Overview

After a twenty-five-year career spent fighting for women's rights around the globe at the expense of time with her family, Karen Sherman looked around and realized she didn't really know her children and felt little connection to her husband. With her world--work, marriage, family--crashing down, she made the rash decision to move to Rwanda with her three sons. While her boys attended the international school, she worked to better the lives of women survivors of war. But as the survivors--Josephine, Ange, Grace, Euphraise, Debora, Yvette, and Teresa--shared their stories of grit and determination, building lives and raising families despite the brutal challenges of war, genocide, and inequality, Karen began to see how her work was connected to the abuse in her own past, and how it was preventing her from becoming the woman she wanted to be. The struggles of these survivors, she realized, were the struggles of women everywhere, regardless of place or circumstance: striving to balance work and family, fighting for real options and choices, trying to make their voices heard. The strength of these women helped Karen find her own way through conflict zones and battles with corrupt politicians. In the end, the journey brings her home to her family and to a renewed commitment to fighting for women around the world to live free from violence and abuse, in peace and with dignity.

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9781538130315

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Reviews

A moving, fascinating story filled with emotional highs and lows, adventures and setbacks-and a large dose of wisdom. Every woman will relate to aspects of Brick by Brick and be inspired. -- Melanne Verveer, former United States ambassador for global women's issues Karen Sherman tells her poignant story of being a mother, a successful leader, and an advocate for women worldwide in Brick by Brick. Her empathy for women who have been victims of violence, abuse, and disempowerment is inspirational, and her story truly has the unique power to connect the stories of women everywhere. -- Joyce Banda, former president of Malawi Karen Sherman's personal and inspiring account of her family's experience living in Rwanda for a year and the many life lessons that came from her work with women survivors is an easy and compelling read for anyone who strives to be a global citizen-and raise global citizens. -- Lauren Bush Lauren, founder and CEO of FEED Karen Sherman tells two powerful stories here, both of them straightforward yet affecting: one about her personal struggles in the first world overlaid on another about women pushed to the brink during the Rwandan genocide. Along the way, it becomes clear that the ability to triumph is rooted in empathy and shared support. In Brick by Brick's overlapping worlds, life lessons are where you find them, and heartrending and heartwarming are never far apart. -- Alan Huffman, author of Mississippi in Africa and Here I Am

Author Information

Karen currently serves as president of the Akilah Institute, an all-women’s college in Rwanda. Prior to joining Akilah, she was the COO at Women for Women International, an organization that enables women survivors of war to restart their lives. Karen also has served as executive vice president at Counterpart International, a global humanitarian and development organization. Karen is founding board chair of Everywoman Everywhere and on the board of trustees for Mary Baldwin College. Karen lives in Bethesda, Maryland.

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