Peace Corps Polyglot

"I Bring What I Love" Opening In Los Angeles with Director Q&A

In June the new Youssou N'Dour documentary,"Youssou N'Dour I Bring What I Love," opened on three screens in New York City--and was even held over.  (That's Youssou (center) and the  director, Chai (far right), with some New York-area RPCVs.) Now the film is coming to the West Coast!

The film Opens Friday, July 3 in Los Angeles and Orange County.  Director/Producer Chai Vasarhelyi will appear in person for Q&A on Opening Weekend!

Here's the schedule: 

Director/Producer CHAI VASARHELYI at Laemmle's Sunset 5 for Q&A on Opening Weekend
• Fri, July 3 following the 7:00 show; will intro the 9:45 show.
• Sat, July 4 following the 7:00 show; will intro the 9:45 show.
• Sun, July 5 following the 4:10 matinee.

Film opens on Friday, July 3 (for minimum of one week) in Los Angeles and Orange County:

LAEMMLE'S SUNSET 5
8000 Sunset Blvd. • West Hollywood, CA   90046
323-848-3500 • www.laemmle.com
Showtimes July 3-July 9:   1:30, 4:10, 7:00, 9:45
Tickets On Sale:   $10.00 (General), $8.50 (Students w/ID), $7.00 (Seniors 62+/Children under 12)
Group Rate: $8.50 (Fri-Sat)/$6.00(Sun-Thur) for 25 or more, details at http://www.laemmle.com/group_sales.php

EDWARDS UNIVERSITY TOWN CENTER 6
4245 Campus Drive • Irvine, CA   92612
949-854-8818 • www.regmovies.com
Showtimes and Tickets available on Monday, June 29

YOUSSOU N'DOUR: I BRING WHAT I LOVE has won multiple awards worldwide including the Circle Audience Award - Film Fest DC, Impact of Music Award - Nashville Film Festival, Special Jury Prize - Middle East International Film Festival, Audience Award and Spirit of Freedom Award - Bahamas International Film Festival.

What have the critics said?

"A singer with a voice so extraordinary that the history of Africa seems locked inside it." - Rolling Stone

"A stirring story of an artist and a hero." - NBC/Reel Talk

"A beautiful meditation on faith, Islam and music." - The Huffington Post

YOUSSOU N'DOUR: I BRING WHAT I LOVE, is a music-infused cinematic journey about the power of one man's voice to inspire change. The film chronicles Africa's pop sensation Youssou N'dour, a devout Muslim, as he releases a deeply personal and religious album called Egypt in the hope of promoting a tolerant face of Islam. While the record received international acclaim and a Grammy, it was denounced as blasphemy in his native Senegal. Director Chai Vasarhelyi followed Youssou N'dour for over two years - filming in Africa, Europe, and America - to tell the story of how he faced these challenges and eventually won over audiences both at home and abroad.

For more information about NPCA's partnership with the film, click here.

For more information about the film contact Karen O'Hara at karenoh@aol.com or 520-326-0813.  

"Bay"-by it's Cold Outside?

RPCVs in Northern New England, the Midwest and other locations know all too well that winter still packs a powerful punch.  The phrase “global warming” gets a little confounding this time of year and is somewhat of a misnomer.  But taken as a whole, the scientific community has confirmed our planet is warming, leading to dangerously disruptive shifts in our climate patterns.

With that well in mind, five members of the Shriver Peaceworker affiliate group of the NPCA (pictured above) braved the cold on January 10 to participate in the annual “Keep Winter Cold” Polar Bear Plunge into the Chesapeake Bay.  They raised nearly $1,000 to support the ongoing work of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, led by Zaire RPCV Mike Tidwell.

“Wow, it's cold in the Bay!"  That was the reaction from Joby Taylor, a Gabon RPCV and Shriver Peaceworker Fellow from 1999 – 2001.  So why did he plunge?  "As RPCVs we have seen first hand many places and communities around the world that are disproportionately impacted by the effects of global climate change.  But much of the problem starts right here at home, so home is where we have to begin working for change.”

Everybody Wins when Burkina Faso Wins!

Friends of Burkina Faso just announced their participation in the Everybody Can Win! competition that can help them raise at least $2500 and up to $15,000 for their Noon Meal Improves Girls' Learning project.  The competition is sponsored by Global Giving and the Kellogg Foundation and promises $2500 to any organization participating that can raise at least $5000 from 50 unique donors by December 15. 

