THE COUNTLESS CONTRIBUTIONS OF NOMNANDI (NANDI) BENGU TO WFWP
Like the light of a candle snuffed out too soon, Nandi Bengu was taken from us before her time. Yet her light lives on in the contributions she made to WFWP, her family, and various communities. We hope to share just a few of her many accomplishments and contributions.
April 1, 2011
Local community service organizers, up-and-coming humanitarians, and members of WFWP Georgia gathered to attend the Global Health and Humanitarian Summit at Emory University, Georgia. The summit served as a large networking event to recruit and connect volunteers with local community service organizers, up-and-coming NGO/NPOs, and world wide/nationally-recognized humanitarian organizations. WFWP Georgia Chairwoman Nandi Bengu was one of several WFWP Chairwomen who came and set up an exhibit table and gave a presentation introducing the work of WFWP, along with a video of Women's Middle East Peace Initiative trip in 2004.
March 8, 2012
WFWP Georgia hosted an event in commemoration of UN International Women’s Day (March 8), as well as the anniversary of the tragic tsunami in northeastern Japan. WFWP Georgia Chairwoman Nandi Moton served as emcee for the day, started the program by asking all the participants to introduce themselves by giving their name and saying one good thing about themselves—something women need to do more often!
2012
The WFWP Georgia Chapter planned and executed the 2012 Global Humanitarian Summit (GHS) held at Emory University. The GHS was created by Dr. Neil Shulman as a way to foster synergism between humanitarian volunteer efforts by creating a forum through which they can connect with and learn from each other. Mrs. Nandi Moton, the WFWP Georgia education coordinator, gave an enlightening PowerPoint presentation on the principles we must live by in order to build a peaceful world.
January 25-26, 2013
Nandi helped organize a seminar titled, “The New Paradigm Of Love, Sex And Marriage” for the WFWP Atlanta members. They gathered together to revisit the critical importance of sexual abstinence before marriage as a necessary step for character building. They also sought to educate parents on how to build a supportive family environment for their teens and single young adult children who have decided to stay pure before marriage. (Please see the original article for more https://wfwp.us/national/georgia/georgia-a-new-paradigm-for-love-sex-and-family).
May 2013
Nandi helped organize a follow-up seminar, “The New Paradigm Of Love, Sex And Marriage - Part 2,” to discuss why sexual abstinence is important from a spiritual standpoint. The presentations represented different religious viewpoints and were able to give the audience a sense of seriousness about the physical and spiritual consequences of premarital sex. A participant said that she was so inspired by the program that she went home and had a deep and honest discussion with her daughter about how to dress. She said she just had to empty herself out and share with her daughter and husband what she heard.
June 2013
As WFWP Georgia Chairwoman, Mrs. Nandi Moton partnered with the Peacemakers for Sacred Healing and ACLC in a Trail of Tears Prayer Journey taken in June of 2013. WFWP members drove along one of the routes Native Americans call the Trail of Tears, to honor and liberate the Native Americans who lost their lives on the trail. This was in repentance for the atrocities committed by the American government and people against America's First People, specifically after the passage of the Indian Removal Act of 1830 that resulted in native populations being forcibly removed from their ancestral homelands to "Indian Country," now known as Oklahoma.
October 2013
A one-day event celebrating and honoring Parents' Day 2013 was a joint venture of the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC), the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS), and the WFWP New York City Chapter. Parents' Day is acknowledged in the U.S. as a national holiday, initiated by WFWP Founders Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon and her husband Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon in 1994.WFWP Georgia Chairwoman Nandi Bengu Moton lifted up a tune that addressed the needs of the heart entitled "He's Concerned," recorded by CeCe Winans.
October 26, 2013
During the 21st WFWP USA National Assembly, there was a panel discussion with four highly-qualified professional women to mark the first anniversary of the Global Women's Peace Network (GWPN), a project founded by WFWP Founders Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon and her husband Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon. Nandi eloquently and passionately discussed using sexuality in a way that empowers and dignifies a woman.
January 26, 2014
WFWP NY had a Spa Sunday Program in the heart of New York City. WFWP USA Vice President Mrs. Juanita Pierre-Louis was the main speaker and spoke on "The Motherhood Initiative." Mrs. Nandi Moton was the dynamic MC and successfully guided the program. The ladies had their hands and feet pampered, learned how to apply beautiful makeup, and received Reiki treatments.
