The Greenfoot Campaign Funfair with Reggie Rockstone - how it all went!!

THE GREENFOOT funfair with Reggie Rockstone!!

So 17^th October finally arrived, amidst serious countdowns, as much advertising as we could afford, distribution of fliers all over Accra, trips to Kumasi, etc to spread the word, hundreds of text messages, hundreds of calls, and a lot of work.

So not all our fair participants made it. Most of them cancelled at the last minute.

So Reggie came to the fair, with autographed copies of his new album “Reggiestration”. He came with Eddie Blay, Kwaku-T, D-Black, his wife, his son, and was expecting Abodam …. Asem as well, but he had a gig in Kumasi. He got in at 4.30 pm. Hoping for a good crowd to do his interactive programme with, backed by his entourage.

I will post the video recording and the photographs when they are paid for and delivered.

The Mail, Ghana News Agency, and Metro TV made it, and did some interviews and coverage. The Daily Graphic and Joy FM did not make it. Zenith marketer Abraham Yeboah came around to support us. It was just him. UBA had called to collaborate, and promised a representation there. I didn’t see them.

Of the huge number of calls, emails, and messages we had, pledging support to be there with us yesterday, we had a total of …………… 60 fair visitors.

Of this number, only Chris Adjei, Kwaku Osei Tutu and Araba Asare-Kumi. Gyasiwa Gyasi and Tweikuwa Stanhope-Essamuah. Pearl Antwi, and her sister, Belinda Antwi. Michael Kottoh, Hawa and Fali Amuzu, Clarence Parker-Allotey, Biantey Agah, Jack Delaney, Tobias, Andreas, Dr. Joseph Kwao, Musyani, Mercy’s auntie, cousin, and 2 friends were the direct friends who made it there. These people, out of the at least 300 direct friends who we had contacted, made it.

Akunu Dake, Tiger Okyne made their excuses before the event, and were very encouraging. Some did not acknowledge receipt of messages received, nor of the event.

EXPENDITURE (part):Lincoln Community School rent - GH 620 cedis (day)

Cost of organization of fair (final week)- GH 250 cedis (transport, communication, etc.)

Bouncy Castle and kid’s balloons - GH 155 cedis

PA system and DJ services - GH 400 cedis

Volunteer tags, t-shirts, welfare - GH 270 cedis

Tickets for fair, various events - GH 120 cedis

Media costs - GH 50 cedis

Food (estimate for 500 people) - GH 800 cedis

Canopies, Tables, Chairs, T&T - GH100 cedis

Miscellanous - GH 80 cedis

Photography & video coverage - GH 850 cedis

TOTAL - GH3695 cedis

This is just the accumulated cost for the fair itself in the last week of organization. If I start calculating from beginning of this campaign, I might get grey hairs, so I won’t go there.

I am grateful to Mercy Anane-Frempong

our faithful Volunteers (who made this thing theirs, and were on the phone calling people the whole day! You guys are my team from now forever!!! These people sent me consoling messages the whole night yesterday!)

Kwaku Osei Tutu and Araba Asare-Kumi (Osei was darn broke, but sent me GH 7.50 credit when I was at my lowest!!)

Chris Adjei

Gyasiwa Gyasi and Tweetie (who at 9 am came and stayed for hours, before going to a wedding in the afternoon)

my cousin Clarence Parker-Allotey (held my heart together for me)

Michael Kottoh

my sister, Gloria Aryitey

Biantey Agah (who went to Cape Coast and hurried back to Accra just to make it to the fair, then stayed late to help pack and send some of the team members home!)

They stayed the whole day, through the insults, angry participants demanding a refund, and battery of accusing glares that came our way till Reggie and his friends came.

Also:

Efuwa Quansah (UK)

Fred Anani-Frimpong (dotFAF) (UK)

Yram Foli (US)

Geraldine Shole Gerber (UK)

Priscilla Owusu-Ansah (Sweden)

Grace Apiagyei (UK)

MAXINE MOSLEY TOTOE (US)

These people called me from where they are, and kept up with ESF’s progress 100%!

I thank EVERYBODY outside the country who sent messages of encouragement one way or the other as well.

