rachel132
Cathlete
I thought I would share information about a program called Women for Women. This is a charity to support and teach women, who suffer from the consequences of war, ways to start over and ways to earn a living. Currently there is wide-spread violence, particularly violent rape, as a means of disempowering women in The Democratic Republic of Congo. A movie will be aired tomorrow night (Thurs. 11/20) on HBO about the crisis. It is called "The Greatest Silence." I currently sponsor two women. One in the Congo and one in Afghanistan. The Congolese woman I sponsor is in the area that we are being warned a new episode of attacks is currently occurring. This has prompted me to spread the word to anyone who is interested in donating or becoming a sponsor. I have attached an email I received today below for those interested.
Dear Sponsor,
Our thoughts are with our sisters and co-workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). As I write this, eastern Congo violence is erupting again. Women for Women International is preparing to respond to the needs of thousands of women who are threatened by the fighting and in urgent need of assistance.
"More than half of our women are missing classes in our training program in Goma," says Christine Karumba via phone from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. "Due to the volatile situation they are unable to reach our training facilities."
Since most women in the Goma region are not able to come to us, we will go to them and offer assistance when fighting subsides. Individual details are difficult to get at this time, but please know that the impact to the women and our work is specific to Goma. Women in other regions of the DRC are safe. As we know more, we will update you.
We will also post the latest updates to our web site: www.womenforwomen.org/congo
Honorata Kizende, Award Recipient of the Women of the World Award
In recognition of her courage to speak out on behalf of those who have been silenced by the violence and chaos of war in the Congo, Honorata Kizende was presented with the Women for the World Award at our annual awards gala last month. For more on Honorata’s story, please go to www.womenforwomen.org/congo
Given the situation in the DRC, I know you will be glad to learn that more than 250 women were sponsored at our annual awards gala as well. Anderson Cooper of CNN visited the women in our program in the DRC last year also hosted the event.
New Letters Blog
Hearing firsthand from women in the all the countries where we work is the most meaningful way to see the impact you have upon their lives and their families’ lives. Knowing not all the women are able to write, I want to share with you some amazing letters I just posted on our letters blog at www.womenforwomen.org/letters.
Here is one sample:
“I am happy writing you again with so much joy and delightfulness. I want to tell you that I received your aid from the Nigerian office, may God bless you. My morale is boosted. We are starting off our group project like rice cultivation, poultry farming too. I hope to learn so much from the program and to have success story like other communities the program has worked in.
Thank you and God bless. Bye.”
Victoria, Nigeria
Please visit the blog to read more (www.womenforwomen.org/letters) and continue to share your letters and photos with me too. Please email them to me at [email protected] and I will post them to our site.
Media Alert
In 2006, Emmy Award winning producer/director Lisa F. Jackson spent the year in the war zones of eastern DRC. She documented the tragic situation women and girls are forced to deal with as they stand in the middle of a countries conflict they did not create, and cannot control. Her movie, The Greatest Silence, will air Thursday, November 20th on HBO (please check your local listings).
Give the Gift of Sponsorship
Please consider giving the gift of sponsorship this year. Share the experience you’ve had of changing a woman’s life with a friend or loved one. If you’re able to make your gift by December 10th, we can ensure your gift recipient will receive their welcome kit by December 21st. Please go to www.womenforwomen.org/giftsponsorship or call us at 1-888-504-3247.
More Gifts That Give Back
From our partners - start your holiday shopping early and get eco-friendly gifts that support Women for Women International. Spoil your loved ones with gourmet organic gift baskets, eco-friendly bouquets and sustainably grown wreaths and Organic Bouquet will donate 10% of your purchase back to Women for Women International. For more information, please go to www.organicbouquet.com/womenH08.
Host an Event
At this time of year, consider gathering your friends for an event to raise awareness and sponsorships. Here are some ideas:
- Turn your office holiday party into a fundraiser with a bucket of cheer for donations
- Read Between Two Worlds by Zainab Salbi with your book club, propose that your book club sponsor a woman and write letters at your next meeting
- Sell inexpensive bottles of wine for the cause at your events and increase the price as a donation to Women for Women International
- Hold a potluck dinner and ask friends to donate the amount they would have spent on going out to dinner to our programs
For more ideas on hosting an event, please visit www.womenforwomen.org/hostevent
Share the Sponsorship Experience
Many of you have asked how you can we help you share the sponsorship experience with others. There are thousands of women survivors of war who are waiting for sponsors. Would you be willing to help find them the sponsors they need?
Passionate sponsors are the best advocates when it comes to recruiting friends and family to join our Sponsorship community. We know that. What we don’t know is how to make it as easy as possible for you to reach out with information about the Sponsorship experience.
