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NB : For your information, although it is such an evidence, we, the team trek, would like to highlight that the entire trek costs are fully covered by ourselves.

 

 

Dear Friends, 

In October 2011 I will be trekking to Everest Base Camp (5,300metres) led by the inspirational Everest summiteer Susan Harper Todd and in aid of the charity Women for Women International UK

 

 What is WfWI?

As quite a few of you already know, Women for Women International helps women in areas of conflict to rebuild their lives. Women in Afghanistan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda & South Sudan who have been traumatized, having lost their children, their husbands, their homes and livelihoods are supported to move from victim to survivor to active citizen. Their sponsorship programme links people all over the world with women survivors of war and provides practical support so that women can stand on their own, gain training and earn an income, and transform their lives, their vision of their future and their community one.

 

Trek Story – Linking the World

We, a group of 10 women aim to spread awareness and highlight the importance of women to development and building deep roots for peace. This campaign is about linking the world, men and women and raising the voices of the voiceless.

 

In a world where 70% of the poorest are women, we know that without proper attention to and investment in women, we will not be able to progress and improve development and equality (for a deeper and inspirational vision please listen to the address given by Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, at the global Peace Initiative Leaders at the Palais de Nations, Geneva in October 2002.  See the video link at the bottom of this page). This is particularly true for countries affected by conflict. Women are disproportionately affected by conflict, and they need to be actively supported in rebuilding their lives and the lives of their families and communities. Their voices need to be heard.

 

Zainab Salbi, the founder of Women for Women International has heard the stories of hundreds of women who have experienced war torture and rape. One of the women told her;

 “If I can tell the whole world my story I would – I cannot – you can!” This is the message of the trek team, we are telling the stories of those who cannot. And as Zainab said “If they can share their stories who are we not to?”

 You can hear Zainab's inspirational speech at the Omega Institute (NYC) in October 2010 here and you will also see why I believe in the work of Women for Women International by listening to the words of Karak Mayik, Country Director to South Sudan.

 We will be taking prayer flags to Everest with messages from all sorts of women, those in the women for women programme, those form  all around the world displaying our vision of a peaceful and prosperous world.

 The flag will then be taken on in rely by Chris Jackson and Susan’s husband in April 2012, linking all of us, men and women together in our vision for a more peaceful world. The flags will then be returned to the UK for auctioning along with a small rock memento from the summit. Through the flag we are carrying (symbolically) all our messages of peace to the ‘Mother of the Universe’ (Nepalese for Everest).

 This trek is not just about raising funds for the women in conflict countries it is about how we can support each other through our passions, ideas and connections. As Annie Lennox said,‘You can be a transformer. They deserve our support, and more than that our engagement in our ideas and connections’. You can hear more of Annie Lennox’s beautiful words at the 2011WfWI Gala here.

 

 Why Support Women for Women International?

 Women for Women International believe it is paramount importance that we can act flexibly and respond to differently in different environments as the security situation is often so volatile in the countries where we work. Currently the security situation in Afghanistan and Iraq is so difficult that our security costs are much higher than in other countries. However, in Bosnia and Kosovo the recent financial crisis has lead to increases in food prices by more than 50%. In these cases our aim is to focus on income generation and training women in producing a secure income and growing nutritional food for their families.

 An unrestricted gift means that your support will be put to good use wherever the need is greatest at the time. All money raised will go directly towards our rights awareness and vocational skills training programme and you can rest assured that your gift will help to change the life of  courageous women like Pari Gul who are eager to transform their lives in order to give their children the chance of a brighter future. 

 Pari Gul, a 42-year-old Afghan woman, who after taking part in Women for Women’s first vocational training session in Afghanistan in 2002, took up stone polishing and as a result now heads a profitable, 500-emplopyee stone cutting and polishing company in the Afghan capital, Kabul. Despite being threatened, harassed and accused of corrupting Afghan women by the local community, Pari Gul has persevered and been able to send her eight children, including three daughters, to university – a luxury she was deprived off. “Afghan women face so many problems in Afghanistan – beating, stoning, killing,” Pari Gul says. “Here we feel so lucky to be able to be a part of Women for Women, to learn skills, help our families, educate our children.”

 

Thank you very much for your time and I hope from the depth of my heart that you can join me in making a difference in the world today.

 

 “La seule facon d’accomplir est d’etre”

 

 Let’s remember that children follow examples better than they listen to advices

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References

 Karak’s Speech: http://www.youtube.com/womenforwomenuk#p/u/28/VRz13ZGfQgc

Annie Lennox Speech: http://www.youtube.com/womenforwomenuk#p/u/33/i4iKK3Vri_g

Zainab Salbi Speech at the Women and Power 2010 Omega Institute Conference http://vimeo.com/15537715 

 

The Awakening of Universal Motherhood" is an address given by Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, affectionately known as Amma, at the Global Peace Initiative of Women Religious and Spiritual Leaders at the Palais des Nations, Geneva on October 7th, 2002. This speech was given when Amma received the prestigious Gandhi-King Award for Peace and Non-Violence. Previous recipients of the award are Kofi Annan in 1999, Nelson Mandela in 2000 and Dr. Jane Goodall in 2001. Dr. Goodall introduced Amma to the assembly and presented her with the award.

Gandhi-King Award - UN Geneva - part 1 | Amma :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_rPLFdT30w

Gandhi-King Award - UN Geneva - part 2 | Amma 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYmE3T3TvA0

Gandhi-King Award - UN Geneva - part 3 | Amma :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQtqrBvDDYI