tag:freshwaterspigot.com,2008:/blog//1 2008-04-14T18:57:56Z Movable Type 3.35 tag:freshwaterspigot.com,2008:/blog//1.21 2008-04-14T18:56:28Z 2008-04-14T18:57:56Z

What's the difference between a thief who steals your identity and your credit card company? The Answer: Nothing. They both steal your money. I am so angry at Chase Card member services this morning, I could scream. Instead, I will...

Michealene Risley http://freshwaterspigot.com JP Morgan. This is what is on the web-site: "JP Morgan Chase is a leading global financial services firm with assets of $1.6 trillion. They operate in 50 countries with 170,000 employees. They are a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers, small business and commercial banking, financial transaction processing, asset management and private equity." Now think about how many people they have access to... According to their philosophy their goal is to: "Build a great team and a winning culture • Operate with the highest standards of integrity • Train and retain great managers • Be open and honest with ourselves, our colleagues, our shareholders and our communities • Get incentives right • Foster an environment of respect and inclusiveness • Give back to our communities" At this point, I am not sure I should laugh or cry, and feel like doing both. I surmise that if one credit card company is practicing this, the chances of this being an industry wide practice are strong. I don't have the heart to call another credit card company to find out if this is true. I read a lot about identity theft, and how it is one of the fastest growing crimes in America. It is easy to see the villainous face of someone who steals your identity for their own gain, and wreaks havoc on your life... but what about these "trillion" dollar companies that take your money without your consent? After three hours dealing with this issue, I am about to give up. I go back to the Attorney Generals' Web-site and try to find the complaint form again. This could be a full time job. I finally breathe a heavy sigh and surrender. This is exactly the response these companies are counting on when they create these "marketing" programs. Please take the time to check your credit card statement this month. See if you find unnecessary charges there by your credit card company, or charges that you did not request. Pass this blog onto to your close friends. It will take a moment. Let's show the banks that we can be a little savvier about how they take our money and we can create our own protection services...for free. Three months of I.D. Protection Services $35.97 Three months of Chase Fraud Detection $23.97 The cost of un-ethical business practices Priceless]]> tag:freshwaterspigot.com,2008:/blog//1.20 2008-04-04T20:49:47Z 2008-04-04T20:51:32Z

Rumor has it that President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe has agreed to a run-off election. The date that I have heard bantered about is April 19th. There are text messages flying across the continent and various groups ramping up to...

Michealene Risley http://freshwaterspigot.com President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe has agreed to a run-off election. The date that I have heard bantered about is April 19th. There are text messages flying across the continent and various groups ramping up to ensure Zimbabweans get out and vote the tyrant out of the office. My message to Zimbabweans: go back to the polls and vote! This man needs a clear and swift kick out the door! The other rumor, though unsubstantiated, is that "Bob" is busy filling bags of currency as he raids the treasury. The suggestion is that he will leave the country. This would be great for Zimbabweans in many ways. Yet if he does this, there are major concerns that he will not leave a single Zimbabwe dollar for the country's recovery. This is when the global community, that includes The International Red Cross and the United Nations, must develop a plan to help this country become stabilized. None of this will happen without some global pressure to get Mugabe out of office. This is the time when other African leaders must take a stand to support the will of the people and not stand mute in support of their comrade. Enough. How do we teach these countries to step up to assist the people of Zimbabwe? There is widespread fear that the election will be rigged in a run off. I don't think it is going to happen. Too many people voted the man out of office. Too many people know and talk that they must have change in this county if the people of Zimbabwe are going to survive. When I talk about survival, its not "survival" you think of here in the United States; instead, Zimabwean's survival entails avoiding starvation and/or death. How will they stop the hemorrhaging of people over the borders? Yesterday I was told that Mugabe only truly got 46 parliament seats instead of the 97 that are listed. As we all struggle for information and if this vote will again be rigged on the 19th, I know for sure one thing: There will be violence. The people of Zimbabwe have such pent up rage on how Mugabe has treated them that many want to force him to stay in the country, to make sure that he pays for his atrocities. If Morgan Tsengarai becomes the new President of Zimbabwe, it is his plan to keep Mugabe in the country as well. His agenda will include having Mugabe pay for his atrocities, not only for the ruthless beating of himself but also for his close allies that were tortured and killed. We are getting a lot of messages about Simba Makoni joining forces with Morgan...and this is truly good news. With Simba Makoni getting at least 8 percent of the vote (approximately) there are people who love him and trust him. We cannot forget how his candidacy split some of the key allies in the current administration and helped create the unstoppable rift. The idea of Morgan Tsengarai and Simba Makoni joining forces as a team brings excitement. Those two men can create a new beginning for this tyrant ravaged country. Most importantly, some of those in exile are already talking about going "home". They are excited about the inevitable change in their country and the National Unity they feel is happening. They are excited about the loss of seats to ministers that harassed NGO's and women's group. The Minister of Women's affairs, Gender and Community Development, Oppah Muchinguri, was apparently trounced in the vote. This is good news to organizations who have sought assistance from the government on human rights abuses. We are all watching the situation in Zimbabwe closely. If the dictator is truly going to fall, there needs to be quick and prolonged action. Now the international community must come together to help eradicate the AIDS epidemic, to provide food and medicine...and get the country planting crops. Things could change again, in the time it takes me to post this blog, but I still can't help but think there will be more than seeds being planted in this country soon. ]]> tag:freshwaterspigot.com,2008:/blog//1.19 2008-03-31T23:34:18Z 2008-03-31T23:35:11Z

