Under the Baobab Tree- a Malawi non-profit benefitting the children of Namaso Bay

UTBT Fundraiser on July 9th, 2010 in England

noreply@blogger.com (Meg Fitzgerald) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 23:08:00 +0000

On July 9^th, a fundraiser was held just outside of London, England in order to bring awareness to our English UTBT supporters. The black tie dinner event was a huge hit and everyone in attendance enjoyed learning about Under The Baobab Tree and our current and future initiatives. We are excited to bridge our US and English supporters in order to have a greater impact on Namaso Bay. The all-day golf event was followed by a beautiful night, filled with casino fun and jazz music. We also had an auction, including UTBT gear and accessories. People chatted and asked how they could help and what else could be done. The theme of the evening revolved around the construction of an onsite clinic. Meg Fitzgerald spoke to the audience about her experiences with UTBT, teaching the audience about Namaso Bay Village, its current situation, and how we must work together in order to bring sustainable solutions to our friends under the baobab tree.

SF Microfininace 2010 Coverage

noreply@blogger.com (Little Vic) — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:22:00 +0000

SF Microfinance 2010: Greetings from Mayor Newsom

Posted: 2010-05-27 @ 8:01 AM PDT
By Victoria McBride, conference attendee

I think I can speak on behalf of all the conference attendees in saying that Mayor Gavin Newsom’s speech was truly inspirational. This two day conference was created to have to bring people together to discuss the role of microfinance here in the United States. Mayor Newsom pushed that even one step further. While we can explore the amazing progress that microfinance organizations and companies have achieved on a national level, Newsom examined microfinance on an even more micro level: looking at microfinance within San Francisco city limits.

Mayor Newsom took the audience through a brief overview of how San Francisco has been using microfinance over the years to help San Francisco’s poor. Piloted with the Bank On San Francisco program that has now spread across the country, Newsom and the City of San Francisco have continued to expand their microfinance programs to include a payday loan program and savings program for children in San Francisco. The facts Newsom presented were thought-provoking: for example, a child is seven times more likely to go to college if they have a savings account in their name, or that there are more payday loan places in California than Starbucks and McDonalds’ combined. These statistics make the successes that San Francisco has had in implementing microfinance programs all the more inspirational. This type of thinking and activism on the part of Mayor Newsom and the City of San Francisco reinforces my point from my earlier post: that San Francisco is filled with passionate, innovative people committed to creating positive changes in the world through tools such as microfinance.

The programs that Gavin Newsom put in place are great accomplishments, but the city needs to do a better job of increasing their visibility. Having lived in the Bay Area for the majority of my life and following microfinance and community development in the area pretty closely, this is the first time that I heard about programs such as Bank On San Francisco or Payday Plus. And while programs like these are only a first step in combating our poverty problems—knowing that my wonderful city supports initiatives like these make me proud to be a San Franciscan.

Looking Forward to Microfinance 2010 in San Francisco Next Week!

noreply@blogger.com (Little Vic) — Thu, 13 May 2010 19:04:00 +0000

I am so thrilled that this conference is taking place in San Francisco, and can already imagine that this event will be an invaluable learning experience for all attendees.

While on a personal level, I am excited that the conference is taking place in my home town, I am also glad that a conference such as this one is happening in San Francisco because New York and Washington D.C. have generally been the American centers of the international development world. San Francisco is often overlooked in the international development world as an important hub, when in fact, our city is filled with innovative non-profits, passionate entrepreneurs and dedicated activists.

Having worked recently with The Samburu Project and currently with Under the Baobab Tree, two development non-profit organizations, I am excited to explore further in depth the realm of micro-finance, and to learn about how people and organizations like the ones I have worked with can use this tool to expand their scope of work in developing countries around the world. While micro-finance and micro-loans are clearly not a panacea for world poverty, the expansion of this practice in recent years has been interesting to watch as more and more organizations are using micro-lending as an important tool to help their projects and organizations grow, as well as to help many people around the world.

The Kiva Lender-Borrower Meetup particularly interests me. Over the course of my studies at UCLA and beyond, Kiva has arisen time and time again as a micro-finance case study, and I am interested to learn more about the inner workings of Kiva’s microfinance program, and to interface and discuss with people who have had hands on experience with their program.

Additionally, I anticipate that the discussions and information shared at the Leveraging Partnerships to Reach Millions session will be invaluable information to walk away with. I am eager to learn about the advancement of public-private partnerships and about how non-profits as well as government agencies have been using such partnerships to expand and enhance their projects.

2010 San Francisco Microfinance Conference!

noreply@blogger.com (Little Vic) — Thu, 13 May 2010 18:57:00 +0000

Hey Under the Baobab Tree Fans! We're sending part of our team to the 2010 San Francisco Microfinance conference next week, and will be live blogging from the conference. Follow the UTBT blog to stay updated!

"Art & Sounds" Fundraiser to Help Malawi-- Free Food and Drinks!

noreply@blogger.com (Little Vic) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:59:00 +0000

New event to Help Under the Boabab Tree Help Malawi!

