Mission Statement
Wisconsin Rural Women’s Initiative empowers women through Gathering Circles. This unique and safe circle process promotes the development of personal skills and cultivates the total wellness of women. The ultimate goal is wholeness and transformation
to effect systemic change within local and world communities.
History
Wisconsin Rural Women's Initiative was established, in response to the call from rural/farm women to hear their voices -- "Nobody's doing that in my neighborhood." Our vision is to provide programs for rural adults (primarily women) that will encourage and build self-esteem, build skills for coping with change, honor their stories, resource their need and remain a presence that can bring transformative and systemic change to themselves, and their communities.
For the past ten years, members of Wisconsin Rural Women’s Initiative have traveled to 57 rural counties in the state of Wisconsin, gathering women in ways that allow us to engage them in dialogue that is open and that has revealed the truth of their hearts. As we travel around the state and work with women from various areas, we are increasingly aware of how isolation, depression and lack of support, low self-esteem and low self-confidence are issues that are prevalent and becoming more problematic with the farm crisis and other issues specific to rural areas. It is our objective to develop self-sustaining women's circles that can maintain healthy practices and connections fostered by our program. Women in rural areas are the hidden population. They are not counted because they are proud and isolated. They do not report their isolation, loneliness, abuse and rising occurrences of suicide among their rural sisters. Many rural women are aging in poverty. Their need is simple and great.
Through the process of Gathering Circles, we have engaged more than 2200 women. We have seen their faces and heard their voices.