March 8, 2012, dawned sunny and warm in New York. It was a perfect day for our Join Me on the Bridge event in celebration of International Women’s Day. This year’s event was focused on the plight of the women in Congo.

The day began in Cadman Plaza Park, where hundreds gathered on the Brooklyn side of the Brooklyn Bridge. WBLL Executive Director and event organizer, Norma Loeb, opened the day with inspiring words about our 100,000 Voices Project on behalf of the women of Congo. She introduced Zainab Salbi of Women for Women, International, who spoke passionately about the need for women to stand together. Reverend Kathleen Casserly prepared us to walk the bridge together with moving words that inspired deep connection.

From there, people walked across the bridge in conversation and conscious connection. When we reached the Manhattan side, we gathered in City Hall Park for a full program of performers and speakers. The program included Carla Goldstein of the Women’s Institute at Omega, Bibiane Tshefu of WILPF-NY;s Congolese Women’s Justice Project, Mallika Dutt of Breakthrough, Susan Davis, founder of BRAC, Arthur Lundquist of NOW, Myron Rolle of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Victoria Pannell of Youth Move. Twelve-year-old Victoria’s impassioned plea on behalf of the Congolese women was a highlight of the event.

In addition to the speakers, music was provided by the Manhattan Girls Chorus and Michelle Cleary who sang original songs composed for the event.

We hope the day will serve as a catalyst to deeper conversation and action on behalf of the women of Congo and all women globally.

Liz Gannon-Graydon, Co-Founder of What BETTER Looks Like

Myron Rolle, Pittsburg Steeler/ Rhodes Scholar

Zainab Salbi, Founder of Women For Women International

Victorial Pannell of Youth Move

Congolese Community of Central New York

The Manhattan Girls Chorus

Attendees from Northport High School

PHOTOS COURTESY ANDREA REESE © 2012

1)  If you make a $20 donation and type “TOTE BAG” in the NOTE section under the donate button (to your right), we will send you a numbered, eco-friendly tote bag so you can be part of the 100,000 Voices helping to spread the message of the Congolese people and their desperate need for peace and safety.  (Note that the value of your donation for tax purposes will be $6.00 less than the donation you made.)

2)  Go to Raise Hope for Congo’s action list:  http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/content/take-action

THE PEOPLE

Nyarugunga Village received a new name when members of What BETTER Looks Like visited in 2010. The people announced with much optimism that "the village would now be called the Village of Hope." We have not forgotten that moment, when the hearts of these people expressed the dream of a better life.

The village is home to 320 people who have been identified by the Rwandan government as people in need and have been provided very modest housing. In this rural country where about 90% of the people are engaged in subsistence agriculture, these residents are considered the "poorest of the poor." Each person has been affected by the Genocide that occurred in 1994 which killed an estimated 800,000 people. Many residents are orphans who live in a 'child head of household' situation...they are young people, 22 or 23 years old, who have been raising younger siblings since they lost their parents. Others are elderly, have a disability, or suffer from HIV/AIDS.

THE NEED

The people of the Village of Hope have very basic needs: food, clothing, education and a way to make a living. Each family has shelter and water collected in cisterns. Hunger is prevalent with children and adults. All need our help.

THE HOPE

These strong and resilient people have spoken to us of their aspirations and hope for a better life.  With the concern and help of others, we can assist the people by providing:

• Food/Clothing
• Primary and Secondary Education - school fees and school supplies
• University Education - school fees and school supplies
• Vocational Skills and Training:  sewing/tailoring; professional driving;  brick-making; carpentry/masonry
• Start-up grants to launch a small business

THE FUTURE

All those in the Village of Hope are invited to ‘give something back’ to contribute to the creation of the Beloved Community.  We invite you to follow the project, help make it successful, and celebrate with us as we see the positive changes and impact.

THE HELP

GIVE NOW... CHANGE A LIFE ...

This community needs concrete help today. Please join us in providing what you can for this project, where our mission is twofold: to help the Village of Hope and to inspire those who give by connecting them to the significance of their gift.

How to help financially...

• Make a donation to be given where there is the most need, or set up a monthly donation to help with ongoing needs.
• Sponsor a young adult for university.
• Sponsor an adult for career/vocational training, or starting a small business.
• Sponsor a child for primary/secondary school.
• Provide a corporate sponsorship or gift.

The gift of self...

Volunteer with us...We need your help, energy and enthusiasm.

Connections...Do you know someone who would be interested in helping with this work?

Expertise and Consultation...Do you have any specific expertise that you feel would be beneficial to this project?

Encouragement/Inspiration...It takes a village to create Beloved Community. Please contribute your ideas!

To give now: Enter your donation at the right-hand column

Our Mission:   What BETTER Looks Like (WBLL) fosters the development of beloved community by helping individuals imagine, articulate and create visions for a better world.  The intentional infusion of love into our interactions has the power to create the radical changes necessary to make the world better.

Background:  Seven friends—the Amahoro* Women of WBLL—felt a compelling desire to connect with the people of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  In 2010, the friends—one of whom is a Rwandan genocide survivor—journeyed to both countries.  As a result of our incredible trip, we developed a community based project for the poverty stricken people of Nyarugunga Village in Rwanda, including the current sponsorship of students in college.

After speaking and being with many women in Congo, specifically at the Heal Africa hospital in Goma who have suffered severe brutality (more than 15,000 women were brutally sexually assaulted last year alone), our mission on how we could help them was clear.  Their voices need to be heard.

*Amahoro means PEACE in Kinyarwanda, the language of Rwanda

For more information on adding your voice, please contact us at:

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www.100kvoices.org

www.facebook.com/100kVoices
www.twitter.com/100000Voices

This is the film that premiered at the What BETTER Looks Like - Amahoro Women's Circle on January 23rd at the Cinema Arts Center in Huntington, Long Island.

On October 3, 2010, we held a circle at the Cinema Arts Center in Huntington, Long Island.  We explored the questions of What Better Looks Like, and invited participants to think about what we are here to heal, create and teach.  It was our final circle before our trip to Rwanda and the Congo.  People were supportive of us, our trip, and each other.  We will be doing a follow-up circle in January.

In September of 2007, six of our founding members attended a conference on Women, Power and Peace at the Omega Institute in New York.  Among the attendees was Christine Schuler Deschryver who works with women who have been victims of extreme violence in The Democratic Republic of Congo.  Her stories left us shaken, disturbed and moved.  On the last day of the conference, Robin Deluca-Acconi, said to the rest of us, "Tomorrow these women are getting on planes and heading back to face these same conditions.  Are we okay with that?"

Our answer to that question led us to create Amahoro Women, a very special project of the What BETTER Looks Like Campaign.  Amahoro means peace in Kinyarwanda, the language of Rwanda.  One of our founding members, Marie Goretti Ukeye, who is from Rwanda, inspired us with the following thought: "After witnessing how well the genocide was planned, I came to a realization that the same way we use our energy to plan a war, or genocide, or violence, we can use the same energy to plan peace and nonviolence."  With that as our inspiration, we have planned a trip to the countries of Rwanda and D.R. Congo at the end of October to connect with those in need. We will be supporting three existing organizations to encourage them in their work: Heal Africa Hospital, Imbabazi Orphanage, and the residents of a Batwa village with whom we have contacts. Our intention for this first What BETTER Looks Like humanitarian mission is to determine how we can best serve the unique needs of various Rwandan and Congolese communities. Our focus is healing, economic support, educational assistance, and any other help requested by these communities.