A Program to be Proud of

Yeah, yeah, we know, "Pride comes before the fall."

But let's think for a bit of the good sorts of pride. For example, the pride that comes from a job well done… or the pride of being a part of something bigger than yourself, something great… or the pride that comes from knowing that the healthy, positive decisions you're making now will result in a healthy, positive future full of hope and promise. These are the sorts of pride Bola Moyo's staff will be striving to instill in the youth of Balaka, Malawi as we move forward with our new, and so aptly named, program: PRIDE.

If you've ever been involved with the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Woodcraft Folk, or 4H, you'll probably be familiar with how PRIDE will work. Pride is a multi-year, multi-tier program broken into small, localized groups that gather weekly. The groups are facilitated by older youth and adults. These leaders focus their attention on the needs and potential of each individual member and encourage them to develop an active interest and concern for their family, community, country, and culture.

So many of the young people with whom we work have lost parents, guardians, teachers, and other mentors to AIDS. This is why, through a variety of arts, crafts, games, and other activities, Bola Moyo's Malawian partners teach and model valuable life and leadership skills to youth. Their goal is to widen each young person's perspective, hone their abilities to think critically and make informed and wise decisions, and expand their curiosity of all aspects of the world around them.
The structure and purpose of the new PRIDE program come directly from Bola Moyo's Malawian staff, volunteers, and youth leaders, as well as other members of the Balaka community including parents and teachers. PRIDE is set up to both supplement and compliment the incredibly positive work that is already in progress at the House of Many Stories Youth Centre.

You can tell by now, I'm sure, that PRIDE is a program we're extremely proud of. As we proceed with this exciting new endeavor, we look forward to keeping you up to date on all the latest challenges and success stories and ask for your continued support.

Zikomo kwambiri ndi tsalani bwino! Thanks very much and stay well!
Dustin

It's Party Time!

...Almost. Remember the great time we had at last fall's "Djembes & Jambalaya" dinner at Screen Door? Well, it was such a success, we're doing it again, with a new twist! Be looking for an event announcement soon. We're hoping to hold the event on Monday, November 5th. If you have any interest in volunteering to plan or set up this event, please contact Bola Moyo's Director, Dustin Pattison, at dustin@bolamoyo.org, or call 503-508-8898.

Be a Doll, Buy a Doll!

Bola Moyo is selling hand-made dolls created by members of the Chifundo Artisan's Network based in Balaka, Malawi. The dolls are available for purchase at $36 each, which includes shipping. These dolls make a unique and meaningful gift for birthdays and holidays for friends and relatives of all ages. You can order one through our website: www.bolamoyo.org/gift_shop or by contacting Dustin Pattison at dustin@bolamoyo.org. You can also order one using the enclosed giving card, just check the appropriate box. Thanks for your interest and support! (Limited quantities available.)

Travel Update: We Return to Malawi

We have quite a troupe coming to Malawi this year! Dustin and Cara will fly to Malawi on November 29th to work with our Malawian staff on the upcoming PRIDE program. Dustin's father, John Pattison will be joining them, to meet the community and facilitate some music and drama classes. Later in the month, our new board President, Elizabeth Reilly, will join the team to see the projects. And last, but not, least, Bola Moyo's former intern Desirée will make a side trip from Kenya. It's going to be a very full house! Cara and John return on Dec.26, and Dustin returns Jan 22nd.

Making Way for a New Executive Director

You may have noticed that the "From the Director" letter came from Dustin alone. Bola Moyo is growing and changing in many ways, one of which includes Cara stepping down as the Executive Director. Our Board rolled Dustin's part-time position as Program Director into the full-time Executive Director's responsibilities. Cara will still be greatly involved in the organization, including serving on the board, engaging with supporters, and creating newsletters and other materials.

She is seeking full-time work in the Portland area in the field of marketing and communications.This shift in roles is much needed to enhance personal health and wellness, and will naturally benefit the organization. Already this restructuring has been beneficial as it has helped to improve the organization's transparency and accountability. Dustin, who served as President of the board, has moved out of that position and Elizabeth Reilly has accepted the role! You will still see and hear quite a bit from Cara, but expect to see more communication from Dustin in the coming months.

Our First Board Retreat!

What better place to take care of business than Oregon's high desert? This is where our first Board Retreat was held in July, and take care of business we did–in between hikes up volcanic mountains and strolls through beautiful downtown Bend, that is. Many thanks to Ann and Arnold Pickar for donating the use of their cabin for the weekend.

The retreat was chock full of lively discussion and decision-making regarding the future of Bola Moyo and its Board of Directors. Among other things, we welcomed Ron Knapp to our board and voted Elizabeth Reilly, President. You can meet all of our board members and read their bios on our website: www.bolamoyo.org.

Youth Leader Spotlight: Meet Grace, our Librarian

The House of Many Stories' library has grown immensely (from 20 to almost 400 books) and we are happy to report that our long-time Youth Centre member, Grace, has filled the new role of Volunteer Librarian. At fourteen, Grace is a young woman of great enthusiasm and dedication. She trains other youth in treating and handling the books, keeps track of books checked out, and collects dues owed to the library. Grace is a freshman in high school this year. She is also a Youth Leader at the House of Many Stories, and can be frequently found teaching young children to read (in English and Chichewa) at the Youth Centre. Her many hobbies include knitting, singing, and dancing.

A Fond Farewell and a Warm Welcome

A Fond Farewell...

Our 2006-2007 interns, Patty & Desirée, completed their internships with Bola Moyo in May after Dustin and Cara returned from three months in Malawi. One could not have asked for better interns than these two. They have been a tremendous help to Bola Moyo this last year. Patty, though first considering the Peace Corps, has just been offered a job in Nicaragua with Witness for Peace. Desirée spent part of the summer working for Bola Moyo in the capacity of Executive Assistant. She will be spending six months teaching at a community center in rural Kenya beginning this October after a move to the UK with her husband in August. She is planning on visiting us in Balaka, Malawi this December to meet the youth and see the projects she has been helping with. We thank both Patty and Desirée profusely, we bid them farewell, and we wish them success in all that they do. We are starting our search for a new intern from one of the local Portland universities. Let us know if you're interested.

...And a Warm Welcome

Please join us in welcoming Ron Knapp, treasurer and newest member of the Bola Moyo Board of Directors. Ron joined the board during our Board Retreat in July. He brings to the organization significant financial expertise as well as a passion for the people of Africa and the work that Bola Moyo does. Ron is an Executive V.P. at Toyon Associates, Inc. (21 years), a healthcare financial consulting firm located in Northern California working with over 50 non-profit and governmental hospitals. Ron helps manage Toyon's staff of 36 and is involved with practice development. He has been actively involved in his local church having been on the Pastoral Team, Leadership Board, and as a Pastor to High School students during his 14 years there. Ron is a graduate of CSU, Chico and has a BS in Business Administration with an Accounting concentration. We are so happy to have Ron with us and all the more excited to see what the future holds for Bola Moyo.