“Ms. October” in the “Authors Supporting Youth Literacy” fundraising calendar produced by the Write-Read-Succeed Organization of New Mexico.

“Author in Residence” for Julius E. Sprauve School (2002 - 2004):  This has blossomed into a project where our school has adopted a school in Maasailand in Kenya. Our students are raising $10,000 to dig a borehole well at the Merrueshi Primary School.  There is also a pen pal program between the Caribbean island kids and the Maasai kids. We raised $7,800, and the community topped us up to the $10,000 goal.

Pine Peace Project Coordinator (Nov. 2002):  Helped to launch a project for the students to raise money to buy wheelchairs for kids in the Third World.  They raised enough money in two months to get 15 children off the ground. I connected them to the Wheelchair Foundation who will match their funds and distribute the 30 chairs total.

International School of Zurich Project Coordinator (Nov. 2002):  Helped to launch a project for the students to raise money to buy wheelchairs for kids in the Third World.  They raised enough money in one month to get 5 kids off the ground. I connected them to the Wheelchair Foundation who will match their funds and distribute the 10 chairs.

Wheelchair Foundation (August 2002):  I was invited along on a trip to deliver wheelchairs to 7 countries in 11 days.  We had ceremonial give-away ceremonies in Nigeria, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Egypt, Jordan, Romania and the Ukraine representing 7000 wheelchairs.  I wrote 20 profiles of recipients from the trip for the Wheelchair Foundation’s website and newsletter. With the delivery of chairs from the Wheelchair Foundation we have now gotten over 3,000 Ethiopian women and children off the ground.

La Parole aux Femmes Magazine (2000): Special Assistant / Co-founder of La Parole aux Femmes (Women Speak Out), a new, social-issue oriented women’s magazine, written by and for Malienne women.  It is, like Women to Women in Ethiopia, a magazine for rural young women written to provide inspiration and information about improving their lives.

Women to Women Magazine (1999): Co-founder/English Editor of a bilingual magazine written by and for Ethiopian women with the goals of providing inspiration and information to all young and older women of Ethiopia. The magazine focuses on all issues important to women, from health to education, women in politics to harmful traditional practices. Our magazine is distributed for free by the British Council in all places women and girls gather. It’s very exciting as young women read to older women and conversations are held that would not be otherwise.
 
Women on Wheels (1999):  Co-founder of a small program within the larger umbrella of The Ethiopian National Association for the Physically Handicapped. We are focused on providing free wheelchairs to handicapped women in Ethiopia.  In 1999 we provided 20, in the year 2002 – 1350 wheelchairs!

Scholarships for Blind Women (1999):  Co-founder of a small program within the larger umbrella of The Ethiopian National Association of the Blind. We are focused on providing full scholarships to nine (9) blind women in higher education in Ethiopia.  In 1999 we provided only three.  Our first recipient graduated from the University of Addis Ababa in June, 2001.  She is the first fully qualified Ethiopian Braille teacher at the School for the Blind.

British Council (1998):  Special Assistant/English Editor/ Co-founder of Women to Women, a new magazine published by the British Council, written by and for Ethiopian women. This is a social-issues oriented women’s magazine for rural young women written to provide inspiration and information about improving their lives.
 
Photography Exhibitions:  In 1985, 1988, and 1990 the American Cultural Centers presented exhibitions of my photography in Indonesia, Honduras and Niger.

Photo: Fulani girls of Niger.