MADRE uses FBB support to uphold women’s human rights

Yifat Susskind from MADRE, our fourth-quarter 2012 human rights beneficiary, gave us this report about how they are using the funds contributed by members of Foundation Beyond Belief. Members donated $8,015 to MADRE last quarter.

MADRE is thrilled to be part of the vibrant community of Foundation Beyond Belief. With your support, we will uphold women’s human rights in 19 countries in 2013. MADRE works hand in hand with grassroots women to meet urgent needs and build lasting solutions. Our work is holistic, encompassing direct services and human rights advocacy to create just policies and change on the ground. We build collaborations among activists in reproductive rights, environmental justice, and human rights. We meet women’s needs for livelihood skills and resources, link local and global stakeholders, and position women to advocate for rights-based solutions.

Here’s how your donations will help in 2013:

• Bring clean water to rural women in Nicaragua, with our partner Wangki Tangni. We build wells and provide training on protecting water sources. We are reducing fatal water-borne diseases and freeing girls of the burden of traveling long distances to haul water.
• Support women farmers in Sudan with our grassroots partner, Zenab for Women in Development. Together, we established the country’s first women farmers union to capacitate women to farm sustainably in the face of climate change. The 3,000 members have tripled their yields and are feeding their families, teaching their neighbors, and developing their communities.
• Shelter Pastoralist girls in Kenya fleeing female genital mutilation and forced early marriage. Our boarding schools, run with the Indigenous Information Network, provide 50 girls with an education that includes reproductive health information. We also raise the human rights awareness of parents and community elders to end traditional harmful practices.
• Combat sexual violence in Haiti with our local partner, KOFAVIV. The 2010 earthquake ushered in an epidemic of rape and sexual exploitation. We support a women’s shelter, provide girls with counseling and vocational skills, and help implement laws addressing sexual violence.

Thank you for your support!

Yifat Susskind, Executive Director
MADRE