“The Hand That Rocks The Cradle Is The Hand That Rules The World”. This well-known phrase from the William Ross Wallace poem speaks to the power of mothers to change the world, and reminds us of the subtle and diverse ways women across the globe are continually a force of positive change.

Closer to home, WMW Jamaica (formerly Women’s Media Watch) as a grantee of the UN Women Fund for Gender Equality, plans to amplify women’s voices, with ‘PowHerHouse’ Media and Leadership Training for Women 2013. WMW identified the rich opportunities in women’s stories inhibited by the unaddressed gaps in many women’s skillsets to navigate the influential media machinery. The 4 day training series in November will be hosted by a team of seasoned and dynamic leaders in media. The lineup includes 2012 winner of the BBC’s international Playwright Competition, writer, media trainer and Social/Behavioural Change Communication Specialist, Janet Morrison. Janet will be complemented by Emma Lewis, a novelist and public relations specialist who has made her mark in the publishing and social media arenas. The practical and motivational support to be offered by the stalwart trainers will focus on the development of each participant’s powerful voice, effective writing and their optimal use in media, to bring about both personal and national change.

The ongoing PowHERhouse training series will channel hundreds of Jamaica’s women through a process of delivering their valuable messages once they learn the fundamentals of using traditional media and social media platforms.

Starting in Kingston, the training will take place on November 14th,15th, 19th and 21st. The first targeted group of 25 women, aged between 20-35yrs, will include women from civil society, community groups, and a wide range of professions. The call also goes out to student organisations, women interested in politics or media, those aspiring to be spokespersons in their respective fields and generally, female change makers with something valuable to say. The seminar will then move to Portland to meet the demands of women in that untapped region. The cost is affordably low at only $2,500 per participant. With all material resources and refreshments included, the women can focus on building confidence and skills in the areas of public speaking, media interviews, social media navigation and crafting strong media messages.

Excited by the initial responses to the upcoming training programme, the WMW team are already working on a similar island wide outreach programme for Jamaica’s teenage girls for 2014.  “It’s never too early to reach girls and guide them towards the positive roles they can play in nation building” shared a WMW spokesperson. “The mandate is large, so we need more women and girls adding their  clear voices feeling empowered to play a constructive role in the future development of their Jamaica”.

For more information and to secure your space: e-mail: [email protected] or call 969 7894 / 881 5177