When:
March 31st, 2010

Where:
Bimma Loft 2.0 located at 681 Fourth St.
(Between Bluxome St. and Townsend St.)

Time:
7:00 pm

"Art & Sounds" is an evening full of new artwork on display by notable Bay Area Artists:
Keira Kotler, Paule Dubois Dupuis, Alex Garcia, Yulia Pinkusevitch and Sarah Spitler.
Bimma Loft will be presenting their new exclusive product the "Ovopur water filter by Aquaovo". Food and beverages will be provided along with music by DJ Timoteo Gigante. Proceeds of the night will be donated to the non-profit "Under the Baobab Tree" benefiting children in Malawi. Come enjoy a night of amazing art and design. Special sales and services offered for this night only.

RSVP jc@bimmaloft.com or 415-243-8888

This event is sponsored by Novo Magazine, Aquaovo, Bimma Loft, UNTITLED gallery and Mangosteen
Restaurant.

www.bimmaloft.com
www.theuntitledgallery.com
www.aquaovo.com
www.novosf.com
www.underthebaobabtree.com
www.mangosteenrestaurant.com

Earthquake Chile Magnitude 8.8

noreply@blogger.com (Meg Fitzgerald) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 11:25:00 +0000

To our friends in Chile our hearts go out to you. We will allocate a portion of tonights fundraiser and send it to the upcoming relief funds. I will post links for organizations heading down to help. For those that haven't heard there was a 8.8 magnitude earthquake just struck. They are expecting tsunami to hit Hawaii in 14 to 15 hours. If you have any suggestions for relief organizations please email us so we can help.

Chinese New Year's Event recap!

noreply@blogger.com (Little Vic) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 07:25:00 +0000

Thank you to everyone that came out and celebrated Chinese New Year's with the Under the Boabab Team! A perfectly clear day over San Francisco, we were able to watch all of SF's 2010 Chinese New Year's Parade. Luckily, our offices overlook the corner of Columbus and Kearny, a prime viewing spot for all the excitement and performances below. Friends, family, and supporters of Under the Baobab Tree came to support us at this fundraiser (and to celebrate Yo Yoshida's birthday-- one of UTBT's founders)-- everyone had a good time, ate well (after all you can't watch the Chinese New Year's parade without enjoying Chinese food!), and enjoyed the festivities. Thank you to all who came! For more information on Under the Baobab Tree and our projects in Malawi, please visit the UTBT website.

UTBT Chinese New Year's Event!

noreply@blogger.com (Little Vic) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 04:22:00 +0000

Hey Under the Baobab Tree Fans! Come join us for our upcoming fundraiser to celebrate Chinese New Year and the year of the tiger!

Where
222 Columbus, Suite 320
San Francisco, CA 94133

Time
5 pm

What
A fundraiser supporting UTBT
The best view in the city of the San Francisco's Chinese New Year Parade
Delicious Chinese food buffet
Full bar
Silent Auction
Good people, and even better times!

Hope to see you all there!

Our hearts go out to those in Haiti

noreply@blogger.com (Little Vic) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 17:37:00 +0000

The news about the earthquake in Haiti came as a shock to all of us, and we're all deeply saddened by the lives lost and the destruction that occurred. For me, it was certainly one of those things where I didn't immediately realize the gravity of the events until a few hours after I had heard the news, when the facts that I had been absorbing all began to sink in: A 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti. An estimated 3 million people have been affected and the death toll is somewhere around 50,000. Port Au Prince was essentially completely destroyed.

And as the facts, and stories, and photos, and news reports began to sink in and my heart sunk to my stomach, my immediate thoughts were "How do I help?", "What can I do?"...

So I did some research on how you can help those affected in Haiti (and I wish I could go help out in Haiti, but right now monetary donations are the most effective way to help):

- Donating to the International Committee of the Red Cross (http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/helpicrc) -- Yes, this is different than the American Red Cross. The ICRC is the global organization of the Red Crosses and Red Crescent organizations, and the only country-neutral Red Cross organization in the world (they're based out of Switzerland, and were founded at the Geneva Convention). They're neutrality mandate means that they never criticize governments, which means they can often be more effective in getting into countries to help in disasters like the one in Haiti. In addition, the ICRC has worked in Haiti for many years. Their website is also a great source for news (www.icrc.org).

- Donating to the United Nations Development Programme (https://secure.globalproblems-globalsolutions.org/site/Donation2?idb=1649881960&df_id=1240&1240.donation=form1)
The UNDP site is also a great place for news on the quake and relief efforts being made. http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2010/january/in-focus-haiti.en

- Donating to Oxfam International (http://www.oxfam.org/en/getinvolved/donate). Oxfam has additionally has had a presence in Haiti in the past and have people on the ground there. They are a well reputed international institution (based out of the UK) and have been doing disaster relief and providing international aid for many years.

- Donating to Doctors without Borders (better known as Medcins Sans Frontieres or MSF). They are also a global organization that has been assisting people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe. Besides the Red Cross, they are probably one of the most reputed international institutions providing medical aid around the world.
https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=197&hbc=1&source=ADR1001E1D01

- Texting HAITI from any cell phone to 90999 will automatically donate $10 to the American Red Cross for relief efforts (The American Red Cross is a good organization to donate to, and they already have people in Haiti helping out).

