I'm a Believer!

Involvement with Global Women’s Leadership Network is a natural for me. I served on the board of Freedom From Hunger board for a few years and saw how effective working with the women of the world was for not only feeding their children but providing education in a number of areas such as health, cleanliness, malaria and HIV prevention.  Also I was a member of the Women’s Leadership Symposium, a group of women who are CEOs of the largest credit unions.  GWLN is the final step in bringing together women in credit unions from all over the world. Magical things will come out of this group as it progresses. 
 
At the first meeting in Barcelona we were all teamed up with a woman from another country. We were given a short time to share background information and learn about the other woman. My partner was Susan from Kenya. Her story is profound and she is a great credit union person.  During the year Susan and I have kept in touch from time to time. She is a single Mom with 3 children in school and runs a credit union and completed her Master’s Degree this year!  One busy lady!  I am looking forward to seeing Susan in Las Vegas and hope to be able to show her some of the USA in the few extra days she can be away from work and home.
 
Theses ties are just one of the wonderful things that came out of that Barcelona meeting. Meeting the group of powerful women from Canada, learning some of what they do at their credit unions and seeing how committed they are to the GWLN was another wonderful result. Hearing Chetna from India talk about her teaching women in India to read and write so they could get a cooperative bank charter was an inspiration.
 
This is the kind of group that you put your heart into and come away with way more than you can imagine. I really urge all the women in the US to support this by their attendance at the July Meeting. You too will become a “believer”  I guarantee it!

Judy Mc Cartney
Retired CEO