Sister Connection plans East Wenatchee fundraiser for Burundi programs

EAST WENATCHEE — Sister Connection will hold a fundraising event Oct. 17 in East Wenatchee highlighting the nonprofit organization's work with widows and orphans in Burundi.

The "Mission Immersion: A Journey to Mount Hope" event is scheduled at Circle 5 Winery, 3400 10th St. SE. Doors will open at 4 p.m., with the event beginning at 4:30 p.m.

The ticketed event will feature activities based on Sister Connection's vocational training program at Mount Hope in Burundi. Planned activities include sustainable living, Burundian food, sewing, a market and an interactive buckets and baskets activity. A traditional Burundian meal and one beverage are included with admission, according to the organization.

The event will conclude with a fundraising paddle raise. Sister Connection said it hopes to raise $50,000 for its widow sponsorship program.

Sister Connection began in 2007 following years of ethnic conflict in Burundi. According to the organization, it has since built more than 3,000 homes and assisted approximately 14,000 widows and orphaned children.

The nonprofit operates programs focused on homebuilding, sponsorship, vocational training and micro-enterprise training.

Wenatchee resident Craig Reese has served as Sister Connection's international president and CEO since 2015 and oversees its global operations from the organization's Wenatchee headquarters.

“Our goal is to increase the number of widows and orphans served by leveraging our resources to empower widows to mentor other widows. This plan will be accomplished in 3 phases over the next 10 years. The first phase is underway, focused on developing vocational training models in the four other provinces of the country. Using Mount Hope as the foundational model is paramount to accomplishing the next two phases,” Reese said.

The Oct. 17 fundraiser is part of Sister Connection's effort to present its approximately 20 years of work in Burundi and raise money for its sponsorship program.

Tickets to the Mission Immersion event are limited and available at sisterconnection.org