Friday, September 18, 2009

Mocha Club

Morning! Some of you may have noticed the new badge I have on my left side bar. It says "I gave up 2 mocha's for Africa." What am I talking about now? Well, Mocha Club members are helping to rehabilitate women in Uganda and Ethiopia so they can be healthy and live in safety, freedom, and hope.

Are you asking why? Often, the women and children of Africa are the most exposed and abused, especially in areas where there is war. The young women in Gulu, Uganda are called “child mothers” because they were only children themselves when they were abducted, trained as fighters, and given as sex slaves to rebel soldiers in the “Lord’s Resistance Army,” a rebel paramilitary group in Northern Uganda. Now that they have escaped or been excused as expendable, the community at large rejects them and their children.

The Village of Hope provides homes, a school, clinic, job training, counseling and support for these women. Several of the Child Mothers from Village of Hope who are being rehabilitated are now helping serve and lead clubs for other Child Mothers at local Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps in and around Gulu...In Ethiopia, the face of prostitution is often linked with deep poverty. “Women at Risk” is a group we have partnered with to rehabilitate former sex workers in Nazaret, Ethiopia. Women think prostitution is their only hope and enter that world because of a lack of family support and a lack of income. From our experience, the women are desperate to leave this occupation, but are trapped by the lack of opportunities and rehabilitative support.

How can you help? Well, for the cost of two mocha's a month you can completely change the life of women and children in Africa. That's right...for a pledge of just $7 a month you can help child mother's and women at risk. I have formed a team called Stamping Sisters For MC. As crafters our talents allow us to be able to make some money through the sales of our products. I challenge you to sell just one or two extra items a month to support Mocha Club. Don't want to go about it that way but would still like to help? GREAT! I'd love for you to be on my team. All you need to do is click HERE or on the photo to the left in my sidebar to find out more about Mocha Club.

How am I going to motivate you? Well, I'll be sending a card to each person that joins my team and I'll be holding monthly Stamping Sisters for MC challenges each month. It will be fun...I promise! Even if you don't stamp...please join us...it is a great cause to give your $7 to!

Please let me know if you have any questions at all...I'd be happy to answer them!

1 comments that make my day!:

Cristina said...

SO great to see you doing this. My SIL is from Africa and was a child mother. She has lived in CO for the past 4 years and her daughter just moved here about 3 weeks ago! I love that you are supporting this cause.