Saran Kaba Jones

FACE Africa mentioned in...

2009-03-24T13:42:00.002-04:00

The Cambridge Chronicle
http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/archive/x110659266/Mayor-Simmons-to-participate-in-World-Water-Day-benefit

The Boston Globe
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2009/03/22/town_meetings_perennial_battles/?page=2

Black Gives Back
http://blackgivesback.blogspot.com/2009/03/philanthropy-in-africa-series-face.html

African Roots Connection
http://africanrootsconnection.com/Feb7-09.mp3

Liberian Forum
http://www.liberianforum.com/Events/FACE-africa-to-host-benefit.html?ac=0

UN World Water Day
http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/events.html

FACE Africa World Water Day Benefit Event

2009-03-23T13:09:00.005-04:00

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who came out on March 22nd (World Water Day) to support and learn about FACE Africa and our initiatives. The event was a huge success and we raised close to $5,000. Thanks to everyone for their generous contribution! This amount, in addition to the $10,000 grant from the Davis Project For Peace will go a long way towards bringing clean water solutions to Liberia and beyond.

I’d especially like to thank our guest speakers:

Mayor E. Denise Simmons, Mayor of the City of Cambridge
His Excellency, Nathaniel Barnes, Ambassador of Liberia to the U.S.
Peter Thum, Founder of Ethos Water and Giving Water

A special thanks to all of our guests who came from out of state to join us and our sponsors for their generous contributions. Thank you to every single person who made this event possible. Thank you all for your faith, motivation and continued support.

I hope you will continue to stick around for this journey.

Procter & Gamble announces plans to appoint Face Africa as distributor of the company's PUR Purifier of Water® product in Liberia

2009-02-20T17:55:00.002-05:00

Procter and Gamble announced plans today to grant FACE Africa distributorship of their point-of-use water treatment flocculent in Liberia. Trade named PUR, the flocculent is an innovation that quickly turns 10 liters of dirty, potentially deadly water into clean and drinkable water. You can view a demonstration of the product here: http://www.csdw.org/csdw/index.html.

Studies conducted by Johns Hopkins University in Liberia showed that PUR can reduce the incidence of diarrhea by 99.99% compared to untreated water.

Poor water and sanitation systems are major problems in Liberia. The war compounded the sufferings of millions of Liberians who, even before the war, had little or no access to basic human needs such as safe drinking water and basic sanitation.

A necessary starting point in rehabilitating the country is to provide easy access to safe drinking water and I am thrilled that we will be working with a company like P&G to make this possible.

Our long term goal of course, is to establish more sustainable supply and distribution networks of point-to-use water treatment systems. The second method of water purification we plan to introduce is based on a solar-powered nano-porous membrane known as the Sky Station. This system is manufactured by the engineering firm Siemens and can produce 10,000 liters of clean water a day.

In commemoration of United Nations World Water Day, we will be planning our first benefit event on March 22, 2009 to raise awareness and funds for our clean water initiatives in Liberia. The event will be held at the Hotel Marlowe in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Invited guests include the Mayors of Boston and Cambridge, the Liberian Ambassador to the United States, and Dr. Paul Farmer of Partners in Health.

Hope to see you all there!

FACE Africa granted 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Status by the IRS!

2009-02-01T12:34:00.002-05:00

After months of hard work, I was thrilled today to find out that FACE Africa's application for tax exemption status was approved. This is very exciting news as it will enhance our ability to apply for grants and establish further legitimacy for our organization. Attaining 501(c)3 means that all donations to FACE Africa will be tax deductible, which will make us a much more attractive organization in the eyes of funders.

I am very much looking forward to a productive year! Thank you all for your continued support.

The Tap Project - UNICEF

2009-01-04T18:45:00.001-05:00

“Anyone who can solve the problems of water will be worthy of two Nobel prizes - one for peace and one for science.” ~ John F. Kennedy

In early February of 2008 I came across The Tap Project, a grassroots initiative by UNICEF to provide clean water to children around the world, by inviting individuals to donate $1 for the tap water they normally get for free at participating restaurants.

UNICEF estimates that $1 can provide 40 liters of safe drinking water, which is enough to give one child safe drinking water for 40 days, or 40 children safe drinking water for one day.

According to the organization, more than 1 billion people do not have access to clean water or adequate sanitation, and 1 in 5 of them are children. Eighty percent of all illness and infant mortality is due to waterborne disease. Lack of clean water is the second largest killer of children under 5.

