Thoughts

Thoughts.....

During this past 9 days JP, Mikey and I have been talking, thinking, sharing and discussing Alpine Initiatives. When people ask us what we are doing in Africa? There is a hesitation, whether it be the customs officer or our friends. We all feel uncomfortable saying we are building an orphanage and cringe at any relation to aid or missionary work. We have been asking ourselves why? what isn't resonating? We all feel there is something almost arrogant about saying we are helping those poor people, or those less fortunate. Because when we are here it is just people and people...That's it... like a world village...we have all travelled a bit and Africa has more issues than most and it can be very shocking how things are dealt with here.

We have been discussing our length of time working in partnership with IPI and in some ways it keeps lengthening.  We ask ourselves what would be our measure of success?  already this year there are twice as many volunteers are here working in support of IPI's mission. Is it veggies being grown and sold?, 100 kids staying in school?, Karambu in Parliment? do we just do our portion? stay involved in the whole? 

(Mikey has a good quote I am sure he will share with you about  the definition of success) 

So much of it is based on the interaction with our new and what feels like old friends........ Looking forward to kathy's cooking, making tea, or hanging out with karamana in her garden.

IPI has a big mission and one we support as they are looking at creating a new model which is grassroots and based in action and sustainability. 

There is so much value to relating and being present with people. We also have been talking about following our hearts and that can be scary and in someways we all have chosen a different path, not out of what we should do but out of our passion. Life is not boring when your are exploring and pushing limits.

Insights on Africa's Social Challenges

Check out the Library of African Cinema collection from California Newsreel-Film and Video for Social Change - www.newsreel.org

(new and old, fiction and non-fiction DVDs) including:

Everyone’s Child

Was developed as “training tape for community-based orphan care programs. But the rapid spread of AIDS made the problem so acute they felt only a feature film could place the issue at the forefront of the national agenda.”

Femmes Aux Yeux Ouverts (Women with Open Eyes)

Shows how women are organizing at the grassroots level to insure their participation in Africa's current move towards democracy.

Quand les Etoiles Rencontrent la Mer (When the Stars Meet the Sea)

“This film is one of the most magical to come out of Africa--hardly surprising since Madagascar is unlike anywhere else on earth.”

Zan Boko (Homeland)

A little dated, 1998, but still a current issue…

“Zan Boko expertly reveals the transformation of an agrarian, subsistence society into an industrialized commodity economy. Zan Boko is also one of the first African films to explore the impact of the mass media in changing an oral society into one where information is packaged and sold.”

On our way...

Denver International airport.

Charles de Gaule Paris International airport..  yuck..

Last flight..

Katherine Fulton: You are the future of philanthropy

here is a cool lecture from Katherine Fulton on the future of philanthropy:

she defines philanthropy as collaboration around a common goal to think and do bigger, and discusses ways people are participating and what's new and emerging. she also speaks to philanthropy as giving time and talent, not just money, and how philanthropy is being democratized - a time in history when the average person has more power to participate than ever before. this totally resonates with me, and big props to mikey, jp and lisa for giving their time and talent.

i love this too:

"we're not thinking our way into a new way of acting, we're acting our way into a new way of thinking. philanthropy is reorganizing itself."

have a listen...the lecture is from 2007 and still relevant.

jb

Not bad Colorado!

That's it for the "Alpine-Initiatives-good-time-for-a-good-cause-last-minute-totally-winging-it-fundraiser-Colorado-tour"!

The three parties brought us a total of $3000, raising our current total to $7000!  We still need to raise more money in order to complete our projects in Kenya but this will be enough to buy materials and hire a crew to start working on the KACH dinning room

...and now, Mikey, Lisa and I are on our way to Meru!

Thank you!

Good vibes in Boulder

Our last stop in Boulder was very mellow, to say the least.  Mikey and I were still trying to recover for the 80's dance night and we knew that we had gotten the word out too late to expect a large number of people.  Instead of canceling the "event" (I hesitate to call it an event..!), we decided to go to George's Lounge anyways to have some drinks and see what happens...  Jody, who works with IPI, came to meet us and brought some jewelry made by the women of Meru.  A handful of people turned up and I have to say it was a very pleasant evening.  Because there wasn't many of us there, we were able to connect, exchange and spend good, quality time together.  Everyone offered to help us next time we want to do a fundraiser in their area -as long as we promised to let them know ahead of time ei;more then 4 days before the event!  The raffle was pretty funny!  No microphone was needed last night.

My buddy greg came out to take some photos

and had Jody tell him all about the jewels..

Greg and Jody

Lisa and greg

Oakley winner!!

Kaitlin, the $500 Orage gift certificate winner!  After talking to Jody,
she was starting to consider heading out to Kenya next August for the
IPI women's conference!

