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an unheard, deafening need

February 08, 2006

as usual, this is long, but it's important. if you want, just skip straight here.

so, until a few days ago, i thought "Malawi" was the name of the ewok king or something. or maybe a tropical fruit. imagine my surprise - it's a country. of course, i also previously thought Eritrea was a part of the urinary tract. geography... not a strong point.

anyway, Malawi is in Africa, which our presidense has dubbed "a troubled country." if Malawi's name is spanish in origin, it would mean, "bad awi." if that's the case, then i have to assume that "awi" means "conditions for people."

the life expectancy in Malawi is 36.5 and declining - it's five years lower than it was 50 years ago. the child mortality rate is 103 out of 1,000. there are over a million orphans - 10% of the country's population, and over 700,000 of those are orphans of AIDS victims. 14.2% of the population is HIV-positive, resulting in 90,000 deaths from AIDS in 2003.

the Food and Agriculture Organization reported in June 2005 that a quarter of the population would not have enough food in 2005 to survive. those fears began to be realized with the first famine deaths in November 2005.

anyone seen this on CNN? no? MSNBC? Faux? maybe heard some of these shocking stats in between stories about Pittelina or whatever and the artificially resuscitated chicken? didn't think so.

so, here's the deal. my running coach, janie, is leaving austin, which has saddened a lot of people, and me. i had just finally decided that she really wasn't trying to kill me. but we can't help but be supportive, because she's moving to malawi with her husband, where they'll making sacrifices to make a differrence.

they'll be working at The Story Workshop. a non-profit Malawian organization that uses traditionally-based entertainment to promote cultural change.

attacking large-scale social problems like those impacting malawi is not just a matter of money, or feet on the ground. it's a matter of education. literature, music, theatre, and movies have been hugely important, almost unstoppable initiators and engines of change around the world. people can relate to entertainment that speaks to their traditions and their hearts far easier and more effectively than to the speeches of politicians or edicts of bureaucracies. it's little wonder that the first move in totalitarian societies is often to destroy or co-opt cultural outlets.

fortunately, you don't have to move to Malawi and get bit on the ass by a puff adder to make some kind of difference. on march 2, come out to the Austin Children's Museum, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., to the Austin to Africa Fundraiser, benefitting the Friends of Malawi organization.

i know it's texas independence day, but... come on. i mean, really.

check out the extra-cool invite. you can also donate if you can't make it out.

the best thing about this blog has been the responsiveness of its millions and millions of readers, almost all ten of them, to needs and causes. i've tried to pick and choose carefully. i wanted to do something in conjunction with the running of the fool, i mean, full, marathon on february 19th, but it was hard to latch onto any one thing. this one's important and timely. i hope to see some of you guys there, and please spread the word.

thanks,

rob

p.s. - the 9th is my birthday, and donations make great gifts. not donations to me, you dimwit! to the Friends of Malawi. geez.

Posted by Rob at February 8, 2006 09:37 AM

Comments

Posted by: ShanWalt at February 8, 2006 11:06 AM

Posted by: ShanWalt at February 8, 2006 12:06 PM

Posted by: rob at February 8, 2006 12:09 PM

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