Indiegogo

160664

Tapestries of Hope-I-VAWA campaign

Raping a virgin doesn't cure AIDS. Push Congress to sign and FUND The International Violence Against Women (I-VAWA)

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  • Location:Woodside, , California, United States

  • Category:Community


 
We are raising funds to cover the cost of two people going to DC for three days, to meet with Representatives and help push CHANGE.  Next year the International Violence Against Women Act is up for renewal.   We have much work to do!


OUR STORY

Hi. We are the team behind Tapestries of Hope - an astounding story told through the eyes of filmmaker Michealine Cristini Risley. This powerful documentary that exposes the horrors of the rape and sexual abuse of thousands of young girls in Zimbabwe by men who believe sex with a virgin will cure HIV/AIDS. Women and girls who are raped are as young as one day old and as old as ninety-two years old. Tapestries of Hope reveals the stories of these womenstories of survival, perseverance, and most of all, hope.


Betty Makoni, whose background and work are the subject of the documentary, is a tireless advocate for children through her organization, the Girl Child Network, which was founded in Zimbabwe. The movie began with a chance meeting between Betty Makoni and Michealene Risley in early 2007. It was through this meeting that Betty and Michealene worked together to create a story aimed at motivating much needed change in how the world looks and reacts to violence against women and kids.


Tapestries of Hope was graciously funded by our fans and fellow activists through IndieGoGo.


OUR I-VAWA CAMPAIGN

Now that the film is complete, it's time to take the next step, and use the film to motivate change across the world.  Currently, many non-profits are using the film as a tool to raise awareness about the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA).  We are now trying to take the film to Washington D.C. to move the hearts and minds of Congress to get this Act passed and funded!


 
 
If passed, I-VAWA would make the fight for the end of violence against women a diplomatic priority for the first time in history. I-VAWA is an unprecedented and important effort by the U.S. government to decrease violence against women and girls around the world. The bill would help support survivors, hold perpetrators accountable, and prevent violence.


To have this bill approved by Congress is currently our biggest focus and the ultimate goal of this project. It is part of the change that Tapestries of Hope was made to create.  We are raising money here on IndieGoGo again to send two activists to Washington, D.C. to meet with representatives in Congress to make I-VAWA a top priority. 


Donations will fund travel and hotel expenses and any other expenses needed to secure meetings with appropriate representatives. (Donations of various amounts will receive perks! Perks include posters, mugs, T-shirts, and jewelry.  See the green funding bar on the right of this page.)


WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?

The answer is simple: You have a mother. You might have a sister. You might have a daughter.


So what? You have loved a woman. One in 3 women around the world experience violence at some point or even all throughout their lives. And if that statistic is still not enough to move you, consider this: the cost of violence against women to the human population is astronomical.


HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Besides contributing funds to this I-VAWA campaign here on IndieGoGo, there are three other ways you can join us in the fight:

  1. Attend a Tapestries of Hope screening in your area.  The film is being shown in over 100 theaters across the United States on Tuesday, September 28 at 7:30 PM. Please visit http://www.tapestriesofhope.com for details and for theaters near you.
  2. Write a letter to Congress!   Show Congress that these issues are important, that we cannot continue to stand by while women around the globe are violated and abused, and that we must take action NOW.
  3. SPREAD THE WORD! See the Twitter, Gmail Invite, Facebook and Widget buttons in the box above?  Use them!  Tell friends, family, and coworkers about the cause and the nationwide screening of Tapestries of Hope.  Sharing is just a couple clicks away!


Thank you for your support.


- The Tapestries of Hope Team 









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