A.Barclay Designs – A Scarf For Many Reasons!

I am so excited to finally get to put this post up, as I have eagerly been awaiting the launch of an awesome new company started by a good friend, Anna Sibley! Anna has started a scarf line called A.Barclay.   She has designed scarves and wraps that are to die for- silk and linen fabrics with screen printed designs, made in Italy….what more could a girl want? These factors are enough to want to buy one of her luxuriously oversized, winsome scarves BUT there is more! Anna decided to combine her line with a philanthropic cause.  This is when we got in touch…after many emails and a skype call from Vail to Arusha, the cause was conceived: for every scarf purchased, an item of necessity is given to a Tanzanian orphan.  The fact that a child in need will receive an item which will make life just that much easier is not where it ends…. The second and just as exciting aspect of the project is that the items will all be purchased within Tanzania, which means A. Barclay and its customers will be contributing to the stimulation of markets in Tanzania.  Buy an A.Barclay scarf and you will be the ultimate glam giver!  

In a similar vein, I’d also like to share with you all the new community development jewelry project which we have started in Mwiba: 

The Mang’ati Jewelry Co-op.

"The Mang’ati Jewelry Co-op was started in early 2012.  Inspired by their musical language, unique ceremonies, colorful and meticulously crafted bead and brass jewelry we asked a local family if they would like to begin a project.  Together, we decided to share their art, through a micro-finance loan project. 

A tribe which few visitors see and who many mistake as Masai, the Mang’ati pride themselves on their familial structures, bush prowess, cattle and warrior status.  Although there are several branches of the Mang’ati tribe, each who specialize in a particular craftsmanship, all branches wear each others jewelry. The Mang’ati Jewelry Co-op is made of up six women and two men, each who bring different talents to the group. By purchasing this jewelry, you are taking home a unique piece of Africa and helping to financially empower a very special community."

                             

How to Help

Following advice from one of my oldest and best friends, Selina Stanfield, who works for the company Big Bang Strategy, which assists companies in branding or re-branding themselves to truly portray their identity, I am putting up a short list of organizations who are doing important work on the ground in order to combat wildlife poaching.  Not everything is depressing! There is a great group of people and organizations doing great and exciting work to ensure these stunning places and wildlife are around for future generations! All of these groups are in need of support for what they are doing - so if you want to become a part of solving not only the ivory poaching crisis, but wildlife poaching in general, these are some of the guys to check out. There are many organizations, individuals, companies, etc working to fight this battle, but these are a few of the ones which are on the ground fighting it face to face against the poachers committing the crimes. This is short and sweet as I am rushing out the door, back to the bush!

Friedkin Conservation Fund

International Anti-Poaching Foundation

African Parks Network

PAMS Foundation

Virunga National Park

A Serious Threat

Elephant Poaching in Africa continues to be a serious threat. What local conservation organizations are finding on a weekly basis seems to becoming more and more severe.  Below is a blurb from an elephant poaching piece I am working on, describing a typical poaching scenario.

Some East African conservationists have projected, that as a keystone species, the rate at which elephants are being removed will have a far greater impact on African ecosystems as a whole than any other large mammal poaching problem.  The threat is serious, and unfortunately, ivory poaching is not cut and dry, elephants are not selectively taken off, and it is not being executed on a sustainable level.  Elephant poaching operations usually include a team of poachers (5-15 men), carrying AK 47’s and/or heavy caliber hunting rifles, buckets or bags of ammunition (sometimes up to 400 or 500 rounds), weighing scales, axes, food and water, carrying bags, etc.  Once the poachers have located a herd they will move in and regardless of size or age open fire into the group.  One or two or more elephants may die immediately.  The rest will move off in a panic, some having been wounded, protecting their family members and calves from imminent death.  The dead elephants’ faces are hacked off with an axe, their tusks removed.  Depending on the weight of ivory they were tasked with collecting, the poachers will return to their hub of business or continue until they have collected the amount of ivory requested.  The herd of elephants will continue on in a panic and those who were caught in the crossfire will die days or weeks later.  This scenario is happening on a daily basis not only in Tanzania but in many protected areas across the continent.

  email me for the entire piece.

