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UPDATE: September, 2009 It has been two years since I told you about my trip to Tanzania. Since that time, I have also traveled to South Africa and begun a relationship and partnership with women in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Sew Much More. In my travels to these countries, I interviewed women there and produced a documentary, Touch A Woman, Touch A Rock. What I uncovered is that women in these countries want what women around the world want; to be independent thinkers and to better themselves and improve the lives of their children. But unlike some women in other parts of the world, they face gender inequality and struggle as victims of poverty, gender abuse and war. What I also discovered is that with the help of activists African women are becoming activists themselves. They may not have the physical muscles but they do have maternalism. They are saying as females who hold their comunities together, and mothers who birth a nation they have the right to have jobs, homes, food, access to clean water and the right to be safe. In the documentary, I found out that in Tanzania activism equals money. With the help of activists Tanzanian women are gaining financial independence and gaining respect from the men in their village. Click on video. In Congo, their activism means speaking out about the abuse they face in war. Congolese women are writing letters detailing their abuse. Click on video. And in South Africa, activism means education. Women there are fighting for change by educating girls. Click on Video. Stay tuned for other stories about women. 2008 In eleven months, I will head to Africa-South Africa. It will be my second trip to Africa. In 2007, I traveled to Tanzania, Africa. I was on a fact finding mission wanting to learn more about the group, African Reflections. It is an organization that is "A well of water for women in Africa."  And, what I saw changed my life. I fell in love with the people, especially the women and children. In fact, I have never met people so eager to succeed and achieve their dreams. In an attempt to help them, I am now the international ambassador for African Reflections And I am working on two very special projects, that I need your help with. The first is Biscuits for Breakfast. It is a program to feed students at the Mkokozi Primary School. Students there have no cafeteria or money to buy anything for lunch, so they get nothing to eat all day. Click on “Notes from Africa" below to read more about that journey. The other program is called, Such Beautiful Girls. When girls begin to develop into young women, many of them drop out of school, not only because many schools have one communal bathroom, (It’s not really a bathroom, just a cement floor with a hole in it) but also because they do not possess feminine hygiene products. But, with your help, we can make sure kids eat breakfast at school. And, we can make sure that young ladies, get feminine hygiene products so they can stay in school. For more information:
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