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Janet Feldman schreibt:

Hello Dear Franz and All,

You have just made my day with this enchanting story and artwork, let alone the fact that it's translated into so many languages (Sam and Henry, how about Kiswahili?), and that it serves a dual purpose, as "edutainment" (both educational and entertaining) and also as a fundraising tool, for donations to help African libraries! It's fantastic too that there is a UNESCO connection, which is promoting "education for all", and learning via ICTs too.

In May of last year, there was a UNESCO conference which convened in Paris, was webcast online, and also connected to several "Global Development Learning Network" (GDLN) sites in Africa and elsewhere. OVF-Tanzania helped to organize the one held there, with a focus on youth and ICTs, as I recall, and it was a great success.

There are a number of other endeavors and resources now related to African libraries, virtual materials on Africa, the African Virtual University, African youth and ICTs--which we might link with and tape into--and I'm sure that Joy and OVF Africa, Sam (Kongere), Henry (Migingo), Moses (Mwale) in Zambia, myself, Dabesaki (Mac-Ikemenjima) in Nigeria, and others can be helpful in that regard.

I can see that this story might be one great way to teach reading and literacy too, and there might be a link made to orgs like Teachers Without Borders ([ http://www.teacherswithoutborders.org ]www.teacherswithoutborders.org) and Schoolnet Africa ([ http://www.schoolnetafrica.net ] http://www.schoolnetafrica.net). And here is a good link to a consortium of American and African universities: [ http://www2.ncsu.edu/ncsu/aern/participate.htm ] http://www2.ncsu.edu/ncsu/aern/participate.htm.

Others of interest:

• [ http://www.avu.org/default.asp ] http://www.avu.org/default.asp [ http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Home_Page/WWW_Links.html ] http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Home_Page/WWW_Links.html (African Virtual University)
• [ http://www.loc.gov/rr/ElectronicResources/full_description.php?MainID=656 ] http://www.loc.gov/rr/ElectronicResources/full_description.php?MainID=656 (African NGOs directory)
• [ http://www.saide.org.za/frontend ] http://www.saide.org.za/frontend (S. African Distance Education org)
• [ http://billie.lib.duke.edu/pubdocs/ngo/africa.asp ] http://billie.lib.duke.edu/pubdocs/ngo/africa.asp (African NGOs listings)
• [ http://africaeducation.org/ ] http://africaeducation.org/ (African Education listings)

Markus, this dovetails (pun intended, haha!) with your own posting recently about a "books to Nigeria" project, and hope we can discuss how to integrate the various threads of activity we are pursuing now individually and in different groupings (literacy, ICTs, development, libraries, youth). Dabesaki and some other youth established a "Students Without Borders" endeavor in Nigeria, as I recall, and--in conjunction with Teachers Without Borders--has worked on getting book donations and libraries set up there.

I also appreciate your mention of the International Young Professionals Foundation, and I recommend to Samwel and others the IYPF-Africa forum, which is a great place to "meet" other African youth, and find out about worthwhile opportunities like conferences, grants, and development projects. For more on this see [ http://www.iypf.org ] http://www.iypf.org, and join the Africa-specific forum by sending a blank mail to [ MAIL IYPF-Africa-subscribe (AT) yahoogroups.com ]IYPF-Africa-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

For Eric, thanks so much for mentioning the African NGOs Directory (see above), which will be helpful to us in a number of ways! I think that Markus or whoever mentioned this might have been referring to orgs and individuals in our various forums (?), and that too would be a valuable list or directory to compile.

Moses, I'm delighted to see you here too! Some of us have connections to people and orgs in Zambia, including myself and Dabesaki. Last year, I was on the international steering committee of the ISCA (International Students Conference on HIV/AIDS), held in Lusaka in July ([ http://www.isca.org.zm ]www.isca.org.zm) --whose conference this year is being held in Moldova--and they are an excellent group to join, with an eforum (subscribe by sending a blank mail to [ MAIL iscaids-subscribe (AT) yahoogroups.com ]iscaids-subscribe@yahoogroups.com).

I also have connections with an arts group, the Natasha Community Theater, which uses the arts to address HIV/AIDS (they are in the international arts coalition, ActALIVE?, which I founded in 2002). I'd love to bring the work being done in the arts--to address issues like HIV/AIDS, literacy, and fundraising using the arts (like Elizabeth's "Owl" project)--into focus here among our groups, so that we might together address our concerns and passions through creativity of all kinds.

There are a number of Zambian members of the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS ([ http://www.youthaidscoalition.org ]www.youthaidscoalition.org ), which has 1000+ activists in all countries of the world (Dabesaki and I are co-founders), and an eforum to which you can subscribe by sending a blank mail to [ MAIL gyca-subscribe (AT) groups.takingitglobal.org ]gyca-subscribe@groups.takingitglobal.org. ARYI (African Regional Youth Initiative) is also a wonderful group ([ http://www.aryi.interconnection.org ]www.aryi.interconnection.org ), and subscribe to their eforum at [ MAIL aryi-subscribe (AT) yahoogroups.com ]aryi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Moses, if you know of any ICTs-related projects which are training youth in the healthcare field (esp. HIV/AIDS)--specifically for employment--will you let me know, as the World Bank and Rotary International are hoping to set up such a project in Zambia, and would like to know of any existing projects or models.

Immense thanks for pointing us in the direction of this invaluable resource, Franz, and may friends of a feather flock together, including Elizabeth and her owls, a creative concept which will "fly" in any kind of weather! With hoots of happiness to you and all, Janet [ MAIL kaippg (AT) earthlink.net ]kaippg@earthlink.net