2008 Global Conference.  Also, they secured a alternative Global Conference venue with a capacity of over 1000 people in New Tokyo, Japan, for the week of October 13 - 17, 2008. not September 15 - 19 2008.

Wayne Ellsworth           wayne@icajapan.org

MALAYSIA LENS International

Location: Southeast Asia

Last couple of weeks:  Conducted a strategic planning for an Islamic insurance association in late January. As part of a national strategy to make Malayisa the Islamic financial centre of the world, they were building a 10 year strategy towards that end for Islamic insurance.

Also later January, conducted a three-day facilitator training for 20 petroleum change agents for assisting with change initiatives throughout the company.

Currently Ann is in Vientiane leading a team to conduct an organisational assessment for a Save the Children organisation operating in Lao for 10 years.  Her team comprises a Korean from Oslo, and a Lao national working with an Australian organisation.

Ann Epps           annepps@pd.jaring.my

PERU:

Location: 100 Valleys

The 3-week AVANZA PERU leadership formation program closes this weekend after a truly superior job of changing the lives of 28 people, and preparing them to reenter their communities as new leaders.  Gloria Santos, Jesusa Aburto, Esaud Caycho and Pedro Aburto are ready for a break after three very intensive weeks. 

Meanwhile the team hosts Kaoru from Japan, continues the VISION formation program in Lima with guest presentor Julio Aguirre this week, and pursues the final marketing for the next AVANZA PERU on 4 March.

Ken Hamje           kenh@ica-peru.org

TAIWAN:

Taiwan is preparing for a long 9-day Chinese New Year holiday, so there has been a rush of personal mentoring and program monitoring for Certification menbers 

This week we started 4 new members and celebrated the graduation of 2 who completed the basic requirements.

Dick held pre-program consultations for work with the staff and board of a foundaiton for mentally challenged persons where he has taught reiki to the staff and provided weekly energy healing for several years. 

Gail is carrying on long distance program consulting for an April Open Space event with our long-time ICA colleague Park Young Chul in Korea. 

And we sent the facilitation team of Larry, Evelyn, Jorie, Shawn, Laura, Jessie, Jane and Vivien to Nepal to facilitate 3 training programs for the ICA team there.

Gail West           icataiw@ms69.hinet.net

UNITED KINGDOM:

We had a great Annual General Meeting at the end of January with about 30 people attending, and an Open Space on our future in the afternoon- lots of good ideas to consider. The Board meeting that followed had the highest attendance for a long time!

Martin and Jonathan both submitted proposals for funding and both secured facilitation contracts with different clients,

Julie and Ross prepared for our first 2007 public courses in London this week, Amelia also submitted proposals and made contact with partners for the Youth Programme.

Jonathan Dudding           jdudding@ica-uk.org.uk