Why It's Easier to Feed A Village in Subsaharan Africa…

It was the one thing that brought joy to me throughout 2020. I can't even say which was the best part - the fact that we were helping feed hundreds of people and keeping children in school - or the formation of a new Virtual Village that included: Maasai tribal chiefs and families, kids from the largest slum in Africa, the village of rural Motopi in the Kalahari, and friends across the U.S. of all persuasions! No middleman, no government, no NGO. Just people.

Before I invite everyone to jump in the pool with me...let's talk about why I can't help the disenfranchised in my own backyard. I'll jump back a couple years...to a local gala fundraiser we threw for Shakespeare Youth Festival here in Los Angeles.

Guests had enjoyed two hours of Shakespeare featuring our kids and teens, eaten amazing soul food from our caterer...and now had dwindled off. As we cleaned and packed up, we deliberatred over the remaining trays of food. Down the street under the Venice Bridge was a camp of our unsheltered neighbors - well, unless you consider a tent shelter. We decided this was how we would to handle the leftovers. But when the owner of our venue heard our idea, he was adamant.

"Don't! There are laws against it and lawyers that chase this! I gave food to that homeless camp and I got sued. Someone said they got sick!"

I did some digging and discovered that the venue guy was right. In my city there are laws in place against handing out food. It's a misdeamenor.

That was that. Just before Covid, my nonprofit arts company raised funds to travel to Eastern Kenya to create a perfroming arts program in a rural village. We made lifelong friends on that trip.

In a journey full of extraordinary moments, one of the most memorable came when our team was given the honor of spending time with the Maasai families of Nkoirero Village on the Maasai Mara.  This profound experience lives with me daily and I have remained in weekly contact with the village. By May of 2020, Augustus, a young chief of Nkoirero, made me aware that the families in Maasai Mara (and rural communities all over subsaharan Africa) were struggling with a COVID-19 induced hunger crisis. This was also confirmed by Brooks, my friend in Botswana - anywhere in Africa that is dependent on tourism. The people of these Villages welcomed me into their homes like I was family. 

Because we are family. All of us. And today - unlike in the past - we can help with an open heart and a few clicks.

This campaign won’t end world hunger. There will always be hungry kids at home and away. But this is where I started: with the ones I know personally,  the ones I cannot forget. 

Friends donated immediately via Go Fund Me and funds were delivered swiftly and directly to the three culnerable communitites where I had boots on the ground who got into action within the hour.

Go Through The Doors That Are Open.

Sorry Los Angeles - I wont' be banging my head against the walls of your politics and policies - if I can't help the woman in the tent two blocks away, I can do something for my friends around the globe who had me into their huts and homes and changed my entire view of the world.

I am not a millionare. Barely a thousandare. But through creating my own village here at home - when scarcity hits, we've been able to provide emergency funds to Africa in three days' time - all without government, beaurocracy, or an NGO slowing things down. It has been the most direct, effective and efficient manner I've witnessed anything come about. Food insecurity is a time sensitive matter. How long have you gone with out a meal? Time is of the essence.

Below I list the exact steps taken to get the job done. If you are daunted by this idea, don't be. Look how do-able it is:

THE CONTACTS - My advantage is that I know the people I'm dealing with: they're trustworthy and responsible. Brooks in Botswana, Augustus on the Maasai Mara and Claire in Korogocho (slum in Nairobi). I know Brooks well, I had met Augustus in '19 and we had corresponded about the food insecurity happening to his people since April 2020. And I met Claire while teaching in Kenya. I stay in touch with them and others through What's App. We have set up an easy system so that they are able to receive direct funds and distribute food , or pay a child's school tuition all on the same day.

FUNDRAISING PLATFORM - I found Go Fund Me to be user friendly. It was easy to create the account, write their stories, add photos and reach out to my contacts, and get funds transfered to my bank account immediately.

THE PROCESS -  Word is spread via email, Facebook, Twitter. I share my story on a few ZOOM meetings with women who took special interest in this cause. I mean….we're feeding children in Africa here, its not a hard sell. With each donation, I sent an immediate Thank You message  to the donor - not generic, but personal. I keep Africa apprised that things are progressing and I continue share the Go Fund Me Page on Facebook and Twitter. I notice my own irritation with people who will "Like" the post - as if that's a donation. I had to shift my focus to be happy about the people who actually donate - and have gratitude that there is still goodness in humankind. As funds come in, I order Go Fund Me to immediately transfer them to my bank so that they will be ready when the auction meets it goal! I start the process immediately for this.

WHEN THE GOAL IS MET - I let all the donors know we hit our goal and I'm keeping the campaign up still. I give them statistics on the donation (3 men, 20 women, 3 anonymous). Donations keep coming and I keep sending...

I TRANSFER FUNDS TO AFRICA - SAFE AND SWIFT!

For the transfer, I didn't use my bank or any huge mega bank -  they charge 45$ and there is a longer wait. Augustus informed me about this amazing company:

SENDWAVE - It's a money transfer app For Kenya only. It was made by Americans who live in Africa and works like Venmo but it isn't public like Venmo. In the evening, I sent the first installment of 999$ (total you can send at one time) directly to Augustus' M-Pesa account. I wake up in the morning - I see photos of the food with the families! Augustus had already gotten the funds, bought foodstuffs and distrubited them, sending me photos to show my donors.

Claire in Korogocho, Nairobi, also gets funds for the slum community kids and shares a detailed report of how they were used, along with photos.

BOTSWANA: Botswana took longer. Sendwave doesn't cover this country, but the app XOOM (not Zoom) does. I needed Brook's bank account info, his email, a physical address and the bank branch. This is for everyone's protection.

In two days the funds cleared and arrived in Brook's local bank. He called me this week on What's App to inform me that he will be loading trucks of food stuffs and transporting them to Motopi in a day. He too sent photos and a message from the Village - a lot of relieved smiles!

The way to get things done is to do it. Don't wait. Learn as you go. These funds were given by me and my stateside friends - they went directly to the mouths of the hungry families in record time.

Help me continue making a significant impact on these unique communities. Boots are ready on the ground. One thing I know, if you venture to these places, you have a welcome host.

Go thorugh this door with me - it is wide open! The satisfaction of seeing these results is worth all the time and effort in the world.