We all wake up in the morning and we all have a purpose, big or small. Driving a truck, fighting for women’s rights, going to school, or making a meal. The vagabond artist delights strangers and indulges in her freedom. A CEO makes for innovation and keeps her employees motivated and happy. A stay at home mom makes the whole world for her children. I want all women to be able to truly choose the lives they want to live and receive all the respect they deserve. Those very basic things have been a huge piece of work since the beginning of the pandemic. Doing the dishes, holding on to the job or letting go of it, taking care of themselves and others. Getting up in the morning and getting through the day. What do you hope people around the world will think and feel when they see this Doodle?Ī: I really hope that women feel seen and valued for whatever they’ve been doing and are doing right now. The reality of the last couple of years has forced women to shift focus, adjust priorities and make sacrifices to be there for others who need them. We usually celebrate women and their incredible accomplishments in the past and present, and inspire young girls to dream big. ![]() The last couple of years have been hard for everyone but women especially. Did any of your personal life experiences inform the art direction for any of the slideshow illustrations? If so, how?Ī: Life during the pandemic. Below, she shares her thoughts behind the making of this Doodle: Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Doodle Art Director, Thoka Maer. Dr.Today’s annual International Women’s Day Doodle is an animated slideshow that transports us around the world to give a glimpse into the everyday lives of women across different cultures.įrom a mother working from home to a motorcycle mechanic teaching her skills to the next generation, each illustration depicted in today’s Doodle is connected by the common thread of how women show up for themselves, their families, and their communities. It is a call to action to all of us who work in agriculture development to do all we can to elevate their voices, and their influence in our quest to end world hunger. It is a testament of what women can do if given the opportunity. On this International Women’s Day, it is a pleasure to share such an unforgettable example of the key role that one woman, Ana, is playing to end world hunger in Guatemala. That day, I saw servant leadership in action, displayed with great wisdom and humility. She later shared with me that the daily farm chores she performed were out of a sense of duty, that preparing and serving the famers meals was done out of respect, but that teaching them how to grow coffee so they could support their families and communities was done out of a sense of commitment to the future of her country. Most importantly, the men recognized this, and immediately told her that she was right and that they would accept her recommendation. ![]() It was evident that she knew what she was talking about due both to her experiences in the field since childhood, and to her belief in the power of agricultural science. The men hung their heads low, and were very deferential to her, something that both surprised and delighted me. She told them that they needed to stop arguing and to save their money to use for another purpose. ![]() She then reminded them that they had just planted a new variety of coffee, “ Centroamericano”, bred in a laboratory for its resistance to the disease. Ana said to them, “so, if you don’t apply the fungicide, the fungus that causes leaf rust disease will wipe away our crops, right?”. As the yelling got louder, Ana began to speak, bringing the entire place to a hush. One day, there was a very lively discussion at a meeting of the cooperative officers over whether it made sense for them to spend their limited funds in buying fungicide. She made sure that all was taken care of in service of the cooperative, providing us lunch and looking after our every need. The day of our visit, I noticed a woman, Ana, who I estimated to be in her 50’s. Other activities were done by a group of women in support of the farm, such as harvesting the coffee cherries and washing and sorting the beans. They purchased all supplies and materials and planted the coffee trees. The farmer cooperative we worked with was led by a group of men, mostly in their 30s, who made the decisions regarding every aspect of the business. In May of 2016, I visited a project that the Borlaug Institute was implementing in Guatemala, focused on training coffee farmers in good agricultural practices to help increase their yield while overcoming leaf rust disease and other challenges.
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