Spring Break
Liberian refugee runs 300 miles to freedom, rights
Whitney Tallarico
Issue date: 11/13/08 Section: News
11/13/08 - A Liberian refugee shared her experience as a war refugee, running 300 miles across her home country with her child in her bag, at a presentation hosted by three URI students to educate others about social justice.
On Monday, URI students Kinsey Tarbell, Samantha Sherer, and Anna Vaccaro gave a presentation on the organization Women for Women International in the Memorial Union. Theresa Tahyor was the featured speaker.
The students did this as a final action project for their Women's Studies 310 class. They decided to hold a benefit presentation for the Women's Studies program that reaches out to women survivors of war.
Women for Women International seeks to aid women who have suffered from war. This could mean that they have been raped, lost their husbands, lost their children, fled their homes or that they have simply seen and experienced so much trauma that they need help to move on."
"There are no words to describe the devastation that these women have suffered," Vaccaro said.
Sherer said, "Women for Women International works to mobilize women to change their lives and rebuild their communities through a one-year program designed to launch women on a journey from victim to survivor to active citizen."
Volunteers give $27 as well as a letter each month to a female victims of war, providing financial as well as emotional support. This money goes toward healthcare, food, shelter, education for children and other causes.
"In addition to financial commitments, Women for Women encourages sponsors and the women they are sponsoring to communicate through the exchange of letters. They believe that emotional support is an important part of helping women rebuild their lives," Tarbell said.
She added that the program offers a multi-faceted approach to rehabilitation, including basic job training skills.
"Women for Women staff conduct local research to determine which skills will be sustainable in the local economy," she said.
On Monday, URI students Kinsey Tarbell, Samantha Sherer, and Anna Vaccaro gave a presentation on the organization Women for Women International in the Memorial Union. Theresa Tahyor was the featured speaker.
The students did this as a final action project for their Women's Studies 310 class. They decided to hold a benefit presentation for the Women's Studies program that reaches out to women survivors of war.
Women for Women International seeks to aid women who have suffered from war. This could mean that they have been raped, lost their husbands, lost their children, fled their homes or that they have simply seen and experienced so much trauma that they need help to move on."
"There are no words to describe the devastation that these women have suffered," Vaccaro said.
Sherer said, "Women for Women International works to mobilize women to change their lives and rebuild their communities through a one-year program designed to launch women on a journey from victim to survivor to active citizen."
Volunteers give $27 as well as a letter each month to a female victims of war, providing financial as well as emotional support. This money goes toward healthcare, food, shelter, education for children and other causes.
"In addition to financial commitments, Women for Women encourages sponsors and the women they are sponsoring to communicate through the exchange of letters. They believe that emotional support is an important part of helping women rebuild their lives," Tarbell said.
She added that the program offers a multi-faceted approach to rehabilitation, including basic job training skills.
"Women for Women staff conduct local research to determine which skills will be sustainable in the local economy," she said.
