Islamabad The Islamabad Foreign Women’s Association (IFWA) met for the first time after the summer vacation to continue its fundraising coffee mornings, which not only collect funds to distribute to charitable organisations, but also showcase cultural aspects of those countries from where the members originate — if of-course, they are willing and able! The event was held at the IFWA Community Centre and was well attended with women of many nationalities interacting with their Pakistani friends and acquaintances. Addressing members and their guests, acting president IFWA, wife of the ambassador of Italy, Nariko Prati welcomed them and gave a brief history of IFWA — founded in 1995 by the then Korean ambassador’s wife, Jay Ko — for the benefit of new members. She then announced the names of those organisations, which had received funds from IFWA over the past two years; the programmes that had taken place on a monthly basis; announced the different classes that take place under the aegis of IFWA and concluded by introducing her committee members. She also announced that IFWA had donated Rs300,000 for flood relief activities to Unicef. The programme was divided in two parts. The first part featured a talk by Hania Rehan, an expert on herbal beauty products, who has twelve years experience in the same and gives lectures on the subject in different forums. She gave tips and detailed recipes on how to make scrubs; ointments; balms and masks using ingredients like fruit; vegetables and grains, with information on how these homemade products act on the skin and the results that are achieved by using them — with no side effects. While she was demonstrating the application of a mask on a volunteer — the results of which were very good — Fauzia Memon gave a few tips on foods that can be eaten to remain healthy, slim and smart. The second part was a demonstration of different Latin dance steps by Purnima Cooper and Liza, which will be taught in the dance class so that anyone interested in taking lessons could get an idea of what they were getting into! The ladies clapped and enjoyed the performance and in the end a number of would be ‘students’ joined in the action. Refreshments were served outside on the lawn and it was a nice change not to have to trudge upstairs — the pleasant weather made it all the more enjoyable. Committee members donate the food items so there is always a variety to choose from and it’s a good opportunity to taste cuisine from different parts of the world. The classes IFWA is offering its members are bridge; candle and soap making; cooking; dance; flower arrangement; golf; porcelain painting and yoga. Proposals were also invited if a group of members want to take up an activity, which is not on the list so that an effort can be made to accommodate them — the more the merrier since the proceeds go into the kitty of IFWA’s charity fund.
