World Foundation for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, Inc.

Global Support

The World Foundation for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, Inc. supports life changing experiences for girls and young women in their leadership journeys. We review and award grants to WAGGGS, Girl Scouts of the USA and USA Girl Scouts Overseas for programs and projects that further our mission and their strategic goals. We receive donations from generous donors, including public response to appeals, the World Foundation Board, our Friends Committee members and their donors, OB-PS supporters, and current and former Girl Scouts. Donations may be made to:

GLOBAL INITIATIVES FUND. Donating to the Global Initiatives Fund provides assistance for the global Movement of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting where the need is greatest, as determined by the World Foundation Board. Examples from this year include funding a grant to assist WAGGGS in creating an activity pack and social media around 16 Days of Activism, and funding USA Girl Scouts Overseas in helping to rebuild its Mexico City community through relationship building with local groups; this may serve as a model elsewhere in Central and South America. DONATE HERE.

FRIENDS OF WAGGGS USA FUND. This fund supports grants for programs and projects deemed by our grantees to be of greatest need, typically not related to a World Centre. For example, this year’s grant is assisting WAGGGS to provide a virtual leadership seminar aimed at reaching 50,000 girls. For more information on this Friends Committee and to donate, click on the Committee’s icon below.

WORLD CENTRE FRIENDS COMMITTEES FUNDS. Donations may also be made to support the international opportunities found at the five World Centres (Nuestra Cabaña, Our Chalet, Pax Lodge, Sangam and Kusafiri) where each shares its own unique history and culture in a safe place. For a link to each World Centre’s website and for more information on these Friends Committees funds and donating, click on the Committee’s icon below.

Nuestra Cabaña

Nuestra Cabaña, formally known as Our Cabaña, the second world center, was built and opened in 1957
The 5-acre parcel of land originally cost $25,000 and was purchased with funds from the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund.
It is located in Cuernavaca, Mexico which is about a two-hour bus ride south of Mexico City.
Nuestra Cabaña offers a unique program that allows participants to explore México’s rich culture and traditions and visit important cultural sites.
Visitors will have the opportunity to participate in service projects which benefit the local community.
Nuestra Cabaña hosts international events with various themes including adventure, ecology, cultural celebrations and gourmet discovery.
Participants can also create their own “custom” event with the help of the experienced Nuestra Cabaña staff.
Facilities include the dining hall, a large meeting room, eight dormitories, a craft house, athletic field, swimming pool, tennis court, and several small guest rooms.
For more information, check out their website.

Our Chalet

Our Chalet opened in 1932 as the first World Centre.
It is located near the town of Adelboden in the Oberland region of Switzerland.
Funds to build the original chalet were provided by American philanthropist Helen Storrow.
The facilities at Our Chalet consist of the Main Chalet, Spycher Chalet, Squirrel House, Camp House and the Baby Chalet.
Visitors can also camp if the weather permits.
Popular winter activities include downhill skiing, cross country skiing, sledding, and snowshoeing.
Popular summer activities include hiking, day trips to local points of interest, rock climbing and rafting.
Our Chalet hosts numerous global events throughout the year which give girls and young women the opportunity to develop leadership skills, meet friends, and focus on advocacy work within the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS,USA).
Visitors can earn the Our Chalet Challenge, a patch program designed to give participants a deeper set of experiences while at Our Chalet.
For more information, check out their website.

Pax Lodge

Pax Lodge opened its doors in 1991.
It is the third world centre to be located in London, England. The other two were Our Ark which closed in 1959 and Olave House, which closed in 1988.
Pax Lodge is located on the same property as the WAGGGS World Bureau in northern London.
Pax Lodge is named in honor of Lord and Lady Baden-Powell’s family homes, Pax Hill in England and Paxtu in Kenya.
Popular activities include touring historic sites in London, attending the theater, working with local Girl Guide groups, and exploring the many unique neighborhoods of London.
Pax is often used as a hostel for non Girl Scout/Girl Guide individuals and families.
For more information, check out their website.

Sangam

Sangam opened in 1966.
Sangam is located in Pune, India.
Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from all over the world worked to raise more than 50% of the funds needed to build Sangam.
The facilities at Sangam include the main building, five dormitories, and a pool. Some double rooms and triple rooms are available.
Camping is also an option at Sangam.
Visitors must have a visa in order to visit India.
Sangam means “coming together” in Sanskrit.
Popular activities include learning about the Indian culture, arts and crafts, community service, and day trips to popular cultural sites.
Sangam hosts numerous global events throughout the year which give girls and young women the opportunity to develop leadership skills, meet friends, and focus on advocacy work within the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).
For more information, check out their website.

Kusafiri

Unlike the other World Centres, Kusafiri is a roving world center and moves from one location to another, all on the continent of Africa.
Kusafiri has held events in Ghana, South Africa, Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria, Benin, Madagascar, and Uganda.
The first Kusafiri event was held in 2012.
Kusafiri means “to journey” in Swahili, the native language of Kenya.
Programs at Kusafiri have different themes, but each showcases the unique cultural components of the region in Africa where the event is held.
For more information, check out their website

Friends of WAGGGS USA

Friends of WAGGGS, USA raise money to support the programs that WAGGGS, USA develops and implements around the world. These include Stop the Violence which focuses on bringing an end to violence of all kinds against women and children, Free Being Me which focuses on developing a positive body image, and the New Nutrition Programme which focuses on helping girls be healthy and well-nourished so that they are able to reach their full potential and are empowered to take action to break the cycle of malnutrition.