THE CLOTH AND THE MUD 28
NEWS FROM FABULOUS AFRICAN FABRICS
a 501 (c) (3) organization
1158 Kensington St. NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49534
616-735-4109
433 South Paula Dr. #7
Dunedin, FL 34698
727-733-9694
Editor: Laura Salazar, FAF Exedutive Director
Use Florida address Nov. through April
Fabulous African Fabrics is organized to support agencies working with AIDS widows and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Kenya and other African coutries, to inform United States citizens of the AIDS crisis in Kenya andto promote African textile arts.
New Format
The Cloth and the Mud is trying a new format this quarter througth our new website. We will continue to send our newsletter by mail to our membership, but others will be encouraged to check this website. Notify FAF about how you like this change. Members who prefer get their newsletter on the web, may e-mail Laura@fabulousafricanfabrics.org . This could mean savings for FAF and a convenience for members.
News From Africa
Letters
Dorothy Onyango writes from Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya that "last year has been very busy with more and more clients needing our services and it was relly hectic also considering that the staff we have are few due to lack of funding for staff allowances. Dorothy was out of the office for a few weeks with malaria and pneumonia. She now is back on the job--leading her wonderful work.
Life at the Good Samaritan Home has been busy as well. The $1000 we sent in the summer helped with the 20 students at Gathiga Secondary School. To pay the rest of the bill, the home sold the pigs they raised. There has been progress because this year the home has hired a full time social worker. Other events kept us from hearing from the GSH for most of the fall. Mercy Thuo wrote: "We have heavy rainfall, it has destroyed partially our small shambe we get our daily vegetables. Early November 2006 our slum area was faced with moe classes in killing and burning of houses despite our center was not affected. We were in a tense situation but it has calmed. We managed to give the very needy mothers and children some accommodation at our center until the turmoil was over.
As ever these two courageous women and the unusual organizations they have founded continue to meet adveristy head on.
To read more about the flood and riots, see The New York Times November 20 and December 2, 2006.
AIDS NEWS
UNICEF reports that 1000 children per day got AIDS in 2006. They also reported that better testing of children needs to be done. Central to the problem is testing pregnant women. One third of children born to HIV mothers die within their first year. Only seven countries provide antiretrovirals to at least 20% of children needing it. Kenya is not one of these countries. Source: New York Times
PREGNANCY AND AIDS Drugs are now available to prevent HIV/AIDS in children born to HIV/AIDS mothers. Drugs are given to mothers during or just before preganancy. The central drawbacks are the lack of women who are tested for HIV/AIDS and the availability of the drug and agencies to administer the drug. See The New York Times 1-11-07 for details.
MALARIA AND AIDS FUEL EACH OTHER'S SPREAD In a finding from the University of Washington, malaria seems to help the AIDS virus replicate quickly. This may account for the rapid spread of AIDS in Africa. This conclusion was drawn from a mathematical model and health records from a city in Kenya.
LOWER PRICES FOR AIDS DRUGS The Clinton Foundation has brokered a lower price for medicine to treat AIDS. The Foundation's price for these drugs are more than 60% lower than the WHO and 45% lower than Doctors without Borders were able to procure. St Pete Times, 12-1-06.
AIDS AND VIAGRA An AIDS group sued Pfizer, the maker of Viagra, saying the company's marketing of the drug has led to an increase in sexually transmitted diseases.
OTHER ISSUES AND ADVANCES
Malaria Prevention: Time magazine from January 15, 2007 posed the possibily to save 2 million African children per year through malaria prevention. For $10.00 children can be protected through a bed net that has been treated with insecticide. Such nets will last 10 years. Charities like malairanomore.org and mothingbutnets.net give free bed nets to needy families in afflicted zones, along with tips on how to prevent the disease.
Kenyan President
Kenyan President, Mwai Kibaki turned down a pay raise of nearly $50,000 per year. Mr. Kibaki is a multimillionaire with large estates and businesses. The average Kenyan lives on less than a dollar per day.
Calendar
Safety Harbor FL Farmer's Market Sales
February 15
March 1
March 15
March 29
April 12
March 3--Artists' Market--First United Methodist Church, Dunedin, FL
HEROS
THANKS TO ROYCE AND ZARD OF TOTAL DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT FOR FAF'S BEAUTIFUL NEW WEBSITE. NOT ONLY DOES IT LOOK GOOD, IT WORKS LIKE A CHARM. CHECK US OUT WEEKLY, AS WE ARE ADDING ITEMS AND ARTICLES ALL THE TIME.
WWW.FABULOUSAFRICANFABRICS.ORG
Thanks to all who donated to the FAF's Anthony Salazar Fund. ______ dollars were donated. This will allow FAF to send emergency funds to our agencies in Kenya.
THE CLOTH
Customers often ask us what our textiles are made of. Usually the answer is "cotton." Cotton is the traditional textile source in Africa, and often it is so fine that it is mistaken for silk. The joy of cotton is that it is washable and very dourable. Africa expored 1,588 thousand metric tons of cotton between August of 2005 and July 2006. Only The United States exports more cotton. This makes them a rival of the United States and other countries have noticed. The Danish company, Dunavant is working in several countries in Africa to modernize agriculture and manufacture of cotton. The Chinese are very interested in cotton and the clothing industry. This summer Laura bought a textile imported from Nigeria. When she looked closely at the print she saw dragons. "That's not African, she said." FAF now has to be very careful what textiles they use and where they come from.
Sewing is hot. Many more young women are taking up sewing as a hobby. Fabric stores and sewing groups, and the web offer classes. Often they encourage a new way to sew. Women (and men) use new techniques, new looks, and dare to go beyond the pattern. The Tampa Bay Surface Design Guild offered a workshop last month where members made textiles from existing cotton and poly net sandwiching painted fusibles. Wow. Laura has made three purses from her creations. See them on the website soon.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
FAF GIVING: FAF sent $3000 to our agencies in Kenya this quarter.
We continue to wait for news that the Dunedin North Rotary grant earmarked for the Good Samaritan Home has been approved. It is in its final stages as this newsletter is being written.
TAX-FREE GIVING
A new law presents a unique window of opportunity until the end of 2007 for you to use your IRA to accomplish special philanthropic objectives. Contact FAF for details. www.fabulousafricanfabrics.org Details will be listed on our website.
COUNTRIES GRADED IN GIVING to AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
Give an A+ to Ireland, Luxemburg, and the Netherlands. F's go to Japan, Germany, EC, and the United States--
Source--Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
For AIDS Day The New York Times offered 25 ways to make a difference in the fight against AIDS
Walk, run or ride to raise funds, wear a red ribbon, learn more about HIV/AIDS, share stories, [join FAF]. More later .
Good Reading
Goering, Laurie. "A Light in the Darkness," Chicago Tribune Magazine, November 26, 2006.
Gorman, Christine. "An African Miracle," Time (December 4, 2006), p. 96.
Singer, P. W. Children at War. Berkley: University of California Press, 2006.
"Makes the connection between orphans and war." LGS
Ngugi wa Thion'o Wizard of the Crow. Political satire.
JOIN FAF
BECOME A MEMBER, INVITE A FRIEND TO JOIN, GIVE A MEMBERSHIP
Annual Membership: Individual--$20.00; Families--$30.00; Organizations--$50.00
Dues are used for our communication expenses. They help us educate others about the needs of AIDS widows and orphans in Africa and the beauty and versitility of African textiles.
With membership comes privileges. Quarterly newsletter mailed to you. Voting rights in this important work. Breaking news about AIDS in Africa and African Textiles. Fun at FAF events.
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