Reaching Out: Gisimba Orphanage Auction Items

Many thanks to all the donors for their generous gifts for the silent auction:

Melet Mercantile
First edition - Peter Beard Photography book

"Longing for Darkness" -  Kamante's Tales from Out of Africa

Valued at $150; Starting bid: $60. Current bid: $100

Steven Alan

Total Retail value of both gift baskets: $1000

Womens Gift Basket:
Jewel green silk shirt - small
plaid PJ pant and solid woven shirt set - small/medium

Starting bid: $100

Men's Gift Basket:
Medium stripe woven long sleeve shirt
Olive chino trouser pant 32 waist
Light blue chambray short sleeve woven shirt (XL)

Starting bid: $100

American Eagle Outfitters 

Men's Gift Basket 

Men's vintage fit plaid long sleeve shirt (medium)

Blue graphic tee (medium)

Lowrise slim straight leg denim jeans (32x32)

Metal dogtag necklace & leather wallet

$10 AE gift card

valued at $150: Starting bid: $50

Women's Gift Basket 

Pink slubby scoop neck long sleeve t-shirt (small)

White cotton mini with smocking and eyelet detail (small)

Lowrise, bootcut navy favorite trouser (size 8)

Ben Lee CD

AE shimmer body cream & aerie sparkling body mist

$10 AE gift card

valued at $150: Starting bid: $50. Current bid: $52

$150 Gift card for 1 hour massage with Sam Cagnina

Voted #1 massage therapist in New York City by New York Magazine

Starting bid: $70. Current bid: $120

$100 Gift card at The General Greene

229 Dekalb Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11205

Starting bid: $45. Current bid: $50

$25 Gift card at Bidonville Coffee & Tea

47 Willoughby Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11205

Starting bid: $15. Current bid: $20

$50 Gift card at Jusami Children's tees

Starting bid: $25. Current bid: $35

Record Bracelets by Monkey

Valued at $50. Starting bid: $15

3 Men's and 3 Women's ELGIN watches by M.Z. Berger

Valued at $225-$350. Starting bid: $75 per watch

For more auction items check out the list at www.republicbrooklyn.com

Also, all Create for a Cause designer tees will be available for sale at the event. 

Donated Tees by Save Khaki, Additional tees from Edun Live.  

Tees Screened by Lincoln Mayne. 

All proceeds go towards Gisimba Orphanage.

Reaching Out: Gisimba Orphanage event - Photographers

"The aftermath of the genocide is seen in the eyes of the orphans"
- Kresta King Cutcher Venning

"Laid back" - Mitch Stookey

"Mischief, for sure." - Brandon Thiessen

Next week's Create for a Cause/Republic event on Friday May 29 will feature stunning photography by Kresta King Cutcher Venning, Mitch Stookey and Brandon Thiessen. All photographers have shot extensively in Central East Africa. Kresta is currently fundraising for a photography workshop for Gisimba Orphanage. and Mitch volunteered to document Create for a Cause's donation distribution at the orphanage last summer.
Photographs in the show are for sale on request. Proceeds going towards Gisimba.

Collin Sekajugo - Ivuka Arts Studio

"Young Heroes" by Collin Sekajugo - 3 x 4 ft

Valued at $700; Starting bid: $300. Current bid: $600

I'm really thrilled to announce that the Reaching Out: Gisimba Orphanage event will exhibiting Rwandan artist, Collin Sekajugo's work! His masterful use of vibrant colors to create vivid motion makes his stunning work breathe a life of its own.

He has generously donated his "Young Heroes" piece for the silent auction. The painting measures 4ft long and 3 ft high. It depicts a tradition dance performed by young energetic men or boys for the king of Rwanda. It's also an inspiration from what Collin's kids dance troupe perform during their shows.

More on the other artists and photographers participating in the event to come...

Collin Sekajugo - Ivuka Arts Studio

"Related" by Collin Sekajugo - 3 ft x 4 ft acrylic $750 

This is another exquisite piece Collin Sekajugo created at the Ivuka Arts Studio in Kigali, Rwanda. "Related" is about siblings. Collin was inspired from his experience with his kids dance troupe.

"There are couple of them who are related, brother and sisters...and they are fond of looking out for each other in times of despair or when whenever something wrong happens to them."

"Related" will be for sale at the the Reaching Out: Gisimba Orphanage event on Friday for $750 USD. Proceeds from this work will benefit the Ivuka Arts Studio in Rwanda.

Updates on AFEM - DRC: U.S. Senate hearings

Business Card & Graphic Design Rebrand for AFEM created by Deena Suh

Back in March, Create for a Cause did some advocating and fundraising for AFEM in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We are pleased to report that Chouchou Namegabe, the Director of South Kivu's Media Association (AFEM) was invited back to testify before the Senate this week on sexual violence against women in conflict zones.

Wednesday’s Senate hearing can be viewed at:
http://www.senate.gov/fplayers/CommPlayer/commFlashPlayer.cfm?fn=foreign051309p&st=435

Chouchou's testimony starts on minute 95

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS UNITED STATES SENATE:
Hearing on sexual violence against women in conflict zones – spotlight: DRC and Sudan.

Witnesses:

Panel 1:
The Honorable Melanne Verveer
Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues
Department of State
Washington, DC

The Honorable Esther Brimmer
Assistant Secretary of State for
International Organization Affairs
Department of State
Washington, DC

Phil Carter
Acting Assistant Secretary
of the Bureau of African Affairs
Department of State
Washington, DC

Panel 2:

Eve Ensler
Founder
V-Day
Democratic Republic of the Congo

Chouchou Namegabe Nabintu
Journalist
Democratic Republic of the Congo

Robert Warwick
Country Director of Southern Sudan
International Rescue Committee
Southern Sudan

Neimat Ahmadi
Darfuri Liason Officer
Save Darfur Coalition
Washington, DC

John Prendergast
Co-Founder
The Enough Project
Washington, DC