The calm before the storm is a frighteningly familiar feeling for me. As a Midwest gal born and raised, I know that feeling down to my bones. It is the eerily quiet time period before a tornado touches down, before...

Michealene Risley http://freshwaterspigot.com www.Zimbabwemetro.com, one third of the vote counted puts Mugabe in second place, far behind Morgan Tsvangirai. So what is taking so long to get to the final results? It has been over 48 hours since the polling sites have closed. Most people that I spoke with in Zimbabwe could care less which candidate gets in, as long as it is not President Robert Mugabe. One of three things will happen. The first is that Mugabe will state that there is a TIE and an election run off needs to happen. The second scenario is that he will give up his post, just after collects all of "his" money and exits Zimbabwe with his core alliance. The third scenario, and the one that terrifies me the most, is Mugabe rigging the election and declaring his 6th term in office. No one can afford this scenario. Another sources in Zimbabwe said that tomorrow Mugabe has a planned meeting with the Army General and the head of the Police force. It scares me that this may happen, and would be devastating to Zimbabwe. Then again, I can't even begin to get inside the mind of Robert Mugabe. So I like the rest of the world, must wait. ]]> tag:freshwaterspigot.com,2008:/blog//1.18 2008-03-28T20:58:14Z 2008-03-28T20:58:46Z

I have been eaten with anxiety as Zimbabwe's national election looms closer this March 29th. My mind is torn between the agonizing wait and the fear of the day's arrival. Some of us are terrified at the endless possibilities of...

