Children

The children in Senegal were amazing. So many beautiful faces, so much hope in their eyes. They were all so excited to see us, to touch us, to follow our movements and watch us.

I spent some time last night with some African friends at their house. We talked a lot about the children, and how the key to change the poverty in Senegal (and in other parts of Africa) is to educate the children. A new friend, Samba, told me that he feels that for those who are living here, it is a terrible injustice for them not to bring their children to the United States to educate them. He sees that the only hope is to begin to educate the children so that they can learn to break the cycle of poverty. But then, the more we bring children here, the more they become American, and not African. They give up their culture to have a chance at a better life.

Processing the trip, 3 days later

I haven't gone through many of our photos yet. Still recovering from jet lag, catching up on stuff around here, and letting my brain process everything that we saw and experienced. My computer hard drive is slow and should have been upgraded before our trip; now I have come home with 700 pictures (plus Zach's) and my computer is even slower. So I am taking it as a sign that I need to just take a little time to let everything process. The pictures will be there, and I will be able to sort through them when my brain is a little less tired.

In the meantime, I am beginning to think about everything that the trip meant. Zach and I were given several African outfits, and as I wash and fold and even iron them (so they can be stored nicely folded, as they were given to us), I have to say that I feel a little sad. These beautiful outfits with their bright colors and happy patterns are so much not a part of our reality here. We live in a world that is so much busier, so serious. As I put these clothes away, I feel like I am putting away a very special piece of our lives. I want to make sure that it is not too inaccessible, and that I can pull it out again. Or even, I guess, not put it away at all.

Also experiencing a bit of reverse culture shock of sorts. Went to Sunflower Market today and was marveling at the bounty and the variety that is at our fingertips. We live in a world in which we are seconds between desire and satisfaction. (Those yogurt covered pretzels look good? Buy them! Kiwi from Hawaii? No problem! Organic packaged mac and cheese? Oh good, and it is even on sale!!) I walked through the aisles a bit daunted by all that is available to us. In the checkout lane as I prepared to mindlessly spend $50 on groceries, I saw a sign for charity:water (1 in 6 people in the world don't have access to clean water). Struck me as so odd that we can so carelessly spend money on our own frivolities when so many people don't even have what they need to live in anywhere near the comfort that we enjoy so casually. Clean water? In Ndindory, every last bit of water that they need in the village -- even for the cattle and sheep and goats -- must be pulled from a well. The wells are 30 meters deep, and in the dry season they have to pull from even deeper. When we were in Ndindory, I marvelled at the depth of the well. The men who were with me laughed...they said, "Suzanne, you think this is interesting. For us, this is our life. We don't know any other life other than the life of pulling water."

So the picture on this post is of a boy in Ndindory. He is proud of his very first ever crayon picture. The kids in this village had never before seen crayons.

Back in Denver

Zach and I are back in Denver! It is 5 a.m. and we have both been up for a couple hours already despite our efforts to sleep in "late". It will take us a while to get back on the right schedule.

The trip back was long but largely uneventful. It was fantastic to see Todd and Alyssa and to be able to hold Alyssa in my arms again.

The overall feeling for me from the trip is a sense of awe and amazement at the incredible love and generosity given to us during the trip. The Fulani people welcomed us with open arms, took care of our every need, and treated us with incredible generosity. They were kind and caring and embraced us fully. In each village we visited, we were given complete outfits (you should see the pictures of our group all decked out in the clothes they gave us). They provided our meals and welcomed us into their families. It truly was an experience that is beyond anything I ever expected.

We were also warmly hosted and cared for by some Methodist missionaries in Dakar. We used their vehicle and chauffeur, and prior to the trip took all our meals in their space. At the tail end of the trip, we showered at their house and used their computer. A few of us walked down to the beach for a last little bit of time and had some of the most magical moments of the trip as we watched hundreds of people walk and do exercises and play soccer in the sand. Zach brought a bag full of sand back with him - one last fleeting bit of Senegal to keep.

I'll post pics later today. Believe it or not, I think it is time to get Zach going on homework, so he can use his really awake hours to get something done. He will stay home from school today, with all hopes of getting him back on track tomorrow.

Thanks for all your support. I'll keep posting now that I am back on the computer so that you can learn more about the trip.

