A few weeks ago at my local Farmer's Market, I discovered an NGO called The Women Can Ministry. It was the beautiful handmade African products at their booth that first caught my. After talking to the represenative, Nancy, about the organization and what it stands for, I knew I wanted to support this ministry.
Products sold by The Women Can Ministry are handmade by women in Tanzania and sold in the US to help these women support their families in the fight against poverty.
Many of the women who are part of this project are victims of obsteric fistula, which can cause them to be completely shunned from their communities. Corrective surgery for this condition costs $64.00 US, which is not much by our standards, but for these women in Tanzania is often times completely out of reach. The income from these products (which is split evenly among the group) helps many of these women pay for this surgery to correct a life altering condition.
I decided that I should definitely buy some of their beautiful handmade Tanzanian products, and because I love you so much, I am going to share them with you!
One lucky winner will recieve a beautifully hand-dyed purse, red coconut bead necklace, and handpainted Africa card:
The beautiful, brightly colored Africa card was handpainted by the children supported by this ministry:
This brightly colored purse is uniquely dyed with beautiful yellows and reds. The purse has a thick single shoulder strap, and is lined with solid black material. Its so beautiful, I decided to buy one for myself too :)
2) Read this article about obsteric fistula in Tanzania, and tell me one thing that stood out to you (It could be something you learned, something that surprised you, or something that gave you hope).
3) Share this giveaway on Twitter.
4) Share this giveaway on Facebook.
5) Share this giveaway on your blog.
Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry. The winner will be drawn the old skool way~ out of a paper bag~ on Sunday, June 19th. Oh, and please leave an email or blog address so I will be able to contact you if you are the winner!
I also recommend that you watch the beautifully and respectfully created documentary called A Walk to Beautiful, which lets us into the lives of several young Ethiopian women who have suffered from obsteric fistula.It can be watched full-length here. Its only about 52 minutes long, and totally worth every second.
Good luck!
The primary purpose of this ministry is to assist in reducing and eliminating high rates of maternal and child mortalities as well as poverty in the two rural districts (of Tanzania) due to malnutrition, obstetric fistula and poor or no education.
Products sold by The Women Can Ministry are handmade by women in Tanzania and sold in the US to help these women support their families in the fight against poverty.
Many of the women who are part of this project are victims of obsteric fistula, which can cause them to be completely shunned from their communities. Corrective surgery for this condition costs $64.00 US, which is not much by our standards, but for these women in Tanzania is often times completely out of reach. The income from these products (which is split evenly among the group) helps many of these women pay for this surgery to correct a life altering condition.
I decided that I should definitely buy some of their beautiful handmade Tanzanian products, and because I love you so much, I am going to share them with you!
One lucky winner will recieve a beautifully hand-dyed purse, red coconut bead necklace, and handpainted Africa card:
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This vibrant red necklace is long enough to double over, and is made up of handcrafted coconut beads:
There are five ways for you to enter this giveaway:
1)Leave me a comment telling me you want to enter! Easy peasy!
3) Share this giveaway on Twitter.
4) Share this giveaway on Facebook.
5) Share this giveaway on your blog.
Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry. The winner will be drawn the old skool way~ out of a paper bag~ on Sunday, June 19th. Oh, and please leave an email or blog address so I will be able to contact you if you are the winner!
I also recommend that you watch the beautifully and respectfully created documentary called A Walk to Beautiful, which lets us into the lives of several young Ethiopian women who have suffered from obsteric fistula.It can be watched full-length here. Its only about 52 minutes long, and totally worth every second.
Good luck!
42 comments:
I'd like to enter :) Saw your link to your blog from OC
I read the article and wasn't even really sure what it was to begin with. I was totally amazed to learn more, thank you for sharing this article. And I could see why it they would become outcasts with so limited knowledge in underdeveloped countries. What a sad plight for these women. But to know how simple how can be found.
kute_queen@hotmail.com
I would like to enter :) I too saw your link on OC
It is a sad thing that they do not understand that this is a repairable condition and the women are more harmed by being shunned by their people. This gives them hope and ways to break or dispell their communities fears about the condition they suffer from.
Thank you for bringing this to all our attention.
how can I resist? I will be reading the article a little later :)
wow. I always wondered what happened if Caesareans could not be performed. this is one of those things you never hear about. Makes the CSP seem so much more spectacular!
I love all things African and would like to enter this giveaway! What a great idea! I'm also interested in the video and will watch it when I have a chance. Thanks!!
boothbayharborgirl@yahoo.com
Julie
Thank you for posting this, this issue first became known to me through Dr Catherine's ministry in Ethiopia.
Keep up the good work
I would love to be entered to win in your contest, what a great way to raise awareness! Came over from OC!
Wow, I had never heard of an obstetric fistula! What a devastating blow for these women, to lose their babies and then lose their dignity and families. It made me so sad to think of them being thrown off a bus or isolated from their families due to an odor they can not help, I will do my best to help increase awareness!
