For over a year, psychologist Victoria Bentley of Montecito Rotary has worked in Africa’s East Congo, using her own resources to bring relief to over ninety of the half million displaced women who have been raped, battered and humiliated at the hands of soldiers in the war with Rwanda. Victoria provides counseling, education, occupational training and micro loans to heal and make self-sufficient these victims, each of whom has 6-9 hungry children in tow.

Montecito Rotary is working to expand this effort to serve many more of the survivors by enabling teams trained by Victoria to spread out into the countryside to help more women and their children using this successful project model. Clubs interested in this work and partnering should contact Lawrence Thompson, Architect, club International Chair, for more information at 805 962-2236 or medesign@verizon.net. This "Empower Congo Women" project has a small web site of the same name. Presentations to clubs or boards of directors eagerly made upon request.