East Harlem.Com

The Congo 2009 - Former Teacher at Cristo Rey New York High School at East 106 Street, in East Harlem, Dawn Hurley, is working with women in the Congo and whose story you need to know.  As we start the New Year, please consider them in your gracious giving.  The war in Congo has been described as the greatest humanitarian catastrophe in the world today.  In the past decade 5 million people have died as a result of this war.  Each day the war continues to escalate and spiral out of control, and it is easy to be overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster.  But there are ways that we can touch the lives of people living in the midst of this chaos.  Here is one small but real way to make a difference in Congo.

“Shona:  Crafts from Congo”  is a small sewing group for handicapped women in Eastern Congo.  These women live at the heart of the current fighting, and work in a culture that teaches handicapped people to beg in the streets.  The goal of Shona is empowerment.  One stitch at a time, these handicapped women are standing on their own, providing for themselves and their families through the work of their own hands.  Shona products are available online at www.shonacongo.com This is fair trade in its truest sense.  By purchasing from Shona you are purchasing directly from the craftswomen themselves.  And this is hope.  Though the war in Congo continues to rage, these women are fighting for a better way of life. By purchasing their products, you are supporting their claim to a better world.