Angeles City, Philippines, May 1999

Twenty-six trainers of GST from four member-countries of AWCF took part in this activity. Although GST trainers' training events were held in each AWCF member, this was the first regional-level training for them. It was an opportunity for the trainers to exchange and share resources and different training methods, thereby further increasing their knowledge and skills, and developing more their positive attitudes and values that they can transfer to participants of the gender sensitivity or awareness training that they conduct. Being also gender advocates, the co-op trainers were also expected to integrate the gender perspective in all types of education and training activities that they conduct for co-op leaders, staff, and members. They are counted on to lead in correcting gender stereotypes and other messages that reinforce gender bias.

The Regional Training was also a step for the formation of the AWCF regional pool of GST trainers to help conduct training in different Asian countries, aside from the AWCF staff doing such work.

Apart from learning from one another, the participants in the Regional Training gained much from the resource persons tapped by AWCF who were most knowledgeable in their various fields—adult education, active training process, gender concepts and issues, gender and development approaches and initiatives, gender analysis tools and initiatives, gender issues and co-ops in globalization, and using theater arts in GST. The training was supported by MISEREOR and the European Commission.