On Sunday, October 18^th, a group of women gathered at The Canvas in Juneau, Alaska for an afternoon of conversation about the strength and perseverance of women around the world.This event was sponsored by Gather the Women.

Barbara Belknap, the Gather the Women Regional Coordinator in Juneau, and Darcy Lockhart brought together a number of women from around their community to spend the afternoon making cards for our Women for Women International sisters and having conversations about ways in which we can make the world a safer place for women and girls.

Women for Women International is very encouraged that conversations like these ones are being had. The more people talk about the issues that are occurring in our world, the greater the chances that real change will occur!

Many of those who attended this event also made donations to Women for Women International. Thank you so much for your support, women of Juneau! Your efforts are greatly appreciated and admired!

Women for Women International encourages you to come out and support the women of Congo by attending the “One Love” Artist open house on Saturday, October 24th.

Kadan & In the Flow Studies and Women for Women International invite you to join us in celebrating LOVE through ART. Our goal is to raise funds to help educate and train women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We hope to raise much more than money through this artistic collaboration, we hope to raise their spirits. We have a wide spectrum of artists with different styles and backgrounds, but they all have one thing in common – a belief that through their art they can reach out and touch the lives of those thousands of miles away. They believe in the resillience and the strength of their sisters in the Congo.

Show Features:
- Poetry, Musical and Dance Performances, Including Harp, Hip-Hop Dance, Acoustic Guitar, Atzec Dance, and Tahitian Drumming
- Paintings, Photography, Video, and Visual Art by Local Artists
- Martial Arts and Eskrima Demonstrations

100% of the ticket sales from this event will be donated to Women for Women International.

Doors Open at 1:00pm. We can’t wait to see you there!

For More Information:
- Call: (562) 556-4994
- E-mail: manakeeper@gmail.com or katheen.araneta@gmail.com
- Or Check Out the Web: http://web.me.com/auroraferrer/Arts_Open_House_Congo_Fundraiser/Welcome.html

Lyric Thompson, Women for Women International’s policy analyst, is going to be the keynote speaker at the 14th International Conference on Violence, Abuse and Trauma in San Diego, California. This conference is put on by the Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma (IVAT), an international resource and training center at Alliant International University.

Lyric is going to be giving an overview of violence against women in war/conflict in all of the countries Women for Women International works in. She is also going to be discussing exactly what Women for Women is doing to help.

The conference is going to be held September 23-26. All registration for this event is on-site.

If you would like to learn more information or to view the conference schedule, visit the IVAT website: http://www.ivatcenters.org/

The San Francisco Leadership Circle on behalf of Women for Women International invites you to a screening of the riveting film, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, on the evening of Thursday, September 10th.

When: Thursday, September 10, 2009.  Mixer begins at 6:00pm.  Film begins at 7:00pm, and will be followed by a Q&A at 8:15pm.
Where: The Cowell Theater at Fort Mason Center at the intersection of Marina Boulevard and Buchanan Street in San Francisco.  Parking is safe and easy.

Pray the Devil Back to Hell tells the remarkable story of the Liberian women who came together courageously and nonviolently to bring peace to their shattered country, forcing a resolution after peace talks had stalled.  This is a film that illustrates the perseverance of women and their ability to impact change in their communities and nations.

To order your tickets, which are $25 and include wine and cheese, please visit http://www.fortmason.org/boxoffice/index.shtml.

Proceeds from this screening benefit Women for Women International.  We hope you will join us!

Change Your Life. And Hers.

Join Women for Women International and stand up for women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo! Participate in a 2009 Run for Congo Women.

Run for Congo Women began with one woman’s determination to raise awareness about the dire situation in Congo and has become an international movement.

• More than 5.4 million people have died since 1998 in this conflict.
• Half of these deaths are children under the age of five.
• For women in Congo, brutal gang rape and torture are a daily reality.

Run for Congo Women in Portland, OR is your opportunity to support these women and children as they rebuild their lives.

Visit www.runforcongowomen.org/portland to learn more and register today!

Portland, OR Run Details

Saturday, September 19^th

Lower Macleay Park NW 29^th & Upshur Portland, OR 97210

Registration begins onsite at 7:30 am

9-Mile Run begins at 8:30 am; 3-Mile Run begins at 9 am

Registration is $30

9 Mile and 3 Mile Run or Walk

By signing up today, you will support Women for Women International’s program in Congo, in which women receive direct assistance, rights awareness and job skills training that make it possible for them to start their own micro-enterprises. You also allow them to provide for their family and to regain their role as an active member of their community.

When you join us, you help spread this message: Congolese lives matter. The lives of Congolese women are significant. The lives of Congolese children are precious. We are running to help.