I thank Reggie, his team, and his wife – they have offered Gh 500 cedis to lessen my financial debt, and have promised to keep having my back through the years …. And insist on doing it again till it succeeds.

Reggie refused to charge anything for his support and involvement, right down to his transportation, pulling in his musician friends, etc! And has promised to do this free with us all through!!

I am grateful to you all, and I shall keep you abreast of how things go.

With the strong shoulders of Clarence Parker-Allotey, Michael Kottoh and Chris Adjei …. Who refuse to let me give up, I am progressing ahead with the Charity Ball this very Saturday. These guys have already started working on getting the necessary publicity and marketing up for Monday, to help me get my 200 charity ball participants.

THANK YOU ALL.

3 weeks to go! Crazy weeks ahead!

Modern technology
Owes ecology
An apology (Alan M. Eddison)

Ain't that true!

Heard Japan has pledged to cut down on their carbon emissions 25% by 2020! Should all other countries follow, we are in for the greenest, lushest, most fantastic half-decade ever! A time-frame which is sure to see us enjoying the fruits of our labour.

15th October, 2009 is Action Blogging Day, and the topic chosen for this year is Climate Change. Furthermore, the Copenhagen international climate conference will be happening in December. Seems like this year is for the Green-ies!

It's a dream. A wonderful dream. Painstakingly achievable, but highly feasible.

So ....!

Have you told your friends and family about the 17th October yet?
Marked it on your calendar already?
Called up your 4-man posse members on prepping for it?
Have you asked your company to attend as part of its Corporate Social Responsibilities ... yet?

If you didn't know ... entry fee is only GH 2.00 cedis.
You come as a 4-member group, its only GH 6.00 cedis.

Reggie's "Take the Mic" ticket will be out soon, and can be bought ahead of time, or at the gate.
That one is going at GH 20.00 cedis for 150 people. So book your ticket ahead of time if you can help it!

The Charity Ball tickets are also out already, and will be available for purchase at the fair grounds on the 17th October as well. I have delivered a few to friends and corporates already, so if you need any, just let me know! It's for 200 people. It will have presentations and short talks from select lead experts, specialists, ground-breaking companies, foreign investors, and financiers - on the evening's programme.

It will have celebrities, famous personalities, achievers in the corporate world, and amazing mavericks who have done the once-thought-of impossible! If you can afford it, DON'T MISS OUT on this ball! I assure you! The networking, financial, investment possibilities are endless.

3 WEEKS TO GO!
I was in Elmina on Founder's Day ... met with the Project Manager for Cyclus Elmina Plastic Waste Recycling Plant in Aburansa-Komenda in Elmina.
Very personable man, and passionate about Sustainable efforts ... a man who had spent 9 years in Cameroon working on wind power projects and water engineering.

I went to see what Cyclus Elmina was all about, and how our fundraising efforts for a Plastic Waste Recycler in Accra could fit into their agenda - for better synergy. Also to learn as much about the process and its inputs as possible.

I didn't regret the trip. All my studies, readings, and research on possible end-products of plastic recycling, both occurring in other parts of Africa, and yet to happen ... were already being tested by Wim and his team in Elmina.
By the end of the meeting, I had had more than enough knowledge on how such a plant worked, and gotten a signed agreement from Cyclus Elmina to support in Accra, in terms of Plastic Waste collection (as totally as possible),education and training (of local inhabitants).

We were worried that they were not getting enough plastic waste to meet the plant's quota in Elmina ... whereas those who claimed to be collecting it in Accra seemed blind to those scattered all over the streets, and every other available space in the capital city! Apparently, deals are struck with hotels, schools, and institutions, and they collect directly from selected sources.

Here at ESF, we intend to give the money-less, homeless teens the opportunity to make 100% of the money paid by Cyclus for this plastic waste .... by hiring them on to actually collect those littering our neighbourhoods, as well as talk to the households living in those communities, so that they pick up directly from them.

Whatever cash is paid by Cyclus Elmina, we pay back 100% to them after weighing. Our focus is to clean up the plastic litter, and make sure Cyclus's plant is being utilised to the max! Cyclus also issues cheques weekly to pay, so is sorta better than most other plastic-using manufacturers in the country, who are less regular (or less reliable about paying).