Michealene Risley http://freshwaterspigot.com I have been eaten with anxiety as Zimbabwe's national election looms closer this March 29th. My mind is torn between the agonizing wait and the fear of the day's arrival. Some of us are terrified at the endless possibilities of violence and death that civil disobedience will bring. I fear the inevitable; I hope to be wrong. Yet, I am also roused by a still beating heart from the people who are caught in this drama; a people so dogged in their determination to survive such prolonged oppression. A people so determined to have a voice. Zimbabwe is a place one cannot help but love. It is a rich land of olive-colored rolling hills and exotic animals; a spirited populace that continues to be courageous and resilient. Zimbabweans inspire me. A group of individuals that collectively have survived more wreckage than our consumption addicted country could ever know. It is a tiny spot on the planet infested with poverty, disease and corruption at the hands of an 84 year-old syphilitic man that has hoarded power beyond the expiration date. Even when the people of this country say NO to another term of Robert Mugabe, he refuses to allow a fair and free election. President "Bob" is running for his 6th consecutive term in office. He controls the media, the army, the Central Intelligence and the police force. He oversees the bank system, the food supply and the distribution channels. There is nothing that this man has not tobacco stained with his endless greed and corruption. I have seen it with my own eyes. His reign of terror is so wide and so powerful, that it followed me into South Africa after my deportation from Zimbabwe. Mugabe continues to stay in power through his maniacal use of fear- thought erasing, palm sweating, heart thumping fear. As the election draws ever closer, bribery, battery and bruises are every Zimbabweans one meal-a-day. The prevalence of fear has caused many families to leave the country until after the election. Some have had their lives threatened, others have decided on self-imposed exile, and the rest have given up and permanently moved to neighboring countries. Like the Grinch on Christmas Eve, Mugabe flings presents at the very people he has hurled into poverty; people with so many stories, so few heard. Money drops from the sky to erase the tears from land gone barren and shriveled up crops. The Grinch's laugh echoes through the night as his cronies hoard the cash. I am confused by Mugabe's last ditch efforts. Did he have a flicker of fear as he thought, "Could I lose this election"? Did he not print out enough phony ballets? Why is he wasting money when the results of the election are pre-determined? Will his tweaking of the constitution to station police at the polling stations hurt him? The starvation I witnessed last august was on the brink of catastrophic with empty stores and an ever decreasing food supply. Seven months later, dog food has become a staple food. Last week a butcher got caught selling human meat at his store, under the guise of pig meat. Apparently the butcher had been killing Albino men and women and selling their meat. After hearing this story over the phone, I truly found it hard to believe. I cannot begin to understand that level of desperation or the barbaric action, so I am mute. I feel a colossal empathy and sadness for this beautiful country and the people who are driven to their knees. And I wonder, in this election, if someone hands you a bag of maize, would you choose another meal of rage? There are real heroes among the people still living in Zimbabwe. The current opposition candidates are at the top of that heroic list: Simba Makoni, Langton Towungana and Morgan Tsvangirai. These men have put their personal lives at risk to create a different country. They know very well the danger that they welcome by listing their names on the ballot, by shaking someone's hand and saying "Vote for me". There are other everyday heroes that the world will never know; human beings that will never make it to the front pages of a major newspaper even though they will have lost their lives standing up for what matters: The mother with six children who fights to be heard over screams of outrage at a systematic eradication of femininity though rape, abuse and genital mutilation. She remembers somewhere in the recesses of her mind, that women can still create change. Another hero is the father, who once witnessed the president as a savior and watched his steady decline into corruption. He refuses to continue to give such a man his vote. Or the idealist youth, excited about their future and volunteers to put a candidate's poster up on the streets. Their belief continues to be that change is possible even when they are beaten and thrown in prison. Their only sustenance is the tattered remains of the posters. These everyday champions risk arrest and physical abuse, and are often forced into submission, but hope still sputters. I'm scared for our country too. We have many critical issue to deal with in the United States right now; Issues that need a good plan and solid execution to American's to feel we are back on track. We have limited resources, and we need to choose carefully where we focus our time and energy and money. We cannot afford to be the Global Problem Solver. Yet, if we are to continue to be a nation that shows global leadership, we must help less fortunate countries. Zimbabwe is one of those countries. Yet, the United States is clearly absent as this drama continues to unfold. I have to question our criteria in assisting other countries. Is our decision of assistance dependent on intersecting needs or are monetary gains are involved? Where are human rights issues in that evaluation process? Are human rights on American's list at all? I can't stand the fact that the only countries in Zimbabwe to help create a fair and free election this weekend are Russia and China. Where are all the other African leaders? How can they hide as they bear the brunt of a mass exodus from Zimbabwe? Do they not understand how it taxes their own countries and creates more crime and poverty? Are their pockets lined so deeply that they cannot get up from their plush leather chairs to see the line of beggars on the sidewalk below? I am done. The truth is, even writing doesn't comfort me now, or reduce my anxiety. I am mostly resigned to the outcome of Saturday's election and can't bear to read a newspaper this weekend. I wish someone would accuse me of spreading enormous exaggerations about this rogue inhabited country. It might give me someone else o focus on; to yell and scream at during this agonizing wait. The problem with that scenario is that anyone calling me on gross exaggerations would be wrong. They would learn that my words only scratch the surface of the atrocities unfolding in Zimbabwe. The helplessness I feel is shallow compared to Zimbabweans who are trapped in a world not of their own making. American's absence in this unfolding tragedy is criminal. tag:freshwaterspigot.com,2008:/blog//1.17 2008-03-04T00:14:21Z 2008-03-04T00:17:32Z

This is a critical week for the democratic presidential nomination. I am very nervous about the end results. Last Friday, I sent out an email to some of my friends that went something like this "Okay girls, how about a...

