I would like to introduce you to my friend Chioma Oruh, a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science at Howard University. She is working on a dissertation on the rape crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I first met Chioma aka “Dr. Chi Bornfree” in 2006 in Palenque, Mexico at a Beyond the Global Divide (BGD) conference that brought together youth and Indigenous Elders/Wisdom Keepers from all over the world to exchange knowledge. What I remember most about her was her passion!
Beyond the Global Divide (BGD), an initiative of the Spirit of Truth Foundation, is a meeting comprised of youth and Indigenous Elders/Wisdom Keepers from all over the world to exchange knowledge. – See more at: http://www.13moonwalk4peace.com/vision/youth/#sthash.NuOwazje.dpuf
Chioma just completed a #BringBackOurWealth campaign and raised $1,050 of the $3,000 goal set for her trip to the Congo, July 1-14, 2014. She will meet with the community she’s researching in the Goma region of the Congo, as part of a delegation with the organization, Friends of the Congo. As a daughter of Africa, she didn’t want to go empty handed, so 90{f427030ed59a4fe787ee6319671b725563b9dcfd675eafcbb850bdb2cc0b28df} of the donations raised will be split between two grassroots organizations: The Association of Widows and Youth For A New Society, both of these organizations are doing great work in varying capacities to address the issue of gender-based violence (1 in 4 women are reported to be raped approximately every 5 minutes) and political destabilization of war in the Congo (over 6 million people have died since 1998 due to continuous warfare).
Here’s What I’d LOVE for You To Do:
* Watch the videos and read her post below to learn about Chioma, the conditions in the Congo, and the wealth building project she is doing in partnership with local organizations to build economic sustainability on a grassroots level.
* Visit or follow her blog, Dr. Chi Bornfree for updates, pictures, interactive videos, and an analysis of her experience.
* Learn more about Friends of the Congo. You can be confident that all donations will be given to the right grassroots organizations that work directly WITH the impacted women rape survivors and their families.
Interview with Mama Marie Chimanuka
On Thursday June 26, 2014, I had the honor of visiting with Mama Chimanuka of the Association of Widows located in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Thanks to Maurice Carney, Executive Director of the Friends of the Congo, this connection and interview was made possible. As a result of this contact, I will be spending a few days with organization member of the Association of Widows when I arrive in early July 2014. Please listen to Mama Chimanuka’s testimony of the daily impact of the ongoing war in the region and the great strides her and her comrades have taken to not only survive but to help orphaned children and widows of their own community. Additionally, the Association of Widows continues in its effort and in collaboration with the Friends of the Congo are launching an economically sustainable project to sell African print shirts. More details on this project to come in the future and also more videos and testimonies from my visit and promotion of the #BringBackOurWealth campaign. There is less than 24 hours to donate to the campaign, please contribute today.