You can see some of the pictures from my Elmina trip to Cyclus, and also at the guest house, where i stayed overnight.

With 3 weeks to go, I am still working on getting as many sustainable businesses and ideas involved in the Fair and the Ball, as is possible.

Here's to THE GREENFOOT CAMPAIGN!! Hip hip hooorah!

Lol. What a silly goose! I just love it! lol!

See you all soon, guys! Mwah!!

The journey of a 1000 miles, begins with ....?

Friends ... my friends.

Hope y'all are good.
This week and half has been the Mother of crazies for me. Topsy-turvy, emotional, trying, fulfilling ... exhausting.

I went to Odumase-Krobo this Friday. Went to Cedi Beads ... y'all heard of him? Just Google him, and you'll land him in a nanosecond! like, really ... guy is so popular, and his family is legendary.

I went to ask him in board the Greenfoot Campaign ... not only does he do great beads, but he recycles glass ... intentionally uses un-needed glass bottles and such for his beads.
It's a notion we will dearly enjoy partnering him in ... and also to work on getting more of his beads into daily use and fashionale accessories ... so it goes everywhere, faster.
Recycle the glass, darn it! Keep the line moving ... yep, that's it! lol!!!!

We have another date with him next weekend. Can't wait to go ... cus this trip in particular, I did in a hurry, and I didn't really get to feel the entire experience well.
This time around, I'm going prepared.

I took the pictures of him, and his bead-makers at work myself oooo! Not from internet, so copyright first, joh! lol.

And oh! What lushness! What fresh green-ness! What coolness! I am definitely going to move out of Accra when I can afford it! Beautiful and idyllic ... blow your mind, it does!!

So Cedi Beads will be repping at the Fair on the 17th October! Mark that down.

Now we are still in several talks with sooooo many companies, but if these ones, we have confirmed SUPPORT of varying forms and levels ... and with some, we have a working understanding. You are likely to see them or their reps on the field on the fair day as well (both officially, incognito, or just there to have fun!):

USAID
CEDI BEADS
NKYEA Twi Primer TEAM
E + CO
SOLAR LIGHT
NET 2, CAMPUS FILE team
TRASHY BAGS
WELLNEZ CENTRE
MIM & LEA
CREATIVE WRITERS WITHOUT BORDERS
ENCOL GH. Ltd
WILKINS ENGINEERING
ZENITH BANK ENERGY DESK reps

We are still in talks with interested groups, but we will only confirm them when they confirm.
So watch out for the next blog update for these support and participatory groups!

We met with part of our volunteer group on Saturday (yesterday) as well. This was at Legon with the legon reps, and a few wonderful reps from Ashesi (although theirs will be held soon on their campus, they still came over!).

As you can see from the pictures, I went along with my son a.k.a Tasmanian Devil! He is never still, so all you see is the blur, yurp! What? How old is he? Will be 2 in December ... rather on the tall side, eh?! Boy can only babble baby talk, yet he is already up in there!

Mercy is the one at the far left in the group picture ... she's a trim 5 ' 1 feet.
I am at the far right in the group picture with the blur of a son ... i'm a round 5 ' 6 feet.
We are like: Santa and one of his elves!

We had a wonderful hour and half chat with them, wherein we spoke about ESF, why ... like food and drink, energy was also important, and had to be diversified and made efficient for the future, why the power lay in their hands to take up this opportunity. We spoke about what responsibilities they would be given on the day, we emphasized the need for a learning and fun-loving spirit for this event, and the measures we had in place to take care of them throughout their voluntary assignments.

Most of them were very happy to have gotten frequent emails from us, before the meeting. They shared a wish to spend their vacations attached to our outfit ... especially in terms of training, travelling, assignments,jobs, etc.

They wanted to know how we started, our founding members, and our long-term dreams for the outfit.

At the end of it all, we also asked them why, deep down, they offered to volunteer.

