Success in our 12th adventure!!

Cold start, river crossings, waterfall crossings & 21km later were happily enjoying a late lunch. Successful adventure!!!  More photos soon!

Photo of the day

Photo Of The Day: This photo features a woman from Bosnia and Herzegovina feeding sheep.

Shop Kivu!

Kivu is an ethical brand inside and out.  

When each scarf is printed, a length is sent back to the women in Rwanda who create beads to sell and raise money for their families. Through its work with Women For Women International, Kivu actively supports the economic growth and social, cultural and commercial advancement of women in developing countries.

Aviss new range of scarves take their design inspiration from the deconstructed pavements of Bosnia -Herzgovinia. The print is based on the pavements in Sarajevo where mortar bombs landed during the war and left the pavements marked, marks filled in with red resin that are still there today, called a Sarejevo Rose. Mortar rounds landing on concrete created a unique fragmentation pattern that looks almost floral in arrangement. This is the inspiration for these beautiful scarves. Bosnia is where Women for Women International started 20 years ago, this collection marks two decades of work.
impact. Sustainable development and corporate social responsibility are not simply vague aspirations -
Slate and Acai 130 x 130cm Square Mink and Black 130 x 130cm Square 100% 100% Silk Chiffon, £285 Silk Chiffon, £285

www.kivustyle.com, Browns, South Molton Street, London W1
PRESS ENQUIRIES
amy@goldengoosepr.com, harriet@goldengoosepr.com 

Kivu scarf in blue seen on Colleen Abuhaidar in Yangon poolside as a sarong and as a scarf to enter temples respectfully in Bagan.  

Adventure 12!

We've climbed it in the summer but today we head off once again to Puigmal in Frace for a winter attempt.  Ice axes, crampons, and all of our winter mountaineering gear in tow!  Wish us luck!  ADVENTURE #12!

In the spirit of Christmas!

As we prepare and plot our next and final adventure we've stayed busy keeping up with a few other incredible sights that give back…

An early Christmas gift led us to ZAANHA…glamour for good.  ZAANHA donates a portion of each sale to the ZAANHA Fund, a non-profit 501 c 3 entity, whose purpose is to send Afghan children to school.  "Education will enable these children to build productive lives for themselves and lay the groundwork for future generations."
To learn more follow the link above or:
email: zaanha@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/zaanha
www.twitter.com/zaanha_tweets

Also the newly launched Escape to Shop features items from around the world hand picked by the ever discerning & fashionable Erica Gragg.  This new website features items supporting local economies around the world and some gifts that give back even more.  Visit Escape to Shops website or Facebook page to learn more or for up to the minute flash sales.  Speaking from experience we are hoping to find the Saarti blessing bowl candles.  (Under the category gifts that give back)  

Wine lovers can give back too...

The gift that keeps on giving for wine lovers…choose your charity, choose your wine, and 50% of proceeds will go towards your cause.  Whats not to love about that?

Visit One Hope Wines now.

Gifts that Give Back...

I'm always looking for gifts that give back.  Many of these websites aren't only for Christmas but I use year round...birthdays, baby showers, new mommies.  Friends send me more ideas and I find them on my own.  I keep a bookmark bar for them "Gifts that Give Back" which makes it even easier.  I hope this helps you through the holiday season gifting, and that it adds a bit of extra cheer as you know your gift is giving back just a little more.

Women for Women International

Your gifts will benefit the women we serve in the eight countries where we work. With your support, women in our programs will receive job training, learn about their rights and their health and build social networks. You will truly be making a lasting impact on the lives of women survivors of war.
Give back in many ways through Women for Women International

International Rescue Committee
Give a gift that helps refugees around the world.
Shop Rescue Gifts

LifeIce
Not only our biggest supporter but for every box purchased you're helping contribute to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.  This gift is great for athletes, children, healthy eaters, or really any one who wants a healthy alternative to a popsicle.  Filled with vitamins it is good for you, low calorie it is guilt free, and supporting the OCRF should make you feel good.
Shop LifeIce

A Peace Treaty

Born in 2008, as a personal pact between Farah Malik, a Pakistani Muslim, and Dana Arbib, a Libyan Jew, A PEACE TREATY creates employment for skilled artisans working in places of socio-political strife, effectively supporting their technique and craft while elevating their products to the level of high design for an exclusive and international fashion audience.
Shop A Peace Treaty

Unalibri

For every shirt purchased a book will be donated to a child in need.  Talk about the gift that keeps on giving! 

