“A journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step.”-Lao Tzu
Due solely to their gender, women face disproportionate violence and widespread societal discrimination and marginalization on a global scale.
The statistics speak for themselves:
- India ranks highest in the world in egregious acts against women including acid attacks, female genital mutilation, child marriage, stoning, physical abuse, and female infanticide [1].
- It is estimated that over 40% of South African women will be raped in their lifetime [2].
- Just 24 (5%) female CEOs led companies on the 2018 Fortune 500 [3].
These numbers are sobering. However, the good news is that women, no longer content to remain silent about their fears and struggles, are mobilizing as witnessed with the #MeToo movement and the myriad of women’s marches across continents.
To continue this shift in awareness, Star Walkers Foundation is raising a rallying call to elevate the voice and visibility of marginalized women through the transformative power of pilgrimage. In the spring of 2020, we will embark and film our first annual walk with 13 women, from around the globe. Together these women will trek a 500-mile, 50-day journey along the ancient pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela (“The Way of the Stars”) from France to Spain. As a rite of passage, these women will be confronted with their strengths and weaknesses to discover for themselves what it truly means to feel free, empowered, and independent.
We have already started to gather our 13 Starwalkers, and you can see them share their stories in the link below:
This is just the beginning and each year Star Walkers Foundation will hold an annual fundraiser walk on the Camino. The proceeds from these walks will be channeled back to women centric organizations of our Starwalkers’ home communities around the world.
In order to make this vision a reality, we are reaching out to like-minded individuals, companies, and organizations for financial support and in-kind donations. If you’re interested in getting involved please don’t hesitate in reaching out.
Olivia R. Elliott
Founding Director
Star Walkers Foundation