the go to girl

TOMS event...

so wish i could go. but YOU should!!! i've been meaning to post about TOMS. been a while. i will for sure this weekend. so many great things they're doing. i heart TOMS shoes!

332 to go!

a follow up to my post earlier this month on charity: water... simply AMAZING!

charity: water

i stumbled upon an organization while catching up on all of my favorite websites this morning. its been a while since i've had time to do this. i was so deeply touched by the efforts of this organization and wanted to share just in time for their exciting live drill event in Ethiopia tomorrow!

it's amazing, since my return from Ghana, i can't tell you how many people i've come in contact with and/or discovered who's inspiration and ties go back to West Africa!

charity: water was started two years ago by a man inspired by a life altering trip to West Africa. what started out as a birthday wish has transpired into wells, water and hope for villages in Kenya, Ethiopia and beyond! see for yourself...

The September Campaign Trailer from charity: water on Vimeo.

happy 33rd birthday Scott Harrison! i can hardly find words to express the inspiration you've give to me today in discovering your mission. you are a GIFT! what a way to spend your birthday. celebrating your life to better our world. i ASPIRE to do such GOOD!

warDANCE!

i have been on hiatus for a while. its been tough adjusting back to life and work after my trip to Ghana. i just can't shake it. evaluating what i'm doing here, my purpose, my passions, my desire to go back. and when? when can i go back?

i just watched a brilliant documentary last night entitled WAR DANCE. the film was breathtaking. highlighting the lives of children of the Acholi Tribe who were displaced from their homes and families during the wars in northern UGANDA. abducted by rebels, forced to sometimes kill and flea to Patongo's refugee camp. thru music & dance these children are united. it is their life blood. watch the clip below and RENT or PURCHASE this movie. watch out for Dominic! u will fall in love. i did

i couldn't help but think about my experience at buduburam and the children i encountered. it was so easy to forget their struggles because their spirits were so bright.

sERious STufF...

have u ever seen a face so precious? i am in luv with this boy, and i haven't even met him. but i will! they call him LUCKY BOY and he's one of the abandoned children of A.R.C.H. (Abandoned Refugee Children's Home) at the Buduburam refugee camp in Ghana. this is the camp that i will be visiting before my cross cultural solutions trip and i cannot wait!

some GNARLY things are going on in Buduburam. at 4am Monday morning, Ghanian police arrested hundreds of peacefully protesting refugee women who are now facing threats of deportation. i encourage you to read more at www.niapele.blogspot.com and please take a moment to sign this petition www.ipetitions.com/LiberianRefugees/.

the Niapele Project was founded by two brilliant young women Celina Guich and Penelope Chester, who began their work as volunteers at the Buduburam Refugee Camp and are now supporting over 600 of the most vulnerable children through feeding programs, school initiatives and health care. SO INSPIRING! i will be visiting them in april and can't wait to see the fruits of their labor.

the A.R.C.H. kids...

get me to GHANA!

going to GHANA and i need YOUR help! It's unbelievable to me that in only six short weeks I will be in GHANA! Wow, its wild and reality is finally setting in. I've NEVER been out of the country so as I receive my very first passport, schedule my immunization appointments and look over my daunting travel itinerary, the reality of my trip grows with each day that passes. I want to share with you more my experiences that lie ahead. Initially, I signed up for a volunteer program with Cross Cultural Solutions. Along with 30 other volunteers from all over the world, I will be spending three weeks in Hohoe, Ghana which is the Volta Region on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. I will be spending my days with children of all ages, many in orphanages and children's homes. I hope to teach English, dance, sing, get a little crafty and mostly share my love with as many little kiddies as I can! I will sleep and eat at the Home-Base in Hohoe and spend evenings and weekends immersing in the culture with cultural & learning activities, language lessons (Ewe), drumming & dancing, traditional festivals, visiting the monkey sanctuary, waterfalls, hikes, beaches, THE WORKS! In planning all of this, I have discovered an organization in Ghana that I'm getting quite involved with here in LA. It's called The Niapele Project and I am so moved by the community of children they're supporting. You've got to take some time to look at their website but to summarize... on the Buduburam refugee settlement which consists of 45,000 Liberian refugees, the Niapele Project takes care of 600 of the most vulnerable refugee children on a daily basis. They established a daily feeding program for these children and also fund their education and health care. Its INCREDIBLE work they're doing! I will be staying at the refugee camp with one of the young founders, who lives in LA. I leave April 27 and will be there for several days to experience the camp, the children, the programs offered and the current NEEDS. In turn, I will be assisting with a fund raising event later this year in Los Angeles. I can't tell you how deeply exited I am to be on the camp, with the children and the inspiring women who have developed this program. It will be hard to leave! So, the not so fun part. ASKING FOR MONEY! My program fee is $2,885 and I have 17 more days to reach my goal. I will be away for almost a month so to afford this trip, I need your help! CCS has set me up with a fundraising page where you can donate, see what I've raised and learn more about the program. Thanks to many of you, I've already raised $930, which is INCREDIBLE! I have 17 days to raise $1,995 and with your help, I know I'll DO IT! Anything helps and your donation is 100% U.S. tax-deductible. I would never ask if it weren't for such a great CAUSE! I have to add a VERY special thank you to my dear friend Eileen Marek. With out her, my travels would not be possible. She donated enough airline miles to cover my entire trip. UNBELIEVABLE! I am so grateful for her kindness and continued support over the years! I love you BEANY!!! Okay, I've taken up enough of your time. I hope you'll consider sponsoring me, my trip, my dream, my mission. This is just the beginning for me. I plan to do BIG things, make an impact in the world and can't wait to share with all of you. Please feel free to email me with questions, tips, ideas, words of wisdom, concerns, WHATEVER!!! I'd love to hear from you. p.s. thank you, thank you AGAIN to all of you who've already contributed! My heart poureth over, Jenny