Astoundingly, most of them responded that the energy situation was a disturbing aspect for them as well, and they agreed with the point we made about the rural areas being paradise ... BUT FOR LACK of electricity, hence their wish to also join a pioneering movement such as ESF.
They also stated that they were taking the opportunity to upgrade their CVs, as well as build up on a marketable and career-enhanced future.

We ended it up with a group picture, distribution of directions to Lincoln C. School, as well as a reminder of a final volunteer meeting before the D-Day.

After this came a fast flow of discussions, meetings, and deliberations with our media supporters and publicity aides. Then, of course, a meeting between myself and Mercy.

We have one last set of ads to place on paper and radio-TV, andafter that, we raise our faces to Mawu, the Most High God.
Money issues be tight, mehn! REAL tight! But we believe it will be well.

I have left out so many petty details, cus my heart is full to bursting with them, and I know not which to talk about, but when we meet, I shall spill all to you! ;-0

Before I go, though, share this good news with us:

WE have gotten our first CONSULTATION! And we have already started working on it. It is so perfectly in line with our objectives ... nothing could be more perfect. When the revenue pulls through, hola! to our raise funds for rural-renewable energy-grid campaign! We just got hold of the Energy Bill draft from government as well. Probably should update you on that soon as I can. Hmmmmmmm!

2 other jobs also popped up just 2 days ago as well, and we hope to put pen to paper on these as well!

So share the good news. Tell people ESF is still growing ... we value our standards, and we keep them!

Share our countdown with us on FACEBOOK (we have a Greenfoot Campaign funpage, specially for the Fair and the Charity Ball, then an ESF fan page ... join us on there if you can. 70 members and counting so far!!)

Buy a Charity ball ticket!
Or a Reggie Rockstone and Friends "Take the Mic" ticket.
Buy for you and a friend. A partner. Family.
Share this with us!!!
More updates of support groups for fair next update!

People.
We have seen the future ... and it belongs to us.

Don't let nobody tell you different!

Aaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!

Orgasmic happiness!

The type that is hard-earned and touches down on the runway of your soul after the long, painful trials and tribulations.

Yes!

Thursday continued the Blessings ... I met with our advisor, Mr. Adu-Asare at my father's office premises (Abba Scientific Promotions - Janssen-Cilag) in the morning, to discuss ways of getting more Ghanaian energy institutions to get onto our platform. Being one of the pioneers in Ghana to go into RETs (Renewable Energy Technologies) as well as Sustainable Development (Waste & Recycling), we have no predecessors that i know off ... so we are having to prove ourselves SERIOUSLY to these Solar and Energy institutions before they agree to partner with us on this campaign.

Out of sheer irritation, I sometimes mumble how I'll just plod along without them ... but for the sake of the Ghanaian I am trying to save and give a better life to ... I simply must get these insitutions on board - be they ready or not! Now ... we have started making them deals they cannot refuse; deals that demand a lot of ground-breaking work from us, but that will ensure that the partnership does pull through ... and it will!

You know I don't give up!

So Adu-Asare gave me some pointers on how to approach these institutions and the best angle from which they could partner us (as in what they do best within the RETs industry).

By the end of the meeting, he had led us to the leading Biogas expert in Africa (yep! a Ghanaian), a lady with a PhD in Impact Assessment, the Chairman of one of our Energy 'giants" in Ghana, and the Managers of Lighting Africa Project (International Finance Corporation, Ghana).

After this, I sped off for Mercy's office. We had a meeting with Reggie Rockstone at 7 pm, and I needed to touch base with Mercy before we got there.

Things went well, and Reggie got us all over the ground with laughter with his witty "waste" rap statements. He was a natural ... and we had a fabulous hour going over the way the day would go.

Basically, he said he loved the Greenfoot Campaign so much he would host the entire Fair. Since he does everything with people at heart, he went further to insist that he would enjoy things much better if he were to get on the grounds early enough to mingle with the crowd before starting his music programme.

Now, what we both felt was phenomenal about Reggie accepting to be Ghana's Green Energy Icon (courtesy ESF of course! lol) was that he instantly brought up the need for an INTERACTIVE music show that had the audience coming on stage to do their own thing ... under the topic of Ghana going GREEN! And also to make as much use of him as they had the opportunity to ... (what could be this fantastic?)