-Texting YELE to 501501 from any cell phone will automatically donate $5 to Wyclef Jean's foundation to help those in Haiti.

Here is an article with many more good organizations to donate to:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20100113/cm_huffpost/421014

Here are some links to good news sources for information on Haiti:
- The New York Times' Haiti Page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NYTimesHaiti?v=wall
- Global Disaster Relief's Page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DisasterRelief?ref=sgm
- The UNDP's Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/undp#p/u/0/8QHm731dEsA
- BBC's online website: www.bbc.co.uk

The different organizations to donate to that are helping in Haiti seem to be endless, but every little bit will help. Under the Baobab Tree's hearts and thoughts go out to every single person that was affected by the quake on January 12th.

UTBT New Year's Eve Event!

noreply@blogger.com (Little Vic) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 22:25:00 +0000

Hey Under the Baobab Tree fans! Are you looking for something to for New Year's Eve? How about an eclectic evening of dance and music in support of Under the Baobab Tree? This event has been rated the best international New Years event in SF by 7 by 7, Flavor Pill, Guardian, SF Weekly, and many more! Check it out!

Eclec tic Fever Website
Buy tickets here!

Recap of UTBT's holiday event at 15 Romolo

noreply@blogger.com (Little Vic) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:45:00 +0000

Our holiday fundraiser on December 20^th ended up being a huge success and an event that everyone at UTBT is incredibly proud of and will remember for a long time to come. The event was held at 15 Romolo, in North Beach, San Francisco, a cute little bar tucked away up on Romolo Alley (off Broadway, between Columbus and Kearny).

The night really couldn’t have been more perfect, not only was the venue an ideal place for this type and size of fundraiser, but everything came together perfectly. There were enough people there where everyone could mingle and have a good time, but not so packed where you can’t move from one side of the bar to the other. We also received kind food donations from Rose Pistola, Tony’s Pizza Nepolitana, Da Flora, Le Colonial, Betelnut and Hog Island Oyster Company… and wow, was everything amazing! Oysters, yum. Meatballs, yum. Bruscetta, yum. Seafood skewers, yum—I don’t really think I need to say more. And of course, the great staff at 15 Romolo worked their butts off making amazing cocktails that they specifically designed for the event from the spirits that were donated from Cabana Cachaca, Cachaca Leblon, Campari, Bullet Bourbon, 209 Gin, Charbay, Crawford and Malone Fine Wines and Spirits (and we can’t forget the wine and beer that was donated from Samuel Adams and Casa Vinicola Zonin). The raffles and silent auctions went off without a hitch, and a number of people won great prizes, from jewelry to wine and liquor to some great gift certificates. And because everything was donated to UTBT, all the profits from the event go directly to the organization, and subsequently to the children in Namaso Bay.

We want to take the time to thank everyone that helped us with the event, especially Aurora Siegel who was amazing in every way, shape and form, the staff at 15 Romolo, and Sila for providing great music for the event. Truly, we could not have pulled off such a successful event without everyone’s help and kind donations. We are excited to use the momentum from this event to make sure that 2010 is an unforgettable year for UTBT. Stay posted on our facebook page, twitter feed and this blog for updates in the coming months!

Much love to all and happy holidays!

Summer Volunteer Trip 2009 to Help Malawi Children and Village

noreply@blogger.com (Meg Fitzgerald) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:23:00 +0000

The Summer Volunteer Trip was a huge success. The villagers and the volunteers meshed perfectly. Our first initiative involved an Oral Hygiene Program in which Lauren Fitzgerald and Jenna O’Neil, two high school volunteers from Massachusetts. The program involved full tutorial oral hygiene lessons for Standards 1 through 8 and a donation of toothbrushes from the states. Since the usual tooth brushing method involves using sand from the lake and rubbing it against the teeth, toothbrushes were definitely something new! The students laughed at the funny-looking toothbrushes, but were also very excited about learning something new that was good for their health. Lauren, Jenna, and all of the other volunteers did a superb job conquering the language barrier, using parts of Chichewa and lots of gestures in order to be certain that there was no confusion. Our volunteers from England through The Responsible Safari Company were an amazing addition to the team. We learned quickly that our group was going to get along very well.

In addition to the Oral Hygiene Program, the entire community center has been painted, restored, and beautified. There is now a beautiful mural, including children’s handprints from the village, which stands as a symbol of unity for the village. Plays and theater programs have and will continue to be held there, teaching the entire village about the importance of HIV/AIDS protection and other serious issues that permeate the village. Our first play was casted, rehearsed, and performed right in the newly renovated Namaso Bay Community Center as a fun, but also educational, break from the normal routine.

