A little reminder, update, etc.

• Virginia Friends of Mali is on   f ACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Virginia-Friends-of-Mali/229256047136299 - Visit, LIKE us, and post news or update your status with info that's good to share with VFOM.

• Our website is nearly done - for a sneak peek visit www.vafriendsofmali.org/wp - it's lovely.

• VFOM's first book, Djita - A Malian girl from Virginia / Une fille malienne de la Virginie, is not only published, but has a new flier (attached) with good information for teachers, students, storytellers and friends. Check it out, share it and get your copy today. The introductory sale price is still available at Authorhouse - click the cover image link in the right hand menu of this page.

• At least 8 VFOM officials and friends will converge on the 2012 Festival On The Niger, 15-19 February, in Segou. What a great event this will be. VCU professor of psychology and chair of the Africana Studies department, Shawn Utsey will be conducting the first Sister City Peep This project with 7 boys and girls; each will learn to make a documentary film and their topic will be the festival that's swamped their city for the last 7 years, Le Festival Sur Le Niger. 

• AND we look forward to celebrating the completion of the $115,000 water/health/sanitation project to construct latrines and wash stations and a maternity clinic renovation under the African Urban Poverty Alleviation Project grant funding. One of 24 sister-city applicants to receive this funding through Sister Cities International, Segou's project is of the earliest to be completed and will impact the daily lives of tens of thousands of Segouviens annually, including 44,000 clinic patients, 2,000 public market shoppers and 500 municipal kindergartners. Mayber we'll get them to send a video so we can share the joy of the moment.

It's going to be a great week, and instead of stewing in your jealous juices that you're not there this time (like me!), plan your visit. There are ways to dream this dream and make it happen, so don't dismiss it so quickly... you never know.

Looking forward always,

Ana Edwards, president

for the executive committee

Robin Edward Poulton

Allan Levenberg

Dana Wiggins

Lydie Alapini-Sakponou