RUN FOR CONGO WOMEN: LOCAL WOMEN ORGANIZE TO GIVE HOPE TO WOMEN SURVIVORS OF THE WORLD'S DEADLIEST WAR

"As never before, women are forced to bear the burdens of the unprecedented wars and civil conflicts raging worldwide." -Women for Women International

August 11, 2007 - Run for Congo Women (RFCW), an event benefiting the women of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), is excited to announce the inaugural Colorado Run/Hike on September 15 th in Morrison, Colorado. This event is being organized by local women to bring long overdue relief to the women and children of the DRC, who have been suffering unspeakable atrocities during this often forgotten war.

The war in the DRC has been the deadliest war for civilians since WWII. From 1998 to April 2004, over 4 million people had died; 1200 people a day. Almost half of those deaths reported have been children under the age of five. While many of the deaths are occurring from preventable things such as malnutrition and infectious disease, many civilians are still being murdered and tortured, leaving survivors left to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives in a broken economy.

Women and children are bearing the burden of this war over the Congo's vast resources the most. They are being gang raped and mutilated. According to Women for Women International, "The war has been marked by gross human rights violations, with a particular toll on women who face epidemic levels of sexual violence." Some women are being kidnapped and kept in militia camps for over a year to be raped multiple times daily. Zania, seen here, was abducted with her then months old son. She was taken to a camp and raped daily while her son looked on. In The Other Side of War, by Zainab Salbi it states that "Documented rape victims included babies as young as four months and women as old as 84 years." Rape is used as a weapon of war; women's bodies are the battlefield.

When Lisa Shannon of Portland, Oregon saw an Oprah episode with Lisa Ling about the DRC she new she had to do something to help. She ran the 30.16 mile length of Portland's Wildwood Trail to raise awareness and sponsorships for these women. She had a goal of raising 31 sponsorships, one for each mile, about $10,000 in donations. When she started her inaugural run, it was with enough money to sponsor 80 women; almost $30,000. That was three years ago. Since then, there have been runs organized all over the United States, now including Colorado.

Colorado Run for Congo Women joins Lisa in bringing hope to the women of the DRC by raising sponsorships for Women for Women International's Congo Program. In this program they can exchange letters with their sponsoring "sister", receive counseling, job skills training, rights awareness training, seed money for business start-up and more. We are sending a simple message: Congolese lives matter. The lives of Congolese women are significant. The lives of Congolese children are precious. They have waited far too long. They are worth our effort. We are running to help.

The Colorado Run for Congo Women is scheduled for September 15 th at Bear Creek Lake Park in Morrison, Colorado. There is an option to Run/Hike a 5K or a 10K. Participants will be welcomed by a women's drum circle led by Cheri Lunn of One World Rhythm Harvest & The Magical Mystical Muse Experience. The run/hike begins at 8 AM with a finish line celebration to follow from 9-12 including a raffle, speakers, and African music with The Low Flying Knobs an all women Marimba band. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the morning with us. For more information go to www.runforcongowomen.org, www.womenforwomen.org, or contact the event organizers through colorado.runforcongowomen@yahoo.com.