Burkina Faso's Noon Meal Project provides a lunchtime meal for girls who attend middle school.  This meal is essential to students' learning, particularly as they have little or no breakfast and walk 6 km to and from school and have no other source of food during the day.  For the 2008-09 school year, Friends of Burkina Faso is supporting noon meals for about 500 students at the College Modern de l'Amitie, at a cost of $.41per day per student.  In the 2007-08 school year, the noon meal contributed to an impressive 81% of students completing coursework successfully. 

In addition to potentially winning $2500, there are bonuses Friends of Burkina Faso could win.  If they generate the most unique number of donors, they can win $15,000 and if they generate the greatest amount of donations, $10,000!  

So don't delay--donate now and help students have the food they need to concentrate on their studies.
 

Jackson Hole, WY Gathers its RPCVs

We recently got news that Jackson Hole, WY is getting its RPCVs together to form a new NPCA member group.  Thanks to the efforts of Willie Richardson (Kazakhstan, '97-'99), the first Teton County, WY meeting of this RPCV group took place on Nov. 21.  We love to see this initiative and can't wait to provide assistance as they grow!

If you're interested in starting an NPCA member group in your area, visit our website for a packet with useful tips and instructions. 

High Atlas Foundation: Moroccan Arts and Excitement

The High Atlas Foundation, a nonprofit organized by RPCVs that works on locally designed and managed development projects in Morocco, is hosting its Fourth Annual NYC Reception October 15.

The event, which will include an art exhibit, sale, and silent auction, will feature Moroccan artists working with photography and mixed techniques and a book signing by Elizabeth Letts Alalou and Ali Alalou, the authors of the children's book The Butter Man. 

Event chairs include an impressive list of leaders from nonprofit, academic, and governmental organizations.  The list includes both the current and a former ambassador to Morocco, the director of Fordham University's Middle East Studies Program, and several nonprofit heavyweights, including Carol Bellamy, President and CEO of World Learning.  The Peace Corps has its fair share of representation as honorary chairs including Darcy Neill, the former Director of Peace Corps Morocco, Tim Resch, President of Friends of Morocco, and our own NPCA President, Kevin Quigley. 

The event will help The High Atlas Foundation reach its fundraising goals and give it the support it needs to continue its work in the field.  It will be held at The Urban Center at the New York Palace Hotel.  To register in advance visit http://www.events.org/cpage.aspx?e=16087 or for more information, contact Kate McLetchie at kate@highatlasfoundation.org

National Peace Corps Association Announces Awards for Member Groups

We are very pleased to announce the winners for the 2008 NPCA Awards for member groups.  With so many high quality submissions this year, our reviewers had quite a challenge in picking the top groups for each award.  Thank you to all nominees for your outstanding work. 

And the winners are….

Loret Miller Ruppe Award for Outstanding Community Service

• Friends of Malaysia and their “Wizard of the World” project

NPCA Print Media Awards

• First place:   Amigos de Bolivia y Peru
• Second place:  Friends of Nigeria
• Third place:  Central Missouri RPCVs
• Fourth place:  San Diego Peace Corps Association

NPCA Electronic Media Awards

• First place:  Heart of Texas Peace Corps Association
• Second place:  Minnesota RPCVs
• Third place:  San Diego Peace Corps Association
• Fourth place:  Friends of Kyrgyzstan

Thank you to all groups who submitted materials for consideration for these awards!  To learn more about the awards and to link to the winning materials, visit the NPCA website. 

Congratulations!

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Washington D.C. Raise Funds for Solar Panel Project

Every year the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Washington D.C. (RPCVw) demonstrate their continuing commitment to the work of the Peace Corps by sponsoring a Peace Corps Partnership Project. The year they teamed up with Sarah Mendelsohn, a PCV from Ohio who is helping her village in Cape Verde build solar panels for a community center.