Michealene Risley http://freshwaterspigot.com article written by Stanley Fish for the New York Times "all you need is Hate"...is right on target. He compares the Hillary hating as "The closely analogy is to anti-Semitism." He makes a very strong argument that so much of the anti-Hillary negativity comes from nowhere. She couldn't possibly be all those things. Hillary is an amazing candidate for president of the United States or any job to represent our country. Her candidacy brings a great deal of knowledge, experience and intellect to the job. Being a woman has not much to do with it, although so many see it as an impediment. I prefer to look at being a woman as an asset-particularly at a time in our history that a lot of healing needs to happen. Hillary is risk-taker. She knows and understands the repercussion of her actions. So why do we focus on the size of her ankles? What makes me so angry are groups like Roger Stones Hillary-Hating 527 "Citizens United Not timid." There is nothing timid about the acronym for Senator Clinton. The acronym for this group is a discriminatory word. A word that all people should be angry about. It's like the word nigger. I don't see anyone calling Senator Obama a nigger. (Nor should they) Why should it be anyone different for Senator Clinton? Don't these people have children that look up to them? If so, they should be embarrassed. If not, they should still be embarrassed for showing their maturity level, and to me it's pretty close to pre-kindergarten. Question #2-What experience does Senator Obama have? I am all for Senator Obama as president too, as long as there is the word VICE in front of it. I do see his charisma, his honest and direct approach but I am not willing to PROJECT ALL OF MY HOPES onto someone (man woman or animal frankly) without a track record. Our country is at a pivotal point in history and I am not about to get all dreamy eyed about the promise of Hope. Reality, people, I have seen many people project their hope on a candidate who was going to "save them" from another attack on our country. We screamed, "save us" to President Bush and look where all that hope was squandered. Is the whole country acting out a first crush? I hope not. I have read the Emperor's New Clothes and I am scared that we are writing the sequel. When Senator Obama's campaign began to get some initial momentum, it was through a scantily clad young girl dancing around in a bikini. Where was his staff or him to talk about how inappropriate that was for his campaign? Or any campaign. Look around in the media, we use the female body to sell everything from yogurt to automobile parts and no one seems to even acknowledge this. Or acknowledge what it does to our society as a whole. Senator Obama will make a great president someday. I just don't want to go into premature labor. After the last debate, The View, showed some outtakes from debate-watchers that were brought together after the event. All these Obama supporters could not rattle off a single issue that he legislated. Scary. Remember the saying that came from Jim Jones and Jonestown, "Don't drink the Kool-aid?" Is it too late? I can see this great big red wagon stuffed with supporters. What if the wagon is heading over the cliff and no one has bothered to ask? I am fearful we have a bit of the same type of enthusiastic hysteria about Senator Obama. He is handsome, charismatic and a great orator. Can we just allow him to gather some more experience before he swivels the chair in the oval office? Question #3: Why do Women and Children's issues get relegated to the back of the bus? Frankly, it is time for a woman. We have way too many issues that have long been labeled woman's concerns. Last Monday, I spoke and moderated a panel at the United Nations. On the role and responsibility of men in stopping violence against women. Most people are oblivious to the crisis we have on this issue. It certainly doesn't make it to the top ten lists. Imagine how much the rape an abuse of women in this country affects our Gross National Product, our economic outlook, our health care costs and job placement efforts. We haven't even begun to understand how much this issue is costing our country and the world. We are too busy fighting over oil. Around the world, 1 out of 3 women will be victimized in her lifetime. This includes, rape, assault, molestation, acid burnings, dowry deaths and spousal abuse. Isn't that a horrific statistic? Yet, it seems as travel along in our daily lives with our proverbial head in the sand. If the United States had an epidemic of measles or Avian Flu, every family in America would be donating time and resources to stop the spread of the disease. Why is this issue any different? I am voting for Senator Clinton not only because she will tackle the economy, put us back on track and deal with Iraq; but because she will focus on issues that affect women and children, she will focus on global issues whether they affect our country or not and she will lead with one foot after the other. With this particular candidate swinging around in the main chair in the oval office, I feel a sense of hope. If Senator Clinton loses, I wonder "Will I ever see a woman as president" in my lifetime?" The sense of hope vanishes from my heart when I answer that question. On a final note, whether you vote for Senator Clinton or not, use your mind and let your voice be heard. If you hear people disparage a candidate because of their body parts, speak up too. Let's not forget... if it wasn't for our mothers, none of us would be here. That includes you. ]]> tag:freshwaterspigot.com,2008:/blog//1.16 2008-01-21T16:57:36Z 2008-01-21T17:00:42Z

Ben Cartwright is a true American Hero; at least in terms of how I define what a hero is. Actually, I think he may be the last one of his kind, never mind that he is a fictional character who...

