Some of Ruth Snyder's former neighbors in Congo Kinshasa were murdered in the past eight years, others fled their homes and now struggle to earn enough money to buy food



Ms. Snyder, a Frederick resident, lived in the Central African nation (formerly known as Zaire) in the 1980s and 1990s before violence escalated. She remembers peaceful villages where people would call out greetings to one another each morning. "It seemed so much safer than here," she said. The country, however, was on the brink of collapse due to corruption and dictatorship. In 1998, war began. The conflict has its roots in ethnic cleansing and battles for the nation's mineral wealth. In 2004, Ms. Snyder returned to the DRC and saw how her friends have suffered. Now she and several Frederick women are working to alleviate the misery of women in the DRC.

Some of Ruth Snyder's former neighbors in Congo Kinshasa were murdered in the past eight years, others fled their homes and now struggle to earn enough money to buy food

War, poverty spur women to action

Awareness event, 5K run will raise funds for Congo

Published on November 17, 2006

By Nancy Hernandez
News-Post Staff

FREDERICK -- Some of Ruth Snyder's former neighbors were murdered in the past eight years. Others fled their homes and now struggle to earn enough money to buy food.

"Everybody is thin, struggling to make a living," she said.

The horrors Ms. Snyder's friends have endured are common in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, she said.

Ms. Snyder, a Frederick resident, lived in the Central African nation (formerly known as Zaire) in the 1980s and 1990s before violence escalated.

She remembers peaceful villages where people would call out greetings to one another each morning.

"It seemed so much safer than here," she said.

The country, however, was on the brink of collapse due to corruption and dictatorship. In 1998, war began. The conflict has its roots in ethnic cleansing and battles for the nation's mineral wealth.

In 2004, Ms. Snyder returned to the DRC and saw how her friends have suffered. Now she and several Frederick women are working to alleviate the misery of women in the DRC.

The Frederick women are holding an awareness event tonight and are organizing a 5K run in April to raise money to send to Congolese women.

The money will be funneled through Women for Women International, a nonprofit humanitarian organization that provides financial assistance, job skills training and emotional support to women in nine war-torn regions.

Women for Women won a 2006 Conrad N. Hilton humanitarian prize for its work to end human suffering.

"I really think there is a power in women working together," said Gina Donnelly, a Frederick resident and co-organizer of the awareness event.

A gab session this past summer catapulted the Frederick women to begin their mission, she said.

"We were sitting around ... talking about a combination of things -- marriage, strong women in the community, Peace Corps, running," Ms. Donnelly said.

Most of the women enjoy running together and they began chatting about how they could use running to help solve social problems.

"We wanted to run for a reason," Ms. Donnelly said.

Their goal became clear when Ms. Snyder spoke about suffering in the DRC, she said.

More than 3 million people have died during the past eight years, according to the Web site of the International Crisis Group, a nonprofit organization that works to prevent and resolve deadly clashes.

Nine African nations were involved in what has been called the most deadly conflict in the world since World War II. Although the war officially ended in 2003, violence continues in several regions.

Mortality studies indicate about 1,000 people die each day from war-related causes, such as violence, disease and malnutrition, according to the International Crisis Group. Rampant government corruption allows members of the national army and rebel groups to continue abusing civilians. Rape and sexual slavery are daily realit
Boscov
ies for women and children.

"When you hear the stories, you can't close your eyes and go shopping," Ms. Snyder said.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: November, 2006; Peace Corps Congo Kinshasa; Directory of Congo Kinshasa RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Congo Kinshasa RPCVs

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