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State Baptist Young Woman's Auxiliary The State Baptist Young Woman’s Auxiliary (YWA) of the Woman’s Baptist Education and Missionary Convention, an affiliate of the Baptist Education and Missionary Convention (BEMC), began in 1953 for the purpose of engaging in “mission study, personal evangelism, and mission action.” The BEMC, an African-American faith-based organization, works with a cadre of African American Baptist churches in South Carolina, and until June 2005, it had the potential for representing approximately 1500 churches statewide. Although the primary objective of the YWA was to raise endowment funds for Morris College, very soon the young women adopted other projects. Thus, its purpose changed somewhat to fully and effectively involve its members in the work of the church and community through teaching and ministering to the needs of it congregational members and community residents, which included health education. At that time, while the Auxiliary was involved in and/or hosted several health education programs during its annual session, no one particular initiative had been implemented statewide. Moreover, various churches forged some successful health projects, but none had a statewide focus. Individual church projects provided health education on teen pregnancy, diabetes, hypertension, breast cancer, tobacco, infant mortality, nutrition and physical activity. However, for the past few years, the YWA have recognized that the
faith community is able to play a vital role in addressing health issues
and other related concerns and that all leaders from faith-based
organizations, health and human service organizations, churches and
other groups must collaborate, seek guidance, |
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Cancer Prevention & Control Program ▪ 2221 Devine St Suite 200 ▪ Columbia, SC 29208 ▪ 866.297.6792 ▪ 803.734.5259 (FAX) |
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leadership, consultation,
and technical assistance to aid them in health and human services
program development and implementation efforts. They further recognized
that now is the time to take the leadership and move beyond simple,
blame-oriented programs, and that more focus should be placed on
incorporating prevention strategies that incorporate developing
culturally appropriate paradigms for health prevention and health
promotion in African-American churches and their communities.