Run for Congo Women (RFCW) is a global run/walk movement benefiting Women for Women International‘s Congo program, and we already mentioned it several times on the Sama Gazette. On March 10, 2010, we published Max Dana‘s post: International Women’s Day: Extraordinary Women in which she focused on the courageous and amazing women fighting for women’s rights. She paid tribute to four of these women: Zainab Salbi, Founder and CEO, Women for Women International; Rose Mapendo, Mapendo International; Malalai Joya, Afghan politician, Author of ‘A Woman Among Warlords’; and Lisa Shannon Founder of Run for Congo Women.

About Lisa Shannon (read more on this page):

In 2006, Lisa Shannon’s life changed. She was watching an episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” on which Women for Women International founder and CEO Zainab Salbi was explaining the crisis facing women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). “I learned about Congo, widely called the worst place on earth to be a woman,” Lisa said. “Awakened to the atrocities—millions dead, women being raped and tortured, children starving and dying in shocking numbers—I had to do something.” Moved by DRC survivors’ stories, Lisa took action, sponsoring two women in the DRC and starting a program called Run for Congo Women.

Volunteers in cities across and beyond the US are hard at work planning Run for Congo Women events in their communities. These events raise local awareness about the Congo while raising funds for Women for Women International‘s Congo program. The Run for Congo Women will be in San Francisco on June 12; London (UK) on 3, July 2010; Los Angeles on September 12, 2010; New York on September 25, 2010. You can check this page to get all the information about these events.

Run for Congo Women is among the campaigns we officially support on the Sama Gazette. We wish there was such an event taking place in France. If Run for Congo Women ever comes to Paris, you can count on us to spread the word even farther and join the race! You can participate, register and start fundraising but also spread the word on Facebook and Twitter, send eCards, or link to the Run for Congo Women homepage from your own website or blog – Toolkit here.

Support Run for Congo Women!