The adult English and basic computer classes also made a huge impact on the adult population of the village. This initiative, along with the Secondary School Scholarship program, which enabled the top 20 students to attend Secondary School and move on in their educational endeavors, has opened new opportunities for those outside of the Namaso Bay Primary School.
Many of the volunteer teachers used specialized teaching techniques from the states in order to show the students and teachers at Namaso Bay School a new and unique way to learn, including group activities, service learning, and partner work. As a whole, a great deal of progress has been made. The village and the volunteers act as one, working together in order to bring sustainable solutions to Namaso Bay. We have all formed close friendships that will continue to grow and develop. I can’t wait to get back to Namaso Bay myself. Please check in regarding future volunteer and research opportunities. There are many initiatives currently underway, including the greening of our school and water purification projects.

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Needs Assessment of Namaso Bay School and Village- February/March 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Meg Fitzgerald) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:46:00 +0000

Well, we have returned from Malawi. It was an amazing journey, and I think my eyes are opened a little wider. It's unreal that you can hop on a plane and transport yourself into another world. One of the most challenging elements of my trip was to grasp the fact that despite the untouched natural beauty that surrounded me, I could not escape the raw and difficult reality of the Malawian people's situation.

I want to introduce everyone to Valerie Taormina, key UTBT team employee, advisor, mentor, and my good friend. You will be hearing a lot more about Valerie in the coming months as she has been an extremely integral part in UTBT advancements. Valerie and I worked together to complete a full Needs Assessment of the Namaso Bay School and Village.

Valerie and I found out very quickly that the Namaso Bay School itself is more like a community center for the entire village. Out of the 452 students, there are over 300 orphans (either one or both of the child's parents have passed away, mainly due to HIV/AIDS). We completed a full biographical background on all of the students and took each of their photographs. The majority of the students are very inspired and would like to become teachers, doctors, lawyers, and nurses. It is the issue of paying the costs (an entire year of secondary school only costs around $60 USD) to Secondary School that prevents them from reaching these dreams. In last year's Standard 8 class, 33 of the 36 students passed their Malawi National Board Examinations. However, only two (one of which we sponsored) students were able to actually attend Secondary School.

One of the major issues is that the Namaso Bay Village is extremely isolated, barricaded from surrounding villages and cities by mountains. There is no means of transportation to the nearest hospital and the vast majority of the people of the village have never seen a doctor and do not know what a medical record is.

We were lucky enough to have Stanford Pediatric physician, Dr. Daniel Imler, set up clinic in the village. Dr. Dan has done copious work overseas in the field of community and International Medicine. He and Sally Greenwald, my long-time friend and prospective medical student, completed a physical check-up of each student, compiling the beginnings of a general health record index for the Namaso Bay School. The team also treated some of the sickest members of the village. During this two-week long Medical Needs Assessment, though everyone that we were physically capable of treating was treated, it seemed that each new problem we thought we were beginning to conquer opened a whole new batch of issues.

The people of the Namaso Bay community are suffering from a wide range of diseases, including the most advanced Stage 4 HIV/AIDS, Malaria, abdominal distention due to worms, TB, Typhoid Fever, Cholera, Scabies, Schistosomiasis, infected abscesses, and everything in between. The solutions to most of these problems are not complicated, but only need the proper treatments and resources. When there is no means of transportation or funds to see a doctor, it is impossible to seek help. Our goal is to install a system to help the people of Namaso Bay help themselves.

We decided in the first days of our trip that we would like to offer the village the opportunity to get tested and learn their HIV/AIDS status. After working with Edgar Namtapa, the primary teacher at the school who was able to translate from English to Chichewa (the native tribal dialect of Namaso Bay) for us, we discovered that the villagers were all eager and excited to be tested and have their children tested. This was refreshing to hear and actually quite surprising since it is often the case in African countries that people do not even want to know their status as stigmatization is an issue and people assume that if they have HIV, they are going to die.

We held numerous meetings with the Mangochi District Health Officials and then finally the Malawian Minister of Health in order to get the government to agree to the testing campaign. The HIV/AIDS Directors and Coordinators along with education and health officials were shocked when we brought to their attention the fact that the village is so secluded and isolated from any sort of health dispensary or resources.

Even if an individual wanted to get tested or collect his or her ARV (Anti-Retro Viral) medications, he or she would have to travel a long distance (approximately 11 miles) in the blistering sun without even being certain that the local hospital was stocked with his or her appropriate treatments. We hope to set up a program that will allow one person in the village to collect everyone's consented medications using a bicycle taxi/emergency transportation system.

The testing campaign was a success. We used HIV rapid test kits and retested those whose blood was reactive. Children and their parents came out to get tested and receive pre and post counseling on their status. Some people were very concerned, but also thankful that they now had the awareness of his or her status and access to the government-funded ARV (Anti-Retro Viral) treatments available when an individual's AIDS reaches Stage 3 or Stage 4. For patients at Stage 2 and Stage 1, laboratory tests are carried out to ascertain their CD4 count. If the count is lower than 200, the patient is put on treatment.
The entire village was smiling after a 25-year old mother who had not left her dirt floor for months due to AIDS was up and about cooking and cleaning after finally gaining access to her much-needed ARV's.

We will be working hard in the next few months planning fundraisers, setting up the sponsorship program ($250 sponsors everything a child needs to attend school and survive for an entire year- donations can be made at http://www.utbt.org/donate.html), and a volunteer program. More details to come! I will keep you posted as the website transforms to incorporate our new projects and initiatives.