Michealene Risley http://freshwaterspigot.com he is a fictional character who was played by the actor Lorne Greene. For those of you who are too young to remember, Ben Cartwright was the main character on the television show Bonanza. The show was set in the Nevada territory in the 1860's and was filmed in color, an unusual viewing mode at that time. The decision to film in color was not a creative one by the network, NBC but a business decision by the show's sponsor, RCA, to help sell more color televisions. Nevertheless, the show aired from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973, making it one of the longest running television shows in history. Bonanza also held the #1 Nielsen spot for three years in a row. During its original broadcast, the production team filmed 430 episodes. Although the show airs re-runs around the world today, its popularity faded long ago. I started watching the re-runs last summer while recovering from spinal surgery. There was something about the characters and the stories that calmed my fears about never being able to walk again..... To read the rest of this blog, read it on The Huffington Post!]]> tag:freshwaterspigot.com,2007:/blog//1.15 2007-12-08T00:11:45Z 2007-12-08T00:12:53Z

It was raining in Seattle last Friday. I spent most of the gloomy afternoon in one of Seattle's maximum security Federal Prisons. A good friend of mine has been relocated there for fraud. Truthfully, you might say she is actually...

Michealene Risley http://freshwaterspigot.com The Huffington Post]]> tag:freshwaterspigot.com,2007:/blog//1.14 2007-11-26T17:26:43Z 2007-11-27T21:39:15Z

This summer I was thrown into a third world prison. This is a story for my next book "This Is Not the Life I Ordered, Still"! Thankfully, I managed, with some help and a touch of trauma, to get back...

Michealene Risley http://freshwaterspigot.com The Huffington Post.]]> tag:freshwaterspigot.com,2007:/blog//1.13 2007-11-07T17:17:23Z 2007-11-07T17:19:18Z

There are so many organizations and non-profits that have a desire to improve the world. I have deep admiration for those groups. Whether it is the current deplorable situations in Burma or Darfur, or issues of world hunger or Global...

Michealene Risley http://freshwaterspigot.com "Laptop for Every Child".... To read the rest of this blog, visit The Huffington Post.]]> tag:freshwaterspigot.com,2007:/blog//1.12 2007-10-17T22:44:32Z 2007-10-17T22:45:34Z

Dear President Mugabe, I am haunted by the current situation in your country. I am haunted by the hunger I see in a little girl's eyes. I met her in a rural village that I cannot list here, for fear...

Michealene Risley http://freshwaterspigot.com Read the entire Blog on The Huffington Post]]> tag:freshwaterspigot.com,2007:/blog//1.11 2007-09-01T22:36:05Z 2007-10-17T22:43:45Z

We have a rat in our wall this morning. A rat in our wall is very rare, and I wake up from the sound of his gnawing at something religiously. I wonder if he will ever get to the bottom...

Michealene Risley http://freshwaterspigot.com Read the entire piece on The Huffington Post. If you are interested in donating to "Tapestries of Hope", you may do so directly off the Tapestries of Hope Blog]]> tag:freshwaterspigot.com,2007:/blog//1.10 2007-08-03T18:17:36Z 2007-08-03T19:21:33Z

Fresh Water Spigot’s non-profit organization, FreshWater Haven, has teamed up with jewelry designer Janelle Gibson to bring support and awareness to the lives of Betty Makoni and the young girls of the Girl Child Network. Janelle Gibson has been an...

Michealene Risley http://freshwaterspigot.com Janelle Gibson to bring support and awareness to the lives of Betty Makoni and the young girls of the Girl Child Network. Janelle Gibson has been an advocate for supporting women all over the world through her “Pendant Project” and has dedicated one of her pieces to Freshwater Haven’s work with the Girl Child Network. This sterling silver pendant is square shape and is titled “FUTURE”. Each square is approximately 1 ¾ long by ¾ inch wide, and strung on either a black or brown leather cord. Purchase the SILENT BRAVERY pendant at the SILENT BRAVERY website: http://savehope.blogspot.com/ All profits from the purchase of this necklace “FUTURE” will go directly towards creating additional awareness and support to the Girl Child Network. Please give yourself or a loved one a gift that helps stop the rape and abuse of girls in Zimbabwe. Each necklace comes with a card containing information about the documentary “SILENT BRAVERY”, Betty Makoni, and the Girl Child Network.]]> tag:freshwaterspigot.com,2007:/blog//1.9 2007-07-11T17:16:52Z 2007-08-01T23:18:04Z

Life in Zimbabwe is very unstable right now. Recently, a group of non-profits that stay connected were alarmed and concerned for Betty’s safety. It is hard to tell what the situation is really like in Zimbabwe with the type of...

