BPW News Women of the week Pauline L. Gapper : Woman of the Week (79)
Who is Pauline Gapper ?
Life Member, BPW New Zealand (NZ).
Pauline’s passion for BPW started in the 1950’s (over 50 years ago) and now aged 89 and battling cancer, she continues to support her BPW Club, work for the women in her community and take line dancing classes.
Pauline’s greatest passion within BPW has been Nepal. It all started in 1988 when on a tramping trip to Nepal. Pauline contacted the BPW Central Club in Kathmandu and met with their committee. Once back in New Zealand, she shared information on Club activities and the work Nepal members were doing to help women, particularly the disadvantaged.
In 1990 Pauline took a group of BPW members from NZ to visit clubs in Kathmandu and Pokhara. BPW NZ started paying the International Dues for Nepal in 1984, and after Pauline’s visit in 1990, was asked if they could assist financially so that clubs in Nepal could run literacy classes for illiterate women and also provide warm clothing for children in the organised Day Care Centres in Industrial Estates. Since then BPWNZ has been doing just that, calling it the Nepal Literacy Fund. Until recently, Pauline has taken trekking and tour groups to Nepal and at the same time delivering the donated clothing and money raised in NZ. Pauline drives the project each year at the BPW NZ conference with her report which includes how the money was raised and the current needs of the programme. In the past, Pauline has toured New Zealand with speaking engagements at clubs raising awareness about BPW Nepal’s work as well as producing articles in various BPW publications.
In 2004 I became one of the lucky BPW NZ members who have travelled to Nepal with Pauline over a period of many years. We were to attend the Asia Pacific Regional Conference in Kathmandu and combined this with a tour of the country. Pauline has led many groups over the years, from memory this was her 20th visit. Everywhere we went Pauline was greeted with respect and affection by BPW Nepal members and staff at the hotels where we stayed. In Pokhara a strike had been called by the Maoists/Mao Rebels because of the King's visit to that city and travel around the city had been banned by them. The Government put armed soldiers on to the buses so people could travel around. Pauline's friend from BPW Pokhara came to the motel to collect us and took us by bus, guarded by two armed soldiers, to a wonderful lunch at her house and a meeting with the Club. Not even the threats of the Mao Rebels could stop the women of BPW Pokhara meeting with their dear friend Pauline.
Diana O’Brien, BPW NZ
Pauline continues to encourage clubs to support the Nepal Literacy Programme, which has expanded to teach life skills as well as literacy and numeracy; including introducing the Nepal Lamp that is presented to the Club who has raised the most funds each year,
Pauline was awarded was awarded Life Membership of BPWNZ in 1996 and the IFBPW Badge of Honour for her work with the women of Nepal at the Melbourne Congress 2003.
Other notable achievements for Pauline include representing BPW NZ on the Council for Equal Pay and Opportunity, formed in 1957, from 1959 to 1965. The Council consisted of representatives at National level from BPW NZ, the Federation of University Women, the Public Service, Trade Unions and NCW. This coalition was vital in the successful introduction of Equal Pay legislation in New Zealand.
In her term as President, BPW NZ in conjunction with the Federation of University Women, NCW and the YWCA, set up a Joint Committee on Women and Employment and Pauline became the second Chair. Two years later, further submissions to Government resulted in the new National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women, which still exists today.
Pauline has been to many Congresses and whilst Vice President of BPWNZ, she led the NZ delegation to the International Board Meeting (which was held between Congresses) in Canberra, Australia and as President led the first full NZ delegation to Congress when it was held in Washington, D.C.
Pauline has also achieved a Bachelor of Arts in Education, Diploma in Teaching and an FTCL in singing. She has been a teacher all her working life which might explain her great interest in literacy.