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Namaso Bay School: Thanksgiving Trip to Malawi to Help Children and Empower Village

noreply@blogger.com (Meg Fitzgerald) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:36:00 +0000

Our first crew visited the school in Malawi and completed a first-round needs-assessment. Please see the photos that were taken. The team threw a big party for the students with music, food, and lots of fun. We have a lot of work to do and will be sending down a second needs-assessment and resource development crew down in February. We are excited to be working with various schools in the Bay area and keeps the fundraising bar up high! More posts to come as we march on. For incredible article written by Fatima Najm visit http://www.allforafrica.org/under-the-baobab-tree/

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UTBT Fundraiser: Under The Baobab Tree Goes Under The Stars

noreply@blogger.com (Meg Fitzgerald) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 18:34:00 +0000

November 19th was a special night for Under The Baobab Tree as we joined together at the Starlight Room in San Francisco for our first major fundraiser event. The evening was a huge success as friends, family, and interested volunteers came from all over the Bay area to learn more about UTBT's mission while celebrating our soon-to-be-completed first school project in Malawi. All funds raised will go straight to the children at Namaso Bay School. Please check out some of the photographs from the event!

We are excited to be sending down the first troop of UTBT board members to Namaso Bay this week. This trip will be bringing desks, chairs, and school supplies. Once they return, we will be doing an additional round of needs-assessment in January in order to calculate if any necessary changes need to be made on the current curriculum. We will be sure to keep updated as we get feedback from our sponsors and board members upon their return to the United States.

UTBT Malawi Non Profits-- Chapter 4

noreply@blogger.com (Meg Fitzgerald) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 05:31:00 +0000

Under The Baobab Tree is making strides. UTBT has been busy these past weeks discussing development strategies with Free Cause, a globally recognized organization that works to provide engagement solutions that capitalize on the value of relationships, working towards the benefit of nonprofit organization and other affinity based groups. Free Cause has developed a toolbar for the Yahoo browser that allows users to donate two or three cents to the committee each time they do an Internet search. The Susan G. Komen Foundation for the cure for breast cancer along with many other organizations have benefited from the work of Free Cause. UTBT is excited to have recently been introduced to its very own UTBT browser toolbar. In addition, Free Cause's use of SnapCMS, an easy and cost effective way to create customized social network applications, will allow UTBT to have its own network through social connections like Facebook. We hope that this will help spread the word and educate people about our mission.

In addition, we have also had Crocs donate enough footwear for all of the children in Malawi. Crocs are perfect (in case you have never tried them out) because they are waterproof and super comfortable and durable. We want to thank Crocs for their generous donation. We plan on bringing the Crocs down in our upcoming trip. Speaking of our upcoming trip, we are also working with the I.A. O'Shaughnessy Foundation in order to receive a grant and send our first troop over to Malawi to get the ball rolling. We are extremely excited to hear back regarding the grant and will be sure to keep everyone updated on new steps in our nonprofit's growth.

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UTBT Malawi Non Profit: Chapter 3

noreply@blogger.com (Meg Fitzgerald) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 04:16:00 +0000

And, I’m back. After a brief hiatus filled with studying for the LSAT, my pen is in hand, and I am excited to get into the Malawi nonprofit blog scene. There is a lot to tell. Www.underthebaobabtree.com is quickly becoming what it has always wanted to be: a stable website that is at peace with its server. The team has finally mastered the technological mysteries of our website’s server. All systems are a go. Yo has continued his lack-of-sleep pattern, but luckily, has also continued to make giant strides with Under The Baobab’s progress. As you can see, we have added some photos of Malawi and Rwanda along the sidebars of the blog. These pictures offer a small glance into the everyday life of the children of Malawi and Dr. Paul’s

Rwanda

experience.

If you have not noticed, we also have a new logo. Alli Arnold, a well-known illustrator based in New York City has been working hard on developing a logo that fits Under The Baobab Tree’s mission. Our new logo has several different versions in both color and black and white. Alli Arnold’s illustrations are mystical, playful, and simply irresistible. They leave lots to the imagination, and can be enjoyed by all. Alli Arnold’s clients include The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Barneys New York, kate spade, Travel & Leisure, New York Magazine, and Target. Her unique style can be spotted throughout the bustling streets of Manhattan as you can see in the photo shown on the sidebar. She has definitely made her mark, and we are so grateful to have such a talented artist on board. Please check out her website at www.alliarnold.com. Furthermore, Alli Arnold’s vision of our nonprofit has been transmitted onto t-shirts. Yo is working on developing our logo t-shirt line as an integrated piece of the website. The t-shirt line will act as a function on the website. Instead of making a straight donation, you will be able to help raise funds through purchasing shirts directly on the website while spreading the word by making others aware by wearing our t-shirts. We hope that they will be a big hit.

