Congo Threads

INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY was celebrated at our newly combined Ishara Houses today in Mukwidja 😊
- Prayers of gratitude followed by a special delicious meal.

Recalling from the same celebration 5 years ago……
the words of our beloved staff member/mentor Faustin Kabumba.....
“It is a very special day in our country. For so many previous years, a woman was treated as a machine, just working in the fields and giving birth to children. And especially so in the villages, where only around 20% attended school.
At Ishara House we celebrate with new clothes and a feast to eat because our girls were neglected, unsupported and marginalized when they arrived to us.....
And now they are emerging. My task is to give them hope and tell them to keep up the joy, strength and study so that they may help change and inspire so many uneducated women around us.”

And from the words of our director Herman Chirihambali......
“The principal and teachers at our children’s school explained to them that it was not simply a day to enjoy, but rather a day to fight for women’s rights.
It is a day to denounce the discrimination of girls in our society. And to fight against r**e and violence against women.”

Many thanks to Herman Chirihambali and our house mothers Salome, Chibalonza and Atukuze for making this beautiful celebration for our children!
🙏❤️

WOMEN~~
In this life we women are many things,
mothers, sisters, wives, friends, carers.
We are creators,
we are nurture,
we are home.
But above all,
we women are the magic.
We are the intuition.
We are the product of generations,
who fought to be heard,
to be believed,
to be empowered.
And that runs very deep.
When women come together,
magic happens my friend.
And those who tell you otherwise are afraid.
We are not.
So come together in all your glory today and every day.
Because you can,
because you must,
because you are called by deep-seated ancestry to do so.
And because, most of all,
we hold up half the sky,
and our half must show the other
how to be.~

~Donna Ashworth

art: Tamara Phillips

Today I celebrate International Womens Day.
This day encourages me to reflect on many related issues.
While absolutely, recognizing the many wonderful achievements related to this day, I also recognize the important need to continue striving for more transformational gender equity for women.
And more.
We won’t give up!

Clare ❤️
We, at Congo Threads are grateful for your support of our life changing work.
www.congothreads.org

Attached photo is 2021 in Congo with a dynamic appreciative group of refugee woman I was blessed to have been able to give assistance to.
Let me say that there are so many ‘gifts’ that I have received from them. And from countless other beautiful and resilient women in Congo! 🙏

The gift of poetry flows daily to and through my dear friend Suzanne Morrow.
This week she sent me the following…….

Here is the poem:
For Clare:

Poverty, political injustice, guerrilla warfare
Indigenous uprisings seeking a future that is fair
Existing in every nation, how can we show that we care?!
We know the children hold our future, help them to make it bright
Nourish their bodies and minds, help put an end to their long plight
House their bodies, teach their minds, help their spirits take flight
Into a brighter tomorrow, a place for them to begin
To co-create a future where their children can then live in
With some peace and integrity...where humanity can win!
♥️Suzanne

This embodies so beautifully and succinctly why Congo called to me.
Why loving and caring for our Ishara House children is so important.
And why a brighter tomorrow for them motivates us to continue our work.
Blessings to all of you who recognize this, encourage and support us at Congo Threads.
Love,
Clare

Attached are some simply precious photos of our children yesterday morning having their porridge breakfast before heading off to school.
Thank you Herman for the these. And for all you do.
🙏

We are SO grateful for the initial support from you all!
And wanted to share with you a few photos that depict the intense situation of the evacuation of our 30 children on motorcycle heading south to the safety of Mukwidja.
I believe you will also feel the urgency and emotions from these photos that were taken by our Ishara House director - Herman Chirihambali as he was facilitating the evacuation.
Our next update, coming soon, will reveal some positive and uplifting news.me/fc7a1426

From all of us at Congo Threads, we want to thank you for your incredible loving and financial support that enables us to create joy, healing and hope for our now 62 beautiful children at Ishara House.
This could not happen without YOU :)
Here are just a few photos of these gorgeous children on Christmas Day!
Much love and gratitude,
Clare
xo

Wow, we’ve come a long way in 7 years!
From our first 4 beautiful children going to school in 2016 - Safi, Bien Aime, Ishara and Ushindi.
And now in 2023 our now 60 school age children beginning their upcoming school year.
Education in Congo is not free.
School uniforms, shoes, backpacks and school supplies need to be purchased for all children.
School fees will be due in the next couple of weeks.

This could not happen without your continued support.
We truly are grateful.
Please share to those you believe can assist us in this important work.
www.congothreads.org

Education is a huge component to a stable and prosperous Congo!
❤️🙏❤️

FUN SURPRISE AT ISHARA HOUSE TODAY 😁
- a group of 18 young people from Goma called Jeune Espoir de Demain (Youth for Tomorrow’s Hope) visited our children with the aim of encouraging them to study well at school, dance, laugh and create hopefulness in their lives.
They also brought copy books, pens and biscuits!
We are very grateful to them.
🙏💕

May we enter 2023 with love, compassion, gratitude AND joy!!!
Thank you for all your support of our beautiful Ishara House children. 🙏❤️

Dear Friends,
I'm so excited to share with you about our upcoming fundraiser here in Felton, CA.
If you are not able to attend in person and would like to donate to our important work, you can find the information at the bottom of the attached invite.
CLARE 😍

Congo Threads - The Art of Giving You don't want to miss this. The Art of Giving - A Heart-lifting Exhibit Sunday, October 23rd 2:00 - 4:30 pm   You are Invited! Come enjoy the inspiring art and stories as founder Clare Campbel

Congo Threads updated their address.

Congo Threads updated their business hours.