Wednesday, 14 December 2011
Thursday, 11 December 2008
KIWANJA, Congo
Nov. 6: Protegee carries her niece, Response, left, as she looks for her parents in the village Kiwanja, eastern Congo.
Some 134 youngsters without guardians have been registered since the end of October, but the Red Cross said the real number could be much higher.
"There was panic when the guns started to fire," said Prosper Sebuhire, the Goma-based manager of the new campaign. "People fled in every direction. In the confusion, many people lost sight of their children."
Messages are being broadcast on four radio stations in violence-struck areas and the Red Cross will begin posting photographs of lost children in areas where displaced people are gathered.
Fifteen families have been reunited over the past week, the Red Cross said in a statement.
Rebels supporting breakaway Gen. Laurent Nkunda launched an offensive in eastern Congo on Aug. 28. The fighting is the latest round in years of conflict that began when Rwanda's genocidal Hutu fighters fled over the border and into the Congolese forest after killing over 500,000 Tutsis in 1994.
Nkunda says he is fighting to protect Congo's minorities, especially ethnic Tutsis. But critics say Nkunda is more interested in raw power and Congo's mineral wealth.
Both government and rebel fighters have been accused of raping, mutilating and killing civilians.
The current force of 17,000 U.N. peacekeepers — the largest U.N. peacekeeping force in the world — is expected to be reinforced with an additional 3,000 soldiers, but they may take several months to deploy.
U.N.-backed peace talks are under way in Nairobi, Kenya, led by special U.N. envoy Olusegun Obasanjo, who hopes the talks can establish a lasting cease-fire and allow aid deliveries into the troubled region. But neither Nkunda nor Congolese president Joseph Kabila is attending.
Obasanjo, a former Nigerian president, said Tuesday that preliminary talks between Kabila and Nkunda's representatives were "making progress" and that more "substantive" talks could begin before Dec. 25.
Congo's 1998-2003 war drew in the armies of at least six nearby nations and aid groups say ongoing violence has left more than 3 million people dead. The latest clashes have sparked fears that Congo could return to all-out war.
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Botswana School Project
Radisele is a small rural village about 250km north of the capital of Botswana, Gaborone. Although the local primary school offers basic education, the children barely own necessary learning materials (such as paper, pens, etc.). To provide these children with a better learning environment, your contribution through the purchase of this calendar will be used directly for educational materials. Thus, this project is to help create higher educational standard in Radisele.
Kenia Kilifi Waisenhaus-Projekt
Kenia-Hilfe Buxheim e.V. supports needy children in Kenya. With an orphanage in Kilifi, the association allows the children to live in a foster family and provides essential care, emotional support and therefore, the chance for a better future. All members of the association are volunteers. Donations through sales of this calendar go directly to these particular children. Kenia-Hilfe Buxheim regulates the use of your contribution in Kenya. The association is officially registered in Kenya and the association's activities are also monitored throughout Kenya.Further information: www.kenia-hilfe-buxheim.de
Zambia BOCCS Aids-orphan Project
BOCCS means Buyantanshi Open Christian Community Schools. The BOCCS project operating under the leadership of the Mülheimer Association from Germany runs eight schools in the town of Kabwe in Zambia. The schools are attended by more than 4,000 students. These students who live in poor conditions - mostly without electricity and water supply - are provided with educational opportunities. In the BOCCS schools the children learn theoretical knowledge as well as practical skills for basic self-help.Further information: www.boccs.de
What do you really need? What do you have? What can you give?
In our Western world almost every wish is pretty much fulfilled, while children in Africa often seem to be happier and more satisfied with essential and simple things. However these essential things - like education and sport opportunities - are often out of reach for many children in Africa.
A smile
This thought has given us the drive to act. With the Share-for-smiles calendar, we offer everyone the possibility to share a smile with children in Africa.
How does it work? It's easy!