SPONSOR ME! click here Learn More... Cross Cultural Solutions The Niapele Project the go to girl

the GreaT BiG gIVe... TODAY!!!

with one GOOD deed u can help an orphaned child in Ghana. onemillionways.org wil donate $1 for every deed logged on their site TODAY only. so the more GOOD you do, the more $$$ they donate. BRILLIANT!

get goin!

there's HOPE for CHANGE today!

Kenya

the conflict this promising and once peaceful country is going thru is devastating. so much hope for Kenya country, now conflicted and in crisis. a brilliant journalist and the East Africa bureau chief, Jeffrey Gettleman, of the New York Times is an invaluable source to the ongoings in Kenya and beyond.

tHankFUL hOliDAY..

Finally a moment since arriving home in Minnesota to catch my breath from hectic life in LA LA LAND and regroup. I have been anxious to share our evening for ANSA's: It Takes a Village. It was magical, so special and the best gift I've ever been given. The courtyard of the belamar hotel was stunning and I simply can't thank Kenya and Eliza enough for their gracious efforts in hosting for me! We had a very cozy group of twenty, during one of the busiest holiday weekends, so was extra grateful for your presence. Thank you, thank you all who attended, donated and shared the evening with me! I can't thank you enough for your love and support!

I also must thank the so very talented and gracious Adrian Govind, aka DJ Daylite. You were everything I had hoped you'd be and more! What a treat, the gift of music playing a soundtrack of worldly and oh so cool indie tunes, perfect in every way. Thank you again Adrian! A very special thank you to my Annie who was by my side the entire evening. I couldn't have done it without your support and superb craftiness. I love you! And of course, my Kris, for rallying the troops, all of your amazing friends who've become true friends and now family! It meant so much!

The mission for the evening was to raise some money and that we did! We raised over $1,200 for It Takes a Village Emergency Needs program which will be MATCHED by Deborah & Carlos Santana's Milagro Foundation turning our funds into over $2,400. Every dollar will go directly to fulfilling the most pressing, basic needs for 8 orphan families for an entire year! The bare necessities that we take for granted like clothing, shoes, blankets, and home repairs, we've assisted in providing for them.

In Ingwavuma there are hundreds of beautiful children who have lost their parents to AIDS and others whose parents or caregivers are sick or dying. These children have very basic needs and no parents to provide for them. These children are part of ANSA's It Takes a Village, which provides comprehensive services to orphaned and vulnerable children and their caregivers, including: medical care, counseling, food parcels, food gardens and livestock, wells, legal aid, scholarships, support and play groups, HIV counseling, testing and treatment and other essential assistance. It Takes a Village is a highly cost effective program run by their local partner community organizations. For approximately $200 per child, they are able to provide comprehensive services as well as to train, empower and fund communities to respond to the AIDS crisis in their midst.

There are 100 orphan families in their program who need additional assistance and it will cost less than $300 per family to provide this additional help for a year. They need our help to give these children the additional support they need. The first $12,500 donated will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, by Deborah & Carlos Santana's Milagro Foundation, so for $150 we make a very major difference for a family of orphans!

We'll be taking care of 8 orphan families this upcoming year!!! My heart is FULL and I thank you all again for bringing this to fruition!

If you were unable to attend or would like to give MORE before year's end, please click here!

*Be sure to indicate that you want your donation to go to It Takes a Village Emergency Needs.

Thanks again from the depths of my heart for your efforts, support and presence in my life!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

special thanks to...

ansafrica.org, the belamar hotel, Allison @ TOMS shoes, Brandon Lee @ Genetic Denim, Todd Teach's exquisite "Sunset on the Zambezi",  Deandra Lee's handcrafted jewelry, Christina Riley of Riley Designs, my textile crush Amy Butler, Amanda Cushman, Lather, MURAD, and Nappytabs.

an extra special thanks to my music crush, legendary KCRW  DJ Tom Schnabel for sending Adrian my way!

because of their generous donations, the event was a success!!!