World Ark Magazine - January/February 2009 - (Page 5)

frank bures makes two pointed references to the ongoing war there. bures discusses africa’s mineral wealth as a key to some of the wars on that continent, giving the reader enough information to place some of the blame on an under-regulated world market economy and, ultimately, its financial and governmental leaders. foreign buyers of raw mineral wealth, rogue international arms merchants, and foreign government operatives and their subcontractors should be referred to as criminals and agents provocateurs rather than “middlemen” when they have attempted to suborn a group of people into organized insurrection, and it seems clear to me that foreign agencies, including the u.S. government, have done the above in the drC. —ruSSell dupree Freeport, Maine I like how you are now including articles about the countries where heifer works beyond describing how that work affects the families you help. all these countries and wars in africa are so confusing. i keep turning to my globe and hauling out my atlas, and your analyses are very helpful. i liked the map of the wars and where they are. Sometimes it seems as if the whole continent is afire, and it is helpful to see that it is a minority. i wonder why you did not include the democratic republic of Congo—i thought the Congo was warring, too. Thank you for broadening my knowledge. —penn y joneS Do you believe the continent gets a bad rap? Why? as a graduate student of african Studies i have spent countless hours reading of war, poverty and destruction on the african continent. news reports are filled with tales of death and utter despair. if one had to rely solely on news reports for an impression of the continent, it would be easy to imagine a vast wasteland. perhaps the western media has become too focused on the negative and therefore refrains from reporting on the countless positive things that happen throughout africa. i had the fortune of living in gambia and traveling throughout Senegal. i know that africa is not what the news reports say. africa is full of unrelenting hope and a desire to overcome the negative stereotype that has been forced upon it. i am grateful that a handful of publications do paint the africa i know. i urge those not familiar with the continent to delve beyond the surface because as human beings we all have a vested interest in africa. —k aT y godwin PRESIDENT AND CEO Jo Luck 1 World Avenue Little Rock, AR/USA 72202 E-mail: worldark@list.heifer.org To change or remove an address, please e-mail donoraction@list. heifer.org or call customer service at (800) 422-0474. PUBLISHER Tom Peterson EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sherri Nelson sherri.nelson@heifer.org MANAGING EDITOR Donna Stokes donna.stokes@heifer.org ASSOCIATE EDITORS Austin Gelder austin.gelder@heifer.org Jaman Matthews jaman.matthews@heifer.org ART DIRECTOR Jane Palecek DESIGNER Steven Powell PRODUCTION MANAGER Dane Buxbaum World Ark is the magazine of Heifer International, a global nonprofit working with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the Earth. Heifer International is qualified as a charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to Heifer International are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Since 1944, Heifer has helped 9.2 million families in more than 125 countries move toward greater self-reliance through the gift of livestock and training in environmentally sound agriculture. The impact of each initial gift is multiplied as recipients agree to “pass on the gift” by giving one or more of their animal’s offspring, or the equivalent, to another in need. Heifer International is a member of Inter Action, the largest alliance of U.S.-based international development and humanitarian non-governmental organizations, and of Global Impact. Federal and state employees may designate gifts to Heifer through payroll deduction by entering CFC #12079. © 2009, Heifer International. Opinions expressed in World Ark are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of either the magazine or Heifer International. Boone, N.C. We want to hear from you! Please send your comments to worldark@list.heifer.org. Include your name, city and a telephone number or e-mail address. Letters may be edited for length and clarity, and may be published online as well as in print. Because of the volume of mail we receive, we cannot respond to all letters. New York, N.Y. Q&A MArch/April * Small businesses are being touted as an effective path to help families become self-reliant. Do you believe microenterprise is the answer to ending hunger and poverty? worldark@list.heifer.org. Editor’s note: We regret the omission of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the map showing current conflicts in Africa. N Q&A JAnuAry/FebruAry ews reports about Africa often seem heavy with war and suffering. * E-mail your Q&A response to w w w. h e i f e r . o rg januar y/f e bruar y 2009 | wo r ld a r k 5 http://www.heifer.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of World Ark Magazine - January/February 2009

World Ark Magazine - January/February 2009 Contents Letters For the Record The Good Life Asked and Answered Microfinance: A Lot for a Little Business is Buzzing in Honduras The World Grows Smaller Mixed Media Heifer Spirit Heifer Bulletin Calendar First Person

World Ark Magazine - January/February 2009

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