Sorry it has taken me a little while to post the photos from our event on Tuesday, 3rd June. Life is good and the last few days have been jam packed full of fun things!!

We had a great turn out on Tuesday. It was lovely to see so many familiar faces. You all looked like you were having a great time - and that my dears is the idea behind the Friendship Foundation. Take a friend or two (or five) out to lunch or dinner, have fun together and at the same time you will be helping a woman in a war torn country get back on her feet and who knows, maybe she in turn, with her friends, can help a woman in need.

This time we will be sponsoring 4 women in Sudan. As many of you know this is an area that has been devastated by regional conflict for many years. For those of you who would like to know a little more about what is happening their you can check out Hope in Sudan .

Did you know that in Sudan girls are more likely to die from child birth than to go to school or that a woman's value is based on the number of cows paid for her dowry? As women begin to tell their stories many talk of being raped, displaced and losing children in the conflict. But not all is doom and gloom, these woman are hungry to learn the skills to build up their broken communities - and because of your support 4 woman in Southern Sudan will start in the next month a journey to do just that. Your decision to have lunch or dinner with a friend on June 3rd has enabled 4 women in Sudan to have hope - a hope for a brighter future. Thank you

Have a fun filled summer and check back to hear about our next event.

Ruth

I have just received the names of the four women we sponsored after our event in April.

Please let me introduce to you Elizabeth, Kashindi, Geogette and Abea from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Elizabeth is 29, Kashinid is 25, Geogette is 42 and Abea is 47.

They each live in a simple hut with no electricity, gets their water from a nearby river or pond and each has lost family members to the ongoing violence or poverty. They are all married and make a living farming the land around them.

I was amazed to read that Elizabeth, at such a young age, has given birth to 11 children of which 5 have died. Its so touching to see that she wants to learn soap making. Kashinidi has 3 small children and she has taken in 2 older children to care for. She would like to learn to be a seamstress. Georgette and Abea both have 7 children. It breaks my heart that each has had to choose which of their children to send to school because they can't afford to send them all.

On a positive note it is very exciting to see their goals and aspirations: Each seems ready to make the most of this opportunity. Geogette's goals are very interesting, she listed out that she wants to learn her rights, develop a support network and become more active in her community - as Oprah would say - you go girl!

Thank you to each of you for being apart of the Friendship Foundation. You have given these 4 women hope but more importantly, you have given them the chance to work towards a better future with dignity and respect. Because of you these women have the opportunity to go from victim to surviver to becoming a thriving member of her community.

Please join me again, on June 3rd, at Trapeze in Burlingame for lunch or dinner. You know the drill - order from the $30 Friendship Foundation menu and $10 will be donated to "Women for Women International" to sponsor a woman in need. This time we hope to change the life of a woman in Sudan.

Thanks

Ruth

Lots of you have been asking when the next event will be and I am happy to announce that it will be Tuesday June 3rd.

This time we are hoping to raise money to change the lives of a number of women in Sudan. As you know the conflict in Southern Sudan especially around Darfur has had a terrible impact in the region. Isn't it amazing to think that lunch or dinner with a friend in Burlingame, on June 3rd, can actually bring bring hope for the future for a woman in Sudan?

Join us for dinner or lunch on June 3rd, at Trapeze in Burlingame. When you order from the $30 Friendship Foundation menu, $10 will be donated to "Women for Women International" to sponsor a woman in Sudan.

Hope to see you there.

Ruth

Great news - we did it - we raised enough money to sponsor 4 women in Congo for an entire year.

I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to have dinner or lunch with a friend on April 15th at Trapeze in Burlingame. That decision will change the life of 4 women. It was lovely to see so many familiar faces and to meet new people. We even had a couple celebrating their wedding anniversary.

One day in the next few weeks 4 women in Congo will be told that they can become a part of the Women For Women program. This program will give them approximately $10 a month for their personal needs, ($10 in Congo goes a long way!) they will be given health education, taught about their rights but most importantly they will be given the tools to start being self sufficient. Why Congo? Check out this video clip, it is a little disturbing but it gives a very clear picture of what is happening to women in Congo right now: cbsnews-congo. Our goal is to help these girls move from victims to survivor to thriving members of their communities and then in turn they can help the women around them.

On April 15th we made a difference in the lives of 4 women, in a few weeks time we will know their names.

Thanks again

Ruth

We finally know the names of the four women that were sponsored by our very first Friendship Foundation dinner back in February!

And what beautiful names they are. Let me introduce Francoise, Marie-Chantal, Jane and Seraphina from Rwanda. Francoise is 25, Marie-Chantal is 20, and Jane is 17.  None are married or have children.  Seraphina is 43, has a common-law husband and 7 children.   Each live in a simple hut with no electricity, get their water from a nearby river or public well, and have lost family members to the recent genocide which killed 800,000 people in 1994.   Soon we will receive more detailed stories, pictures, and can begin writing letters to these women. These are just the first four!

Join us for dinner or lunch on April 15th at Trapeze in Burlingame. Order from the $30 Friendship Foundation menu and $10 will be donated to "Women for Women International" to sponsor a woman in need. This time we hope to change the life of a woman in Congo.