In addition, below are articles that have been written in the last couple of months, addressing ivory poaching in East Africa. 

BBC: Kenya Rangers Shoot Dead Five Suspected Poachers

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17798914

Ivory Poaching in Kenya

http://www.eawildlife.org/the-news/eawlsnews/235-ivorypoachinginkenya

The Economist: Black Ivory – Last year was dreadful for elephants. This year may be worse.

http://www.economist.com/node/21549969

http://www.bloodyivory.org/

Rueters: Elephant Populations in Tanzanian Sanctuaries Drops

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/03/us-tanzania-elephants-idUSTRE8020QD20120103

All Africa.com: Tanzania: House Committee Rejects Poaching Report

http://allafrica.com/stories/201204060879.html

Center for Conservation Biology: Effects of Poaching on African Elephants

http://conservationbiology.net/research-programs/effects-of-poaching-on-african-elephants/

Goodbye Bush, Hello London

For the past 15 months I have been happily living in a tent....there have actually been multiple tents, the amenities of which continue to increase with each change. It started with no running water and a drop toilet

to a tent with a bucket shower and a bed off the ground, but no zipper, 

to one with running water, hangers for my clothes and some artwork on the walls (pictures are all a little skew, seeing as canvas is not great wall hanging material).

It has been an adventure and 90% of the time a fun one.  However, there come certain points when living in a tent just gets to be too much....this past week was one of them...from the possible parasites in my stomach to a hyena stealing our laundry basket (try hand washing hyena slobber out of your clothes...not effective) to a sudden onslaught of tons of teeny tiny bugs all over the tent to 8 months without a refrigerator and limited electricity and being exhausted from attempting to build a house and office for almost a year, only each time we get close there is some unknown obstacle that pops out of nowhere....ok, now I am just whining (which is unattractive, especially considering that I do spend about a third of my time in town).

What I am really getting to is how my 5 day trip to London (the 12th-17th), where I will be getting all long overdue doctor appointments out of the way (including killing whatever weird African stomach disease I have picked up), could not come at a better time! In my imagination, my parents London flat is like a corner of heaven that is just waiting for me...a bed with a real mattress and refrigerator full of a variety of organic foods, a neighborhood with amazing boutiques, plays and museums just around the corner...and on top of it all, seeing my parents and sneaking in an out of the ordinary visit! What a delight!  At first I felt guilty, because I am going alone and leaving my husband in our tent in the bush....however, the guilt subsided slightly when I said, "Don't you want to take a couple days off and have a little break?  Hope you are not mad that I am going to London without you?" and he replied, "What I would just love to do is pack a bedroll (camping mattress) and cooler box and go for a five day road trip in Tanzania."  Now, usually I would be game and say, "Me too. We should totally go!"....but not today, not this week.  This week you could not pay me to do a trip like that.

Although I have just done a fare share of complaining, I do happen to consider myself an optimistic person, which is why I will end with a bunch of pics of some of the fun things that have happened/we have done since we started living in a tent:

Beautiful Sunsets

Family and Friends Come to Visit! 

Ryan and Lizzie come for Thanksgiving- they met at our wedding (totally claiming matchmaking responsibility for this!) and now are working at an amazing lodge in Tanzania: www.chemchemsafari.com 

Close Encounters 

Getting My Flying Fix....or at least pretending to! 

The Half Marathon

Our Wedding! Cannot believe it has been over 10 months!

And More Sundowners!

Before I go, here are a couple new links worth checking out!

www.chemchemsafari.com : What it is: This fantastic location is perfect for unforgettable walking safaris and bird watching excursions.
http://wolfganghthome.wordpress.com/ : What it is: THE AVIATION, HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM NEWS SITE FOR EASTERN AFRICA AND THE INDIAN OCEAN REGION
http://www.ngojobsonline.com/ : this site was started by the CFO/COO of African Parks Network. What it is: A job seeking website dedicated to the global NGO sector. Jobseekers can search jobs below or use the jobseekers page to register on the site. Employers may also register, which is required in order to list jobs and access our unique hubbing technology. Happy searching!