For our inaugural fundraiser, Project Resilience will work to benefit the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative's Panzi Hospital Project.

Our goal is to raise $20,000 to support one of the upcoming HHI Panzi Hospital Project medical missions scheduled for the fall of 2008. The physicians and other medical professionals who volunteer to go on these missions perform much needed surgeries, train the staff at the hospital, and deliver medical supplies.  The expertise these teams provide increases the hospital's capacity to treat the flood of victims who arrive in need of care on a daily basis (10-12 rape victims come to the hospital each day; of these, about 30% require major surgery).  The money we raise will pay for travel expenses, security, as well as medical supplies - the cost of sending doctors to work at the Panzi Hospital.  Through this humanitarian effort - an immediate, practical response to individuals suffering unspeakable atrocities - we can bring healing and hope to victims of sexual violence in the Congo.

To achieve this end, Project Resilience will host a cocktail party fundraiser and silent auction on June 14, 2008, at Lightspace Studio, 8755 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA (lightspacestudio.com), from 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm.

Dr. Julie Van Rooyen will be speaking at the event. Dr. Van Rooyen, an HHI senior scientist and the primary investigator for the Panzi Hospital Project, has made one visit to Panzi and currently oversees the sending of doctors and researchers to the hospital.

Musician Michael Harris will provide musical entertainment.