Adele Eisenstein on Thu, 8 Apr 1999 11:37:02 +0200 (METDST) |
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Syndicate: Re: Motrat Qiriazi/Heart and Hand Fund |
> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > Date: Wed, 7 Apr 1999 15:46:15 -0700 (PDT) > From: Marta Drury <deadcow@igc.apc.org> > > > Dear Friends: > With the TV, newspapers and radio full of the war > over Kosova, I'd like to share one way we as individuals > can help the ethnic Albanians. > > The war has particular immediacy for me because of my friendship > with Igballe (Igo) Rogova. I met Igo almost a year and a half ago at a > Global Fund for Women lunch at which she and her partner, Rachel > Wareham, talked about their work in Kosova. I'd like to tell you a little > about her story. > > Igo is an ethnic Albanian who used to do technical work at a TV > station. When Milosevich came to power in Serbia, she and her sister, > Safete Rogova, a well-known actress, were among the many ethnic > Albanians who lost their jobs. Under Milosovich's rule, ethnic Albanians > were systematically stripped of their rights to language, education, > culture, and freedom of movement and speech. (Igo was stripped of > her passport for four years at one time.) > > Despite these hardships and the Serbian police monitoring > their movements, Igo and Safete founded Motrat Qiriazi, a non- > govermental organization, that works to rebuild civil society > and preserve Albanian culture. They have focused their efforts > on educating and empowering women and children living in rural > villages in Kosova. Drawing on their talents and understanding > of the culture, the two sisters have succeeded winning the > support of entire villages without alienating the male leaders. > > Igo and Safete were two of the winners of the 1998 Resourceful > Women Awards. Last October, I traveled to the Balkans to spend a > week with Igo. While deepening our relationship, I was also able > to witness Igo at work with ethnic Albanians and Roma women. > She is a brilliant communicator, a careful listener, and operates > from the largest well of generosity I have ever seen. > > Two weeks ago, Igo and 31 family members gathered in her mother's > house in Pristina, the capital of Kosova. Once NATO bombing began,the > Serbs brutally retaliated against the ethnic Albanians, killing people, > cutting off food supplies, and dropping their bombs on the city. > > They now join the hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanian refugees > stranded in neighboring countries, not knowing when, if, or under > what circumstances they will be allowed to return to their homes. The > conditions at the borders are horrific but, true to character, Igo chose > to stay longer in the Neutral Zone to help other people rather than cross > the border to friends, food and a warm shower. > > As we know from past experience, projects that support women and > children are the last to be funded in times of crisis. Igo will not wait > until this war is over to go to work. She will soon return to her life's work > of helping women and their families improve their lives. Motrat Qiriazi > has close working connections with American Friends Service > Committee and UNICEF. Other Kosovar women activists (Igo has trained > over 20 herself) will join with Igo and women activists from surrounding > Balkan countries to continue the work. Because of the new circumstances, > however, they will need more help than ever before. > > I have established the Heart and Hand Fund that can fund internationally. I > am asking you to join me in supporting the future work of Igo Rogova and > other like minded activists. Please give at whatever level you can manage. Contributions are tax deductible and all monies donated will go directly > to women activists. Stock transfers are also possible. > > Feel free to share this letter. > > > Please make out your check to the Agape Foundation. Add a note that the > money is for the Heart and Hand Fund/Kosova and mail to: > > The Agape Foundation/Heart and Hand Fund > 1095 Market Street #304 > San Francisco, Ca 94103 > > Thank you. > Peace > > Marta Drury ------Syndicate mailinglist-------------------- information: http://www.v2.nl/east/ mail archive: http://www.v2.nl/mail/v2east/current/ to unsubscribe send a message to <syndicate-request@aec.at> with the message in the body: unsubscribe your@email.adress