You buy the 2009 Africa Calendar of beautiful African landscapes for yourself or as a gift for a friend. For 15 euros (plus 7% Tax) you purchase one calendar. Every single cent of your money spent on this 15 Euro calendar will be totally and equally distributed into our supported projects in Zambia, Kenya and Botswana. Your donations will be spent on those projects with the focus on Education and Sports as the focal issues. Our performance
Share-for-smiles can make this possible as the total costs of production are fully sponsored. The whole Share-for-smiles project is based 100% on voluntary work. How your donations will be used, you can read 2009 on this website.
Support the project with the purchase of your calendar. Present a calendar and bring a smile to African children.
2009 It's time to share for smiles
Welcome to Share for Smiles!
On the following sites you can inform yourself about "Share-for-smiles".You will find out about the Share-for-smiles concept, the Calendar, and of course how you can assist Share-for-smiles.
Our projects supporting schools and orphanages in Africa will give you an overview, how Share-for-smiles helps to provide African children with better educational opportunities.
Come and read about Share-for-smiles and its unique concept.
Your "Share-for-smiles" team
Tuesday, 11 November 2008
Monday, 10 November 2008
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| The Face of Famine |
gReEtInGs WoRlD... We hope this finds you well, safe and not believing the hype. Ethiopia has been making the news, again, these days amid fears of famine in South Western part of the country. Much of the media surrounding these stories is accompanied by the go-to images of suffering, despair, etc. Pretty simple: hunger is not a happy thing. However, as some of you may know we recently visited South West Ethiopia as part of the "One Zany Blossoming Love" Tour. And, we can say this seeing the fields of stunted, brown, wilting maize is like witnessing a fatal car crash in slow motion. However, despite this people there are very much still alive, and, amazingly enough giving the opportunity are more than willing to smile. While a smile can not be equated to food in times of hunger, it is a source of strength, it is proof that you are still alive. Thus, today we offer you a bit of a different image of famine and simply say FAMINE IS HAPPENING ONLY BECAUSE WE LET IT...  ...the follwoing photo is one of reasons people were smiling that day...  Finally today, we have a bit of EXCELLENT AYC news...first, yesterday with the much-appreciated assistance of the Awassa City Administration we managed to secure permission for the Awassa Basketball park. Yes, it is already under construction but that is another story. Second, yesterday was graduation here at AYC, a class of 6 kids, whom let's just say life gave them a rough deal, finished a summer tutorial program here. The class was faciltated by both International and Ethiopian volunteers. For their hard work AYC will pay their schools fees, provide supplies and also offer a lunch program for the new students. PLEASE NOTE we have yet to secure the funds for this, if you are interested in helping us out with this (or with any of our programs for that matter) just let us know. We leave you today with the happy graduates....  One Love, One Fight. | |||
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| History in the Making... |
gReEtInGs... Good morning from beautiful Awassa, Ethiopia. Today's blog is the first glimpse of a what we consider to be small, yet significant, bit of history in the making here. Namely this week we broke ground on what will be Ethiopia's first paved, hence proper, public basketball court! Thank you to all those whom made this dream a reality.   Finally, today there is a couple more photos of what was also a bit of "history in the making" a couple weeks ago. Namely, our theater tour to the Omo valley. It was history for two reasons 1) to the best of our knowledge no one has taken a production of this scale and provided it to people there for FREE and 2) the majority of visitors to Omo mainly travel their to people watch, take some photos and leave, this tour was about giving back to the people of the Omo, even if it was just a smile. Yes people, this is what CAN be done.   One Love, One Fight. | |||
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| ONE ZANY BLOSSOMING LOVE, pt. 4 |
| hElLo WoRlD... We continue today with some more pics of last week's tour. While the photos are great they can't really do justice to the magic of the tour. Life remains very vivid, undiluted in the Omo and the tour seemed to reflect this. One the road...  ...anxiously awaiting the first show of the tour....  ...a big, blue-sky finish...  One Love, One Fight. | |||
