Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

I am starting this thread so that we have a place to acknowlege our accomplishments and to announce our coming events.

I am starting with a big congratulations. I was just watching the Oprah show while working on my computer. The show is all about philanthrophy and highlights Bill Clinton's new book "Giving". One segment was on Kiva and the founders were there.

I was so proud to see our very own Grace and her peanut butter business highlighted and held up as a shining example of the success of Kiva loan recipients. What a treat to see a familiar face and hear that beautiful voice. It was only a short segment but it meant so much to me. The whole community should be very proud. I know I am.

Last comment added: Fri, 02 Nov 2007 21:43:34 PST

Comment 1 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

no way??!! Grace Ayaa was on the Oprah show??!

And Matt and Jessica? WOW! how cool!

Comment 2 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

It was quite a surprise and it was amazing. Evidently Matt and Jessica and their Kiva organization are also featured in the book as examples of a good place to give.

They are so young to have accomplished so much. They reported that they have to date, or to the date of the filming, given out 10 million dollars in loans and have a repayment record of 99.6%. Oprah was even amazed.

Grace is becoming a TV Star!

Comment 3 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

I saw it too!! It was a great show. I pretty much ignored my kids from start to finish. I have the Giving book in hand; my husband was not allowed to come home without it :-)

Every time I see a show about giving, I am so jazzed and feel like my business mission is endorsed. And I am itching to get my charity box kits in the hands of Clinton, Andre Agassi (his Las Vegas school was featured) and the two young women who started fundraising/giving campaigns (http://www.commoncents.org) and (http://www.kidscaring4kids.org)...

Sometimes I feel a little guilty - that's the "for-profit" entity issue, but for me the real issue at hand is inspiring our next generation to be generous, kind, compassionate leaders to help make the world a better place.

I love Oprah. I just think she's awesome.

Comment 4 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

Oh my God , I feel so blessed to be on Oprah, I love her show very much, it was actually my children who introduced me to it. I just cannot imagine myself there ! I wish I could have more to offer like Oprah.

All these has been because of Christina's inspiration , I really owe her a lot .

Comment 5 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

Congratulations Grace,

Indeed it was a moment of grace that I missed, am wishing I was back home where am able to catch the show.

Could someone summarize what the show was about? am eager to know more

Comment 6 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

I missed it too but I hope we will catch up too and watch the amazing Grace in action.

Congrats Grace

Comment 7 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

Hello Grace, so glad to have you back.

The show was all about giving and philanthropy. The segment that Grace was on was about Kiva. They had the founders there and they showed a short film about the impact their program has on people and Grace was the highlight. It was wonderful to watch it ans see someone that I actually know.

Comment 8 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

From what I could tell, Oprah's production company got the rights, and used footage from...

Comment 9 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

Thanks Mark for the video.

Very insightful and am glad to know what impact the Kiva loans are having in Uganda and indeed the world over.

Comment 10 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

Currently I'm sewing and selling hammocks here in Canada, so I can set up community sewing rooms in Uganda and make hammocks there... to give away freely. These are hammocks and rain tarps in one... that fold up into a little bag. A couple of these are all you need for a comfy rest at night or in the day... rain or shine: http://www.facebook.com/photo.ph p?pid=1254072&op=1&o=all &view=all&subj=226602868 7&aid=-1&id=906200533

If it all works out, and we find people in Gulu who want to continue and we'd sell them everywhere. Maybe Kiva could help with that? Maybe we don't even need Kiva... but it would be a great way to promote the project just to be part of that process.

I'm an art therapist, not so much a busy-ness person, so I'm seeking help. I'm thinking Opok farm would be a great place to be based when that is ready, but for now... where do you suggest could be a good place for a community sewing room?

Stitch Uganda Together is the project... on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.ph p?gid=2408133160 and razoo: http://beta.razoo.com/causes/sti tch_uganda_together

Ya'll are great. It is energizing to know you are out there... Shine on!

-Cor 506.635-4122 cor.contact@gmail.com www.actionheronetwork.net

Comment 11 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

I just watched the video.... it really gave me a good feeling. I'm excited!!! I love the spirit of the people featured. It is so great that Grace is on here... a real star! It makes Uganda seem so close.

I'll be sharing this video with my network tonight. The video I watched before it showed a very dark world view and that sort of message just makes us feel like we can't do anything. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The following quotes are from the movie Waking Life:

The trick is to combine your waking rational abilities with the infinite possibilities of your dreams; cuz if you can do that you can do anything.

Whatever you do, don't be bored. We are limited by our own confines. The world is an exam.

In hell you sink to the level of your lack of love. In heaven you rise to the level of your fullness of love.

As the pattern becomes more intricate and subtle, being swept along is never enough.

We should never simply write ourselves off, and see ourselves as the victims of various forces. It is always our decision who we are.

We seem to think we are so limited by the world and the confines, but we are really just creating them. You keep trying to figure it out, but it seems like now that you know that what you are doing is dreaming, you can do whatever you want to. You are dreaming but you are awake. You have so many options, and that is what life is about.

The on-going wow is happening right now. We are all co-authors of this dancing exuberance, where even our inabilities are having a roast. We are the authors of ourselves. The world is an exam to see if we can rise into the direct experience.

No matter how empty the world seemed, no matter how degraded and used up the world appeared to us, we knew that anything was still possible, and given the right circumstances, a new world was just as likely as an old one.

