"Power to Change: Women in the Third World Redefine their Environment" -- an anthology of environment features by women journalists from Latin America, Africa and Asia for Women's Feature Service (WFS), was launched in Manila recently.

Historical, socio-economic analysis of each region puts the features in the context of the present times in which women live. Beginning with the people themselves, the features make the connection between a problem, its causes, its solution and what is needed to change their lives

Sustainable lifestyles or the search for them is a strong theme of many of the features. For example in Kenya and Zimbabwe, communities recommend reviving traditional diet of insects (mixed with sauces and eaten as a snack or a main meal) to overcome nutritional problems.

In the Philippines, Nanay Masang, fighting to keep her land from becoming part of an industrial complex called Calabarzon told the man who was pointing his gun at her "I'm not afraid of bullets because they can kill you fast. I am more afraid of hunger. It kills you slowly."

Published by Kali for Women, a pioneer publisher of women's writings, this book presents narratives of positive change brought about by women, in the face of the often negative impact of development in their lives and on their environment.

The Women's Feature Service is a news-feature service of views and analyses by women of development in their region. The WFS, through its network of over 150 women journalists, editors and translators from 60 countries, seeks to provide a realistic portrayal of local, national and international development in mainstream media.

On the following pages of this edition of Women in Action we have given you three extracts spanning three continents from the book. These case studies show the diverse ways in which women have taken a lead in their struggle to protect their environment from profit-hungry business and government.

Metro Manila, Philippines