50 for 50 Day Three: Women for Women

Thanks for stopping by my 50th Birthday Celebration, Day Three.

Here’s the deal: because I have everything I need, I am asking people to get involved with charities, if they are so inspired, in honor of my birthday. And in honor of caring humanity and all that good stuff.

I will feature a different charity each day for 50 days to give you plenty of chances to get involved. You don’t have to donate or act every day, of course, or at all. But I wanted to give a voice to different good works around the globe. If you ARE inspired to take action, please leave me a comment and let me know that you did. This is all I want for my birthday – to spread some love and kindness. Thank you, my dear friends.

Another one that is close to my heart – Women for Women, an organization that helps women in war-torn areas of the world. It was born out of the frustration that the situation in Bosnia in the 90s was so terrible and there was so little we could do, and it grew from there to reach other countries around the world.

From their website: Our Vision
Women for Women International envisions a world where no one is abused, poor, illiterate or marginalized; where members of communities have full and equal participation in the processes that ensure their health, well-being and economic independence; and where everyone has the freedom to define the scope of their life, their future and strive to achieve their full potential.

You can sponsor a woman as she gets education, counseling and support as she learns work skills that can use to support her family. When you are a sponsor, you write letters to the woman and receive letters in return, developing a relationship that goes far beyond a simple donation. I have done this for many years, and getting those letters every month is a precious gift.
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Thanks for any and all help for this great cause. Donate here. You can also participate in one of the runs for women in Congo this summer around the U.S.