Without trying to step into a political minefield that I really have no interest in debating. And with a desire to not give any more attention to a situation that I already feel is clearly unfortunate and for which there can be no real winners at the end of the day, I found myself looking for a silver lining to pin my joy to today when flipping through the news.

There was news about protesters and rallies and speeches, and even a segment about Ellen DeGeneres (who I happen to love), but none of it was giving me the “GOOD” feeling I was looking for. I’m a person who always tries to find the good in the bad, the light in the darkness and the silver lining amongst the darkest of clouds.

Today I read about two people who definitely gave me that “good amongst bad” feeling. They are the 2018 recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize, Dr. Denis Mukwege and Ms. Nadia Murad. Two amazing people who deserve so much more than just this recognition.

Dr. Mukwege is a gynecologist and surgeon from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is often referred to as “The Man Who Mends Women”. He treats rape and sexual assault survivors who have been victims of rape as a weapon of war. His basic principle is “justice is everyone’s business”. He is so gentle with the women he treats and is aware that while they often need intense physical repairs, they also need emotional support services as well and he is always on the side of the patient first. He has been mending and treating these survivors for over 20 years now and has no plans to stop as long as there is a need for his services.

The trauma and unspeakable pain he must see every day is something I personally cannot even begin to fathom but knowing there are men like him out there who are tirelessly working to heal and mend these women is so inspiring. It made me want to learn more about him and these women to see if there is any way in which I too, could help. I found the Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation online and encourage everyone to go take a minute and visit it. This may not be a “feel good” subject but it is one worth talking about. This foundation is providing life saving and life changing resources to women who have undergone tremendous violence and this man is fighting to bring an end to it and provide some healing and comfort to them.

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Ms. Nadia Murad is from the Northern Iraqi town of Sinjar where she was captured as a Yazidi minority by ISIS and sold as a sex slave as a means to use rape as a weapon of war. When thousands of woman refused to be named because of fear and shame, Murad insisted she be interviewed and photographed to bring attention to the cause and help stop sexual violence in war-torn countries.

In 2016, at age 23, she was made a UN Goodwill Ambassador for the dignity of survivors of human trafficking. Ms. Murad has bravely spoken out even though doing so might have put her in danger and has made it her mission to shed light on the cause of sexual violence and rape as a war crime. If you wish to learn more about Nadia’s journey or how to help the Yazidi women, visit the site I have posted below. She is a remarkable woman with an incredible will to survive and is someone I believe will change the world someday.

https://nadiasinitiative.org/justice4yazidis/

These two people receiving the Nobel Peace Prize felt like the perfect coda to a week marked with strife and upheaval surrounding issues involving sexual assault and violence. They both showed that there is absolutely GOOD that can come out of the very worst situations in life and that the light will always shine through the darkness.

#bethechange

#believesurvivors

#stoptheviolence