Michealene Risley http://freshwaterspigot.com ARTICLE from a friend. “No wonder we haven’t heard from her”, my friend said. “This is what she is dealing with”. Just when the nail biting got worse, I received another email with the subject line reading this: Re: FIVE HOURS AGO, BETTY MAKONI WON THE SWEDISH PRIZE! So, here you go…the full press release. You can also check The World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child, for more information. Press release: Children’s heroes awarded 12 million children’s prizes for the rights of the child Girls’ rights crusader Betty Makoni, Zimbabwe makes a grand slam. Cynthia Maung, Burma, and Inderjit Khurana, India receive the children’s honorary awards. Three strong women fighting for a better world for children and for more respect for children’s rights have been given awards by The World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child (WCPRC), which is supported by 12 million children in 25,000 schools in 85 countries. 5,2 million children all over the world, in a global vote, have selected girls’ rights crusader Betty Makoni from Zimbabwe as the recipient of this year’s Global Friends' Award. Betty Makoni receives the prize because she, after being abused herself as a child, empowers girls to demand their rights. She supports those who are exposed to abuse and protects others from assault, forced marriage, trafficking and sexual abuse. The world's largest (in terms of how many children participate in selecting the prize laureates) and most prestigious prize for outstanding contributions to the rights of the child - The World's Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child (WCPRC) - also has another main award, the World's Children's Prize. The recipient of this award is selected by a jury of children from 15 countries, some of whom have been child soldiers, slaves on farms or in brothels, refugees or lived on the streets. Through their own life experience, they are experts in the rights of the child. The jury children, who didn’t know the result of the global vote when they made their decision, also decided to give their award to Betty Makoni. The World’s Children’s Honorary Awards goes to Cynthia Maung, Burma and Inderjit Khurana, Indien. Cynthia Muong receives her prize because she has fought for the health and education of hundreds of thousands of refugee children for 20 years, both under the military dictatorship in Burma and in refugee camps in Thailand. Inderjit Khurana receives her prize because she has run over a hundred schools and two phone help lines for 21 years, helping the poorest, most vulnerable children who live and work on station platforms. WORLD’S LARGEST EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVE ON DEMOCRACY AND CHILDREN’S RIGHTS The WCPRC empowers children and young people all over the world so that they can make their voices heard and demand respect for their rights in accordance with the UN Child Convention. The WCPRC has quickly grown into the world's largest annual educational initiative for children on rights, democracy and global citizenship. As part of this process, the children award the world’s most respected prizes for outstanding contributions to the rights of the child. 12 million students at 25,000 schools in 85 countries participate in the WCPRC, and that number is growing constantly. 5.2 millions of those children participated in the Global Vote to determine who should receive the Global Friends’ Award 2007. An international child jury – consisting of children who are experts on the rights of the child through their own experiences as soldiers, refugees, street children or slaves in brothels or on farms – choose the recipient of the other major award, the World’s Children’s Prize. Over 350 organizations all over the world support the WCPRC, which also collaborates with many Departments of Education and youth media projects worldwide (among them Times of India’s Newspaper in Education and Grupo Positivo’s web sites in Brazil). The prize magazine, like the website, www.childrensworld.org, is available in nine languages and is read by over 7 million young people. MANDELA IS A PATRON The patrons of the WCPRC include Queen Silvia of Sweden, Nelson Mandela, President Xanana Gusmão of East Timor, former Executive Director of Unicef Carol Bellamy, former UN Under-Secretary-General Olara Otunnu, and Nobel Prize Winner in Economics Joseph Stiglitz. The prize money, SEK 1 million (USD 140,000), is to be used in the recipients’ work for the rights of the child and will help some of the world's most vulnerable children. It is supported by AstraZeneca, Banco Fonder and pi.se. The WCPRC was founded by the Swedish organization Children’s World, and is a Swedish National Millennium Project. This year’s prize ceremony will be held on Monday 16 April (2.00 pm to 3.45 pm) at Gripsholm Castle in Mariefred, where HM Queen Silvia will help the children to give out the prizes. All three final candidates will be honoured. FOCUS ON REFUGEE CHILDREN, CHILD WORKERS AND ABUSED CHILDREN BETTY MAKONI, Zimbabwe, is awarded for her long struggle to empower girls in Zimbabwe, to free them from abuse and let them have the same opportunities in life as boys. Through the Girl Child Network Betty has built three safe empowerment villages for very vulnerable girls and started 500 girls' clubs with 30,000 members, mostly in rural areas and in poor townships. Betty saves girls from child labour, forced marriage, abuse, trafficking and sexual assault. She gives girls food, clothes, medical care, a home, the chance to go to school and safety. Above all, she gives girls courage and strength to demand respect for their rights. Betty and Girl Child Network speak out on behalf of girls in Zimbabwe, by constantly encouraging the government and different organisations to take care of the country's girls. Betty is often threatened because of her work. CYNTHIA MAUNG, Burma is awarded for her near 20-year struggle on behalf of hundreds of thousands of children who live as refugees inside and outside Burma. 200,000 refugees, most of them children, receive free health care at Dr Cynthia’s Mae Tao Clinic, which also trains medics who return to their villages in Burma or to refugee camps in Thailand to work. The clinic sends hundreds of “backpack medics” to Burma. They carry medicine, train children in health and hygiene and treat 150,000 internally displaced people, many of them children. Cynthia’s clinic gives birth certificates to the many children who lack these, runs two schools and school hostels, and regularly visits 50 other refugee schools to give the children vitamins and vaccinations and gives food to malnourished children. INDERJIT KHURANA, India, is awarded for her long struggle for the poorest and most vulnerable children’s right to education. She opened her first railway platform school 21 years ago. Today her organisation, Ruchika, runs 12 platform schools, 6 nurseries, 75 slum schools, 20 nursery schools, preventative HIV and AIDS projects, 2 “schools on wheels”, vocational training and clean water and sanitation projects in the slums. They also offer healthcare and run an ambulance service for emergencies. Ruchika has two help lines for children and women and gives school grants to gifted poor children. Inderjit believes that if the child cannot come to the school, the school has to come to the child. She and Ruchika seek to give a basic education, building up children’s self-esteem and opening the door for them to have a life free from poverty, child labour and violence. For more information on the WCPRC and the prize candidates see: PRESS at www.childrensworld.org, where you can also find high-res pics; Video material on request. Contact: Magnus Bergmar, +46(0)159-129 00, +46(0)70-515 58 39; magnus.bergmar@childrensworld.org]]> tag:freshwaterspigot.com,2007:/blog//1.8 2007-07-11T17:10:26Z 2007-08-01T22:23:05Z

