I am so excited with all the creatively that continues to flourish long after our journey to Malawi in May 2011. I wanted to share more of what is unfolding with Animals for Africa! Sue Hickman and I had a very fruitful meeting with Safari West on Monday, with the possibility to host ongoing Animal Art Parties for their overnight guests there as one potential out come. They may also be open to displaying the animals and promotional materials for the project in their gift shop and dining area- just awaiting approval by their board! Also, plans are definitely in the works for an Animals for Africa Art Safari day retreat and a weekend Art Safari Overnight Retreat soon, so stay tuned!
Meanwhile, lots of organizing and networking is underway, which has been very valuable in helping me to refine the vision of Animals for Africa and consider where it may go/grow, while still tending to it's newly budding sprouts in Malawi. As I may have already told you, it was very exciting to receive 38 animals from the women of Tukombo through Masanko, and to send payment for the "product" directly back to the village along with some additional supplies. The women are in essence, in business!
Other exciting news, as of today, I have officially sent out all the children's names we gathered in Tukombo village and Mjoho BDCC- 83 names in all. I have not received back 83 animals yet, of course, but I trust they will all "migrate" back to me (wink to Sue Hickman, for that pun) before I return to Malawi this summer. Thanks to Mary and Sue, I also have 61 names of children from the Genesis Foundation orphanage, Manja Othandiza in Blantyre, and have sent out kits with 7 of those names already! So it won't be long before there's an animal for every child on the lists gathered last Spring! I am sure there will be more children than I have names for by the time I return to Malawi, so I will also be asking Ambassadors to host "orphan animal" parties- creating animals without names who will be "adopted" by children who are new (or were missed) in the initial name gathering process. I am sure I will be very busy in the evenings in Africa, adding these children's names to their animals (hint hint those who are thinking of traveling this summer!)
This is where the program stands today, with lots of tendrils reaching into potentially fertile ground for collaborations (if you "like" my animals for Africa facebook page, you can see more- and a newsletter is due out soon!)
Most immediately, I realize I will need support upon returning to Malawi specifically for the AFA project in Tukombo, and I hope to work with the orphanage in Blantyre to seed a similar crafting cooperative. I am venturing into new territory!
So, for now, that is the latest! Exciting potential brewing all over!
With hippo hugs,
Robbyn