Laurel Marks, in collaboration with The Unitarian Universalist Community of the Mountains, presents a screening of the HBO Documentary The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo.

When: Sunday, April 26, 2009 from 7 to 9 PM.

Where: Unitarian Universalist Community of the Mountains, 246 South Church Street, Grass Valley, California

Director Lisa Jackson delves into the psychological dark roots of this ten-year war in the Congo. Sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo affects not only the women and girls, but also tears apart families and communities.

 Since the release of the film, dozens of countries have screened the documentary and have raised awareness, support, and hope for the women victims of this brutal war.

All proceeds of this screening will be donated to support Women for Women International’s programs in the Congo.

Please share this with friend and join Laurel and the Unitarian Universalist Community of the Mountains to help break the silence.

Please call (530) 274-1547 for more information.

It’s time again for Run for Congo Women, an inspirational run, walk, or hike that supports Women for Women International’s work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In only a few years, it has blossomed into a global movement with a very simple message: Congolese lives matter. The lives of Congolese women are significant. The lives of Congolese children are precious. They have waited far too long. They are worth our effort. We are running to help.

To learn more about the Run for Congo Women, visit the official website at www.runforcongowomen.org or watch this video.

Run for Congo Women: Morrison, CO. 5K and 10K (Run/Walk)September 19, 2009. Run begins at 8 AM at Bear Creek Lake Park REGISTER TODAY!

Run for Congo Women: Portland, OR. 3 or 9 Mile Run/Walk Saturday, September 19, 2009. Run begins at 8:30 AM. Join us at Lower Macleay Park, NW 29th & Upshur, and show your support for Congolese women survivors of war                                          REGISTER TODAY!

Run for Congo Women, Tempe, AZ. 5k Run/Walk                  

Saturday, September 27, 2009. Run Begins at 8AM. Come run in Kiwanis Park and send a message of hope and support to Congolese Women! REGISTER TODAY!

 If you are unable to participate, please consider making a donation to our work in DR Congo.

Show your support by becoming a fan of Run for Congo Women’s Facebook Page.

Join Face Reality Acne & Skin Care Clinic in San Leandro, California on Sunday, April 19 for a Designer Clothing Sample Show and Jewelry Trunk Show. The event will be held from 12 to 5pm at Face Reality Acne Clinic, 155 Callan Avenue in San Leandro.

Designer Giselle Shepatin of San Francisco, will be selling her creative, whimsical, and flattering designs at fabulous prices! To preview Giselle’s collections, visit http://www.giselleshepatin.com .

This event will also feature original jewelry created by Face Reality’s co-owner Laura Cooksey. The trunk show will include necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and key chains. Click here to preview some of this unique jewelry,

10% of the proceeds from this sale will be donated to Women for Women International.

Bring a friend and stop in on April 19 for a day of fun, fashion, refreshments and maybe get great gifts for yourself or for Mother’s Day! 

For more information, e-mail Laura at llcooksey@yahoo.com

On March 3, the On the Road Speakers Tour stopped by UC Berkeley to educate students about the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The panel included actress and activist Robin Wright Penn, Jimmie Briggs, an award-winning journalist and author, Candice Knezevic from the Enough Project, Francisca Thelin, and Lisa Shannon, founder of Run for Congo Women. The On the Road tour visited UC Berkeley after holding a discussion at also Oregon State University the day before.

The On the Road Speakers tour builds awareness and presents a message of hope to engage individuals and groups to advocate for the protection and empowerment of Congolese Women and girls. The panel presented information about the conflict in the Congo and the resulting epidemic of sexual violence against women and girls. Francisca Thelin, a Congolese-American, shared first-hand accounts of the challenges facing Congolese women.

YOU can show your support for Congolese women and children. Join the movement of activists who can advocate effectively for change by visiting http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/. 

Students can join STAND as they seek to unite students around the world in a permanent anti-genocide constituency by checking out http://www.standnow.org/.

You are invited to hear Zainab Salbi speak on Thursday, March 5^th in San Francisco. Zainab will be the featured speaker at the Spark Speaker Series.

Spark seeks to build a community of young, global citizens who are invested in changing patterns of inequality that impact women throughout the world. Spark is based out of San Francisco, California and engages individuals and groups through community building, education, advocacy, and grant-making.

The Spark Speaker Series will be held Thursday March 5^th, from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. The event will be held at Hotel Vitale on San Francisco’s Embarcadero Waterfront.

We’ll hope you’ll join us for this inspiring event. Tickets available on Spark’s website and can be purchased here. Space is limited so reserve your ticket today.

To learn more about Zainab Salbi’s experiences as a survivor of war and her tremendous work as advocate for women in post-conflict area, click here.

Visit Spark’s website for more information about their mission: http://www.sparksf.org/about.html