Latest from the Senegalese backcountry

I just received this is an email from Susan:

Hi all,It is 5 pm on Wednesday Senegal time and I am on a computer that is getting wireless via a telephone that gets its connection via a satellite. We are sitting in the middle of a courtyard, in a big, shaded porch, lounging on mats and mattresses. I am sure I have very little time on the computer so will write as fast as I can and count that as an update to all of you. Zach and I are doing great.

We are hot but are slowly becoming African, it seems. Our meals are communal, all sharing off of the same plate. Today the vehicle we were in was surprisingly full of people; when Zach asked why, I told him I thought it was because we were becoming African!! We are both wearing African clothes, and we have learned very much about the ways of the people in Senegal. I think you will not be surprised if, when we see you, we give a long speech that is full of words about how much we respect you and value your family!!

Zach and I had a big adventure yesterday and today because we left the group to go to Mamadou's village, Ndindoury, which is about a 2 hour drive from Doumgo Oura Alpha. The road was not very good for most of the journey, and we were in Oumar's private car going down there, chauffered by a cousin of his who spoke not a word of French. We arrived to a huge welcoming (as all of the welcomings have been) with drums and children running alongside the car. We arrived at Mamadou's family home in the village and were welcomed with dancers, story tellers, and just about everyone in the village at some point during the evening.

The experience was truthfully a bit overwhelming - we were totally immersed in Fulani culture without our "secret service agents" as we call them....our African friends and some university students from Dakar who have been helping us on our journey and buffering us from the population. In Ndindoury, it was a constant flow of people coming to greet us and only one person was really able to speak French to me. We gave the children crayons and watched them color (it was the first time they have ever seen crayons) and after dark made some glow stick lanterns that were a gigantic hit.

Zach actually got more time to read there then elsewhere on our trip because we weren't making official visits while we were there -- we did a quick trip to the school and to the clinic, but nothing like the multitude of visits we have done with the larger group. Zach was able to "escape" a little bit and let me interfacewith the population. By nightfall, I was exhausted!!! Today they gave us incredibly generous gifts of two sets of fabric, peanuts, and some local plants, a huge gift from such a poor family.

A car from Ndindoury brought us back to meet up with the rest of the group, where it felt like home in a way that we wouldn't have imagined. Oumar's wife, Miriam, took me to a tailor to have one set of the fabric made into a dress. It is amazing the finery of the clothing here - in the midst of such heat and dirt, there is a huge emphasis on dressing well.

We have seen a variety of homes. Where we are now, in Oumar's home, feels like a palace. There are beds in some of the rooms and running water. The bathrooms are clean. But we have also seen very different conditions, and many of them are not so good. All I can say is that Zach is the biggest trooper in the world. He gets the hero award 100 times!I gotta go but I wish I could write more!!!

Traveling to the Villages

Susan and Zach called yesterday (Sunday Nov. 8). It was about 8 p.m. in Senegal. They are doing well, staying healthy, and immersing in the local culture. They are taking tons of photos to share and put together into a slideshow when they return.

Their group was in Hoorefonde Village for their third night. This village is home to Aliou Ba, one of the West Africans from Summit County that are part of the cultural exchange trip.

Susan said they are being treated like dignitaries. Apparently they were welcomed by the entire village and got to meet with the village chief. The women wear beautiful fabrics. The kids have swarmed around Zach to the point some of the men have volunteered to help keep the kids back (Susan said it was like President Obama's secret service detail) when they are walking around.

It is extremely hot where they are - their entire group has been sleeping on the roof of a building rather than indoors. Zach has been conducting his water quality tests for his science fair project. They met with the man in the village who is in charge of the water treatment system - sounds like Zach had a great real-world experience with his studies.

Today they are traveling to Doumga Ouro Alpha Village, home of Oumar - the other West African from Summit County on the trip. Susan and Zach will then travel on Tuesday to her friend Mamadou's village and stay the night. Oumar has internet service at his village, so we may get lucky and get a post from Susan.

Alyssa and I had our own little tropical experience yesterday, though not nearly as hot or culturally rich as S&Z are having. I'll keep you wondering what we did.

--Todd

Dakar markets and Gore Island, Wednesday November 4

Todd here to post the latest update. Received the following email from Susan Wednesday afternoon (Wed evening in Dakar):

Just skyped with Zach's class. Very fun. We got to talk for about 20 minutes and the kids asked all sorts of great questions.

