Sponsorship Journey

I am beyond thrilled that we raised enough funds at my March 8, 2014 charity run/walk to sponsor 14 women through Women for Women International's (WfWI) Congo program.

Our Equal Exchange Team at our 2014 Event

Simply by taking the time to come together, we are now supporting half a class through WfWI, and are able to be a part of a journey taking place half a world away for 14 remarkable women. 

Over three years ago when I first learned about the conflict in Congo, and how my use of electronics products gave me leverage to do something about it, I didn't yet fully understand that I would become a part of something which would actually have impact.

Dedicated Volunteers

 By impact, I mean human-to-human connection with women who live in Eastern Congo.  


And so, it is with a thankful heart that I embark on the sponsorship journey with all of you, my fellow supporters. Over the course of the next year I will send and post monthly snippets about the 14 women we are sponsoring. In order to protect their privacy photos will only be sent via my newsletter, and so should you wish to receive the more detailed newsletter updates, please subscribe via my webpage (click "subscribe" on the bottom right of the page).

You will also have the opportunity to correspond with the sisters.  To send a message of encouragement and support simply email me at: amandapdxrunforcongo@gmail.com.  

I encourage you to take the time to do so as Women for Women International has been told time and time again by their program participants that messages from their sponsors provide hope and encouragement beyond measure, and provide a sense of togetherness during times of loneliness. 

Some of our runners on 3.8.14

Should we receive responses from our sisters (it can take quite some time to receive responses due to the logistics involved on their end living in more rustic places), I will of course pass those along in my blog and monthly newsletter as well. 

Meet 2 of The Sisters
That said, please meet Sisters Maria & Kate.
Maria: is married with 6 children
Kate: is single with 1 child

Their Journey*
*(The following is from an update I received from Women for Women International)

Maria, Kate and our other 12 sisters are now finishing their fourth month of training.

In the last few months, the sisters have been in health and wellness classes.  We (WfWI) believe that women cannot be active members of their communities if they are not well, both physically and emotionally. Over the next several months, our sisters will continue to learn methods of prevention and treatment of key health issues for themselves and her family members.

Health is a human right. Our sisters class will focus on the concept of health as an essential human right. This is a crucial starting point for women who live in areas where poor nutrition and preventable diseases are a part of everyday life. She will learn basic skills, nutritional information, sanitation and disease prevention.

Coping with post-traumatic stress disorder. Many of the women we work with are survivors of great violence, suffering and loss.

In DRC, at least 5.4 million people have died as a result of conflict and its consequences since 1998. With rape used as a weapon of war, an estimated 48 women are raped every hour in the DRC, resulting in about 1.8 million women having been raped.

This may be the first time they are able to discuss and deal with the trauma that they have been living with. Your sister will learn to recognize stress as a normal reaction to the events she has experienced, develop tools for coping with her symptoms, and be given access to resources for additional help if needed.


Protect yourself and your family. Your sisters will learn about communicable diseases, sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS, sexual reproductive health, mental health and environmental health. In addition, they will learn about pregnancy, infant care, family planning and hygiene. When a woman is healthy, she can focus on healing and learning as she moves forward in our program.

**************

Thank you again for your support, and please take the time to send a message of support to Maria and Kate as they go through their journey with Women for Women International.

Amanda Ulrich
Team Congo PDX Founder
Women for Women International Volunteer Ambassador
amandapdxrunforcongo@gmail.com

Team Congo PDX 2014 Supports 14 Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo

On International Women's Day 2014 (3.8.14), 132 runners and walkers gathered in Downtown Portland to support Women for Women International's program in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  In all, the event raised more than $5,000 which was enough to sponsor 14 women

Photo taken by Alexa Brandt Photography

in Congo, who have recently been enrolled in Women for Women's one year program.  As a part of the program, sponsors can send letters of encouragement and support to their sisters throughout the year-long program.  

Here is where you come in, Team Congo PDX supporters. Over the course of the next year (May 2014 - May 2015), you will have the opportunity to send letters to our 14 sisters. Please submit your letters, no matter how long or short, as follows:

1) email: amandapdxrunforcongo@gmail.com & title your email: "Letter to WfWI Sister"

2) Or you may submit your letter(s) via our website "Contact Us" page.

