Thank you for visiting my fundraising page, for expressing an interest in the trauma healing work I'm doing and for any donations that you make!
When I first went to Rwanda on a humanitarian trip in October 2010 to help young people overcome the trauma from the genocide, I was so shocked yet inspired by what I saw, heard and experienced.
How do you cope when you have witnessed the mass murder of your family and friends, have been left for dead yourself and then find yourself living a life with no family, home, money, safe drinking water, electricity or reliable food supply? The resilience, determination and capacity for forgiveness of all the Rwandan people I met was humbling and inspiring.
I'm raising funds for 'Create Global Healing' and to enable me to go back to Rwanda and help more young people cope with the trauma they have suffered, to teach employability/business skills to them and local groups, so they can set up sustainable businesses and create better futures for themselves. Any funds raised in excess of my travel, accommodation and board while away goes directly towards the ongoing costs of the project including sponsorship of young people through training programmes, finding employment, setting up in business, learning materials and improving basic living conditions.
Following my last trip in May 2011, we are now supporting 12 young people in running and a sustainable co-operative. The money raised so far is very much appreciated and helps to fund local training, mentoring and operating costs and to sponsor these young people while they build their skills and business.
Create Global Healing is a charity committed to lighting the spirit of hope, healing, dignity and peace in orphan genocide survivors as well as providing inspirational connections between the orphans, US students and humanitarians we serve. Their latest effort, Project LIGHT: Rwanda, is poised to begin in May 2011 and will establish the world’s first International Youth Healing and Job Development Center. There ophaned young people will be trained in the most advanced trauma healing, heart-centered leadership and entrepreneurship skills and will receive microfinance and job opportunities. For more information and videos about their work go to Project LIGHT Rwanda.
Thank you so much for your generosity!
Alisoun