Things are going really well. We were at Gore Island today where they traded slaves. Very good tour with tons of info. We learned a lot - unfortunately a difficult topic, but worth learning about. We also did some shopping and Zach got to experience the throngs of vendors coming up to us, surrounding the van and us, being very pushy about selling us stuff. We have experienced the big markets where people who live here buy everything, and also an artisanal market with just arts and crafts and things like that.

Driving around the city is interesting - it ranges from dirt roads with more people walking than driving, to paved roads heading into the downtown area that are more crowded than any you have ever seen, with cars going in all sorts of odd directions. Yesterday we went down to the coast and played in the ocean a little bit. There are hundreds of little huts on the beach that people rent out and sit under during the day. Also, unfortunately, there is trash everywhere. Oh well.

Zach is doing great. He was still very tired this morning (imagine being waken at what feels like 1 in the morning!!) but he rallied during the day and seems to be doing really well now. The ladies who are feeding us were concerned about Zach yesterday because he didn't eat much, but now I think between him feeling less tired and getting used to the african food, he seems to be doing much better!

Tomorrow we are off to a game reserve and then to St. Louis, a city up the coast. One night there and then off to the villages. We are not sure how much access we will have to internet in the villages but will see.

End of Susan's email.

Here in Denver, Alyssa and I are settling into our routine. A local restaurant was holding a fundraiser for Alyssa's school and we went out for pizza last night. Alyssa got to play with a grapefruit-sized piece of dough while we were waiting for our meal. Grandma Bridges came over to the house after dinner to watch Alyssa while I went to the Denver Public Schools' middle school expo. In terms of crowds, not too much different than being on the streets of Dakar, just no dirt roads and heat to contend with!!

--Todd

In Dakar

It should be 4 in the morning for us but it is 11 a.m. instead. I am giving Zach some time to relax because he is tired. Our hotel is very simple with foam mattress bed and a shower with no apparent nozzle but still a trickle of water. This computer is very old and slow and has a french keyboard. I can speak french but cant type it. Just outside our door are women with babies on back and eggs on head. Horsedrawn wagon with kid selling salt. Kids with no shoes. beautiful fqbrics on the women. No seatbelts in cars but no need because we are in africa (their words). Mostly cinderblock buildings and many in abandoned construction phase. Mostly dirt roads. Customs was easy and everyone is very friendly. Typing very slow. Love being in Africa again and wonder if it is all too overwhelming for Zach on 2 hours of sleep. But so far so good. More later when I can.

Ready for Dakar

We are onboard South African Airways anticipating departure. They just handed out socks and toothbrushes, which gave Zach a good giggle.

Sadly, we just found out that a friend of Zach's, Jake, lost his dad last night. Our hearts are heavy because of this. Also we send our well wishes to Tim Tajchman right now as he fights his own battle with cancer. We send our love to both families.

The flight is 7+ hours. We will be tired when we get there!

Zach says: This jet is really cool (giggle giggle). One row has 2 seats on each side and 4 seats in the middle. Sadly tomorrow is the day when I take my malaria pill - it tastes really bad.

Zach was also excited about the "mobile lounge" that took us from one concourse to the other.

Thanks again to everyone for all the support for this trip.

This will be our last mobile post until we are back in US. We'll update via computers as possible and via communications with Todd.

Alyssa, how is Stewart??!!

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Baggage

We checked 10 bags. This included 4 Project Cure kits loaded with medical supplies and one bag loaded with school supplies and toothbrushes. It looks like we all brought lots of granola bars, too!!

Last moments with Alyssa

We are at the airport. Alyssa is such a brave kid for watching us go. We will miss her and Todd! There are 6 of us travelling together today. We will arrive in D.C. At about 3:30 and then in Dakar at about 7:00 tomorrow morning.

12 hours to go...

We are in the final moments before our departure. We'll leave for the airport in the morning at about 6:30 a.m. I am excited and sad, all at once. Excited for the trip, sad that I will go for 2 weeks without seeing Alyssa and Todd. Alyssa and I have cried together about our upcoming time apart, but she is a brave and wonderful kid, and her time with her dad will be very special. I think this will be an adventure for all of us.

