If you knew me, you'd care.

Valentine

While nine months pregnant, Valentine, a woman from the DR Congo, was brutally raped in her own home. In excruciating pain, Valentine passed out and has no idea how many times she was raped. Following the attack, Valentine's husband left her with four children and no resources. To support her family, Valentine joined Women for Women International and began investing her sponsorship savings into her business: trading cement and hardware. Valentine said she would tell her sponsor that she is thankful, and that she would be "proud to show her how I am going up."

Make a difference today.

Women like Valentine come to Women for Women International hoping for a better life. Through sponsoring a woman's education or donating, you can help women regain their independence and move from victim to survivor to active citizen.

Julienne

Julienne, a 53-year-old mother of seven, lives with her husband in Bakavu, DR Congo. As war erupted across DR Congo, Julienne and her family were forced to flee their home. Operating a small business, Julienne strained to provide more than one meal a day or education for her children.

In February 2006, Julienne enrolled in Women for Women International, where she received training in small business development. After her training, Julienne pursued soap-making–she could finally feed her family and send her children to school.

In 2008, Julienne was hired by Women for Women International as a Soap-Making Trainer. Proud of her achievement, Julienne remarked, "I am gaining my life without a lot of difficulties; I have a salary which comes every month."

Make a difference today.

Julienne's success is possible for other women, too. It's time to show you care. Donate now to Women for Women International.

Lucienne

Lucienne, a victim of rape in the DR Congo, is a single mother of three daughters. Lucienne's husband was away when men entered her home in December 2006.

Lucienne describes the horror that happened next: "When we got to the bush, they pulled me down to rape me in front of my brother...As he hid his face in shame, they struck him with a gun and pulled him away to kill him."

Lucienne spent three-and-a-half months as a sex slave, becoming pregnant with a child.

Upon return to her village, Lucienne's husband shunned her from the community. Lucienne needed help, and she came to Women for Women International. Lucienne reflects that, "Joining the program has been a salvation...my life has changed and my children are healthy. I recovered confidence through the [Women for Women International] training."

Make a difference today.

There are many stories like Lucienne's. It is time to show you care. Donate now to Women for Women International.

Senada

At age 17, Senada, a Bosnian woman, was married and dropped out of high school. After 27 years of marriage, her husband left her for another woman. Having not completed formal education and without marketable skills, she came to Women for Women International's program in Zenica, Bosnia. Senada now co-manages the Women for Women International greenhouse in Zenica, where women grow peppers and tomatoes for sale, and recently finished her high school degree. To Senada, working in the greenhouse is, in her words, "like therapy."

Make a difference today.

Help a woman like Senada, a survivor of the Bosnian War, by donating to Women for Women International or sponsoring a woman's education. Your donation or sponsorship helps women like Senada transform from victim to survivor to active citizen.