Ugandan Healthcare

Bill Flavin (center in photo), an undergraduate student in biochemistry at University of Notre Dame, South Bend, was given the opportunity to conduct research in Uganda this summer.

His three-week research project was funded and organized in partnership with the Ford Family Program in Human Development Studies and Solidarity as part of the Kellogg Institute for International Studies.

After spending the past three summers researching in the Digestive Diseases Research Core Center at the University of Chicago Medical Center, Flavin decided to focus his research in Uganda on enteric and diarrheal diseases caused by impure water, as a consequence of extreme systematic poverty and grassroots economic growth and development. In addition to researching the healthcare system, Flavin also spent time working with local businesses and schools to address the issues.

.

Indy's Village Exchange

Reporter T.J. Banes profiled sisters Anne and Kelly Campbell in a recent Indianapolis Star. The pair operate The Village Exchange, a boutique in Broad Ripple that sells items made by artisans in underdeveloped countries.

Banes notes that the Campbell sisters are planning a trip -- open to the public -- to Thailand 27 November to 8 December, and are arranging for a group of 25 students from Franklin (Ind.) College to go to Uganda in January.

.

Indy Students Help Prevent Malaria in Uganda

According to a report in today's Indianapolis Star, high school students in Indianapolis are hosting a fund-raiser to purchase mosquito nets for families in Uganda. It's from 6-9:30 p.m. tomorrow (9 April).

Three student groups are putting on "Net Night" at North Central High School, Metropolitan School District of Washington Township in Indianapolis: the North Central chapter of Ambassadors for Children, the Key Club and students participating in Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID). The event includes a 3-on-3 basketball tournament and a carnival.

"During the basketball portion, teams of three to four people will play in competitive and recreational brackets. Butler [University] seniors Willie Veasley and Avery Jukes, fresh off their appearance in Monday's NCAA Championship game against Duke, will referee along with members of the state champion North Central boys team and the North Central girls team. Jukes is the founder of the Jukes Foundation for Kids, which also strives to improve the lives of children in the United States and Uganda," The Star reports.

There's more information online.

.

Lotus Festival: World Music & Arts

The Lotus World Music & Arts Festival, set for 24-27 September in Bloomington, has so much going on it's hard to settle on just one aspect.

For example, here are just some of the performers scheduled to appear:

# Rahim AlHaj / Friday
Virtuoso Iraqi oud

# Bajofondo / Saturday
Electrotango from Argentina

# BLK JKS / Saturday
Psychedelic, Afro-futuristic rock from South Africa

# Cara Dillon / Friday, Saturday
Irish traditional song

# Forro in the Dark / Saturday
Northeastern Brazilian party music

# Hanggai / Saturday, Sunday
Folk music from Inner Mongolia & China

# Huun Huur-Tu & Carmen Rizzo / Friday
Electronica meets throat-singing from Tuva

# Kinobe & Soul Beat Africa / Friday, Saturday
Ugandan song, dance, & drumming

# Srinivas Krishnan & Madras Broadcast / Saturday, Sunday
Indian fusion

# Little Cow / Thursday, Friday
Ska/rock/funk/Gypsy fusion from Hungary

# Los de Abajo / Friday, Saturday
Salsa, punk, and rock from Mexico

# The Megitza Quartet / Friday
Roma and East European world fusion

# Occidental Brothers Dance Band International / Friday
Central & West African dance music

# Orchestra of Tetouan / Friday, Saturday
Traditional vocal & instrumental music of Andalusia & North Africa

# Parno Graszt / Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Hungarian Gypsy music

# Salaam / Saturday
Middle Eastern & North African traditional music

# Väsen / Thursday
Contemporary instrumental folk music from Sweden

# Vishtén / Saturday, Sunday
Acadian traditional music, song, and dance

# Watcha Clan/ Friday, Saturday
Global fusion from France

# The Zolfonoon Ensemble of Iran / Saturday
Classical Persian

Did you know that the festival honors Lotus Dickey (1911-1989)? The folk singer, songwriter, and musician from rural Orange County, Indiana, wrote tunes and songs that drew from his family and community, as well as from country singers and fiddlers he heard on the radio. Each year, the Lotus World Music and Arts Festival honors Lotus Dickey's memory with a set of music or an interactive workshop that introduces new audiences to his music and the old-time traditions of the United States.

.

African Children's Choir to Sing in Greenfield

The African Children's Choir will sing at 9 and 10:45 a.m. 19 July in Brandywine Community Church, 1551 East New Road, Greenfield. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted.

