Very dear Friends and Family.

In October, I will be trekking to Mt Everest Base Camp (5,400m) in aid of the charity Women for Women International UK which helps women survivors of war rebuild their lives.  I am overjoyed at the opportunity to contribute again to this special cause with which I was involved back in my years in London. It is an exhilarating challenge and I am personally committed to raise £10,000 for all the "goddesses at war" of this world.

 

Our team of 10 women will be led by inspirational  Everest summiteer Susan Harper Todd, and together we will raise £100,000 in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of International Women's Day.

 

The climb of 10-12 days including acclimation days will start in Lukla- Nepal upward the Sherpa Capital of Namche Bazaar at 3,440 meters. We will then follow the  Dush Kosi river valley, reach Dingboche at 4,260 meters and proceed via Gorakshep to the Everest Base Camp, a flat field at 5545 meters below Kala Patthar and Mt Pumori.

 

It will be an extraordinary journey about friendships, passions, freedom, and the commitment to others. In the spirit of humility and gratitude, we will be pushing our physical and mental limits on behalf of those women  who are deprived of most basic freedom: the rights to live in peace and happiness with their loved ones, the right to education and self accomplishement, the right to live with respect and decency.

We live daily with these vital basic rights, yet others can only dream of.

 

About Women for Women International

Since its creation, Women for Women International has given hope to more than 290,000 women survivors of war and conflict and helped them move towards economic self-sufficiency with its year-long programs of direct aid, rights awareness,  education, job skills training and small business development.

WfWI has distributed $95 million in direct aid, microcredit loans and other programme services.

 

 About the Trek

We will be taking prayer flags to Everest with messages from women around the world with words of peace.The flags will then be returned to the UK for auctioning along with a small rock memento from the summit. This trek is not just about raising funds for women in countries at war, it is also a personal journey about supporting others with our own passions, convictions, priviledged life and connections.

 

I appeal to you to please support me in raising vital funds for Women for Women International. I appeal to you to help women around the world whose life has been devastated by war, violence and rape. Let us togetehr help them by equipping them with the tools and resources necessary to move beyond crisis and poverty towards  building confidence and self sufficiency.

 

With deep gratitude and thanks for your generosity,

 

Valerie
PS: it goes without saying that all funds will go directly to the charity as each member of the team is financing it own expedition costs!

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