Raise Hope for the Congo
the enough project
Emmanuelle Chriqui, Robin Wright Penn, Joel Madden, Javier Bardem, Dayle Haddon, Emile Hirsch and Mia Farrow have signed up to be activists for RAISE Hope for Congo, and want you to take a stand with them. Learn what these activists are doing to help raise awareness, raise their voice, and raise the profile of the conflict and widespread sexual violence against women and girls in DR Congo.
emile hirsch
Dear Friends,
This summer I was given the opportunity to travel to eastern Congo with Oxfam, and will never forget the haunting images I saw. Internally displaced persons at the IDP camps, children without homes, and horrific stories from the women and young girls, all of whom have been affected by a violent conflict that has proven the deadliest on Earth since World War II. I came back to the United States with an overwhelming feeling that it is up to us all as good citizens of humanity to reach across the world and do what we can to stop these atrocities.
In September, I joined a panel discussion in New York City about the conflict in DR Congo sponsored by the Enough Project. By sharing my story about the trip, I felt I could be a part of the movement to raise awareness about the effects of the conflict on women and girls. One by one the panelists spoke and I saw each story affect the audience in a profound way. We all must do more. Since then, I’ve decided to become involved with the RAISE Hope for Congo campaign, which aims to protect and empower Congolese women and girls.
Now as an advocate for the campaign, I am going to take a few simple steps that can make a huge difference. First I’m going to sign the RAISE Hope for Congo petition to the future president of the United States, and email my friends to sign it as well. I’m going to encourage media to cover the RAISE Hope for Congo campaign, and work with John Prendergast, and his team at the Enough Project to think of new and creative ways to spread the word. Supporting organizations like Oxfam, which sent me into DR Congo this summer, is of great importance too, since they are delivering life-saving services in the Congo.
If we all work together…just think. We can raise our voices as one. And we can get so much done and actually improve the lives of these Congolese women and girls. Join this movement with me, live your life to the fullest, and take action!
robin penn wright
Dear Friends,
When the Enough Project asked me to join a panel discussion on the sexual violence against women and girls in eastern Congo, I was nervous. At the time, I had little knowledge of the scale of violence in eastern Congo, and of the widespread use of rape as a weapon of war. Despite my fears of getting up in front of an audience that included members of Congress, government officials, and other Washington insiders, I decided to join the discussion anyway. I knew that there were so many others like myself, who didn’t know how imperiled the women of Congo are. The staff at Enough convinced me that I could be a catalyst for others to learn about the crisis and get involved. I figured that if I can help shine a light on this invisible crisis in some small way, then it was worth the nerves. As I listened to the panel discuss the conflict and how rape is tearing apart women, their families and communities, I immediately felt the urge to become more involved in helping to protect Congolese women and girls. So I decided to get involved with the Enough Project’s new campaign, RAISE Hope for Congo: Protect and Empower Congo’s Women.
My first step as an advocate for the RAISE Hope for Congo campaign was simple. I signed the petition to the future president of the United States and encouraged my friends and family to sign it as well. In the next year, I am going to raise awareness about the issue by hosting a house screening of “The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo,” and call my Representatives and Senators to urge them to support I-VAWA, an important piece of legislation that will help stop violence against women and girls.
As you can see, it doesn’t take expertise, or a lot of time and resources to become an advocate for Congolese women and girls. We all have a role to play, no matter our level of experience or anxiety about getting involved. It just takes compassion. If I can do it, I know that you can too. So I hope you’ll join me in raising hope for Congo. If we all work together, I’m confident that we can make a difference.
