Johanna stumpf is a member of the executive committee of the catholic german women's association (KDFB) of the parish of st. Martin in forchheim and wants to make something clear from the outset: "we are not a bunch of little girls at the stove."
Whoever thinks that the members only bake cakes for a good cause all year round is far from the truth.
Although the women naturally do this from time to time as well. Above all, however, the women are committed to social projects and are involved in sociopolitical issues.
If you want to become a member of the women's association, you first have to be a woman. Men are welcome guests and helpers, but they are not allowed to join the team. "You don't have to be catholic today, but you should be able to identify with our guiding principles", says stumpf.
Otherwise, the slogan is: everyone is welcome. Nevertheless, faith and church are of course extremely important to the members. The foundation and the cement of the women's association is the christian faith. The only man in the women's association is the spiritual advisor: pastor georg holzschuh.
The members of the forchheim women's association come from many different backgrounds and generations. The youngest of them is in her mid-twenties, the oldest 95 years old. The need for women to organize themselves into a community arises for the members from history. "Women have always been oppressed, explains stumpf.
Demonstrating on the streets
Even today, she does not consider the process of equal rights to be complete. Not until women still earn less than men and are rarely found in top positions.
Therefore, in march, on "equal pay day members of the women's federation also went on the streets to demonstrate for wage equality. But the women are not only concerned with women's issues. They have also campaigned against the privatization of the water supply. Accordingly, "broadly fanatical" also bluntly states the goals of the women's federation.
But women-oriented adult education has always been particularly important to the KDFB. Also together with the diozesanverband bamberg, the frauenbund st. Martin offers lectures, seminars and further training courses.
If you are a member of the women's association, you also receive a discount on advice from the consumer service of bavaria, where you can find out about topics such as insurance, old-age provision and nutrition.
"We are an association that donates everything it takes in", says stumpf. Whether it is the income from the cake sales or the proceeds from the christmas bazaar, the money always goes to social projects.
The women from forchheim support women's projects, poor cakes and orphanages in countries such as mexico and romania.
Help on the spot
The women are also active locally and in germany. For example, they collected for the flood victims at the end of may. Or donated to the children's cancer ward in erlangen.
They also want to help in local retirement homes. So the frauenbund members love to make massive wooden furniture for the catharine hospital in the handicapped workshop of lebenshilfe.
Throughout germany, the catholic women's federation has 220 members.000 members. In forchheim alone there are five branch associations in five catholic parishes. There are a total of 263 women in the parish st. Martin.
Despite the serious background, the women also understand fun, as they show at their annual women's association carnival. Even the most avowedly carnival-muffle among the members can't help themselves and join in.
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