CWLU Herstory Blog

The WE-ACTx Girls Exchange Chicago↔Kigali is an exciting program to link a group of six young women from our WE-ACTx HIV clinics in Kigali, Rwanda with six young women from Chicago. The group will include HIV infected and uninfected youth from both cities who have demonstrated the capacity for leadership.

You are invited to a unique fundraiser and potluck to support this exciting project. You may download the announcement here.

WE-ACTx Girls Exchange Chicago↔Kigali 2008
When: Saturday, June 7, 2008
Where: Linda and Allan Mellis’s House
1115 W. Montana, Chicago
773-327-9123
Time: 5:30 to 8:30

Dr. Mardge Cohen, Medical Director WE-ACTx will
give a Presentation at 7:00.

Why: We are asking for donations for the participants from Chicago to
bring to Rwanda.

Items requested by the women in Rwanda:

Women’s underwear, sizes S,M
Sanitary napkins
School supplies ( notebooks, pencils, ball point pens,
Scientific calculators)
Deflated soccer balls
Baseball caps
Watches
Toys (no battery operated toys)
Or Cash donations to purchase the above
What to bring: Appetizer, main course, salad or dessert, no drinks please.

The Chicago group will travel to Rwanda in late July of 2008 to meet the Rwandans, live in their homes, learn about their circumstances and their country and begin to form a youth community that focuses on HIV prevention and related global issues by using art (murals, video, journaling).

After a week in Rwanda, the entire group, including the Rwandans, will return to Chicago. Hosted by families here, they will continue to work on the art projects and plan future projects in order to create a sustainable community with long-term connections.