To bring you all further up to speed, a big thank you goes to Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple Computer (now Apple, Inc.), and Jim Valentine from www.Woz.org for arranging David Elliott, their business associate, from Solutions Benefiting Life (www.solutionsbenefitinglife.com) and Yo to meet so that Yo could accept SBL’s gift of a unique water purification system. David was kind enough to donate a one-of-a-kind water purification filter system to our nonprofit organization, Under The Baobab Tree, in order to help the village people of

Malawi

construct their own cottage industries so that they too may spread the knowledge of clean water usage to other surrounding villages. This exclusive system provides a template along with the physical mold that will allow us to teach the

Malawi

villagers how to use the purification system. A big thank you to Steve Wozniak, Jim Valentine, David Elliott, and Prizm Technologies for allowing this to happen so that we may get one step closer to a sustainable environment in Malawi.

Now, I would also like to discuss a bit about Kevin Taylor. Kevin Taylor has jumped on board as Under The Baobab Tree’s attorney, helping us out with all of the government legalities while reviewing the legal documents that go into a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization. Taylor and Mrisch, LLP, which can be found at www.globaltechlaw.com, is a New York-based law firm focused on corporate, information technology, and intellectual property law. Kevin is a popular speaker and writer on issues concerning information technology security, e-commerce, cyberspace law, and outsourcing. He has also been published in Secure IT and E-Commerce Law and Strategy. His law degree from New York Law School, Masters Degree in Economics from Catholic University, and Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida allow him to draw from numerous sources of knowledge. He is also a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association and the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. We are pleased to have Mr. Taylor on board. Raj and Lisa have been actively working with Kevin on assembling all of the legal paperwork. The mounds of paper are slowly, but gradually, lessening and we are starting to see a light at the end of the long tunnel of red legal tape. Moreover, we have also begun the hunt for our first Volunteer Project Manager for our small nonprofit in Malawi. If anyone has any recommendations, please let us know! Additionally, we are also in the midst of beginning the announcements and finding partners for our launch party.

Furthermore, our Junior Ambassador Program has informally begun. We are setting up initiatives now. Our first members of the Junior Ambassador Program have already set up a lemonade stand to begin raising funds. As you can see from the photo on the sidebar, we have a great deal of enthusiasm coming from all age groups even before the program has established a firm foundation. As the Director of the Junior Ambassador Program, I, personally, look forward to working with several different groups from various schools and areas in order to create a fantastic program that will continue to grow throughout the school year. I hope to meet with the first crew in the upcoming week to work out a sketch of our approach for the upcoming school year.

Next week there will be more regarding the Junior Ambassador Program in addition to Yo’s trip to New York. It looks as though he may be heading back again to straighten out some more Under The Baobab Tree business. Though the summer has slowed down a little bit, the tree of life is still holding strong, and undoubtedly continuing to reach great heights. We are anxiously waiting to hear back from Illumine regarding a layout for the next steps to raise awareness for our nonprofit.

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UTBT Malawi Non Profit: Chapter 2

noreply@blogger.com (Meg Fitzgerald) — Wed, 28 May 2008 04:31:00 +0000

The path is growing longer and as each stone is laid, excitement builds and new ideas are born. Chapter 2 of Under The Baobab Tree is chock full of phone calls, arranging meetings, research, flights, sleepless nights, and the ever-growing excitement that keeps our adrenaline pumping. We have been busy meeting with potential board members, board of advisor candidates, and interviewing teachers for the education director positions. Yo is constantly on the phone, arranging meetings, writing emails, making calls, and waiting for call backs. He is grouchy due to extreme lack of sleep. But, hey, there is a plus. Not only is he working hard for a great cause, but if you EVER need a stressed out friend between the hours of two and five AM, you now know who to call. He has been traveling back and forth between New York and San Francisco in order to meet with the right people and get the wheels turning. If only the other nonprofits for Malawi had a team of such dedicated individuals we could help end poverty and revolutionize the International NGO market.

And now, onto the details. Speaking of Yo’s most recent trip to New York (Yes, the city that never sleeps. And, yes, of course Yo held true.), we are so pleased to introduce you all to Alli Arnold. Alli has worked closely with designers such as Kate Spade, The New Yorker, and Barneys. She is currently engaged in a project with FIT. Her work can be seen all over the streets of Manhattan, and you can check out the pictures of her illustrated banners in our photos section. We feel extremely honored to have her illustrate our upcoming children’s book, which will tell the stories of Under the Baobab Tree and the Tales of Malawi through a synergy of words and images. Alli and Yo have been collaborating about what sorts of child-friendly illustrations will be included in the tale of under the baobab tree and how these illustrations will help us get our story out. After all, pictures can speak a thousand words.

While Yo was away, Lisa Bernard and Dr. Raj Patel, who have been working away in San Francisco, are happy to announce a new addition to our Board of Directors, Mr. Donald Stern. Donald Stern will be an active participant in building the foundation for a future of sustainable development by using the newest low-tech green systems to provide valuable resources to the community. Donald Stern has an extremely impressive resume as a technology guru, holding over 46 patents crossing many industries. We will disclose on future dates some of the solutions he has created for our Nonprofit in Malawi and products we will offer to other International NGO’s to create clean water and a greener sustainable environment.