I took Alyssa over with me today to see my friend Mamadou before the departure. Mamadou came all the way down from Avon to say goodbye. We will be seeing his family in Ndindory in Senegal on November 10. While we were seeing Mamadou, I also say another friend, Binta, who gave me some things to carry home for her family in Oura Alpha. It was such a wonderful moment - they were all so happy to know that we would be traveling to their villages. They were full of love and happiness and it was such a great moment. Mamadou picked up Alyssa and carried her outside in his arms and Alyssa held her arms around Mamadou, and I thought to myself, what a wonderful thing it is to have my kids exposed to people from other parts of the world.

The picture that I posted here is not from today - it is an older picture of Alyssa and Mamadou. But I didn't have the wherewithall to take pics today, and so thought this one would be good.

So a little bit about Mamadou. He has two wives (very common in Senegal) and 8 children. He couldn't tell me the ages of his kids - that is not as important in his culture. His mother is still living, but I think must be very, very old.

My mom brought chicken noodle soup over for dinner tonight, a welcome treat considering all the last minute stuff this evening. Finally, though, everything is ready.

Zach and I will blog as much as possible on the trip. We found out it wouldn't be quite as easy as we had hoped thanks to a little communication snafu with AT&T, but we will do our best.

Stay healthy!!!

Alyssa and I are on a date

Alyssa and I are having a dinner and movie date and spending some special time together before the big trip.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Donations

Look at all these amazing donations!

School at Home - and SNOW!!

Zach is on fall break October 27-29, and so we planned on having "school at home" for a few days. But then the storm came in, and we have 16 inches of fresh powder at our house. Zach is doing a good job of balancing school with fun!!

Trying to stay healthy!

The only thing that is worrying me right now is the flu. Alyssa had it over the weekend, but none of the rest of us have had it. Please please please let us stay healthy!!

6 days to departure!

We are 6 days to departure! It is hard to believe that the trip is finally upon us. Today is Zach's last day of school before we leave (Denver Public Schools has 3 days off for fall break this week). Zach will be doing "school at home" during those days, primarily working on science fair and math.

We are experiencing a moment of hopeful calm right now, and still crossing our fingers for good health. Alyssa has been sick with the flu since Friday and is much better today. So far, none of the rest of us have gotten it, and we are hopeful (knock on wood as you read this) that we have escaped it. We would have loved to get Zach the swine flu vaccine prior to departure but it is just not available for kids who are not high risk.

Zach took his first dose of mefloquin (anti-malarial) today. We ground it up and put it in applesauce, which Zach described as "just foul." Maybe pudding will be a better option for while we are in Senegal! Luckily he only has 7 doses to take total. One down, 6 to go!

We are packed and for the most part and ready to go. The one lingering thing is that we need to get gifts for Mamadou's family. Mamadou has 2 wives and 8 kids. I asked him the names and ages of all the kids and he couldn't give me the ages at all - just rough estimates. That is a good cultural difference...our kids are so focused on their birthdays, and Mamadou doesn't even know how old his kids are!! Zach suggested that I should have asked him how many rainy seasons they have had...that is a good idea.

We have a huge bag of school supplies and toothbrushes. The important thing is that it weighs in under 50 pounds, which I think it does. The generosity of friends and family has been amazing. Zach's school community and our church have also come through with donations. It will be very fun to hand out all those pencils and pens!

We'll keep you posted. We will be updating our blog as much as possible - sometimes with Todd's help. Because I am not taking my own computer, I will be using others as much as possible. Also, I will be able to email Todd via my phone, and then he can post my messages on the blog.

Thank you for all your support. Keep sending healthy thoughts our way!!!

Donations abound!

Thank you to everyone who has given us donations for our trip to Senegal!! Our goal was to be able to fill one big bag, and it looks like we are on track for just that. We have a giant duffle and it is not full yet, but getting close, and I know that there are a few donations still out there. Thank you to everyone who has contributed!!

So far, this is our inventory of what we have received: 12 pairs of scissors, 12 sharpeners, 11 rulers, 6 glue sticks, 48 crayons, 138 erasers, 210 markers and colored pencils, 92 pens, 518 pencils, 137 toothbrushes, and 28 tubes of toothpaste!

It will be so fun to hand these things out to the kids. Thanks to the communities at Polaris at Ebert and First Unitarian Society of Denver for their contributions.

