Voss Foundation recently held its second annual Women Helping Women Hamptons Luncheon at Tutto il Giorno in Southampton for over 90 guests. Combined ticket sales, dedicated project donations and Bazaar purchases totaled over $33,000 which will benefit women in need worldwide. Notable attendees included Judith Giuliani, Bonnie Young, Christine Mack, Gabby Karan de Felice, Susan Shin, Sharyn Bradford, Diana Buxton, Raysa Fanjul, Lydia Carlston, Liliana Cavendish, MacDella Cooper, Lindy Gad, Melinda Hackett, Krista Krieger, Kathleen Tait, Diana DiMenna, Jen Marden, Jessica Mezzacappa, Ryan Mulcock, Elizabeth Pepperman, Marisa Rose van Bokhorst, Heather Shemilt, Alison Shulman, Deborah Srb, Kathleen Tait, Tracy Williams, and Catherine Zadeh.
Throughout the luncheon, guests shopped Voss Foundation’s celebrated bazaar that includes handmade jewelry, scarves, homeware and toys purchased directly from communities where the organization works.
Sengalese activist, Magatte Wade, founder of luxury skincare line ’Tiossan’, served as master of ceremonies. She praised Voss Foundation for their dedication to African culture and the needs of African people. Liberian philanthropist MacDella Cooper, introduced Georgie Badiel, the honoree of the event and spoke of her extensive efforts to educate and empower African women. Georgie, a model and Miss Africa 2004, accepted the honor and recalled watching her nine-month pregnant sister wake up daily, between 2-4 AM to collect water. Witnessing this hardship encouraged her to found the Georgie Badiel Foundation, which is dedicated to helping the Burkinabé people gain access to clean water and a healthier life. This also served as the inspiration behind of the upcoming children’s book, The Water Princess, that Badiel co-authored with Susan Verde.
About the Voss Foundation: Dedicated to providing access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene as a means to enable community-driven development in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Voss Foundation is raising awareness of the region’s ongoing need. Founded by the directors of VOSS of Norway, ASA as an independent 501(c)(3) public charity, Voss Foundation has offices in New York and Oslo. Since its inception in 2008, Voss Foundation has helped to build 124 water access points and 462 sanitation facilities in Kenya, Mali, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Swaziland, and Uganda (as of June 2015).
About Women Helping Women. WHW)is a Voss Foundation global, grassroots initiative that brings together champions of clean water to improve the lives of women and their communities worldwide. The WHW network has already funded 21 water access points and 291 sanitation facilities in Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia and Swaziland. When circumstances permit, WHW donors have the opportunity to travel to project sites and meet the women and communities they have helped. In addition to Women Helping Women Beach, 2015 WHW events are planned or have taken place in Boston and New York.
