Letter From Marta
At a Women Donor’s Network Conference recently, I was reminded of Heart & Hand’s first grant to the Balkans. We all want to make grants that underwrite long time social change and that feel strategic. I remember clearly, all these 13 years later, when a community organizer told me that she used the first grant made by Heart & Hand grant to buy Kotex, so much Kotex -- $5,000 -- that they had to rent a warehouse space. While trying to conceal my dismay, my voice revealed my concern. She replied that she could “not organize women that had blood running down their legs.”
The second grant went to the same group and they reported back that they had purchased hair cutting scissors and tambourines with the grant. I swallowed and took a deep breath and asked whatever for. This was now spring of l999 and these Kosovar women were in a refugee camp in Macedonia after having been forced to leave their homes and country by the Serbian armed forces. She patiently replied that women want to look nice even when living in a muddy tent. To get women into the “Women’s Tent” they offered free haircuts, then held a consciousness raising group that ended by dancing and singing. She said, “Everyone knows to dance and sing you need tambourines.” To be sure, I too now know this. It is no accident that this same community organizer, Igo Rogova, is the executive director of a women’s network of NGOs in Kosova with over 65 members. When I visited them this last May, the network was electing a new board member. Igo jokingly cautioned them to choose wisely. One of their past board members is now president of Kosova, and the country will soon vote for a new prime minister.
Heart & Hand Fund has always had the policy that women on the ground know best how to use the money they receive and that therefore we give unrestricted grants. I believe that this has proved to be strategic over all these years. I know that we all receive many, many requests to change the world and I thank you all for the support you have shown these brave women activists over the years. And I ask you to once again share whatever you can to make sure this unique approach to peacekeeping continues.
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