International Women’s Day is marked worldwide on March 8. In our Goa site in India, staff gathered mothers and female community members for a day of both celebration and education. 

Sr. Jyoti, Goa site director, invited Sr. Julie, headmistress of Holy Cross school, and four local female professors and doctors as guests of honour. The guests spoke to the gathered women about health topics such as breast cancer and tuberculosis – pressing issues in their region. 

Through our critical needs program, Chalice donors have helped many mothers in India facing uterine, breast, cervical, and ovarian health concerns. By increasing knowledge and decreasing taboo around these topics, women can ask for help earlier and get the healthcare they need.

On the lighter side, the women in Goa played games and shared testimonies about their experience with the Chalice sponsorship program.

The Goa staff had another scheme baking - a cook-off. The mothers competed with their homemade, nutritious meals. The special guest professors presided over the judges table. Then, of course, everyone dug in!