For those of you who don’t know about Amy Schumer, she was a former finalist on Last Comic Standing and performed on both Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. This would be a great time to get in on the ground floor and be able to say I knew her “back when.” Check out this video for a preview of her comedic talents.

Also, the owners of Tryst Lounge have been kind enough to allow us to have a private pre-party at their downtown location 1512 Larimer St. So, come down at 6 p.m. on April 26th, have a free drink, and learn more about the children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo you are supporting!

A Save the Date email will be going out, so if you’re not on our email list and want to be, sign up for our newsletter just to the left of this text.

Keep checking your inbox for your save the date with invitations to follow. Don’t worry about purchasing tickets in person because you’ll be able to buy all of them online and we’ll mail them to your house. It’s that easy! In case you’re wondering, tickets are $25 for general admission and $50 for preferred front row seating.

For more information about the Boyo School Project in the DRC, please click here.

One important concern at the safe house continues to be the safety of the women who come to seek refuge, as well as the staff who provide services. As a part of the Hope Connects budget, a security wall is being built to provide better security. At this time, HEAL Africa is obtaining bids and plan to begin construction by September 2011.

In addition, Hope Connects funding is providing a water tank and a rain gutter system, the first in the area, which will eliminate the need for women to walk to the nearby river to get water and reduce the risk of additional assaults. HEAL Africa is currently getting bids on this as well, and hopes to begin construction next month.

Critical services continue to be provided to many women who have experienced sexual assaults in March – June 2011, including:

• 77 rape victims have received refuge and counsel
• 77 women have received psychosocial support
• 25 women, rejected by their communities after being raped, found refuge and are now receiving support
• 16 family members have received counseling services
• 73 women have received primary medical care, including post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) kits – for suspected exposure to HIV – and treatment for STDs

Hope Connects exists to connect worlds and advance hope, and Louise from the Kibumba Safe House exemplifies both of these concepts. After receiving a $50 loan through the micro-loan program that operates out of the safe house, Louise invested in a small vegetable business. She has now sold enough vegetables at a road-side market to send her children to school.

It is stories such as this that remind us why we continue to build Hope Connects. It is our desire to help create these successes in vulnerable regions all over the world, and your support is vital to this cause.

Exciting things are happening at Hope Connects as we are preparing for the launch of the new HC website! In addition, funds are being raised for our next project – rebuilding and equipping a school in Democratic Republic of Congo to give students an opportunity to receive a quality education and enhanced stability. Stay tuned for more!

Thank you for your great support as we continue connecting worlds and advancing hope!

2,620 people in eastern DRC were surveyed to “assess exposure to violence among the population; understand the priorities and needs of Congolese civilians affected by the conflicts; and capture attitudes about peace, social reconstruction, and transitional justice mechanisms.” Their findings give us some perspective on the extreme situation in the DRC: 55% of respondents were interrogated or persecuted by armed groups, 53% were forced to work or were enslaved, 46% were beaten by armed groups and/or threatened with death, 34% had been abducted for at least a week, 23% had witnessed an act of sexual violence, and 16% reported having experienced sexual violence. This is in addition to acute poverty, the widespread, frequent recruitment of child soldiers, the displacement of 3-4 million children, and the looting and damaging of property. All of these atrocities occur and few perpetrators are ever prosecuted, leaving survivors without justice.

However, despite this reality, 90% of the people believe peace can be achieved in Congo.

The humanity behind these statistics reveals decades of fear. Fear of starvation, fear of abduction, fear of persecution. Many have been beaten and raped, had their children stolen, their families torn apart, their entire lives destroyed. Yet, almost all of them still believe peace is a possibility. In fact, they even believe it is a probable reality. This is the power of true hope.

This boundless hope touched me. I tried to imagine having the capacity to maintain such strong optimism despite witnessing a reality that works entirely against it. I’m not sure I could, but then again I’ve never really had to hope for peace, it has always just existed.

There is an intersection between hope and peace. They do not exist in parallel realities, because for peace to exist someone had to hope for it. Someone had to believe in it strongly enough to make it happen. For us, hope might seem insufficient. At its best, it is easily dismissed as just a feeling that doesn’t require any effort or lead to any tangible positive outcomes. At its worst, it is viewed as an excuse to remain idle. This is because we think about hope from our own frame of reference. We have all experienced devastation, we have all had the complexities of life interfere with our other plans. However, despite these challenging circumstances, most of us have only known a peaceful existence removed from the daily realities of ongoing violent conflict. We also have the ability to take action to build peace, consequently, our concept of hope is different from those who have nothing else left. For people who have suffered through decades of brutal war, peace is not conventional and taking action to build peace may not be a possibility. This is when hope becomes a peacebuilding action. This is when grasping to the belief in peace is so challenging, it takes as much, if not more, effort and strength than physical action.

