In addition to helping raise money for the Bish Foundation,
many MASFAA conference attendees also helped support
another charity by purchasing beautiful paper pearl
jewelry from Uganda. The bead necklaces and bracelets
were all made by hand out of recycled paper by former
child soldiers rehabilitating in Gulu, Northern Uganda.
100% of the proceeds go to Lina Zedriga Waru Abuku's
The Trauma Healing and Reflection Center Gulu (THARCE-Gulu).
THARCE-Gulu will provide support for women and children
with trauma healing and finding out steps to reintegrate
them into society. THARCE-GULU was created with the
mission of promoting gender equality in all activities
and spaces through various activities such as experience
sharing, leadership training, mentoring, advocacy,
music and dance.
I met Lina Zedriga Waru Abuku last
May during a graduate school class trip on Human Trafficking
class through Suffolk University. Our class traveled
to Uganda to study the issues first hand. Lina Zedriga
Waru Abuku is a lawyer and an expert in women, peace,
and security. She currently serves as national coordinator
for the Advocates for Public International Law Uganda,
an organization established by Ugandan lawyers to promote
understanding, observance and entrenchment of the rule
of law and international humanitarian, criminal, and
human rights law in Uganda. In an effort to help raise
funds for the newly created THARCE-Gulu, we asked Lina
to bring as many beads as she could carry on her recent
trip to the U.S. so we could sell them to our family,
friends and colleagues on her behalf. Our group from
Suffolk University hopes to visit THARCE-Gulu in Northern
Uganda to help Lina with her important work there.
To learn more about Lina THARCE-Gulu please follow
this link: https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/703/t/3691/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=5210
In addition to helping Lina’s center, a group
was also created at Suffolk University called ‘Mirembe
on My Mind’. The group is dedicated to promoting
equal human rights and social peace and justice, especially
in terms of eliminating human trafficking. We denounce
the use of violence against humans and work towards
goals of helping those in post-traumatic situations
and in danger of being trafficked through raising funds
and awareness. For more information on the group, please
feel free to contact us at: mirembe.suffolk@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook by searching "Mirembe
On My Mind."
During our trip to Uganda we did
have a chance to do a few fun things too, such as visit
the largest chimpanzee sanctuary in the world and the
source of the Nile River. A big Thank You to everyone
who started their holiday shopping early and bought
a wide array of beautiful paper pearl jewelry and helped
to support a great cause!
Lina Zedriga (2nd from right) with former child soldiers
in Uganda showing off their gifts from America
Paper Pearl jewelry
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