I shared your info on Twitter!
hi2lisamarie@gmail.com
I shared your story on FB, I hope we can increase awareness of this tragedy!
hi2lisamarie@gmail.com
I shared your post on my blog, praying we can help!
hi2lisamarie@gmail.com
I would like to enter your giveaway. I saw the post for this on my Facebook page. Thank you for sharing this with us and I will watch the video in full after church!
Josie lytlere@gpcom.net
I also shared this spot on my Facebook page. I don't have a blog or would have done that also. I think it is great to put out the awareness of what is going on with God's people everywhere. Thank you.
Josie lytlere@gpcom.net
In other countries, my son would have died during birth and I would have died too or likely been in similar straights as these women.... It makes me sad that something like where one lives makes such a difference in who lives or dies or the quality of life. Thank GOD for Compassion International and other organizations who are working endlessly to stem the suffering!!!!
(OC member)
I want to enter!! Now I need to go read the article.
I would love to be entered!
:-)
This is very cool! I love love love it!
There is a place at the French Market here in NOLA that I want to buy a purse from. The people who craft the things are from Africa and I think there is another one of people from Latin America maybe? I don't remember for sure...
But, I also want to watch that documentary! :-)
jeussery@crimson.ua.edu
www.jesselyse.blogspot.com
:-)
Just read the article!
I have never heard of anything like this!
I am thankful that there are doctors who can try to help them, although not all are successful. I pray that more people will hear about this and will be called to help these girls and women!
Thanks Jess...and this is a note to myself that you also tweeted...I got the notification :)
haha well, seeing as you already know, I tweeted.
I also Facebooked!
And I also just shared on my blog!
:-)
I would love to win! :D I'll come back to enter some other ways, too!
I would love to win - I love the necklace! I'm not much of a jewelry person, but love interesting pieces from other countries. I have an African magazine bead necklace, an Indian necklace and a colorful Peruvian necklace. When I wear them I think of my kids in those countries. We now sponsor Joseph in Tanzania, so this would have special meaning.
I'm off to read the article!
Wow - that article is very informative. I couldn't help thinking back to what I said after both of my deliveries...."If I hadn't lived here in a developed country, I could have easily died or lost my babies." It was hard (but good) for me to read about real people who don't have access to the good medical care we take for granted.
This will have me thinking - and praying - all day.
Blogged about it today! :D
Tweeted!
I would like to enter! Thanks!
I read the article, and I am speechless. I had heard bits and pieces about this from a friend who went to Africa, but I did not realize the whole situation. I am glad that there is hope for these girls. The one thing that I kept thinking of is that my Compassion girl lives in Tanzania, and those girls could easily be her one day. I am thankful for doctors willing to go out and help those poor girls. They really are "being Jesus" to them.
I would love to enter! I will also be reading the article and watching the movie. I have never heard of obstetric fistula. I will also share it one fb. Thank you for the info!
kandi.rose@gmail.com
I shared this on my blog @ http://kanido-june.blogspot.com/2011/06/she-becomes-learn-little-win-little.html
I shared this on fb. Thank you for raising awareness! http://www.facebook.com/kandi.rose79
I shared this on twitter (which i still don't understand!) at twitter.com/#!/eyekandiphoto
I want to enter!!! :)
Julie.mcgraw@att.net
Posting on my blog in just a minute. :)
Read the article. I've heard of this before with my "research" of Ethiopia. I am curious if this happens more often to young moms. I know it happens here in the US as well but I wonder if it is not as often. I wish there was an easier way to help these women.
I would love to enter! I'm so glad people on OC are posting links to giveaways. Although the chances of winning are slim, it gives me a GREAT chance to check out blogs I've never seen!!! I'm bookmarking this site, since you have a wonderful writing style and such meaningful things to say.
Thank you for sharing the link to the article. First of all, I was somewhat embarrassed that I recogized a few terms -- from Grey's Anatomy! (I was quite proud of myself until I remembered WHY I knew certain words. Thanks, TV.) The article was very, very eye-opening. It made me nervous while reading, but it was good to read one of the final lines: "Both women were smiling the next day, hoping for the best." So sad, though, that Ms. Jonas's surgery failed...
I would love to enter...an I just recieved a correspondece child from TZ so this is great timing. Thanks- I'll be back.
I shared on FB also!!
And this article was heart breaking-
"The mission — to do 20 operations in four days — illustrates the challenges of providing medical care in one of the world’s poorest countries, with a shortage of doctors and nurses, sweltering heat, limited equipment, unreliable electricity, a scant blood supply and two patients at a time in one operating room —"
I read that a few times to be sure I was understanding all that was stacked against them- Having had a difficult labor w/our first child and a preety severe tear after this really hit home to me.
Thanks to all you lovelies who entered. Giveaway is now closed...winner will be announced in a few hours!
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