Shop UnaLibri

Diana Warner Obligato Collection

Every purchase provides clean water for a year for 10 people in Africa.  

Shop Obligato

Every Mother Counts

You can support Every Mother Counts by purchasing specified items from any of the partners listed on this page. A portion of each sale goes to support EMC.

Explore Every Mother Counts

Pact Apparel

The best part: with every purchase, you help PACT make a positive change in our world. Each season, PACT designs a new collection of clothing inspired by someone doing something good: whether it’s about clean water, sustainable food, or affordable housing—we stick to the basics. We invest in projects that create independence. We are solution-oriented. Optimistic. Community-based. And we make great underwear along the way. Our line of high quality, great value clothing is growing but it's still the essentials--underwear, socks, graphic tees, with more to come. No matter what PACT does, we always stay true to our basic principles. Good design. Good fabric. Good cause.

Shop Pact Apparel

The Giving Keys

Employing people who are transition out of homelessness these cute necklaces come with a fun message.  

Shop the Giving Keys

Given Goods

Given Goods is the marketplace for products that give back. Every product offered on Given Goods makes a tangible social impact every time it's purchased.

Shop Given Goods

Ecouterre

Shop the slide show of 14 different gifts that give back...

Shop Ecouterre

Harpers Bazaar Trendy & Stylish Gift Guide

Shop Harpers Bazaar guide now!

YouTube clip of the Bagan Temple Marathon

See the link below for a glimpse into our most recent marathon...and if you watch to the end you can see me!  

Click here!

Women for Women International-Gifts that Give Back

More coming soon...but until then why not visit the holiday gift guide of "gifts that give back" from Women for Women International.  (Available both in the USA and UK)

Job training skills, supplies, even baby chickens or goats...

Click here to shop

Unable to make the fashion show? Live bidding online has begun for auction items....

The Browns & Women for Women International Catwalk Show Auction is now Live Online:http://gavelandgrand.com/auctions/womenforwomen

This is your opportunity to bid from wherever you are on some of the incredible lots donated this year, including exquisite looks from Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and more, as well as money-can’t-buy experiences like the personal and private tour by Dinos Chapman of his studio, the Exclusive Luxury Weekend in NYC and the paid internship at Browns.

Hosted by Gavel &Grand, the new charity auction site created by leading online luxury auction house Paddle8, the Silent online auction will end at 9.30pm GMT on Tuesday 19^th November. Lots labelled as Live will transfer to the Live Auction on the night – our Auctioneer Simon de Pury will then take over, starting the Live Auction bidding at the highest online bid. Guests at the event will be treated to a special surprise live auction lot on the night.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with Philippa phalliday@womenforwomen.org, who is managing this fantastic event, if you would like any more details about the evening or this auction – good luck with your bids, and do feel free to post the link on your Twitter and Facebook – the more people bidding, the more money we will raise, and the more women survivors of war will be able to rebuild their lives.

Will you be in London next Tuesday night?

Are you in London next Tuesday?  This is an event not to be missed....

Date: Tuesday, 19 November 2013
Venue: The French Residence, London
Women for Women International's premier fashion event in partnership with Browns is a glamorous catwalk show and auction at the French Embassy Résidence in Central London Grammar

Catwalk show
Professional models will walk in the catwalk show to display the looks from top designers, similar to a catwalk show hosted by a Fashion House. Previous models that have walked in Women for Women International's Fashion Shows include Jacquetta Wheeler, Jade Parfitt, Amber Le Bon, Daisy Lowe and Stella Tennant.

Auction
The live auction following the catwalk show will be conducted by Simon de Pury, and will feature approximately 15 high-end fashion pieces. Designers confirmed so far include Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Haider Ackermann, Nina Ricci, Antonio Berardi, Erdem and more. There will also be approximately 15 money-can’t-buy silent auction lots. Lots so far confirmed include a bespoke pair of shoes by top luxury shoe designer, an amazing weekend in New York curated by one of the most exclusive property groups in the world, an afternoon of photography around London with a renowned photographer, imparting his professional tips and wisdom, and more.

This year, for the first time ever, the Browns and Women for Women International Fashion Show Auction will be hosted online by Gavel&Grand – a new charity auction site created by Paddle8, the leading online luxury auction house. Supporters around the world will  be able to bid from afar and in advance on the auction, which will go live in the week commencing 4 November – a link to the online auction will be posted on this page.