We have also received incredible generosity from friends and family members who have contributed financially to our trip. At this point, Zach and I have met our fundraising goal. Thanks to all of you!! The money that we raised will be added to the money from the rest of the group and will be used to buy more school supplies in Senegal, to buy mosquito nets to hand out, and to help support the Africans who will be traveling with us, and to paint murals in two of the schools (we are also painting a mural in the high school in Summit County). Our goal is to identify development projects in the villages on which we can partner over the long term, so it is possible that some of your money will be seed money for something like that. We'll keep you posted as it all evolves.

Again, thank you to all of you!! We are pretty well packed and our only concern right now is STAYING HEALTHY!!.

Take care and watch for our posts throughout our trip.

Thanks to all the guests at Zach's birthday party!

Zach held his birthday party at the Art Students League of Denver. Instead of gifts, he asked for donations of school supplies Thanks to all the kids who donated all these great items!!

Lemonade Stand

The neighborhood kids had a lemonade stand today and took some of the money home for themselves, and donated some of the money to the Senegal trip. Thanks to all of them who helped out and for their generosity!

Got our shots!!!

We got our shots today. Just two each, although I am doing typhoid orally, and Zach still needs to get a meningitis vaccine at his doctor's office. Zach was a little overwhelmed with all the precautions -- don't swim in the water, don't eat any uncooked foods, use bug repellant, sleep under a mosquitoe net, don't drink any dairy unless it is pasteurized, etc etc etc. But the appointment at the travel clinic was great because it helped us to really be on top of the things we need to be sure to pack, etc.

I don't think Alyssa is feeling too jealous about our trip right now, seeing as how she didn't have to get any shots!!!

We picked up the medical kits that we will donate!

We picked up medical kits at Project CURE! And boy, what an amazing thing it was. The warehouse is HUGE. The medical supplies are stacked row after row after row. Most of the medical supplies come from upgrades (there is a newer and better out there, so why use the old one??) and from packs of sterile supplies in which one or a few items were used, but the others were not. The amazing thing is that there are 4 warehouses as big as this one in the US, and a number of collection centers, as well. All I can say is that I am glad that all this stuff is being captured so that it ends up in the hands of people who need it, instead of in a landfill.

The top left picture here is a picture of the type of medical kits we will be taking with us on our trip. We will take 4 of them - one for each village we will visit, and one for the folks in Dakar who are helping us out.

On another note, Project CURE won the big award they were competing for. They were selected by ColoradoBiz Magazine as the winner of their Top Company award for nonprofits.

Flooding in Senegal

Horse-cart drivers navigate deep floodwaters on the outskirts of Dakar, Senegal, on Saturday. ( Rebecca Blackwell, The Associated Press )

Fatal flooding overwhelms homes and businesses on western coast of Africa
By The Associated Press


FASS MBAO, Senegal — Torrential rains have lashed Africa's western coast for the past three months, killing 159 people and flooding the homes and businesses of more than 600,000 others, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs.

They include the patients of one of Burkina Faso's largest hospitals, who had to be carried out on gurneys after water invaded the wards. They include those living on the banks of a river in northern Niger, whose homes were swept away when a dike burst under the weight of the rain.
Among the six countries where the flooding has been most severe — Senegal, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Niger and Ghana — the neighborhoods most affected are the poor ones. Typically these communities are the result of urban sprawl, built without municipal approval, using unsafe materials.

The U.N. estimates that just in Senegal, 264,000 people have been affected by flooding. And although many families say their homes flood every year, they say that they do not have the money to move.

Senegal receives $540 Million Millenium Challenge Grant

The board of directors of the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), chaired by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, approved a five-year, $540 million compact grant to the Republic of Senegal to reduce poverty through economic growth. The compact, according to a September 7 MCC announcement, will focus on road rehabilitation and food security initiatives in some of the poorest regions of Senegal.

"On behalf of MCC, I want to congratulate the people and government of Senegal for developing an innovative compact that will make a tremendous difference in reducing poverty through economic growth by bolstering food security and transportation connectivity," said Darius Mans, acting MCC chief executive officer. "The Senegalese have laid out a clear vision of improving the quality of their lives through a results-oriented plan. MCC welcomes the opportunity to work together to achieve these compact goals."

The compact will invest in rehabilitating roads in the northern and southern regions of Senegal. Improving these roads is vital to supporting the agricultural sector -- by creating reliable, cost-effective and time-saving means to transport locally produced agricultural products to domestic and international markets year-round, the MCC announcement states. In addition to getting products and consumers to markets, these roads will provide access to essential community services such as schools and hospitals.