At the end of the summer, I am planning on going to Zimbabwe to film a documentary about Betty Makoni and the Girl Child Network. Betty is an incredible human being. I came to know Betty in March of 2007...

Michealene Risley http://freshwaterspigot.com Girl Child Network. Betty is an incredible human being. I came to know Betty in March of 2007 through an introduction by my friend, Paola Gianturco. Last year, Paola and I had gone to a Global Fund for Women event in San Francisco. It was at that luncheon that she had mentioned the plight of young girls in Zimbabwe. She spoke of Africa’s traditional healers who were guiding AIDS infected men in Zimbabwe to rape virgins to cure their disease; this includes their own daughters. I was horrified, but having had tremendous luck in catching every exotic parasite when I traveled internationally, I did not even think of going to Africa. About a year later, Paola invited me to meet her at the International Women’s Day 2007 event presented by IDEX at the World Affairs Council in San Francisco, featuring Betty Makoni. When I called IDEX for a ticket, Sarah Dotlich, who is the Africa Program Director, answered the phone. Less than a week later and the morning of Betty’s speaking event, I found myself sitting across from Betty Makoni and Sara. Wow. It happened so fast. Betty stood with this big hug smile and lots of black hair, pulled together in a pony tail. I could feel her determination, and she was so genuine in her passion and beliefs. We shared our childhood stories and talked about sharing her story with the world. I gave her my short film on child-sexual abuse, "Flashcards" and she held it to her chest. The act of clutching those materials to her chest was so endearing to me! She actually valued a film and curriculum that helped educated people on abuse, something that has not been my experience in the United States. I suggested I ship the materials to Zimbabwe so that she did not have to carry them with her. She said no. She did not want them out of her hands. That night, she was introduced at the World Affairs Council event by Walter Turner, who is a professor of History and Ethnic Studies at the College of Marin and Chair of the Department. He is also the President of the Board of Directors for Global Exchange. As these two individuals engaged in conversation and I listened to Betty talk, I started to weep. I don’t know what made me cry, as I am a public speaker and I talk about my own sexual abuse as a child to large audiences often. I even co-authored a book called, “This Is Not The Life I Ordered”, which talks about my abuse. Here I was being reduced to a puddle by her fierce protectiveness of the girls and her absolute conviction. She didn’t get caught up in the feminist bullshit that many of us do in the United States. “Women have a voice” she says as a matter of fact, “and I am going to die using it if I have to”. Since Betty has gone home, we have been coordinating the details and logistics for the trip and documentary. I have recently asked her to start sharing her daily stories so that I can share them with others. I get notes from her when she has electricity. Last week she wrote me from her computer in the dark. Here is what she wrote: “Today, I am out to help in the burial of a ten year old girl. She died today of HIV and AIDS as a result of rape. Her body has been lying in the home for 6 hours because due to poverty they could not afford the funds to hire a truck to take the body away. I arrive there at 10 pm and give some help. Tomorrow the uncle buries her and what pain I have to see such innocence lost. I will pay my courtesy call to the girl and try to make her a decent burial and eternal rest. Then this Sunday in Rural Mutasa, we will go to a village where a church leader allegedly raped 7 girls and he is behind bars. Two of them were herding cattle and one girl took her torn clothes with blood stains and this must have traumatized a lot of people-it is so sad. I will be back on Monday and pass through the Girls Empowerment Village and meet rape survivors you will all meet when you come. I will email about my experiences and what I would have seen. This is part of what I enjoy doing, being in the remote parts of the country listening to many stories and offering help wherever I can. That way I heal. I just leave my home without anywhere specific to go.” This is the beginnings of an amazing story that needs to be told. Help us do that. You can send a donation to the Girl Child Network through my company, Fresh Water Spigot. Please make your check out to: Girl Child Network c/o Fresh Water Spigot Mail to: 455 Old La Honda Road Woodside, CA 94062 More to come…]]> tag:freshwaterspigot.com,2007:/blog//1.7 2007-07-11T15:38:41Z 2007-08-01T22:23:05Z