Guests
Previous attendees have included: Princess Alexandra Massimo di Roccasecca, Joan Burstein CBE, Edie Campbell, Lucy Yeomans, Sophie Hix, Hikari Yokoyama, John Frieda, Angela Missoni, Justine Picardie, Cherie Lunghi, Felicia Brocklebank, Avery Agnelli, Alisa Swidler, Nona Hendryx, Kim Hersov and more
Tickets
Tickets are priced at £250. Spaces are limited. To purchase your ticket please contact Dani Mason at dmason@womenforwomen.org or +44 (0)207 922 7774

Happy to share that we've finished the Bagan Temple Marathon!  Stay tuned for updates upon our return to Yangon on Monday. 

Bagan temple marathon

Though not the easiest marathon due to scorching heat and humidity, certainly one of the most fun. As we suffered physically we ran through villages, past herds of goats, ox carts, local farmers, and not to mention the thousands of temples Bagan has to offer!  We're now back in Yangon before heading to the beach to kayak, dive, hike, and relax for a few days before we head back home. 

Happy to share that we've finished the Bagan Temple Marathon!  Stay tuned for updates upon our return to Yangon on Monday. 

Training run in Yangon

Beautiful sightings along our training run in Yangon yesterday morning. Heading to the airport shortly to catch our flight to Bagan. Marathon begins 7am to try to beat the heat of the day!  (Projected temperature is a "cool" 24c at 7am). 

Save the date...

For anyone in the Bay Area...save the date!

We've arrived!

We've arrived safely and connected to wifi in Yangon. Off to Bagan early tomorrow. Had an evening walk to the waterfront last night catching "rush hour" by waterway. 

Thank you Lifeice for keeping us in stock. 

Off now for a final run...unlike our usual runs today our goal is a pagoda. 

Summit photo

Carlit Summit Success

For those of you interested to see the route we took up please follow the garmin link below:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/395631550


This morning we rose bright and early before the sun was even fully up to begin making our way towards the Carlit Massif just across the border in France.

After a coffee in Mont Louis we were heading towards the trail head, energized and ready to go.

As you can see if you look in the garmin, the climb in approximately 15Km round trip, the approach to the summit a very slight ascent, with a very steep 1-2km to finish up towards the summit ridge.

It was super pleasant weather, calm winds, which only began to grow as we grew nearer to the ridge.  Around the same time the trail changed into a bit more of a steep rock scramble.  (Pictured below)

We approached the summit as the winds began to pick up but had incredible views all around.  We enjoyed an apple and the view before making our way back down towards the big lake which is pictured below.  

As we headed down the wind pick up (as predicted) but once we were off the more jagged rocks we were able to scramble down quite quickly.  

More photos to come...sadly, my summit photo won't upload onto my computer out of the email! 

On to Adventure 11...the Bagan Temple Marathon in Myanmar. (Burma)  We have been told phone access will be impossible if not quite limited.  If you're interested to follow us we will be running on Saturday morning of next weekend.  I am running under my name (Colleen Abuhaidar) and I believe I am race number 1.  If the race tracker up is up and running I hope you should be able to see how I've done.  (Or at least see within a few days that I've finished.)

After the race we're heading to the Mergui Islands to enjoy a few days of diving, so our first connection to the digital world might not be until our arrival in Bangkok the 9th/10th of November.  

Thank you for following!  

For those of you in the UK

For those of you in the UK, double your donation made to WFWI UK before the 28th of October!


Follow this link to learn more.

Carlit Massif take two!

If the weather cooperates hopefully we will be summiting the Carlit Massif for our 10th adventure of the year.  The wind speed is projected to reach 50kph but we hope with our early start we will not be in the heavy winds for long!  

The Carlit is a mountain of the French Pyrenees and has an elevation of 2,921 m (9,583 ft) above sea level.[2]
It is the highest point of the department of Pyrénées-Orientales and of the region Languedoc-Roussillon, France.

Wish us luck and stay tuned! 

Carlit Massif

If the weather cooperates hopefully we will be summiting the Carlit Massif for our 10th adventure of the year.  The

s a mountain of the French Pyrenees and has an elevation of 2,921 m (9,583 ft) above sea level.[2]
It is the highest point of the department of Pyrénées-Orientales and of the region Languedoc-Roussillon, France.

Wish us luck and stay tuned!

The Giving Keys...

Alternatively lose yourself in the website of The Giving Key...and not just in its cute accessories but the stories of keys sold and the companies creation...
Click here!

Stay warm!

Have you checked out KIVU style to see the selection of scarves available for all seasons?

