Helping to Drill Wells in Burkina Faso

This is from my brother Adam (I heartily endorse this effort as well!!):

Greetings Family and Friends,

I have been donating time recently to help a non-profit organization write a business plan to present to individuals and companies to help raise seed money. The organization is called the BARKA Foundation and their main goal is to dig water wells in a small country in Africa called Burkina Faso, which is among the world's most impoverished nations. Although there is ample water underground, they have no means to access it and must walk for miles everyday and then carry water in jugs. This water is often polluted, and causes illness. If they didn't have to spend most of their day hauling water, they might engage in more productive pursuits such as school and work, thereby improving their situation.This small non-profit was started by a college classmate of mine, who was once a television producer. He has since changed his name, and dedicated his life to improving the lives of these people. He hopes to build on his previous experiences and expertise by producing documentary films and staging concerts to earn income for the foundation to use to achieve its goals.The BARKA Foundation will be sponsoring a very interesting event in May, called the "Peace, Water, and Wisdom Walk" where people will walk from the Burkina Mission to the UN in New York City, to Bangor, Maine for a total of 500 miles. The purpose of the walk is to raise money to drill wells and awareness of the situation. Along the way, they will stop to conduct educational events with school children who are also helping to raise funds. If you have any questions or comments, please go to the links highlighted above or contact adam.ruderman@yahoo.com If you are able to help with a donation, would like to join them for a portion of the walk, or if you would like to involve your children's school in the effort, that would be great!
Thanks,
Adam

UN Adviser to Discuss UN Efforts to Broker Peace in Darfur

7:30 PM, Thursday, February 15, 2007

Teaneck Presbyterian Church

1 Church Street

Teaneck, New Jersey 07666-4907

The ongoing genocide in Darfur is a moral challenge. The Bergen County Chapter of UNA-USA has invited Patrick Hayford, Special Adviser to the UN on Africa, to speak on the topic of “Darfur: UN Brokering Peace.”

Dr. Gloria Tate, pastor of the Teaneck Presbyterian Church, is co-sponsoring this event, which will be held at the Teaneck Presbyterian Church, 1 Church St., Teaneck, on Thursday, Feb 15 at 7:30 pm.

This will be a rare opportunity to speak directly with a UN official; so, come with your questions. Refreshments will be served.

For further information, call Phyllis Ehrenfeld, President, Bergen County Chapter, UNA-USA. (Her phone number is in the Bergen County phone directory under Ehrenfeld S, on Grove St. in Teaneck.)

We are proud to say that Phyllis is also the American Ethical Union’s National Service Conference Representative to the UN and her husband, Sylvain, is the IHEU Representative to the UN. (The IHEU is the International Humanist and Ethical Union.) Phyllis and Sylvain co-author the monthly “From the UN” column in the Bergen Ethical Culture Society’s Focus newsletter.