The compact also will invest in a strategic irrigation and water resources management project. This project, according to the MCC, will develop up to 10,500 hectares of additional irrigated land in the Senegal River Valley by increasing the volume of irrigation water. This work will prevent the abandonment of 26,000 hectares of existing irrigable land by rehabilitating drainage canals and expanding secure land tenure. The project will maximize the potential of the irrigated zone by increasing crop yields. For a country that currently imports 70 percent of its rice, the irrigation project will move Senegal a step closer to greater food security.
A compact is a multiyear agreement between the Millennium Challenge Corporation and an eligible country to fund specific programs targeted at reducing poverty and stimulating economic growth.

These programs must be developed in consultation with a country's citizens -- including women, nongovernmental organizations and the private sector -- and have the ability to measure both economic growth and poverty reduction.
Relevant Links
West Africa
U.S., Canada and Africa
Senegal
Sustainable Development
The Millennium Challenge Corporation is a U.S. government corporation designed to work with some of the poorest countries in the world. Established in January 2004, MCC is based on the principle that aid is most effective when it reinforces good governance and economic freedom and investments in people. MCC's mission is to reduce global poverty by promoting sustainable economic growth. Before a country can become eligible to receive assistance, MCC looks at its performance on independent and transparent policy indicators. MCC selects eligible countries for compact assistance.
MCC expects to sign the compact with Senegal on September 16. It will be signed by Senegalese Minister of Finance and Economy Abdoulaye Diop and Acting MCC CEO Mans at the State Department in Washington. Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade and Secretary Clinton will preside at the signing, the MCC announcement said.

Map of Senegal

Here is a map of Senegal. We will be in Dakar, St. Louis, and in the Matam region (in and around the town of Matam, in the northwest part of the country).

Project C.U.R.E.

ColoradoBiz Magazine has recognized PROJECT C.U.R.E. as a finalist for its annual Top Company award in the nonprofit category. The organization shares this early distinction with two other Colorado-based nonprofits: Denver Rescue Mission and Colorado Uplift.

Top Company is Colorado’s most competitive business awards program, judged on the basis of sustained financial performance, operational excellence and community involvement.Companies submit or are nominated to the program. Long-time sponsor Deloitte selects finalists after rigorous evaluations. Then a panel of business professionals and leading policy officials convenes to determine winners in each category.Winners in each category will be announced Sept. 15 at an awards luncheon in the Seawell Ballroom at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

Learn more about Project C.U.R.E. at: http://www.projectcure.org/

Fundraising has Begun!!! Please support our trip!

September 12, 2009

Dear friends and family,

I am writing you today to ask for your financial support for service projects that I will be completing, along with my son Zach, in Senegal, West Africa in November.

As many of you might know, I worked extensively with the African community during my time living in Summit County. There are approximately 100 African men, most of whom are from Mauritania and Senegal, who live and work in Summit County. They send their earnings back home to help support their families. Most of them are asylees in this country, and some of them have already completed the arduous process of gaining citizenship and bringing their families to the United States to live with them. For years I provided interpretation and advocacy services to my African friends, and my life was richer for the friendships I gained.

A few friends from Summit County and I hatched the idea several years ago of traveling to Senegal to go to the homes of some of our African friends. The trip was conceived as a way to provide service in their communities, and also to foster cultural understanding and exchange. This November, our dream is coming to fruition, and a group of eight of us will be traveling to Senegal in November - accompanied by two of our African friends. The trip feels to me like a chance of a lifetime, a chance not just to travel in Senegal, but to visit the homes and villages of my friends who live there.

I am going on this trip, and am taking Zach, my 9-year-old son with me. The decision to take Zach is an exciting one - Todd and I feel that it will be an amazing learning experience for him. His school is fully supportive of the trip and is working with him to incorporate his learnings into his school work. Coincidentally, his class is doing an extensive unit on Africa this fall, and we are planning to link electronically with his classroom during our trip.