Ethical Partnerships

Kivu is inspired by the regions supported by Women for Women International (WfWI), an organisation which works with socially excluded women in countries where war and conflict has devastated lives and communities. Our partnership with WfWI, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and other Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) is an opportunity to utilise our knowledge of working with rural crafters to benefit the co-operatives and micro enterprises which are helping change the lives of women across the world.

Kivu is quintessentially about creating an exquisite, quality product which actively supports the economic growth and social, cultural and commercial advancement of women in developing countries. Kivu is not just about purchasing beautiful clothing; it is a commitment to making an impact. At Kivu, sustainable development and corporate social responsibility are not simply vague aspirations – nor are they an ‘add-on’ to the line; they lie at the very heart of the brand and all that it stands for.

(From KIVUSTYLE.COM)  

In Need of a Saturday Movie?

Looking for a movie this weekend?  No Man's Land, 2001, academy award best foreign film....

No Man's Land

From Absolutely Health and Beauty-you can run with BAFTA winning actress Juliet Aubrey this October in London.

ABSOLUTELY

HEALTH & BEAUTY

A Wo m a n for Women
BAFTA-WINNING ACTRESS AND SOUTH LONDON LOCAL JULIET AUBREY TALKS TO ABSOLUTELY ABOUT WHY SHE’S RUNNING FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS

Juliet Aubrey
has one of those faces which you immediately recognise but can’t quite
place. That is until someone points out the countless programmes she’s been
in and you instantly kick yourself. You see, Juliet
has been on our screens
for over twenty years,
giving a BAFTA-winning performance in Middlemarch in the nineties, playing evil Helen Cutter in Primeval
in the noughties and most recently the Countess of Warwick in the BBC’s historical drama The White Queen. Today, the south Londoner is training for a 10k run to raise awareness for Women for Women, a charity which works to support socially excluded women in war-torn countries across the world. Here she tells us why she’s getting involved...
Absolutely: You’re running 10k for Women for Women International this month. Why have you decided to support this charity in particular?
Juliet Aubrey: My involvement began with Women for Women about two years ago after my sister died. She had campaigned and fundraised for them for some time and had
been responsible for getting a group together to bring awareness to people in the UN about violence against women, particularly in East Congo. I met some of the representatives for Women for Women at her memorial service and it felt like the right thing to do, to carry on the work that she’d left us.

Abs: So how have you carried on this work?
JA: This month I’m running the My Step Her Stride race in Regent’s Park. It’s a 10k run to raise awareness for the charity. We’re looking to get 100 runners together, so I’m hoping people will sign up!
Abs: How are you training for it?
Any tips?
JA: I’ve been up in Northumberland running on the beaches there,
as training on sand is great for endurance. I do run normally, but it’s going to be tough as I’ve never run 10k before. I’d be happy if I did it under
an hour.

Abs: On a separate note, you’ve just finished filming The White Queen for the BBC. It’s been said that the series is being axed...
JA: There was never an intention to make a second series so no, it's not been axed.
Abs: Would you do another period drama?
JA: Absolutely, I love learning about periods of history which I didn’t know about before. At the moment I don't have anything particular in mind, so I’ll wait and see. You know as soon as you read a script whether you like it or not.
Abs: How much research
do you have to do for a
period role?
JA: As much as you want; as much as you feel comfortable doing. There’s that old saying, ‘You don’t know a person until you’ve walked a million miles in their shoes’ so I try
to find out about the time the character was living in and what it was like to be alive then.
Abs: You live in Herne Hill. What’s the best thing about living in south London?
JA: There’s so many green spaces
in south London and so many bars popping up. And Brixton is so vibrant, full of new bars and cafés, and there’s always music in the street. I’m a big south London fan.
Women for Women are looking to get 100 runners in the 10k My Step Her Stride race on 6th October. To join Juliet on
the run, visit womenforwomen.org.uk/ mystep to sign up.

Guest post from Walid

Part of any adventure includes overcoming all of the obstacles involved.  In my own personal opinion, it is not adventure if those obstacles aren't to a high degree, personal in nature.  For me, personally, I suffer from an irrational fear of heights, which is not uncommon, though it is uncommon in those people who choose to scale the worlds highest mountains.  I derive a great deal of personal growth from facing head on my irrational fear and "possible shortcoming" to achieve my goal.  

