Local Event Will Benefit Victims Of Congolese Civil War

The ongoing human tragedy in the Congo was brought to the forefront Thursday morning during Broadtalk(10-11 a.m. on KROC-AM).  Mariana Iglesias of Rochester stopped by the KROC-AM studio to talk about the long and bloody civil war in east Africa, as well as a local event organized to raise awareness of the horrifying conflict and to raise funds for an initiative known as the City of Joy. 

The Rochester Rising City of Joy 5K Run will take place May 30th at Soldiers Field Park. Iglesias says it's open to runners and walkers with an entry fee of $30 dollars for adults and $20 dollars for students.

Organizers are raising money to support the City of Joy in Bukavu, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Iglesias describes it as, "a revolutionary center for women who have been victims of sexual violence."  She says the decades of fighting in the Congo has resulted in the "systematic destruction of the Congolese female" through murder, rape and mutilation.

Iglesias says the City of Joy was built by the victims of the ongoing femicide four years ago and has provided them with the ability to heal emotionally. They also have the opportunity to develop themselves into leaders of the community and to drive the future of their country. She describes the center as a safe haven that takes on 90 women at a time for a period of six-months, during which they develop a variety of new skills, including speaking English.

It's part of a wider education initiative aimed to increasing awareness about violence against women.  During her appearance on Broadtalk, Iglesias noted,

"Since 1996, this barbaric civil war has claimed 8-million lives.  Despite the number, no humanitarian crisis has generated so little attention for so many victims."

To learn more and listen to the Broadtalk show, click on the play button below.