90% of eastern Congolese people believe peace can be achieved in Congo. Do 90% of us have the same faith in peace? If we had just a small portion of the hope the people of the Congo seem to possess, we wouldn’t be so complacent about peace. We wouldn’t just assume its existence or disregard it as an unachievable, idealistic goal. We would hope for it and believe in it enough to take action, simply because we can.

Sometimes the attacks happen on their way to and from the market or their cassava fields. Sometimes they happen deep into the night, when the women are shaken from sleep with violence. Sometimes their attacker is a soldier, a rebel, a neighbor; sometimes it’s their husband. The rapes are so common, they’ve become a sickening part of everyday life in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to a study published online in the American Journal of Public Health, women are raped at 26 times the rate previously reported by the United Nations. Equally alarming, women across this sprawling central African nation now report sexual violence—not only those who live in the conflict-riddled east.

“The magnitude of violence alone screams for the reaction and attention of the international community for a coordinated comprehensive effort,” said author Amber Peterman.

“The study is significant not only because it reveals greater numbers, but because the data is internationally recognized [and] produced in partnership with the DRC government,” Peterman said. “The magnitude of violence alone screams for the reaction and attention of the international community for a coordinated comprehensive effort—not to treat, but to prevent violence.”

Read the full article at: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-05-11/congo-rape-crisis-study-reveals-shocking-new-numbers/2/

We had a remarkable turnout and we were so thrilled that the crowd braved the frigid temps to come out and support Hope Connects and our DRC Safe House Project. There was delectable snacks, cocktails, a silent auction, and live music by the insanely talented Sammy T and Brent Joyce and – not to mention – great company!

John Fielder himself, owner and photographer extraordinaire, joined us for the evening and provided autographed books as well as donating 30% of all his sales from the evening to Hope Connects. We want to send a big thank you to John for all his time and support as we could not have pulled this off without his generosity.

All of the proceeds raised through the event, such as ticket sales and silent auction items – which, by the way, included a once-in-a-lifetime South Africa Safari, Colorado Avalanche gear, and Weekend Vacation packages just to name a few – went to our DRC Safe House Project.

We were truly overwhelmed by all the support and encouraged beyond description. Thank you all for your support and passion for the women in the DRC. We truly know you are making a difference!

We also want to send a HUGE thank you to our sponsors for truly making it a party, because what’s a party without food, venue, and drinks?

La Estrillita

Brother’s BBQ

Lovely Confections

Breckenridge Brewery

Classic Wines

And of course  John Fielder.

For more information about Hope Connects: http://www.hopeconnectsinternational.org

Hope Connects and HEAL Africa have developed a project which will provide renovations to an existing, non-operating safe house located in a difficult yet strategic area of DRC. Giving to this Hope Connects project gives you an opportunity to make a difference in a meaningful way for these women and their families.

Within one year, this project intends to accomplish the following objectives:

• Safe House Renovation. The Kibumba Safe House will be fully renovated and operating.
• Safety and Refuge. The Kibumba Safe House offers a safe place for at least 100 women who have been raped, or are at risk of experiencing sexual violence. Women are able to stay as often and as long as needed, depending on each situation.
• Continued Support. At least 60 women are offered medical and psychological support by trained counselors to identify and work through the effects of sexual violence.
• Education. Approximately 50 women will receive education and training in the area of literacy, numeracy and vocational programs.
• Microcredit Loans. Approximately 30 women who complete training receive microcredit loans which help them to begin their businesses at home. Of those who receive loans, 90% will be making a profit to help support their families.
• Counselor Training. At least 2 local counselors will be trained directly, along with additional counselors indirectly in the surrounding areas. These counselors will support the women who stay at the safe house as well as those in the surrounding communities.

To give to this project, please visit: DRC Safe House Project

MAKE AN INVESTMENT – Invest in a project, change lives and achieve a measureable social return on your investment.

BE IN THE KNOW – Stay informed and understand the difference your contributions make while supporting grassroots organizations in vulnerable locations. Gain knowledge about the projects you support.

TRANSFORM LIVES – Change the lives of children, women and men who have been affected by poverty, war, disease and natural disasters.