The community of Hortelao where Sarah is serving does not have access to electricity. This lack of electricity has, among other things, put serious limitations on the village's jam business. When the solar panels are up and running the jam business will be able to expand its product base by using refrigerators they already own. Expenses will decrease since there will no longer be a need for a generator to mix the fruit. Sarah commented on the powerful impact the solar panels and the RPCVw partnership will have, stating:

I cannot tell you how excited my community of Hortelao is for our solar panels. A couple of weeks ago a group of girls began forming a study group, which will take place in our Community Center once they have lights. The women involved in our jam-making income generating project are currently receiving a workshop from a Portuguese NGO. During this workshop the women asked for suggestion of new products that will be possible with refrigerators, this is the first time I have ever seen them speak in workshops; normally they are painfully shy. Also, this NGO looked over our proposal for the solar panels and is interested in pursuing the idea for the entire town of Hortelao. I thank each of you for your generosity and promise to keep you up-to-date, with pictures and messages from Hortelao.

RPCVw plans to donate $1,000 to the project and they need the support of members to reach that goal. They are holding their annual Partnership Reception on June 26, 2008 to raise funds for the project. The event will be held at Toro Mata - The Art of Peru, 2410 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009. The suggested minimum donation is $20 for RPCVw members and $30 for non-members.

Click here to RSVP to the event and learn more about the Partnership Program.

"Making a Difference:" Santa Barbara Peace Corps Association Gives Mini-Grants

Through a regularly-changing feature on the homepage of our website the NPCA likes to take the time to highlight affiliated individuals and groups who are "Making a Difference." We look for projects that demonstrate service to others in domestic and/or international communities and can be replicated by inspired individuals.

We most recently acknowledged the difference-making work of the Santa Barbara Peace Corps Association. The SBPCA is offering project mini-grants to currently serving Peace Corps volunteers who have either lived in Santa Barbara County or have been recommended by an active member of SBPCA, and through the Peace Corps Partnership program. Already in 2008 $500 grants have been given to PCV's Daniel Alejandro and Suzanne Hartley. Daniel's grant will go to a stove making project in Sibinal, San Marcos, Guatemala, while Suzanne will be using the money to support a bead making project in Abampe, Ghana (pictured on right). To download the SBPCA Mini-Grant Application click here. Applications are reviewed and grants awarded on a quarterly basis.

To send in a nomination for the NPCA's "Making a Difference" feature click here. Remember no suggestion is too big or too small!

Welcome High Atlas Foundation!

NPCA is pleased to welcome our newest affiliate group, the High Atlas Foundation (HAF).

HAF is a non-profit organization founded in 2000 by returned Peace Corps volunteers as a way for them to leverage the professional relationships and knowledge gained during their years of service for the continued benefit of the Moroccan people.

>> Learn about HAF's Peace Corps Connection and their community-based projects.

"Peace Corps is America at Its Best" - Peace Corps Week Proclamation in California

Around the country, states, cities and municipalities have issued proclamations in recognition of National Peace Corps Week 2008.  Especially noteworthy is that of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger:

When President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, he asked my father-in-law, Sargent Shriver, to become its first director and flesh out the details of the new organization. It was a tremendous challenge, but Sarge rose to the occasion and helped develop programs in fifty-five countries with more than 14,500 volunteers in less than six years. Because of the efforts of these two great men and all those who have had a role in shaping it, the Peace Corps has become one of America's most successful initiatives in advancing peace.

Simply put, the Peace Corps is America at its best. Throughout the world, Peace Corps volunteers are engaged in diverse projects that encourage goodwill and progress. From promoting HIV/AIDS awareness in Malawi to providing technical training in Armenia to teaching English in Paraguay, volunteers are involved in projects that make a real difference in people's lives. As men and women of action, these volunteers embody the concept of public service as envisioned by President Kennedy and my father-in-law.

Since its establishment, more than 25,000 Californians have answered the call of service to help others in 139 countries. They undertake their projects with enthusiasm and gain a better understanding of their host country's culture. And in turn, those helped gain a more informed perspective of the United States. It is a win-win situation and is part of the reason why the Peace Corps has become a big success.

Serving others is part of the fabric of our great nation, and I think this is what we see in programs like the Peace Corps. It is a perfect example of friendship in action, and I hope even more of our residents will consider joining the Corps. I encourage all Californians to join me in giving a big hand to all those who served and those currently serving in the Peace Corps. The Golden State is very proud of its volunteers.  Their achievements are an inspiration to us, and I am proud to acknowledge their efforts.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim February 25 through March 3, 2008, as "Peace Corps Week." IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 25th day of January 2008.