Mobility International USA (MIUSA) welcomed photojournalist Paola Gianturco to a snow-covered Eugene in late January.  During her visit, she presented her book, Women Who Light the Dark, at a Rotary club meeting and to a group of Eugene community members at Temple Beth Israel.  Gianturco’s powerful presence, along with her striking photos and poignant storytelling, revealed women’s triumphs in the face of our world’s darkest issues.

On her journey to 15 countries she found what creative, innovative women activists around the world all have in common - their imaginations; from India, where teachers create puppet shows to educate homeless children on AIDS, to Zimbabwe, where women are using poetry to mobilize their community against child rape. In the final chapter, Gianturco returned to the U.S., where she interviewed and photographed 30 women with disabilities, all participants of MIUSA’s 2006 Women’s Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD).

The 2006 WILD program brought together 30 women leaders from around the world to exchange ideas and create new visions for inclusion of women with disabilities in international development.

The chapter, called “Enabling Leaders”, includes 19 pages of color photographs and interviews describing their lives and accomplishments.  Sharing their stories is an outstanding success for those who are working to infuse the perspectives of women with disabilities into international women’s movements and development agendas.

“It is important that books and resources continue to highlight the achievements of women in international development, including women with disabilities who are building organizations to solve the problems that affect them,” says Susan Sygall, CEO of Mobility International USA.

“I hope these stories of women’s successes will be heartening and a reminder that positive change is underway. Because nonprofits have limited resources, I hope these stories will inspire others to support them,” says Gianturco.

Many readers have already sent donations directly to the women’s groups featured in the book.  Gianturco has generously donated 100 percent of her author royalties to support the Global Fund for Women. MIUSA would also like to thank the Eugene/Springfield communities for their support and all the local businesses that sponsored this wonderful event!

To order a copy for $45.00 visit the website at www.womenwholightthedark.com. ISBN 978-1-57687-396-0

For Readers with Visual Disabilities

We are pleased to announce that Womwn Who Light the Dark is now available in two alternative formats: digital print and digital audio.

In both cases, people who are qualified as members of Bookshare and/or Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic RFB&D can obtain the text of the book. For information about how to obtain the book in these formats, please refer to the contact information below.

(1) Members of Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic can obtain an audio version of WOMEN WHO LIGHT THE DARK on CD (in Daisy format) by calling RFB&D: (800) 221-4792, or emailing: custserv@rfbd.org; request recording number: DT-JC723. Website: www.rfbd.org

(2) Bookshare.org offers WOMEN WHO LIGHT THE DARK for download by members in Daisy digital and Braille digital formats; email: info@bookshare.org. Website: www.bookshare.org