April 1, 2014
Mrs. Nandi Moton was appointed as WFWP Harlem Chairwoman, after previously serving as the WFWP Georgia Chairwoman. Her youthful and determined spirit went on to accomplish much in initiating WFWP activities in Harlem.
July 12, 2014
Nandi initiated the "Prayer Walk for Peace." Every month, the WFWP group started its walk at the Harlem State Office Building, walking through the Manhattanville community, and praying for the families that are affected by gang violence. Mrs. Moton said, "We need to revive and reeducate the communities about the values of family and faith." The first prayer walk was started with the support of Congressman Charles B. Rangel.
For Mrs. Moton and WFWP Vice President Reverend Pierre-Louis, their biggest challenge was to get more youth involved with WFWP activities. They worked to organize after school programs in Harlem. Mrs. Moton said, "To get younger people involved, you have to think creatively, through art." Mrs. Moton hoped to start an afterschool radio station program, to educate the youth on how to organize a radio program and how to speak and present themselves on the air and also in a professional setting.
October 4, 2014
The Metro DC WFWP meeting, held in Bowie, Maryland, included participants from the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. WFWP Harlem Chairwoman Nandi Bengu gave two presentations on the topic, "Face Off: Strengthening the Power of the Mind through Self-Control—The First Step to True Leadership." Ms. Bengu spoke of the structure and functioning of the spirit self and the physical self, which led her to delve deeply into the differences between the mature character and the immature character, and to put them face to face in front of us all. She said that it is not enough for us to expound the idea of "Living by the Logic of Love," but we must know how to be real in our real-life relationships. (Please see the original article for more https://wfwp.us/national/washington-dc/face-off).
October 24, 2014
Over 200 participants attended the 22nd WFWP USA National Assembly, which was held in Washington, D.C., in the historic ballroom of The Washington Times building. The theme of the assembly, "Learn to Lead," was the same as the previous year's, but added a new subtitle, "From Local to Global—Leading with Heart." WFWP Harlem Chairwoman Nandi Bengu, known as a South African-born educator of youth and young adults, motivational speaker and community activist, was one of five presenters at the Global Women’s Peace Network Panel, and stirred the audience with her theme of “The Art of Forgiveness, Love, and Unity” as her example of leading from the heart. She highlighted leaders of reconciliation from her own country, such as Nelson Mandela, and a white woman, Helen Suzman, the "heroine of South Africa," who was the only woman and member of Parliament at the time of apartheid and interracial conflict and who stood up for the South African blacks.
February 6, 2015
The Harlem Chapter of WFWP, the New Future Foundation, and the Harlem Women International held a panel discussion in preparation for the NGO CSW Forum Consultation Day that was hosted March 8, 2015 by the UN Women at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. WFWP Harlem Chairwoman Nandi Bengu collaborated with other women leaders to organize this panel discussion, which was held to inform and encourage the women and men of Harlem to learn about and register for Consultation Day, which set the stage for the 59th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 59), held from March 9-20.
October 22, 2015
Nandi helped organize and direct the over 70 volunteers that participated in the WFWP National Day of Service, as the annual National Assembly kick-off event. That year, students from New Hope Academy and City Center School cleaned up historic Georgia Avenue, Emory Park, the DC 4th District Metro Police Department, and the Emory Recreation Center in Washington, DC, by sweeping up leaves, picking up trash, and cleaning shop windows.
October 23-23, 2015
At the 23rd National Assembly, Nandi spoke at a breakout session related to the theme “Tools to Lead,” specifically on marriage and family.
March 5, 2016
The city of Orange, New Jersey, held a very informative program at the Lincoln School to discuss how to present such topics as drugs and teenage pregnancy to one's children. Students, grandparents, and parents were there to learn about the different counseling services and programs to guide teens to more productive, healthy lifestyles. One of the presenters was WFWP Harlem Chapter Chairwoman Nandi Bengu, who presented C.L.U.E. (Creating Love and Uplifting Esteem), an abstinence based program to help young people make informed and better decisions when it comes to their bodies and their futures. She advocated that the students save sex until each person matures and gets to know each other and develop as functional human beings first.
Nandi, you are dearly missed! We thank you for your years of service and dedication to enriching the lives of youth and adults in WFWP and your community. Your light continues to shine in the hearts of all whom you impacted. May you rest in peace.