by Anne Cheung
In the fall of 2016, I got an email from a friend at work asking if she was still collecting bras for disbursement through her A2Empowerment network in Cameroon. Why not? After all, the original project had been successful and a few bras had rolled in here and there since the first collection in 2012. I thought I’d just stuff a couple more into the closet until the next big donation drive…well, that drive happened sooner than I thought because by replying yes to that email I had inadvertently agreed to the next big bra donation drive! Next thing I knew, I was copied on an email distribution list to the women’s network at the company where I work! I didn’t want to deny those in the A2Empowerment a chance to donate, so I put out an email. Hundreds of new or nearly new bras were donated last fall. Longtime A2Empowerment supporter and dear friend, Mia Rushe, along with her daughter Maeve, volunteered to take over. They sorted through all of the bras, packaged and repackaged them to find the most efficient means of shipment, and paid hundreds of dollars to ship them to Peace Corps Volunteer, Gina Dettmer, in Cameroon.
Gina and local women in her community held a bra sale in late Feburary. As relayed by Gina in March,
The bras arrived last week. Oh, have they been a hit. We are selling them at 200F each (about 30 cents) to various women’s groups: our A2 girls, our Widows Empowerment Project members, and local farmers. All proceeds go to our widows’ group. I wish you were here to hear the comments. “This breast wear is STRONG. Beautiful! Beautiful!” Makes me so happy.
Thank you for making me so happy. For making my counterpart (the one in the green dress) so happy, and all the women and girls who are benefiting. Rock on!
What’s better than sending 200+ bras to Cameroon to literally support women, improving their confidence and self-esteem? Sending 200+ more! We have hundreds of additional bras, many collected in Western New York by Anne Rapin’s mom and aunt, waiting to send and still sorted in the Rushe basement. This fall the Women’s Internal Network (WIN) at Biogen plans to hold a fundraiser to collect funding to ship the remaining bras to Cameroon. Stay tuned for Bra Project, Take 3…
A special thank you to the Rushe family, Gina Dettmer, Gloria LaSota, Lynne Rapin, Parika Petaipimol, all volunteers and everyone who made a donation!