Colleen suffers a similar irrational fear, though it is harder to put a name to.  The adventure she chooses give provide the same effect, or result, as a persons irrational fear of heights, but are derived from a variety of sources.  For example, during a triathlon, there should be no reason why Colleen, who is a wonderful swimmer, a decent biker, and an excellent runner, should have any more to worry about than any other triathlete, and yet, prior to an event she is riddled with deepest fears and anxieties for weeks.  As her husband, best friend, and confidant, it took me a while to understand this and I realized that is simply as irrational as my own fear of heights, and for her surmounting each challenge has much less to do with the physical difficult than with the psychological one.  It is for this that I have so much respect for what she is doing.  

Overcoming physical challenges, whether it is forcing the pedals around when your legs burn or putting one foot in front of the other while running is relatively easy.  The hardest part of a really true and honest adventure is overcoming the psychological because that digs deepest into your own personal shortcomings as an individual and requires the most courage.  One has to be courageous to admit his or her own fear.  One has to be courageous to jump into water with 2,000 people, when, for whatever reason that has been keeping you awake and occupying your mind for weeks.  

The purpose of Colleens adventures and blog is to raise awareness for women who have endured things that majority of us can't even wrap our own minds around.  How does one continue to put one foot in front of the other, or get out of bed, when faced with some of the challenges or past experiences that these women have endured.  Clearly it is a psychological struggle on a Herculean scale.  It requires facing ones own fears, being honest, having the courage to reach out for help and digging into the depth of ones own strength and integrity.  What Colleen is doing in the sporting realm, or that of adventure, is worlds apart in intensity but similar in principle and we have a lot to learn from her and those women who she has chosen to represent in this year.  

Maybe one of the most important things we can take away from this year, and these challenges, aside from the awareness to the injustice in this world, is that a drive for self improvement through awareness of ones own psychological limitations and the desire to overcome those makes life both richer and more rewarding.  I'm not proud of my wife because she can run, bicycle, or swim any giving distance, I am proud because she chooses to do things that make her scared, uncomfortable and anxious.  She chooses to believe in herself even when her mind doesn't want to....

Are you looking for a fun marathon in the upcoming meal?

Check them out here!

For those of you in Portland!

Attention Portland area supporters! Run or walk with hundreds of other women as you train together with Foot Traffic Women's Academy this fall! This all-women's running and walking training program prepares members to complete a 10K or a half marathon. Program starts Sept. 14th. Foot Traffic will donate $40 of every half program registration and $20 of every 10k program registration to Women for Women International! Simply use code "WfWI" when registering! Visit the link below for more info!


read about it here!

Marathon du Medoc

For the challenge of September we were once again joined by our friends Angus and Lucy.  (With whom we completed the 3 peaks challenge in January.  

Since last seeing them they've had a bit of excitement in their lives themselves; Angus successfully summated the north face of Mount Everest and they are expecting their first child next month.  

The Medoc Marathon is slightly different than other marathons for a few reasons.  There is a costume theme-this year the theme was science fiction.  Additionally we ran through 50 chateaux with wine tastings at 30.  Along the way chocolates, sandwiches, cheese, oysters and ice cream were offered.  

Marathon day we were up EXTRA early for hair and makeup.  Thanks to amazon and sephora we created our avatar costumes with the final addition of a spear.  (Which we ran the whole marathon with)

After hair and make up we were on the shuttle bus waving good bye to Lucy who would meet us later with Pepinot.  

Dismounting the bus we were greeted by star trek, star wars, super heroes, aliens, and even a few of our avatar cousins!

The marathon started out in a rush of costumes-8500 people taking off towards the first wine station.  (At kilometer 7)  

We felt amazing the first half, and around the second I began hurting.  With walking, a wine tasting, and a bit of stretching we carried on.  

The final portion of the marathon was PAINFUL.  (And according to Walids garmin watch we actually ran 43 kilometers vs. the 42 marathon distance.  

All in all it was an excellent adventure...how often do you have an opportunity to run with the most famous characters of science fiction??

Crossing the finish line we were presented with a rose, medal, backpack and a bottle of wine.  Finding Lucy very quickly we headed for a glass of wine then back to the hotel to begin the removal of our blue body paint.  

Thank you all for following and your support.  Certainly during this marathon if I had not had it I may have been tempted to call it a day after the half way point.  

Lucy, Pepi, and the bump.

Morning bus ride for Avatars. 

Typical marathon start? 

Sci-fi friends.  

When Avatar met the Ironmen

Pre race acrobatics show . 

Angus overtaking superwoman. 

First wine stop at kilometer 22. (My only wine stop during the race)  

Another chateaux and wine stop.