June Dresses is a month long, peer-peer fundraising campaign for women where participants pledge to make a difference by wearing a dress each day in June.

Why dresses?June Dresses® was started by Adrienne Donnelly, a school teacher in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. After wearing a dress for 30 continuous days and posting photos on Facebook in 2010, Adrienne's friends approached her to join in just for the fun of being part of a community of women. By 2012, more than 100 women joined this virtual community wherein participants experienced heightened confidence, a sense of empowerment, and a sense of community/belonging.

During the current Covid-19 lockdown, this sense of belonging to a larger cause feels immensely important and necessary for our mental well-being. More to the point, refugee women go through an enormously challenging journey before they arrive in their host country and during the current lockdown, they possibly need more of our support to feel a sense of belonging.

Please join me in supporting this wonderful organisation in all the work they are doing for asylum-seeking and refugee women. Many thanks for your time to read this note and considering donating to Refugee Women Connect.

Aparna Gonibeed