Move for Moms Near and Far - WAVE Zumbathon

What do the words Strey Khmer mean to you? Probably not much. But to Cambodian women it means hope, safety and change. And to Michele Tayler it’s a way to help. In 2006, after an eye-opening visit to Cambodia, Michele and her partners Liz Fogerty, Margaret Rattigan and Susan Griffith formed WAVE, Women Against Violence Everywhere. WAVE is a non-profit, grass-roots organization that initiates and supports programs and projects aimed to help lift women out of poverty and protect them from harm. They began by working with local organization ‘Strey Khmer’ (lit. ‘Cambodian Women’) building safehouses for women and girls affected by domestic violence in a large rubber-growing commune and training safehouse leaders in appropriate responses and victims’ legal rights. Like much of the country, it is an impoverished place where mothers and daughters fall prey to physical attacks, rape and the threats of human trafficking and sexual slavery. With approx. 50% of the country’s population living on less than $2 per day and where girls are far less likely to attend high school and college than boys, education and training are the keys to a brighter future. WAVE provides scholarships for girls to attend college in Phnom Penh and seed funding for small business start-ups. A new initiative for an early childhood learning center is an upcoming program in a rural rice-farming community that has had little opportunity to focus on the benefits of education for their kids. On May 18th, WAVE along with local Zumba® instructors Linda Cicero (of Norwalk), Franci Torres (of Stamford), Sandra Torres (of Stamford), Alex Ackley (of Bridgeport) Michael Oxley (of Bridgeport) and Pierre Fitzenberger (of Bridgeport) are calling all moms and daughters, husbands and sons, to join them in a very special Zumbathon® event to benefit WAVE. Lose a little and gain a lot by donating your sweat equity to a great cause. The event will be had at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Stamford, CT at 1230 Newfield Avenue from 10:30am – 12:30pm (doors open at 10am). Tickets are $15 before 5/18 and $20 at the door. 50% of all proceeds from this event will go to WAVE. For tickets or more information about WAVE Zumbathon®, please call Linda Cicero at 860.428.5833 or Alex Ackley at 203.382.3339. For more information or to find out how you can donate to WAVE visit www.thewaveproject.org or check out WAVE’s Facebook page. Zumba® and Zumbathon® are registered trademarks of Zumba® Fitness.