In 2007, over 300 restaurants and thousands of customers in New York raised more than $100,000 to provide 4 million children with safe and clean water as part of the Tap Project. In 2008, the opportunity was extended to restaurants in Boston and other major cities throughout the country. Some 60 restaurants in the Boston signed up!

Being a UNICEF Volunteer and supporter, it was only natural that I get involved in such a simple but amazing initiative.

In March, I visited the Exchange Street Bistro in Malden, one of my favorite restaurants, and convinced the owner to participate in the Tap Project. To show my appreciation for their support, I held a dinner party on March 22nd (World Water Day) and invited about 40 friends and colleagues. Not only did we all have a great time, but everyone in attendance donated generously to the cause.

I spoke with a reporter at the Boston Metro about my involvement in the Tap Project and he gladly ran a brief article on the topic.

Being a part of the Tap Project also made me more aware of how I use water in my daily life. Many of us do not think twice about how we use water. We cook with it, take showers and baths every day. We drink it, do our laundry and water our lawns. We don’t think twice about it probably because clean and plentiful water is a daily privilege millions of us take for granted.

Unfortunately, the lack of clean and accessible drinking water is one of the most urgent health crises facing children all over the world. The effect the lack of clean water has on a person goes beyond thirst. There is a high correlation between the lack of access to improved water and sanitation sources and many issues such as malnutrition, gender disparities, health problems, and economic growth. I’d like to point out the impact on children and girls in particular.

Impact on Children
According to UNICEF, consuming contaminated water or not having access to clean water causes over 80% of all illnesses in developing countries. Water-related and waterborne disease are caused by swallowing contaminated water, with diarrhea being the most common of all waterborne diseases. Nearly 90% of deaths from diarrhea-related diseases in children below 5 years old are due to unsafe water and sanitation in the developing world. More than 1.5 million children under the age of 5 die from diarrhea annually because they either consumed unsafe drinking water or do not have adequate availability of water for hygiene purposes.

Girls Are Affected More
Women and girls are often responsible for fetching water. Many travel almost 4 miles to reach a water source, which prevents them from engaging in more productive activities such as attending school. In many places where water is not easily available, the burden falls on girls and women to obtain the family’s daily supply of water. Boys are often exempt from this activity so that they can attend school. Access to clean water and safe and sanitary hygiene facilities has a special impact on the long-term health and education prospects for girls and women. Sometimes girls do not attend school because there is no private place for personal hygiene needs.

Children and women are the cornerstone of human progress. When children are sick, out of school, and performing labor-intensive tasks, nations suffer. Without safe water and sanitation, sustainable development is impossible.

Focusing on water and sanitation saves lives, reduces diseases, promotes gender equality and improves the overall quality of life and potential for everyone, especially the world’s children.

A new year, a new beginning... FACE Africa 2009

2009-01-01T03:45:00.005-05:00

I recently decided to join the exciting world of blogging. I am not sure where to begin, what language to employ, the tempo to strike, the issues to tackle, for there are so many. So today, I have decided, I will start from here, now, today. I will start from FACE Africa.

As I sit here, preparing to return to work in a few days at the Singapore Economic Development Board, I reflect on my quite eventful time off. During my 6-month sabbatical, I traveled to Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and cities all across the US. I met the sitting U.S. President and the two presidential nominees during a heated campaign that ended with a historic election. I chatted with Anderson Cooper, shook hands with Selma Hayek, met the governor of my state and got inspired by CNN “Heroes.” I cried at weddings, got on my feet at concerts, networked at galas and fundraisers and celebrated my one year wedding anniversary. Most of all, I got inspired. Inspired to do my part. Inspired to make a difference. Inspired to help make the world a better place…

FACE Africa, the non-profit I started in December of 2007 to help send children to school in war-torn countries has come a long way. Since then, I have decided to take the organization in a new direction. We will now work to bring innovative and results-oriented non-profit programs to communities in Africa with the most pronounced needs. Instead of focusing just on education, we will target other areas that are equally as important and dire. We will work to to improve the availability and quality of adequate health services, we will work to bring clean water to rural communities and we will work to increase access to technology resources in school.

The response and feedback to FACE Africa have been overwhelmingly positive. I must say, the love and support that I have received from friends, family, colleagues and perfect strangers have been amazing and gives me the strength and motivation to move forward. My husband especially, has been extremely supportive and encouraging. Without him, I couldn’t have done any of this.

