Donate today
Urgent Appeal: Please help Goma and our girls in crisis
On January 27th, Goma, the largest city in Eastern DRC fell to the M23 rebel group. Over days of bombings and gunfire, thousands were injured and the UN has reported 3,000 dead so far. The girls and families we work with are facing emergency conditions. They lack access to clean water, food, electricity, and ability to earn an income. Within this treacherous environment, girls remain the most vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Daily life before this crisis was already embedded with constant threats of human sex trafficking, child marriage, and rape that our female networks, community advocacy and save space like skills sessions mitigated. This is now amplified.
Our team of young women mentors on the ground are trained in social and emotional support, and gender-based violence case management and are guided by our operations manager who is a medical doctor. With our person-to-person network we have identified urgent needs and are mobilizing to meet them in Bujovu, one of the poorest and most insecure neighborhoods of Goma.
We will be providing basic essentials 6 young women mentors, 200 girls and their family members – approximately 800 - to sustain them in this extremely dangerous and desperate time. What we will provide is likely their only safety net. These include: underwear, sanitary napkins, soap, a solar light, rice, beans, and oil.
100% of all donations go to purchasing these basic essentials.
Your support today will ensure that we keep our commitment to these girls and their families during this difficult and crucial time.
With gratitude,
The Colors of Connection Team
Scan with your camera to donate from your phone
Give with confidence Donations are 100% Secure
One-Time Gift
With your support girls and their communities are able to protect themselves from gender-based violence, and develop leadership and visibility and voice in their communities. Young people are able to experience the joy and healing process of creative self-expression. Positive relationships and connections are forged that dissipate anger and nurture connection. The result of changing a life is boundless.
Give with confidence Donations are 100% Secure
“I feel joy when I look at the murals because I see a message of peace, and now I am hopeful of returning to my country in peace because if the youth, who are the strength of the society, understand this message of peaceful cohabitation, all will be well for the future.”
Ati Wallet Ibrahim, Resident of Goudoubo Refugee Camp, Burkina Faso
“Joining the class was better for me, for loneliness. I didn’t have friends before the project. Now everyone in the project is my friend.”
Feedy, Youth Participant, Goudoubo, Burkina Faso
Scan with your camera to donate from your phone
Give Monthly
Join our Artivist Circle by setting up a monthly donation of $10 or more. Your support as a monthly donor will enable more young people to make art, spark hope, and become agents of change in their communities.
By becoming a member of Colors of Connection’s Artivist Circle
You are providing invaluable support to CC projects
Receive an exclusive annual progress report on the impact of your support.
Get an Artivist tote bag created by artist and muralist Magda Love that is only available to members of the CC Artivist Circle. (Reserved for those who donate at the $25+ monthly level.)
Give with confidence Donations are 100% Secure
“What I believe is that through the paintings you can impart knowledge on people. There are people who are illiterate, who don’t know how to read and write, especially in Liberia here, and through seeing the paintings they will get to know that the paintings are imparting a certain knowledge in them, and they will understand that.”
-Kadiatou, Youth Participant, Harper, Liberia
“It is since I have been part of this program that I feel so listened to and considered.”
Rosette, Youth Participant, Goma, DRC
Scan with your camera to donate from your phone
Colors of Connection is an exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; EIN # 46-4114716. No goods or services were provided in exchange for this contribution.
To donate by check, make the check out to Colors of Connection.
Mail checks to
Colors of Connection
P.O. Box 50371
Brooklyn, NY
11205
