1.Virginia Tech won a grant to work with two universities in Sudan to develop and strengthen agriculture and natural resources programs! Way to go VT!!!
2.A New York Times journalist published an article about Malawi in the Travel section. He went to Zomba, Lake Malawi, Mvuu Camp and even more of the same places as us. The article captures him experiencing the sights and sounds of Malawi for the first time and encourages tourism. Warms my heart to read such a great article about Malawi!
3.Since I was going to Africa, my mom encouraged me to read The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (I have yet to read it...oops!) because it takes place in Botswana. Now HBO has started a TV series based on the novel. http://www.hbo.com/no1ladiesdetectiveagency/
We just got HBO a few weeks ago, so I'm excited to follow the show!
4.ABC aired a two night special, Diamonds. It's very similar to Blood Diamonds and follows 5 storylines about the global diamond trade business. My dad and I loved it, it kept us on the edge of our seats!
5.Another friend told me about the documentary, God Grew Tired Of Us. I only watched the trailer, and I started to get emotional! It documents the story of Sudan refugees coming to America and getting a fresh start.
6.Another friend sent me this article about 60 elephants being evacuated, starting in Malawi. Apparently farmers get violent to protect their crops from the elephants so the International Animal Welfare got involved.
7. June 20th was World Refugee Day. Angelina Jolie released this video to raise awareness to refugees all around the world. Angelina was in DC making speeches and attending events for World Refugee Day. (I should have gone to DC to try and find her!) I volunteered with refugees in Blacksburg, so I am able to put a face to the stories. I am so impressed with everything Angelina has done for the UNHCR.
8. E! Online reported that Madonna's appeal has been approved and she is now allowed to adopt Mercy James from Malawi. Mercy is on her way to meet Madonna and her family in London. Here's the article: Mercy leaves Malawi to meet Madonna in London Here's the CNN article on the appeal approval: Madonna wins adoption appeal in Malawi
9. ABC's World News reports on a "Person of the Week" each week (obvi). This week a little 7 year old girl from Kansas was named person of the week for her philanthropic efforts to sell greeting cards with her artwork on the cover. She has raised thousands of dollars and was able to build an orphanage in Haiti. She is continuing to sell artwork and her next orphanage will be in Malawi!!
Check it out:
10. NBC's got a new TV series called The Philanthropist on Wednesday nights at 10pm. I watched the pilot a couple weeks ago and it reminded me of my time in Malawi last summer. The scenery, the people, the dancing, the children, the outfits all brought back so many memories. And most of all I completely related with the main characters desire to help the people suffering. It's a show worth tuning into!
11.As many of you know, I struggled with the idea of visiting a 3rd world country and having an American influence on them. I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Well, I came across this article that talks about a woman who went to Malawi and had the same concerns. The article talks about how the Malawians helped her realize the answer. It's a great article! Check it out: http://www.aawmag.com/story/14114
Gosh, I am such an African/Malawi nerd!
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