Thursday, April 30, 2009

Walk for Stuart

Friends of the b+c team are taking on a massive challenge this month. Isabel and Vanessa are heading off to walk the 788km of the Camino de Santiago trail in aid of the Stuart Mangan Appeal

Stuart, in april 2008, due to a simple rugby tackle was completely paralysed from the neck down. Stuart will require 24 hour care for the rest of their life. You can show your support for these two adventurers by giving generously to this extremely worthwhile cause by visiting here. They have already raised a staggering 4000 euros! Go girls!

Make sure you visit their blog to keep up to date on how they are progressing. It is bound to be full of hilarity and no doubt a lot of heartache. 

We wish them all the best on their journey and can't wait to see them back home safely!

Monday, April 27, 2009

ANZAC biscuits


This lovely photo is from Pia's blog. Her friend brought her these ANZAC biscuits right to her door on ANZAC day. There were also ANZAC biscuits being baked in my house on Saturday, and although I didn't take a photo of them they were delicious. Good baking Amber!

2009 open architecture challenge: classroom


The 2009 Open Architecture Challenge is to design the classroom of the future. This competition in collaboration with Architecture for Humanity and Orient Global is asking teachers, students, architects and designers to get involved and to design a classroom for a school of your choosing.

According to the World Bank, educating all children worldwide will require the construction of 10 million new classrooms in more than 100 countries by 2015. This is a global competition and is a great opportunity to come up with some excellent classroom designs. So get involved if you can, we are!

Below are 2 images of the Kutamba AIDS Orphan School in Uganda, which is just one of the examples of some beautiful and inspiring Architecture on the Open Architecture Network.


Friday, April 24, 2009

world malaria day



Each 30 seconds, a child dies from malaria. Each of these deaths is avoidable. Join the world’s largest international effort to end malaria deaths. The countdown has begun.


25 April is a day of unified commemoration of the global effort to provide effective control of malaria around the world. This year's World Malaria Day marks a critical moment in time. The international malaria community has merely two years to meet the 2010 targets of delivering effective and affordable protection and treatment to all people at risk of malaria, as called for by the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon.

The next two years present a rare window of opportunity to save a million lives by rapidly delivering malaria interventions - protective nets, diagnostic tests, antimalarial drugs and indoors spraying - to all people at risk of the disease and to pave the way towards virtually ending deaths by 2015.


This is also an interesting and tragic story of Briton Harry Yirrel who was volunteering in Ghana.  For all of us fortunate enough to be travelling in endemic areas there could not be a more compelling and convincing reminder to take your malaria prophylactics...

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

I met the Walrus


To continue with the peace theme... this is another goodie. You can read more about Jerry Levitan's interview with John Lennon at I met the Walrus.

What a message, not to mention the brilliant animations!

one love


Hey there, check this out! 
You can read more about the foundation behind this initiative and see the making of the documentary at 'Playing for Change: Peace Through Music

One love people!  

Friday, April 3, 2009

little orphans



The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust was established in 1977 in honour of David Sheldrick, famous naturalist and warden of Kenya's Tsavo National Park. Since it's opening it has played a significant role in Kenya's conservation efforts.

We visited the orphanage when we were in Nairobi and oh my, the elephants were the sweetest things! The orphaned elephants and rhinos are rescued for varying reasons and then ultimately released back into the wild. 

Their latest arrival is Bhaawaa who became hopelessly bogged in the mud of a drying waterhole... you can foster one of these little ones and assist in the conservation of the African elephant and give these amazing animals a future! 

Thursday, April 2, 2009

April - already!

It's April and we have been a bit light on the posts this year... so this is just a little reminder for us and everyone else that we are back and will be blogging and getting back into the swing of things as often as we can.
So here's to a great 2009, better late than never! Found this here.