There have been a few developments since we officially came onto the scene exactly one year ago, in January of 2008:

*In June of 2008, we filed our application for 501(c)3 nonprofit status and we hope to receive legal standing in the coming weeks. Once we receive this standing, it will enhance our ability to apply for grants and establish further legitimacy for our organization. Attaining 501(c)3 means that all donations to FACE Africa will be tax deductible, which will make us a much more attractive organization in the eyes of funders.

*In October of 2008, I traveled to Liberia on a fact finding mission where I conducted significant research and preliminary reviews of macro economic and educational indicators. I also conducted a thorough comparative analysis using various economic and political indicators to help me better understand both the challenges and the opportunities that exist in Liberia. Next, I began an intense, on the ground investigation and met with local NGO's, various Ministries including Education and Planning, and Liberian experts, to gain a thorough understanding of our ability to operate effectively and efficiently in Liberia.

I came away with the conclusion that Liberia had urgent and enormous needs after emerging from a long and devastating civil war that left the country’s infrastructures in ruins - roads, buildings, health clinics, communications networks, schools, farms and factories were almost totally destroyed. Poor water and sanitation systems, for example, are major problems in Liberia. The war compounded the sufferings of millions of Liberians who, even before the war, had little or no access to basic human needs such as safe drinking water and basic sanitation. For the majority of Liberians, pipe-borne water as well as other basic health needs remain unachievable for the foreseeable future. Water-borne bacteria cause diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, and typhoid fever among other diseases. Among the young and elderly, these conditions are often fatal. According to the Liberia WASH Consortium, poor water and sanitation systems leads to 42 percent of Liberian children under age 5 dying from malaria and 22 percent under 5 dying from diarrhea.

I strongly believe that a necessary starting point in rehabilitating the country is to provide easy access to safe drinking. Doing so will reduce the incidence of water borne diseases. To help address this problem, FACE Africa is currently working to bring point-of-use water purification methods to communities in Liberia, with a focus on rural Liberia where access to safe drinking water is almost non-existent. Proctor and Gamble has agreed to donate 1 million packets of their water purification flocculent disinfectant, the so-called PUR Purifier of Water (“PUR”). The good news is, scientists from the John Hopkins University already tested PUR in Liberia in 2005 and showed that daily use of the product in vulnerable households reduces diarrhea incidence by more than 90%.

Ultimately, our long term goal is to establish more sustainable supply and distribution networks of point-to-use water treatment materials. The second method of water purification we plan to introduce is based on a solar-powered nano-porous membrane known by its trade name as the Sky Station. This system is capable of producing 10,000 liters of clean water a day and the porosity of the membrane allows for the removal bacteria, viruses, turbidity and other contaminants. This will help fulfill the water needs of small communities and villages in Liberia.

*Leading FACE Africa's Clean Water charge is Armah Kpissay, a Liberian I met at the Harvard Business School Africa Business Conference in February 2008. Armah was in the process of starting his own clean water project in Liberia. We met several times after the conference and after lengthy discussions about ways we could work together, we decided to merge forces to tackle the clean water problem in Liberia.

Armah earned his bachelor’s degree in 1995 at Bard and his Ph.D in chemistry from Cornell University in 2002. He has worked at Intel as a Senior Lithographic Process Engineer and was influential in the introduction of the company’s Pentium III™ processor. He also worked as a Development Engineer at Infineon AG in Munich, Germany, where he developed comprehensive cost analyses and integration strategies for the company’s advanced logic platforms. Armah is currently the Project Manager at Linx Consulting LLC, a specialty firm specializing in electronics materials market. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to FACE Africa and I couldn’t have asked for a better person to manage our clean water initiative.

Another addition to our organization that I am extremely proud of is Abdoulaye W. Dukulé, (PhD), a writer, filmmaker and media consultant. Dr. Dukulé served as advisor to Dr. Amos Sawyer in the Interim Government of National Unity (Liberia), taught French and Film at St. Lawrence University in New York and is Chair of the Department of French at the University of Liberia. He served as Media and Policy Advisor to candidate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf during the 2005 Liberian elections. He is Associate Editor of the Perspective.org web magazine and CEO of STCMedia.Net, a consulting firm based in Laurel, MD. Dr. Dukulé is the author of several political, literary and film studies articles.