We will make sure to send your letters to our sisters, and will share their responses on our Facebook page, and via email. 

Thank you to all who came out to support us this past March. Without your support we would not be able to impact the lives of 14 women in DRC, and we are proud to be able to support these wonderful 14 women! 

In order to protect the identity of our sisters, personal information such as photos, etc. will only be shared with supporters via email.  

One Million Bones Inspires Action; Awareness

This past Thursday (4.25), was the One Million Bones (OMB) installation at Portland State University (PSU).  The event was sponsored by Oregon Coalition for Humanity (OCH), Atma Foundation & Oregon Holocaust & Resource Center.

 

OMB is a national public arts project whose aim is to raise awareness of genocides and atrocities going on around the world, this very day in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Burma and Somalia.  Our April 25th installation focused upon raising awareness about the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where nearly 6 million people have died over the past decade due to conflict over control of minerals which wind up in our electronic devices.

 

Bones installed at PSU on 4.25.13.
Photo taken by Denise Wetherell

 

Over the past 6 months students and concerned citizens in Oregon have been gathering to make bones in honor of those whose lives have been lost to these genocides.  These bones, totalling approximately 8,500, were installed on the PSU campus April 25th.  These same bones will also be installed in our National Mall as a part of the national installation this coming June, where an advocacy day is planned for June 10, 2013.

 



PSU students support CFCI!

The OMB installation was coupled with OCH's Conflict Free City Initiative, which is an initiative whose aim is to combine awareness and action as to where the minerals which go into our electronics come from, namely the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  OCH is working to present CFCI to both the cities of Portland and Beaverton. (Click here to learn how you can support CFCI.)

 

Ann Shannon talks to the brownie troop about OMB

April 25th was an inspiring day.  An estimated 500-600 people walked through our installation.  We all had many engaging conversations. Awareness was raised, and we were able to interact with people of all ages, including a Brownie troop who walked by & then came back to help make some more bones out of clay.



We made some good connections with folks in the community, and our panel discussion was informative, and stirred up some good discussion with regard to genocide & human mass atrocity, the policy response, and what we as concerned citizens can do.  In fact, OCH hopes to institute a series of "Activism 101" panel discussions.

 

Our Panel

Top Row (L-R): Amanda Ulrich (OCH, Run for Congo Women); Francesca (From Dungu Congo) & Alysha Atma (OCH, Atma Foundation).

Bottom Row (L-R): Retired Portland State University Professor Greg Goekjian; Anna Canning from Portland's Equal Exchange Co-Op; Professor Clint B.T. Baldwin of George Fox University & Brian Plinski of Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici's Office.

 

What resonated with me the most, however, was a conversation I had with a PSU student who is a veteran of our most recent war with Iraq who is taking his experiences in war to try & leave a positive impact upon the world.  Although it was difficult for him, he shared a very personal story of the first human mass grave he witnessed when initially deployed to Iraq.  Our installation triggered this memory for him, and although he could have simply walked through our installation, he instead decided not to engage, but to also share a very personal, and horrific, memory. It was a moment which hit a deep cord both within himself and me, and is one that will stay with me for quite some time. 

 

The main take away from the day was that remarkably the worst actions of humanity also shine a light on the best parts of humanity. There are always people working for the good of all, and that we must be careful not to succumb to a more cynical and jaded view of the world.   It’s a tough battle, but must be fought.

 

Source: http://www.onemillionbones.org/

Thank you to the Portland State University Alumni Association for covering our event and publishing an alumni profile.

 

What's the Deal with Conflict Minerals Anyway, and Furthermore Why Should I Care?

     I first learned about Conflict Minerals about 10 months ago when I read The Enough Moment: Fighting to End Africa's Worst Human Rights Crimes by John Prendergast and Don Cheadle (http://www.amazon.com/The-Enough-Moment-Fighting-Africas/dp/0307464822). 

     For me, reading that book was life changing in that the book helped me to realize in a tangible way just how interconnected our lives here in the United States are to those who live in Eastern Congo, and that we (I) do have the power to impact lives half a world away. 

WHAT ARE CONFLICT MINERALS?

