CSAfrica has two new member organizations, Open Arts Africa and Servicing Wild Flowers International

Open Arts Africa (OAA) was founded in April of 2008 by Nicole Fantl, under the fscal sponsorship of the Creative Visions Foundation. Nicole began her feld work with the orphanage of Cura, Kenya, home to 49 wonderful children; and is currently expanding to collaboration with OAA’s next community in Africa. Open Arts
Africa aims to invigorate creative, compassionate and intelligent global leadership. By providing opportunities, nurturing, the universal language of art and enhanced
education to orphans in Africa today, OAA aims to support a gene ration in becoming the leaders and proprietors of a fourishing, successful and sustainable tomorrow. OAA provides means that best support successful learning and blossoming in all areas of life by bridging gaps in education and basic needs for orphans in Africa. OAA operates via a two- pronged approach:

1. A volunteer-based, expansive arts exchange program whereby global artists impart the myriad developmental benefts of an arts education, skills and opportunities for the children’s future;
2. The identifcation of sustainable solutions to best address pressing needs within education, overall health, nutrition and the environment in the African communities that OAA works with.

For more information about Open Arts Africa please contact Nicole Fantl at nicolefantl@yahoo.com


Servicing Wild Flowers (SWF) International is a non-proft, non-governmental organization that works to eradicate female genital mutilation - FGM - in Sierra Leone, West Africa. Located in the heart of Los Angeles, SWF educates people about the traditional practice of FGM. SWF works to raise funds to build a school, a medical clinic and a library in Sierra Leone. At the International level SWF International partners with grass roots organizations supporting the on-going efforts to mass educate local men, women, boys and girls about the origins and implications of the FGM practice in parallel with basic healthcare education. SWF International promotes FGM awareness aimed at completely abolishing the practice. SWF International was founded by Nina Smart on July 13th, 2004 in Los Angeles, California. For more information, please contact Nina at ninasmart@hotmail.com


CSAfrica hosts a Screening of Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai. This powerful 80 min flm, by Directors Lisa Merton and Alan Dater, tells an inspiring story of women empowered to bring change to a Nation...that started with planting trees. The flm provides a brief concise history of Kenya. Learn details you probably didn’t know and support CSAfrica at the same time. Light refreshments will be served. All ages are welcome. Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 7 PM. Venice United Methodist Church, 2210 Lincoln Blvd, Venice CA 90291,(310) 881-7265. Donation per ticket: $10 and up. For those who can give more- effort is appreciated. Purchase tickets now at https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=8592522

Stephan McGuire
Namibia Wrap Up
I am sad to leave Namibia! And am so inspired by what is happening throughout this young country. Along with working with GAWA, a CSAfrica member organization, I feel that my favorite accomplishment was directing the documentary for NNF, (Namibia Nature Foundation) Trees on a Canvas. CSAfrica will have a screening of this 1/2 hour film sometime in the coming months. Thanks to Namibia’s wonderful efforts and good work, I have enjoyed immensely working with the NNF and all of those we interviewed for Trees on a Canvas. Thank you for the NNF’s commitment to keeping Namibia a beautiful and pristine country, and educating everyone on the dangers that threaten this fragile environment. Hello Cape Town!

Annie Goeke
Trees for a Sustainable Africa
Together with the Namibian Government, and in partnership with CSAfrica, the frst phase of citrus tree plantings have begun – creating Green Zones in 43 of Windhoek’s Schools! In a big week-long campaign, Stephan was interviewed on the nation’s most popular radio station: http://www.radiowave.com.na Together they launched a SMS contest for the first 15 schools to receive 25 citrus trees each. This frst phase was possible through funding by the US based GO Campaign, The Diamond Trade Company and Namibia Diamond Trade Company. Many students, teachers and headmasters called in to express their excitement about the contest and GAWA’s role in creating a Sustainable Namibia. The tree plantings begin in 2 weeks with a ceremonial planting at one of the local schools. Organic gardening will be included as a second phase early next year, as both the trees and food grown from these plantings are offcially mandated by the Namibian Government and will also be included in the Nations’ offcial national education curriculum.


Cross-Pollination
Following the Evaluations, one of CSAfrica’s most noted successes has been the cross-pollination among member organizations. Here are a few examples of our organizations joining forces to have an even more substantial impact in Africa: Go Campaign has made grants to Niapele, OneWorldWorks and GAWA, helping to fund the Niapele Project School Nutrition Program, Mobile Education & Health Unit, and the Greening of 10 Schools in Namibia. Please visit, http://gocampaign.org/ourwork_progress.php for more information about these endeavors. In addition, Go is also working with NextAid on “Hope in the Slum”. There are more than
250,000 people living in the Kawangware slum, just outside Nairobi, and most of them live on less than $1 a day. The unemployment rate is staggering, HIV/AIDS is rampant and the community does not have the proper resources to help. Kawangware Street Children and Youth Project (KSCYP) rescues orphans and vulnerable children living in the slum by providing them with basic human needs and opportunity. This includes counseling, safe and fun activities such as soccer, a hot lunch and schools fees (when money allows). For more information on this project, visit: http://gocampaign.org/ourwork_hope_slum.php

Earth Rights Institute and Oneworld Works are working together in the DRC.
On Friday September 11, 2009, Gabriel Linden, a Swedish high school student left for Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo on behalf of Earth Rights Institute and Oneworld Work’s . He is working for both organizations doing various things such as photographing, documenting and teaching a group of children how to operate video camcorders and digital cameras so that they can “Tell Their Story of Life in the Streets” of the capital city of 10 million people. Swedish National Radio will be conducting radio interviews with Gabriel as often as possible to keep us informed about his work in the Streets of Kinshasa as well as his personal blog that include his amazing photographs! Both Earth Rights Institute and Oneworld Works will be organizing small fundraising events so as to continue his work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For more information contact either Earth Rights Institute or Oneworld Works or view his facebook album at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=315455&id=792435108&l=87db09d8b9.