What can we do to help you share the sponsorship experience with others? How can we make it easy and fun for you encourage your friends and family to sponsor a woman survivor of war? We need your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions. Please reply or send an email to [email protected].
Thank you for your continued support and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sherin Baday
Sponsorship Manager
Dear Sponsor,
Our thoughts are with our sisters and co-workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). As I write this, eastern Congo violence is erupting again. Women for Women International is preparing to respond to the needs of thousands of women who are threatened by the fighting and in urgent need of assistance.
"More than half of our women are missing classes in our training program in Goma," says Christine Karumba via phone from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. "Due to the volatile situation they are unable to reach our training facilities."
Since most women in the Goma region are not able to come to us, we will go to them and offer assistance when fighting subsides. Individual details are difficult to get at this time, but please know that the impact to the women and our work is specific to Goma. Women in other regions of the DRC are safe. As we know more, we will update you.
We will also post the latest updates to our web site: www.womenforwomen.org/congo
Honorata Kizende, Award Recipient of the Women of the World Award
In recognition of her courage to speak out on behalf of those who have been silenced by the violence and chaos of war in the Congo, Honorata Kizende was presented with the Women for the World Award at our annual awards gala last month. For more on Honorata’s story, please go to www.womenforwomen.org/congo
Given the situation in the DRC, I know you will be glad to learn that more than 250 women were sponsored at our annual awards gala as well. Anderson Cooper of CNN visited the women in our program in the DRC last year also hosted the event.
New Letters Blog
Hearing firsthand from women in the all the countries where we work is the most meaningful way to see the impact you have upon their lives and their families’ lives. Knowing not all the women are able to write, I want to share with you some amazing letters I just posted on our letters blog at www.womenforwomen.org/letters.
Here is one sample:
“I am happy writing you again with so much joy and delightfulness. I want to tell you that I received your aid from the Nigerian office, may God bless you. My morale is boosted. We are starting off our group project like rice cultivation, poultry farming too. I hope to learn so much from the program and to have success story like other communities the program has worked in.
Thank you and God bless. Bye.”
Victoria, Nigeria
Please visit the blog to read more (www.womenforwomen.org/letters) and continue to share your letters and photos with me too. Please email them to me at [email protected] and I will post them to our site.
Media Alert
In 2006, Emmy Award winning producer/director Lisa F. Jackson spent the year in the war zones of eastern DRC. She documented the tragic situation women and girls are forced to deal with as they stand in the middle of a countries conflict they did not create, and cannot control. Her movie, The Greatest Silence, will air Thursday, November 20th on HBO (please check your local listings).
Give the Gift of Sponsorship
Please consider giving the gift of sponsorship this year. Share the experience you’ve had of changing a woman’s life with a friend or loved one. If you’re able to make your gift by December 10th, we can ensure your gift recipient will receive their welcome kit by December 21st. Please go to www.womenforwomen.org/giftsponsorship or call us at 1-888-504-3247.
More Gifts That Give Back
From our partners - start your holiday shopping early and get eco-friendly gifts that support Women for Women International. Spoil your loved ones with gourmet organic gift baskets, eco-friendly bouquets and sustainably grown wreaths and Organic Bouquet will donate 10% of your purchase back to Women for Women International. For more information, please go to www.organicbouquet.com/womenH08.
Host an Event
At this time of year, consider gathering your friends for an event to raise awareness and sponsorships. Here are some ideas:
- Turn your office holiday party into a fundraiser with a bucket of cheer for donations
- Read Between Two Worlds by Zainab Salbi with your book club, propose that your book club sponsor a woman and write letters at your next meeting
- Sell inexpensive bottles of wine for the cause at your events and increase the price as a donation to Women for Women International
- Hold a potluck dinner and ask friends to donate the amount they would have spent on going out to dinner to our programs
For more ideas on hosting an event, please visit www.womenforwomen.org/hostevent
Share the Sponsorship Experience
Many of you have asked how you can we help you share the sponsorship experience with others. There are thousands of women survivors of war who are waiting for sponsors. Would you be willing to help find them the sponsors they need?
Passionate sponsors are the best advocates when it comes to recruiting friends and family to join our Sponsorship community. We know that. What we don’t know is how to make it as easy as possible for you to reach out with information about the Sponsorship experience.
What can we do to help you share the sponsorship experience with others? How can we make it easy and fun for you encourage your friends and family to sponsor a woman survivor of war? We need your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions. Please reply or send an email to [email protected].
Thank you for your continued support and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sherin Baday
Sponsorship Manager