     Let's back up a moment from the personal story of my awareness to action, and talk about what exactly Conflict Minerals are. 

     Conflict Minerals wind up in all of our we-love-to-use them electronic devices: cell phones, computers, i-pods/mp3 players, smart phones, digital cameras, video game systems, etc.  The minerals which wind up in these products are: tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold.  Armed groups which reside within Eastern Congo fight to control these mines, leaving innocent civilians in the crossfire, mainly women and children who are all too often the victims of horrific sexual violence.  In fact, Eastern Congo has been deemed one of the worst places on earth to be a woman, or girl.  Here is a short, 4 minute, video created by The Enough Project which will orient you to the basics of what Conflict Minerals are and how you and I are connected to them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF-sJgcoY20.

Source: http://www.enoughproject.org/publications/comprehensive-approach-conflict-minerals-strategy-paper

     Admittedly, the situation in Eastern Congo is layered and complex, however it is undeniable that the power struggle between the various armed groups in Eastern Congo over who controls the mining of the minerals, which are necessary to make our favorite electronic gadgets function, fuels the violence in this region of the world, thereby linking you and I to the women, men and children who live in Eastern Congo in a way that I find profoundly simple to recognize.  

     More importantly, however, the situation in Eastern Congo is not a lost cause, and there are actions we as consumers, our government, and those in industries involved with the purchase and trade of Conflict Minerals can do to positively, peacefully, and powerfully impact the dire situation in Eastern Congo.

     Currently, it is not possible to purchase Conflict Mineral free electronic devises, however that is changing.

SO WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

    There is no denying that we live in a busy world filled with countless causes, both local and global, which are deserving of our attention.  With regard to Conflict Minerals I believe that all of us who utilize electronic devices have the responsibility to at least understand what they are, and how we are connected to them.  By reading this post, you have already fulfilled this responsibility!  

     Now I ask that you read a little further to learn more about what has been done on the legislative and industrial levels to address the mining of Conflict Minerals

What Congress Is Doing About It

     In July of 2010, Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.  Section 1502 of this Act addresses Conflict Minerals mined from Eastern Congo, and this provision of the law was welcomed both by the Congolese government and human rights advocacy groups alike.  1502 requires companies to audit their supply chains in order to ensure that their products are not supporting violence and atrocities in Eastern Congo.  At this point the delay in implementation of the Conflict Minerals provision lies with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 

     This past February, Oregon's Senator Ron Wyden signed a joint letter sent by four of his colleagues, and himself, to SEC Chairwoman Mary Schapiro urging the immediate release of the Conflict Minerals regulations as set forth in Section 1502:

Click here to read a larger version of the letter: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0Y-gnkyksE1RDhOcU15WTJuT3c/edit?pli=1

     Senator Wyden, and Senator Merkley, co-signed a similar joint letter which was also sent to SEC Chairwoman Schapiro back in October, 2011: ttp://boxer.senate.gov/en/press/releases/101811.cfm

     This July will mark two years since the passage of Section 1502, which is two years too many for those in Eastern Congo.

What Intel is Doing About It

    In March of this year Intel announced their pledge to offer a conflict free microprocessor (http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/corporate-responsibility/corporate-responsibility-conflict-free-minerals-video.html). While the SEC delays in the implementation of 1502 regulations, Intel recognizes their connection to those suffering in Eastern Congo and is working on the ground there, as well as with those who comprise their supply chains to ensure that Intel's products do not contain Conflict Minerals.   

What You Can Do About It

      The most important thing you can do to help bring an end to the extreme violence in Eastern Congo is to first and foremost be aware (so by all means pass along the link to this blog post too all of your family and friends!).  For you more industrious types, if you check out the links at the bottom of this post you can find simple and easy ways to become more involved.

     Well, I think I've thrown enough information at you for one blog post, but rest assured if you stick with me, I will delve back into the story of my personal journey from awareness to action, and will keep you informed as opportunities present themselves to become involved in the Conflict Mineral Free Movement.

Sources/Action Opportunities: http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/content/conflict-minerals; http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/content/take-action; http://www.easterncongo.org/; http://www2.americanprogress.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=202; http://blogs.intel.com/csr/2012/03/a-conflict-free-minerals-goal/