Three women we want to tell you about: from WITNESS

An Appeal from WITNESS - visit www.witness.org for more information

Dear Friend,

We are writing to tell you about our latest efforts to end violence against women and to ask for your support.

We've recently received a generous challenge grant that expires on June 5th. Starting today, each dollar you donate will be tripled. If we can raise $30,000 by June 5th, we will receive an additional $60,000.

Please give today as we work to end violence against women.

Everyday we hear about thousands of women and men all over the world who are fighting for their safety and dignity. Here are three stories we find particularly troubling:

• Abigail from Zimbabwe was involved with a civil rights NGO. Her involvement with this group attracted police attention, and they attacked and beat her -- hurting her so badly that she miscarried. Thousands of women and girls like Abigail suffer politically motivated violence -- especially during elections.

• Saeeda from Yemen had to leave school because of racial harassment. To survive, she became a street cleaner -- a dangerous job that ultimately proved to be fatal when Saeeda was stabbed to death while people walked by and did nothing. Gender, race and class discrimination puts women like Saeeda in grave danger.

• In Mexico, 19-year old Neyra disappeared on her way home from a regular day at school. Two months later, she was found brutally murdered. That was six years ago, and her family still doesn't know who committed this horrible crime. Neyra is one of 470 women murdered, with thousands more women reported disappeared in this scandal that has terrorized women and girls for more than a decade.

As women working at WITNESS, we see firsthand how far your donations go and how critical your support is to the work of our dedicated staff, our partners and frontline human rights defenders around the globe. Please join us by making a donation to WITNESS today.

While complete justice for Abigail, Saeeda and Neyra remains in the future, we believe that when women tell their stories, it makes a difference in their lives and in the lives of others. Together we will make sure that women and girls can see it, film it, and change their lives. By giving today your contribution will be tripled!

Watch this video to learn more about women who are fighting for positive change.

Help us reach our donor challenge by June 5th
We have been given a generous challenge grant from the J.A. and H.G. Woodruff Jr. Charitable Trust that is also being matched by the WITNESS Board. If we can raise $30,000 by June 5th, we will receive another $60,000. We need your help to open the eyes of the world. Please give now and help us meet the challenge!