Juanita Romero is known in her community as “La Madre” (the Mother) because of her tireless work as the point of reference for the Los Teques Land Committee. She now also co-ordinates the new Neighbourhood Mothers Mission through which women with least are getting modest financial recognition for their caring work (about £100 a month). This is the implementation of President Chavez’ announcement in February this year that wages would be paid to housewives who most needed it. It is a fantastic victory for women the world over. A high point of the tour will be hearing first hand how it is working and what difference it is making in people’s lives.



Gastón Murat is a trade unionist from the Fuerza Bolivariana de Trabajadores, formed to break from the structures and allegiances of the old unions, some of which oppose the revolution. He works closely with Ms Romero (his partner) and has distinguished himself by speaking out about how women are at the forefront of the revolution which men need to catch up with.



Ms Romero and Mr Murat will speak at two public meetings at the Venezuelan Embassy in London. The first on Saturday 7 October will premiere Journey with the Revolution, a film of our international delegation of women and men from Guyana, India, Ireland, Mexico, Peru, US, Spain and Uganda to Venezuela in January and February this year. Midwives, housewives, gay and disability activists, nurses, doctors, teachers and others talk about their health clinics, soup kitchens, land committees, education programmes, the Women’s Development Bank and more, which are transforming Venezuela – a snapshot of a revolution.



The Thursday 12 October meeting focuses on Nyerere and Chávez – new passions and new forces. Selma James will compare the political strategies of these two world leaders. Like Hugo Chávez, Julius Nyerere, first president of an independent Tanzania, worked to develop a society based on co-operation and on bringing together the peoples of his continent – Africa – and to maintain financial independence from institutions such as the IMF. Our Venezuelan guests and African activists will then respond.



Ms Romero and Mr Murat will also speak at the Sixth Annual Bookfair for Peace, Venice, Italy; the prestigious Huston Film School, National University of Ireland, Galway, as well as at meetings in Dublin, Barcelona, Edinburgh, Glasgow and cities in England.



Although Venezuela is now regularly in the news and people are eager to know more about what is being done there particularly after President Chavez visited London in May, people have had little opportunity to hear in detail from the grassroots who make up the fantastic movement for change. Ms Romero and Mr Murat will be able to tell us about their everyday organising, and explain why President Hugo Chavez is such a popular leader. It is a great opportunity for community organisers of all kinds, students, academics, housewives, trade unionists, pensioners, health workers, and all those concerned with poverty elimination, justice and other Third World issues.



The costs of bringing this revolutionary news are substantial (though as always we work hard to keep them down). Each return fare from/to Caracas costs £575. On top are the fares to other countries and within the UK including for a volunteer interpreter. Our guests will be housed and fed in people’s homes.



Please donate as generously as you can. We appreciate any contribution. Please make your cheque payable to the Global Women’s Strike noting that it’s for the speaking tour, and send it to the address above. Thank you very much.



We hope to see you at one or more of these events – more dates and venues to come later.



Yours for Investing in Caring Not Killing.





Nina Lopez Didi Rossi