We are writing you today because we need your help. As is often the case, the financial needs associated with a service project trip are substantial. While we are covering all our own travel expenses, we are seeking donations for the service projects we will complete while we are there. Specifically, we need funds to:

· Purchase and transport four low level medical kits from Project Cure (http://www.projectcure.org/). The kits and transport will cost our group $800 total but contain about $3,000 ($12,000 total!) in medical supplies for village health clinics.
· Purchase and transport school supplies for distribution in three villages (Ndindory, Doumga Ouro Alpha and Hoorefonde).
· Purchase supplies to paint three murals (one at the high school in Summit County, and two in the primary schools in Doumga Ouro Alpha and Hoorefonde). The mural project is intended to foster cultural collaboration and understanding in the villages.
· Pay for ½ the travel costs of Oumar Niang and Aliou Ba, our West African friends who will be traveling with us.

Our hope is to create a partnership with the villages that we visit so that we can continue to provide assistance and development opportunities in the years to come.

I am perhaps most excited about the opportunity to visit my good friend Mamadou’s village. I have known Mamadou since the late 1990s and have received many gifts from his family over the years. I am so excited to be able to visit his village and meet the family that I have heard so much about.

You can follow our trip – and all the preparations for it – on our blog, http://senegal-2009.blogspot.com/. I just set up the blog and posted some of the photos and stories from over the summer. We leave for our trip on November 2 and will return on November 15.

Any donation that you can provide would be most appreciated. Please send checks to my home address (contact me for the address if you don't have it). Checks may be made out to: Friends and Family of West Africa. Checks are fully tax-deductible via Father Dyer United Methodist Church in Summit County, and we will provide you documentation for your records. [Note that our trip is NOT religious. Our accounts are being held and sponsored by the church, but there is no religious element to the trip.]

Thank you very much! We look forward to hearing from you!!

Susan and Zach

Summit County’s West Africa connection | SummitDaily.com

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20090603/NEWS/906039962&parentprofile=search

Posted using ShareThis

Lunch at Mamadou's

Over the summer we visited Mamadou's house and had lunch with Mamadou and his friends. The kids were very impressed by the communal eating -- and by the enormity of the plates the food was served on!!

A long way from home | SummitDaily.com

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20090621/NEWS/906209988&parentprofile=search

Posted using ShareThis

Alyssa and Mamadou

Alyssa and Mamadou. I met Mamadou in the late 1990's and we have been good friends ever since. He has had lots of medical issues over the years and I have been able to provide interpretation and support for him. Zach and I will be traveling to Mamadou's village, called Ndindory, and staying overnight with Mamadou's family during our trip.

West African Mountain Stars Soccer game

The West African Mountain Stars took the Hispanic Hot Boots 5-3 in a friendly soccer match at Rainbow Park Sunday afternoon, but everyone was a winner at the intercultural event.

Almost 50 men competed in the game that was organized by Friends and Family of West Africa (FFWA), a group of Americans and Senegalese who are traveling to Senegal in November to foster cultural understanding between the two countries. After the game, hamburgers, hot dogs and a variety of West African dishes were available for all.

“The fun and companionship was great,” said Sylvia Dowty, one of the 10 individuals traveling to Senegal in November. “It was a wonderful opportunity to bring the community together and share a bit of each other’s culture.”

The goal of the FFWA group is learn first-hand about life in Senegal. Through its November trip, the group hopes to increase understanding of Fulani culture, values and religion, to deepen relationships between West Africans and other residents of Summit County, and to explore opportunities for socio-economic development within Senegalese communities.

Prior to the soccer game, the group completed a cross-cultural orientation facilitated by Myrna Ann Adkins of the Denver-based Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning.

“I was surprised when Aliou said I would be treated like a king when I am there,” said Zach Robertson, 8, who will go on the trip with his mother, Susan. “I think that might feel a little strange to me.”

The group chose to travel to Senegal to deepen long-standing relationships with individuals from that country. While in Senegal, they will stay in the villages of Oumar Niang and Aliou Ba, the two Africans taking part in the trip. The group will provide medical and school supplies and potentially computers to the villages they visit.

The group is covering its own travel expenses but is accepting donations to help with medical supplies and other service projects. Donations may be sent to FFWA, c/o Father Dyer UMC, PO Box 383, Breckenridge, CO 80424.

Planning for Senegal

I am heading up to Summit County today for a planning meeting for the Senegal trip. For the first time, we have a tentative itenerary in place, and our "to do" list is becoming much more specific. This is the last time we will see Oumar and Aliou before they head to Senegal.