Since my blogging has begun, Yo has added another board member. We are elated to announce that Kevin Taylor of Taylor & Mrsich, LLP, www.globaltechlaw.com, will be joining our Board of Directors. Kevin has an illustrious career as a founding partner of his law firm and will guide us in our development.

In addition to the foundation of learning and the school, all of the excitement hovering around our children’s book, and Yo’s sleepless, grouchy, cross-country travels, we are reaching out to collaborate with AIDS awareness groups through AIDS education and prevention techniques. Africare, who has delivered more than $710 million to AIDS in aid to Africa since 1970, World Vision, a Christian relief, development, and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice, and RED, as you see everywhere from Gap t-shirts to I-pods, are some of the organizations that we would like to learn from. It is no secret that AIDS is a serious problem throughout the countries of Africa, affecting vast populations all over the continent. Malawi is no exception to the destructive nature of this monstrous pandemic. Too many children are left without parents as a result. Many families take in orphaned children, leading to overcrowding and lack of resources and a subsequent lack of proper care for growing children. There are often as many as ten to fifteen children living under one roof. Dr. Patel has remained passionate on this subject throughout his assistance in the development of Stop Aids Worldwide, and we hope to continue the efforts in Malawi.

On top of AIDS, cholera, and other third-world nation epidemics, Malaria is another problem that plagues all of Africa. Malawi, again, is no exception. By administering something as simple as mosquito nets, the instances of malaria can be drastically decreased. Like the roots of the baobab tree, something as simple as a nylon net has the power to alleviate much unnecessary pain and even save lives. While education and the school is perhaps our number one priority, it is our intent to aid Malawi in these areas as well so that the children can experience the joys of learning as well as all aspects of life in a safe and healthy environment. In fact, Dr. Perry Jensen (www.partnersinmalawi.org) who is building a hospital in Malawi, has agreed to collaborate with us in checking each child to be sure that everyone is in good health. Under the Baobab Tree is thrilled to be working with Dr. Jensen. We will also set up medical files and records so that all medical history will be tracked. If there are medical problems, we will be certain to get these children the proper care and treatment needed. If there are no problems, we will make it our job to be sure that it stays that way. Education cannot be enjoyed and utilized to the fullest without health, and in order to implement both of these key factors of life, we will remain committed to these children. Remember, we don’t like temporary fixes. A plastic band-aid does not solve the problems of the world. Our hope is to help make change through education, change that not only affects today, but affects tomorrow and every tomorrow here on out.

As I debrief everyone after the Memorial Day Weekend I will put up the pictures and find out what’s happening next in the development of our wonderful little nonprofit being developed for the children of Malawi Africa.

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Help Under The Baobab Tree Malawi Non Profit: Chapter 1

noreply@blogger.com (Meg Fitzgerald) — Tue, 20 May 2008 02:03:00 +0000

Welcome to Under The Baobab Tree’s blog. We are excited to share our story of the trials, tribulations, and successes of bringing a volunteer nonprofit organization, dedicated to help Malawi and the students struggling with abject poverty, with you. By offering our thoughts and continuously updating you on our process, we hope to better unify and harmonize our own efforts and build support of the global community through the sharing of ideas and the passion to create change. We look forward to embarking on this exciting adventure with you. Please visit our website for further information, to donate, or just to say hello at www.underthebaobabtree.org.

The Baobab Tree (A quick note about pronunciation: There are several different pronunciations of the word, “baobab.” The pronunciation that we have chosen sounds like “bow-bow.” Note that “bow” rhymes with “cow,” however you may choose whichever pronunciation you like best) contains within its branches a life of its own. Also known as “the Tree of Life,” these self-sufficient native trees dot the landscape of Malawi, Africa, maintaining their own sustainable ecosystems and providing shelter, food, and water for both humans and animals of the African savannah. The baobab tree is unique. Its full, plump trunk, shiny bark, and short, stubby limbs resemble roots pointing towards the sky when the tree has no leaves, lending to its nick-name “the upside down tree.” We like to keep this image of the “upside down tree” in our minds. It stands as a symbol and a message to the earth’s people that even the simplest beginnings, the roots of a sapling, have the capabilities to sustain not only themselves but also a thousand men, women, and children. Just as the baobab tree has exposed its roots, its origin of life, for Malawi to perpetually nourish and grow, we too would like to get back to our own roots and maybe even have some fun while we’re at it. Please visit us at www.underthebaobabtree.org to see what our charitable nonprofit organization is all about and how you can help us help

Malawi

The tale of Under The Baobab Tree reads like a book. It is an adventure story whose pages are rich and detailed yet only in the simplest and purest form. We hope that you will help us write the future pages of our book and continue the tradition of the “upside down tree,” a tree of everlasting life that isn’t afraid to show its true roots.