Second Colorado fundraiser party

Mikey decided to make this party an 80's dance night..  I didn't have any 80s clothes with me but the Vail locals were more then happy to hook me up with an outrageous looking pink shirt..  Lots of dancing, lots of prizes ..good times!  Vail totally made it happen.

Photos from Creative Werd

Big thanks to Vendettas, Orage, Armada, Alaska Heliskiing, Oakley, The Golden Bear, Kenny's Double Diamond Ski Shop, The Minturn Country Club, Los Amigos, Bravo! Colorado, Bart and Yeti's and Ptarmigan Sports.

Resources

Two days until we leave!! here are the books I am bringing as resources to lead us along the way and provide information we will need for KACH.  We have been working on several projects in Colorado recently dealing with water cycles,  rain water, grey water( from washing machines, showers, etc...) To black water ( from toilets) and I am excited to put all this new knowledge to work in Kenya! KACH will be a good place to start.  I recommend to everyone to read Out of Poverty by paul pollack it is a wonderful book!

Cheers,

Lisa

OUCH!!!

Yuck!!!!... me and mikey got all our bootsers for Hep A and Hep B ....we are all set to go for a while. We hate shots!!! ( last year I had to get seven ...This time only two!)

Integrated design

While we were in Colorado, we took the opportunity to go look at some of Lisa's integrated design work.  She showed us an extensive green roof project she just had finished in Steamboat and told us all about how it works.

This one is a sedum application, composed of 11 different species of sedum, which can survive on only 3 inches or soil an minimal water.  Over the next few years, some species will stay and some will go.  This will make room for the native grass and plants to slowly invade and take over the roof to make it fade into the surrounding landscape.

If you want to find out more about green roofs visit www.growwest.org or www.greenroofs.org

Kick off

Last night, we had our first out of three "Alpine-Initiatives-good-time-for-a-good-cause-last-minute-totally-winging-it-fundraiser-party" in Steamboat.  Lisa, Emmanuelle and Chad gave a short presentation, Mikey and I sold raffle tickets, Seth did some "super bad-ass" announcing and Mambo Italiano's staff orchestrated the dance off .  We did have a good time and the Steamboat community showed great support.  Next stop; Vail.

Photos from Creative Werd.

Big thanks to Mambo Italiano, Orage, Armada, Alaska Heliskiing, Oakley, L'Apogée, Peak Construction, Steamboat Pilates Studio, The Orange Peel bike shop, Steamboat Ski and Bike Kare, Steamboat Quicksilver Store, Steamboat DC Store, Backcountry Provisions, Aspire Acupuncture and Massage and The Steaming Bean.

Update from Karambu.

"hi jp, mikey,

we are looking 4ward to your coming soon.

this is how KACH will look like. i had asked this person to give us a qoutation but it does not seem to be here - the house/kitchen looks great though.

all the best and safe travels.

dr. k"

Michele

Mikey's mom is already back in Meru.   Today, she saw the Amani Community Home for the first time since last Ocober and this is what she wrote us:

"...I broke down and cried today when I saw Amani – it is so close to being finished – plastered, white walls inside, tile floors, roof on, window grates up.  The garden is amazing!  The kitchen looks so good!

The students are here, working like dervishes on the goat pens, the landscaping, and the garden.  They are doing the training at the bio-intensive today.  They are a great group...

...Thanks and love,

Mom/Michele"

mikey and Michele, October, 2008.

Janine and Lisa in SF

Here are the girls hangin in SF! Janine Bouchard was in my hood for a Lulu Lemon training. I had just returned to the city and was just getting settled into my new apartment. We reminisced about our experience  in Meru last fall and  talked about all that was possible for the years to come.  Friday night we  just squeaked into the opening screening of Fresh the Movie   and had the amazing opportunity to listen to a brilliant panel discussion with the film maker Ana Sofia Joanes, Michael Pollan ( Ominivores Dilemma and Botany of Desire), and Ari Derfel (Save Your Trash for a Year). I was so excited I purchased the movie and will be doing a screening in Meru for IPI, KACH and our host family.  It is a perfect way to show why big agriculture is not always the answer to our food dilemma.  Last year I met with Winnie who was the head of the Department of Agriculture for the Meru region. We had a very interesting discussion about GMO( genetically modified organism) seeds and the food desert africa often finds itself in. I am excited to bring her this movie as it goes through many scenarios of why more isn't always better and that organic and food grown in a way that matches the ecology is a better choice for health and productivity. The movie talks alot about our food sources and what we are eating consciously and unconsciously. It  creates a stir to move and start planting as there are example of farmer's and citizens that have chosen a different path such as Joel Salitin of Polyface farms. Check it out and get gardening!