Hi Rachael - I have seen your name pop up all over the site and being the curious person that I am, read your profile.
You bring up a very good point that CRA needs to be at the heart of CSR programs. Having started my career many years ago as an analyst in the global rice trade I believe that fundamental analysis is all too often ignored in the rush for companies becoming "sustainable".

Would love to connect and find out more about your projects. This is such an exciting time in the world for CSR and creating brilliant programs that become integrated into the core business practices of corporations.

Do you use SKYPE? It would be fun to talk .
Kind Regards,
Alexandra

Thanks Rachael for your email. Once I get the chance I will look at the links you sent me and will email you from outlook....easier to communicate that way!

Hope you are having a nice weekend!.
Kind Regards,
Alexandra

Hi Rachel!! I am new to this network and just beginning to explore it. I found your profile very vivid and your views impressive. I'd love to remain in touch with you and share views and experiences.

Hi rachel:

I would be interested in knowing the costs etc siz, and contents of your "Backpack".

Our world Peace Posse is approaching the community of Puerto Tourism and Penasco in Mexico - they are a fishing village having to shift to "?" what we do not know.

tBut right now private growing is almost non existent - an it may stay that way - but we need to look at what is out there.

In this country with no clouds - they are not using solar effectively - can you imagine? In Canada I have seen more solar than in Mexico.

Hi Rachael,

I have established a Permaculture project in Konso, Southern Ethiopia. we also work with community based ECO tourism. I think we may be of intereste to you. I would love to know if there are any possibilities for us to cooperate. Sorry communication facilities are difficult here....

http://www.glinet.org/inspiredetail.asp?id=7641
http://www.permacultureusa.org/2009/02/04/spotlight-on-ethiopia/
http://addisconnexion.com/index.php/Helping_Hands/Strawberry_Fields_Eco_Lodge.html
http://changemakers.net/en-us/node/20212
http://www.dontpaniconline.com/magazine/reason/how-to-design-a-sustainable-farm
Website: www.permalodge.org
Blogg: http://zionbytheabbay (dot) blogspot (dot) com/
and video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uYEfWe5hKY

Rachel-
Your post re: Backpack Farm is interesting. There was a reference to a .ppt in this chain. Is it available? I'm working with some folks I think would be interested (Kenya) in learning about your innovation.

Hi Rachel,

Am in Kenya and we could easily compare notes.You can get me on +254-722-214635.Mark

Hi Rachel,

I would be glad to meet and discuss this.Am currently managing Kisii Branch of K-Rep Bank as mentioned in my profile.I come to Nairobi often.Now that i have you number, am sure we will be able to link up sooner.

Rgds,

Mark

Rachel, your work in Africa is an inspiration to all of us with your can-do attitude and sheer commitment - while helping people to help themselves....to simply live. With a billion going hungry in the world, such projects as Backpack farming have immense potential, especially when you re-envisage Sudan as the breadbasket of the world as you have done. I will keep looking for ways to assist you in what you are doing. Richard

Rachel,
Yes, we are actively working on applications of an innovative Social Purchasing idea promoting Digital Culture in the Social MarketPlace, and notably being one that incorporates Fundraising in support of local Social Causes -involving fundraising through Trade rather than through Aid. This idea is about to be implemented with three distinct options and through which we aim to support social causes in three different ways. I would be delighted to explore which of these would best meet your interest or requirements. The three collaborative options vary from leveraging Money Transfers (Diaspora Orgs) where the country in question has a significant diaspora appeal; or in building a local Community Brand for their Digital Culture products or services; or ideally even creating a Co-op TeleTrade network in areas where Telecentre Centres are available. None of these options would involve any fees for BPF, in all cases however a pre-defined share of the proceeds would go directly to BPF through a VoxWorld.Coop Foundation, and with a minimum of 5% being invested in BPF, and without any deductions, under an Invest in Africa Projects. Card face values of $50 will typically apply. BPF could be involved as much or as little as it likes in building or delivering the Programme(s) or Projects, in order to generate additional revenue - while in all cases the enabling product platforms, customisation services and distribution outlets are made available through VoxWorld.Coop on a revenue sharing basis.

Here is how such a customised Programme would work, designed to be driven by and for benefit of local African Communities such as those BPF would encounter, and how it could work for BPF in Africa. VoxWorld.Coop promotes education, innovation and microfinance with the ultimate goal being creation of Homeshores-direct jobs, carrying a cultural differentiation. The idea involves a customisable Smart Wallet featuring Culture Giftcards cum vouchers, per formats now available from Vo

Rachel, it is a new and different way to raise funds for social causes through social purchasing, where people vote with their wallet so-to-speak; when buyers at point of sale select one product or service over another because one supports a social cause (like BPF) - which they would learn about at the point of sale and which would then appeal to them because it matters to them; a form of cause-related marketing.

A social purchasing network is a closed-loop network of buyers and sellers that are linked together based on their respective economic and social interests eg. cooperatives or communities. At the core to the concept is the ability to not only link buyers and sellers together at the critical point in an economic transaction (point of sale for cards in their wallet, in this case), but to link buyers and sellers together based on shared social values, beliefs and interests - where the featured cause is allocated a defined percentage of the card sales and the resultant funds from continuing sales are invested in African causes such as your BPF cause, assuming you wished it to be featured.

I can revert in a week ago when programme is more advanced and see if you want to be featured accordingly. Richard

Any cards for their wallet - being top-up, reloadable or stored value cards (monetary value retained on card, as decremented at time of purchase). Examples - these cards could be retail giftcards, callcards, remittance fee cards, services, culture cards such as music...a host of options, simply whatever is in demand within each community.

I fully appreciate that - the cards would only be sold in developed countries led by USA, UK and other overseas markets with African roots in and thus a strong affinity with Africa. If cards were selling local content (aka. local carriers, traded services, culture travel, giftcards) you could also have 100% control over products or services as well; otherwise just the specific project allocation per card sold. You would always have 100% control over the investment project funding of course. These are all cross-border solutions.

No worries, but selling is usually conducted by and through community based orgs in developed countries and social purchasing cards are ever growing in popularity as a new trading idea to fill the gaps left in aid/causes funding as well as funding social movements and diaspora/ hometown associations. Local control over content is what I have come to see that local people generally want - to take back control over their lives and find a better way....in everything from commodities to digital rights.

Ok Rachel, I think I understand your position better. While these exchanges took hold in response to your request for some ideas for your current fundraising activities - I will revert by email with such a proposal, I think one that is based on implementation by others in the field.