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| ONE ZANY BLOSSOMING LOVE, pt. 3 |
gReEtInGs OnE lOvE pEoPlE... We freshly back from the road, namely the "ONE ZANY BLOSSOMING LOVE" tour. A 1-week journey that took us to Ethiopia's remote, historic and jaw-droppingly beautiful Omo Valley, home to some of the most unique and stunning people's on the planet. With a cast and crew of 34 we piled into a bus and made the 2-day journey to Jinka, the capital of the Omo Valley. There and along the way we performed 7 shows for over 12,000 people!!! All performances were performed with a live band, free of charge and conducted in venues such as town squares and market places. It is safe to say that majority of audiences had never seen anything like this in their lives and, thus, were gracious, respectful and fun. Even in places were the quality of life could be a "bit" better, smiles filled the audiences. The tour concluded with a packed-house performance in Addis Ababa's historic Hagar Feker theater. Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to thank the audiences, artists and donors who mad this truly unique opportunity possible. There will be more photos to come this week. A tour map (South Western Ethiopia), yellow is our route...  ...travelling takes it's toll...  ...though luckily there was no shortage of scenery...  ....nearly 40 hours were spent in the bus but there was also some flying too...  stay tuned.... One Love, One Fight. | |||
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| ONE ZANY BLOSSOMING LOVE, pt. 2 |
gReEtInGs EaRtHlInGs... We are in the midst of a workshop this week. Though not the kind of typical workshop that merely brings together a bunch of so-called "experts" to discuss their mistakes only to repeat them at a higher pay scale. Oh no. This is a different workshop, it is a ONE ZANY BLOSSOMING LOVE workshop. Bringing together 3 different groups (One Love, Fikat Circus, Zany Umbrella Circus) to collaborate on a special show that we will take on tour to Ethiopia's historic Omo Valley next week! Fun. Today we debuted the show to a great response at a nearby school for an audience of manily children, the best critics possible. Here is a sneed peak of the past week of training, show pics to come soon...      One Love, One Fight. | |||
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| "ONE ZANY BLOSSOMING LOVE" |
| gOoD pEoPlE... We hope this finds you sturdy. Two very important things to mention on this Thursday Blog. The first is this Saturday we will begin the "One Zany Blossoming Love" workshop and tour. Let me explain. The workshop will bring together 3 circus groups...the Zany Umbrella Circus(www.zanyumbrellacircus.com) , Fikat Circus (Addis Ababa), and One Love Theater...together to create a show that we then will take on a tour across Ethiopia! Culminating with a show at the historic Hagar Feker Theater in Addis Ababa on the afternoon of Saturday, August 16th. Oh, Fikat means "blossoming" in Amharic...hence ONE ZANY BLOSSOMING LOVE. More to come, be assured. Secondly, this morning One Love travelled to Yirba (about 45 km outside of Awassa) and performed in the market for a very excited and excellent audience of over 1,000 people! As always, the show was performed with live music and, if nothing else, seemed to make everyone involved smile. It looked like this, only better...    One Love, One Fight. | |||
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| A Mornings Wurk... |
wOrLd... Today. Morning. Bus. Market. People. Theater. Circus. Music. Art. Smiles.           One Love. One Fight. | |||
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| AYC Event!, pt. 2 |
hElLo FrOm SuNnY/rAiNy AwAsSa.... Last Friday, July 4th, AYC organized a 3+ hour extravaganza aimed at celebrating the end of school, hope, endurance, life, etc. We would like to thank all the artists and youth whom made it possible. Beyond that let the photos do the talking...          One Love. One Fight. | |||
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| AYC Community Event! |
gOoD pEoPlE...
We hope this finds you all well in your respective niches of the World. Last Friday, July 4th, we had the first AYC Community Event. Held at the park located in front of AYC, it included aikido demonstrations, a One Love Theater performance, several talented youth musicans and Fikat Circus from Addis Ababa. Despite torrential rains and power outages over 1,000 people attended the 3-hour event!!!! The following photos give an idea what it takes to make something like this happen. Hopefully soon we should have some photos of the show. For now, enjoy...
One Love, One Fight.
img src='http://images.quickblogcast.com/69596-61007/stg21.JPG'
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