You have begun to find your answers. Although it may seem difficult, the rewards will be great. Exercise your human mind as fully as possible, knowing it is only an exercise. Build beautiful artifacts, solve problems, explore secrets of the physical universe, savor the input of your senses. Feel the joy and sorrow, the laughter, the empathy, compassion and tuck the emotional memory in your travel bag.

Looking back, connecting with all the people is all that really mattered.

We each have the responsibility to continue the growth and evolution of humanity. Be aware that what you do and what you create will have a lasting impression on generations to come. With this awareness, create beauty that will nurture and sustain these future generations and contribute to a more loving and beautiful world for them to live in. Allow yourself to visualize and recognize what you can offer as an unconditional gift for the future of humanity.

-Voice of the Galaxy, by Stacia Alana-leah and Raymond Mardyks

Comment 12 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

Just found this thread. That is so cool, Evvy! Congratulations Grace!

Comment 13 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

I'm loving reading this thread...so proud of you Grace!!

Cory where can i order some hammocks? :)

Comment 14 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

Grace-ayaa ,am so happy to here that you are even on Oprah's show. What a blessing.. May you continue being blessed.

Comment 15 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

Nice "Waking Life" tie-in Cory!

Comment 16 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

Jackie... and anyone else who wants a cuddle puddle... you can pick the color you want under the info about Stitch Uganda Together at http://www.actionheronetwork.net

Sending two hammocks in the mail costs the same as one... so including shipping, two hammocks are $120.

They are currently $50 without shipping. Similar hammocks in stores here are $65 without the webbing strap, which cost $15 extra, so I am selling for $50 would cost $80. I'm going to put the price up to $70 soon. That is what the YMCA fair trade shop is selling them for. $50 is wholesale price. I'll leave it at that if people buy four or more.

Someone in Colorado just offered to sell them in their store with no extra markup. That's fine until I go to Uganda, but the plan is to make a real business out of this so everyone who gets involved benefit.

It is not just about make money either. I like bringing more hammocks into the world, to help people relax and enjoy the outdoors. And the hammock itself when in use promotes the action hero URL ...and that is a key to all of you.

Again.... this is the link: http://www.actionheronetwork.net

Comment 17 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

This is both an announcement and an accomplishment. Thanks to some very hard work on the part of the community committee led by Munnu, the Gulu Soap Works proposal is finished! Christina did a fantastic job of putting the final touches on it to make it look fabulous.

We invite everyone to take a look and please go to Facebook and vote for this great project.

http://www.ned.com/group/nedugan da/ws/project_proposal/

Comment 18 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

This is none other than giving our sincere /grats but we much thanks God first! Perhaps, Evvy for having opened the tread which brought us to understanding? And Mark really highlihted the show fully, this show brought everyone to apoint of saying i wish I could,,,,,,,,,be there,,,?.

Comment 19 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

George Ayittey said here

Linda Nowakowski said:

Dear Dr Ayittey,

I saw you on-line as I was preparing to leave my computer for a "stimulating" day of reading (ah the perils of a student!), and I wanted to offer you an invitation.

I know that you are headed out later in the week for your trip to meet with some of the cheetahs in Mali. I would like to invite you to consider meeting some of the cheetahs in Uganda! (Note that I haven't talked to any of them about this!)

These people have awed me in their strength in spite of overwhelming obstacles. If I were to be very selfish (and I certainly can be at times) I would like to invite you to meet them when I am there during March, April and May. But your meeting them is more important than my meeting you! If you would be able to fit that into your schedule at some point, I would be more than happy to help you make the connections.

Linda,

I will be more than happy to meet with Ugandan "Cheetahs." Please send me a private mail so that we can work out the details. March (spring Break) would be best for me.

Hope to hear from you soon.

George Ayittey, Washington, DC

Comment 20 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

The Kampala team is developing a budget for a candle project which will soon be on line . This is in line with the different household items which are being developed by the production team . Candles have been thought of because almost every household in Uganda uses candles as they resort to due to power shortages here. We are sure there will difinately be market locally.

Meanwhile the Internet upgrading program has already been put up by Peter . We wish to have a really fast and reliable set up that will enable us to get customers that can make us earn some good income. get you the thread later.

Please help us with ideas to set up this place that may lead us to some kind of self sustainability when accomplished .

Comment 21 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

I have captured it already , here it is and Peter is talking of creating a workspace for it , but for now this is it.

http://www.ned.com/group/nedugan da/news/. With the technocrats around us , we sure will develop something that will make a great difference in our connectivity.

Comment 22 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

This is so interesting, Mark can I get a DVD copy of it?

Comment 23 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

Peter, I think Yahoo videos are a lot like YouTube videos and you cannot download them to DVD...but I'll see what I can do.

Comment 24 on Ned Uganda Announcements and Accomplishments

In gulu,one of our member katusi denis has already started making candles,he put up some small capital of his on and really trained four members and they have produce 200,candles.its was exiting because the market were ready and they were bougth,in holesale price,so we have group of tweenty members coming up to begin the making this months.he is coming up with the break down of the requirements.the the first product was impressing.and the market was ready more especailly during the power black out in gulu.now this also brought in the ideas of beging to make the candle handle.our main man in candle making in gulu is katusi.thanks for GRACE's appearing in oprah.it amzing.and thanks for the message.