A few months back my fellow authors and I went to speak in Chico, California. In my portion of the speech, I usually talk about my experience with sexual abuse and how it is such an epidemic in the United...

Michealene Risley http://freshwaterspigot.com "This Is Not the Life I Ordered”. Co-authored with three other women, it was a book project that came together after ten years in the making. In the book there are stories from over 40 women on topics such as the loss of a child, widowhood and infidelity. At the end of each chapter is a series of exercises you can do to work your way through the life crises. The book was timely for our walk and for Rita’s life. She was facing leaving her two children and a length of time in a federal prison. Yes, this is certainly not the life she ordered! The three other co-authors and I had met over time and became friends. Deborah Collins Stephens (the true writer amongst us), Jackie Speier, who at that point in time was a California State Senator, TV Personality Jan Yanehiro and I began meeting at each others houses just to talk. Over coffee, baked goods, and sometimes incredible lunches, we would spill our stories and tears and talk through what was happening in our lives. It made a huge difference for all of us. In the book, we had hoped to create a blue print for other women to copy. I told Rita about our book as we hiked. She went out and bought a copy at the local bookstore that day. Not only did she like it, but she read portions of the book to her daughters who were struggling her imminent departure to prison. Rita was counting on being put in a prison in California, but weeks before her departure, she was told to report out of state. Now not only was she going to prison, but going far away enough so that it would be very difficult for the kids to visit. As her departure loomed, the book became a “guide” for Rita. In fact, based on one of our chapters on Courage, her and her daughters talked about getting “Courage” tattooed on their bikini line. The tattoo would serve as a way to remind them to stay strong when life got too hard without mom. Rita started handing the book out to other friends who were having a hard time in life as well. See, that’s the thing about Rita that I always loved- No matter what her situation was, she always thought about other people. We began to talk and hike frequently and I was hopeful that she would get a judge that could see the whole picture. That was not to be. Her sentence was 15 months in a federal institution, 830 miles away. I saw Rita that day she left for prison. I can only speak of my own heartbreak as I saw a mom have to say goodbye to her daughters. My spit dissipated as I watched her youngest daughter cling to her as if she would never see her again. I wanted to scream out with rage, “isn’t there some other answer?!” This woman was no threat to society, she wants to change her life, and her prison term is going to end up costing taxpayers a great amount of money. Remember the beginning of this blog? How this woman I met had prosecuted her father and he got less than 6 months with a bracelet while still working? Where is the logic in this? There is more to come. Next up, I will tell you Rita’s actions and how they ended up putting her in a Federal Penitentiary.]]>