The Loud Silent Majority

A few months ago we received funding to produce a series of videos titled "The Very Loud Silent Majority" for a global campaign to promote a woman’s right to self-determination as the basis for economic independence. Without family planning or an unexpected pregnancy, women all over the world cannot advance themselves in education, and to be economically independent. Plus, there's enough data to show the inverse correlation between a woman's economic independence and gender based violence. Meaning, the more economic independent women are, the less they will put up with an abusive partner.

With the small grant we received, we were able to rope in our partners from Malaysia, Pakistan, Tunisia, Kenya, and Burundi highlighting issues and solutions that are specific to their communities, as well as MPV in the U.S. Three of the ten videos have been uploaded on the AIM World TV YouTube channel. Please subscribe for notifications!

In New York, we are learning that there are segments of the Muslim community who are sending back their 8 year old American born children to West Africa to learn Quran. Upon returning to America around the age of 15, they fail miserably in high school, unable to cope with language and culture, and destined to poverty. These children are also married off to each other. Looking ahead, we will be working with our partner to advance our human rights framework educational curriculum in these communities, which will also include parental training. We will also work with religious authorities in discouraging such practices. Programs like this require time nurturing trust and time for a cultural change to shift.

As this is the last month of 2021, I would like to appeal to you to donate to MPV. And, if you’re wondering just why you should, please check out these slides!

Wishing you a very happy 2022, and may it be all that you want it to be!

Onward and upward…

Ani Zonneveld

Founder, president