Sow a Seed and Watch It Grow:
An Introduction to Our Organization

Under the Baobab Tree, Inc. started small. Much like a tiny seedling, the vision of the children gathering under the baobab tree sprouted roots. These roots structured a foundation that has been growing and developing since 1997 when the Patel family decided to turn a vision into a reality. The Patel Family spent their summers on Namaso Bay in Lake Malawi, Africa. Don’t be discouraged if you have no luck trying to search for the bay on MSN Maps or Google Maps. You probably won’t find anything (we still can’t). The reason for the lack of publication on Namaso Bay is (not because it doesn’t exist, but rather) because it is a sub-bayMonkey Bay, which is well known (especially for its hippo sightings). After watching the village children of Malawi, Africa continually gather under the shade of the baobab tree to learn with such excitement and enthusiasm, the Patel Family volunteered their resources and time and built the Namaso Bay School. of Under The Baobab Tree, Inc., 501 (c) 3 a Nonprofit Organization, was created to help Malawi enhance the school and community of Namaso Bay. Though the foundation had been set long ago within the roots of the baobab tree and the onset of civilization in

Malawi

, construction of facilities soon went underway and the seeds were sewn.

Chapter 1

It wasn’t until November of 2007 that the roots took on a new form. During casual conversation after a meeting concerning business matters, Yo Yoshida, Lisa Bernard, Ric Robins, and Dr. Patel decided to take the project to a new level. After hearing about the Patel’s plan, Raj, Lisa, Yo and Ric decided that perhaps it was time to bring the message of Malawi’s struggle to the global community. The idea of setting up a volunteer program came into full swing before dinner could even be finished, and the roots of our project to help Malawi strengthened as awareness soon grew.

The 501 C 3 status for a NGO (non-government organization) was filed in January 2008 and what started as a small family project suddenly transformed into a joint collaboration from a much larger family of concerned citizens who had little in common except that they all wanted to help the children of Malawi. The Board of Directors attracted individuals from all walks of life and a myriad of varying professional fields. Members include: Dr. Patel who holds a Ph.D. from the University of the Pacific, Stockton, California and has lead numerous research projects as a consultant and manager within the pharmaceutical industry. Yo Yoshida, who has a multi-faceted array of experience in numerous industries, has assisted in the founding of Under The Baobab Tree and will continue to play a key role in the unfolding of our nonprofit organization. Lisa Bernard, an industry leader in the development of corporate strategic alliances, will serve as the backbone of our fundraising mission. Dr. Paul Batmanis, MD, an emergency room doctor in the Los Angeles area, will play a key role in the logistics behind the construction of the medical clinic for the students in

Malawi

. Donald Stern, an inventor with over forty granted patents and strong start up experience will help us with the implementation and production of contraptions for everyday use, such as water purifiers.

The dynamic group has worked together to approach the project at hand. The mission is to spread the idea of volunteerism and the vision of the “Tree of Life.” Yo Yoshida explains that part of the objective as grounded on the simple philosophy: “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.” (Chinese proverb) We are purposely not blindly buying the village materials and handing over resources shipped from Target and Best Buy. That sort of volunteering is not a long-term healing solution. It is merely a quick band-aid fix in our minds. Instead, “The idea is to supply them with the resources so that they can generate their own sustainable village,” says Yo. For example, instead of buying the students desks, the program will provide the resources, the tools, and the education to build desks. By implementing these principles, the people of Mallawi will have the capacity to reach a point of sustainability. We will act as one with the environment. Contraptions such as water purification systems will be installed with the help of Donald Stern. These systems will be unique in that they too have the ability to manage themselves, thus providing an outlet for the villagers to use and distribute purified water in order to alleviate risk of water contamination-related disease. Solar power and natural energy sources will be employed as much as possible as well. The process of sustainable development will teach the people of Malawi and help them to operate on their own terms, in union with the environment and Mother Nature. We believe that this will lead to a long term result as opposed to simply handing over exhaustible resources. It is our intent that food, water, shelter, and other everyday supplies will become readily available because the people of Malawi will be able to grow and produce on their own. With the establishment of cottage industries throughout Mallawi, we will help the people of the village learn how to start their own businesses so that they can spread the benefits and sell their produce to the surrounding villages. By operating on a “green” lifestyle of sustainability,

Malawi

has a chance to create an ecologically efficient environment to grow and learn.

*A note to our readers: This blog entry should actually date April 28, 2008 for actual time and date purposes.

Nonprofit Helping Children of Malawi One Village at a time

noreply@blogger.com (Meg Fitzgerald) — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:08:00 +0000

Nonprofit helping the children of Malawi Africa. The school has been built by www.underthebaobabtree.org and we need help filling the classrooms. We have volunteer housing and are looking for people to help set up sustainable equipment and make donations for village and children to prosper. We will stream pics and video of goods being delivered.

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Welcome

noreply@blogger.com (Meg Fitzgerald) — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:35:00 +0000

Thank you for visiting our blog. We will posting information on the launch and history of our organization Under The Baobab Tree, Inc. a Nonprofit 501 (c) 3 this weekend. Please visit us at www.underthebaobabtree.org or email us at contact@underthebaobabtree.org.
Our organization is working to improve the lives of the children by providing education and educational supplies to children living in extreme poverty in Malawi Africa.
Our mission is to develop a completely sustainable community in one of the world’s most impoverished regions. Education is the first step to teaching the children of the community how to read, write, eat, and develop a sustainable economy and ecology.
Please take a moment and visit our site and be inspired by our story.

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