Written by:
Jaclyn Barcewski
When newlyweds Zainab Salbi and Amjad Atallah learned of the dire predicament of so many women in the former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, they decided that they wanted to make a difference. They began searching for volunteer programs that specialized in improving the lives of women in war-torn countries, but none seemed to focus on helping women survivors of that infamous period of “ethnic cleansing.” Not content to bemoan the lack of international support, Salbi and Atallah decided to found their own nonprofit, Women for Women International.
Nearly two decades later, Women for Women has supported women financially, emotionally and politically in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda, Kosovo, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Colombia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Having raised nearly $18 million in direct aid and micro credit loans, Women for Women has assisted 33,000 women in need while also educating thousands on international activism and fundraising.
This September 17 Women for Women will host a charity concert at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood to raise funds to benefit abused women in the Congo. The show will feature performances by Deborah Falconer, Ashton Zyer, Alan Smithee, Coby Brown, Elly K. and Hyam, among others. In addition, the benefit includes dancing all night in two dance halls, a full bar and the support of Indie911, one of the web’s top sources for independent music. This show will be one night you won’t want to miss, especially because it offers everyone a chance to create positive social change while having a great time.
Visit their website at http://womenforwomen.org for more information.
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