The choir has established schools in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan and Uganda.

.

Franklin Teachers, Students Head to Uganda

"Five teachers from Franklin Middle School left for Uganda on Thursday as part of a 15-day educational journey funded through a $25,000 grant from Lilly Endowment," reports The Indianapolis Star.

"While in Uganda, the teachers will tour the capital of Kampala, work at a Habitat for Humanity project, teach at a primary school, help at a clinic for HIV patients, take a three-day safari and travel to the source of the Nile River."

Franklin College students left for Uganda yesterday (17 January) on a trip arranged by Ambassadors for Children to study global poverty while participating in hands-on volunteer work in different areas of the country. They return 29 January.

.

Indy's Grant Lin President of Key Club International

The Indianapolis Star profiled Grant Lin in today's paper: "The Lawrence North High School senior is president of Key Club International, guiding the budget and governance for its 250,000 members worldwide."

According to The Star, Lin is the first Hoosier to serve as president of the leadership and service organization for high-schoolers affiliated with Kiwanis International (headquartered in Indy).

"Lin is valedictorian at Lawrence North and one of three Presidential Scholars in Indiana this year," The Star reports. "In the last year, he traveled to Uganda for a Key Club project to build a school, and most weekends are spent around the country for various meetings."

International Interfaith Symposium

An innovative series of programs kicks off tomorrow evening with “Stories and Photos from the Middle East, 1978-2003”, a presentation by Bill Foley, photojournalist, at 7 p.m. in Marian College's Allison Mansion.

The event, titled “International Interfaith Symposium”, kicks into high gear on Wednesday (19 March), with all events in the Campus Center at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis.

The first speaker (2 p.m.) is Klaus Martin Finzel, founder of the International Interfaith Initiative, followed by Giles Hoyt (discussing German philanthropist Mas Kade), Robert J. Helfenbein (on faith and civil society), Bill Foley and others discussing the Middle East, Shaw Towfighi (Persian New Year), Henry Cole (citizen diplomacy), Ref. Felipe Martinez and John Clark (Hispanic America).

Thursday’s (20 March) packed schedule, also in the Campus Center of IUPUI, begins with a youth dialogue (10 a.m.) and continues through the day with Dr. Chalmer Thompson, Ayumi Suzuki, Terry Morris-Downs, Sally Brown, Michael Greven, Charlie Wiles, Dr. Kevin Logan and more.

A film festival and book discussions will take place on Friday and Saturday (21-22 March). Exhibits will be open on the fourth floor of IUPUI’s Campus Center between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. All events are free and open to the public.

The complete schedule is here. For more information, see website or call Charlie McDonald, 317:283-2730.

International Interfaith Initiative is a collaborative effort between Indiana University School of Education’s Center for Urban and Multicultural Education, Peace Learning Center, Max Kade German American Center, Sagamore Institute for Policy Research, and members of the Indianapolis community - all working toward the realization of the vision to create a network that facilitates and initiates interfaith cooperation to strengthen civil society.

Prendergast to Speak at IU Bloomington

John Prendergast, an American human rights activist currently focusing his activities on genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan, violence against women in eastern Congo and atrocities in Chad and northern Uganda, will speak at Indiana University Bloomington at noon on Tuesday (19 February). The presentation in the Oak Room, Indiana Memorial Union, 900 East Seventh Street, Bloomington, is open to the public at no charge.

Prendergast is a co-founder of the Enough Project, an initiative to end genocide and crimes against humanity that is a joint initiative of the International Crisis Group and the Center for American Progress. He is co-author of Not On Our Watch (pictured).

His presentation is sponsored by IU's African Studies Program, the Office of the President, Office of the Provost and the Office of the Vice President of International Affairs.

Purdue grad volunteers in Uganda

Mark Weaver of West Lafayette returned 22 March from the first half of a six-month mission at the Canaan Children's Home in Buziiki, Uganda (photo, right), according to an article in today’s Indianapolis Star.

A volunteer intern, he works with about 400 children orphaned by the AIDS epidemic and war. In May, he will join 27 Purdue students and four Purdue Christian Campus House staff members in Uganda. Weaver, 26, is a 2004 graduate of Purdue University.

Last year, according to The Star, he won almost $58,000, including two cars, on “The Price is Right” television game show. After taxes, he said he had about $15,000 remaining, and used most of that money on trip expenses and to help the children.