Hence the tagline we now use : Reggie's 'Take the Mic' interactive music programme.

We left LOL-ing all the way home ... tired and wilted like old cabbage, but happy.

Friday morning, I leapt out of bed, and hit the ground running. Practically had to tie my son on my back to get through the chores as quickly as possible .... why?

We had a meeting with Lighting Africa (IFC) at 11 am, and being so far out of Accra, I needed to rush out of the house. Finally got out in time, with seconds to spare ... and made it just in time.

Sitting back now, I feel like ... girl, if you knew, you wouldnt have bothered so much. lol You see ... we met with a dismissive attitude that came with these themes:

start-ups like yourselves ought not raise yourselves above certain stations

you are too young to have the kind of capabilities that impress me/us

you are giving a good fight in this debate, but i will keep dismissing all of them. Perhaps that will frustrate you enough to get you gone

are you an advertising agency - that you should be creating awareness and bridging the gap between needy groups and supplier, etc?

how the .... do you and us fit? or exist on the same level? How come you see us as sharing similarities?

blah blah blah ... we can't hear you! (can't these girls just give up and go away before our semi-polite hints of "Get out of here" get really rude?)

Of the one hour presentation-debate-self defense we had at Lighting Africa(IFC), these were the distinct semi-verbalised come-backs from the gentlemen we so kindly met.

We left with a promise to forward a proposal to them for a clearer picture, and with the assurance that we have gotten to know them better ... but not at all disappointed that their concluding 'encouragement' to us was "You are young girls ... focus on one thing, and AMA and Government has not even made an impression on this situation, so don't take huge bites ... you are still young...)".

I was mostly indifferent to this experience, though I made it a point to learn as much from their argument as possible ... who blames them, we ARE young! And that is the joy of it ... taking opportunity of the now!

After this, we spent the next 6 hours making photocpies of the fliers we had designed, flirting with the cutter-guy to get him to cut most of them (200 papers) up for us very quickly, and happily distributing them around.

So from Tudon (where we did the photopcoies - Circle Overhead), we strolled up towards SG-SSB. We had fliers for the Sports Competitions and fliers for acquiring fair stands or setting up ads on the field for the day.

We met a nicely dressed young man from Ecobank, shaking his buns in his spiffy trousers (:-)) and gave him some. He was nice about it. We went up to the Challenge bookshop (gave some to the attendant inside, and went in to hand some over to the General Manager. He was also nice about it). Then we went to ATTC, but unfortunately they had not yet re-opened school, so we gave the lady there a flier for the fair stands.

We then went on to the shops and businesses along that road - one Health Products shop, 2 bespoke fashion wear shops, Bayport Financial Institution (since it was Friday and the payday of the month, the SEVERAL fit, young Bayport men hanging out in front of the office were their flirty best) where we got a lot of happy young men to take our fliers .... promising to come only because our chests looked promising, and they wanted to get the names that went along with those juicy melons (we insisted we would only divulge our names on the day of the fair)!

We went on for about another half kilometre, towards Joy FM premises, where we finally gave up on our tired legs, and I jumped into a ride and headed on home, while Mercy strolled on home (just 5 minutes away, lucky her!)

Got home at 7.30 pm ... another day hard at it ... when Mercy called with unpleasant news: Joy Fm had confirmed they wouldnt sponsor us on the publicity ... the best they could do was let us pay 50%.

But for services of which the least (of a meaningful publicity package) cost about GH 3000 cedis ... neither myself nor Mercy were in the position to pay 50% of such a cost ... we have already sunk in GH3500 of our personal monies so far ... we have no more.

So today ... I sit and keep the faith. More things came up on a positive note, and I will share that on the next post.For now, at least, we know that the day will be packed ... we just need to make sure it goes well, and all sides are satisfied : Fair stand owners get a crowd to patronise them ... and crowd gets enough activity and services to make the trip worthwhile ...

Love y'all!!

When God has His eye on you ...

What a week!
I know that this whole thing was pre-destined for me ... but there are days when it shocks me all over again. And also days when Mercy and I realise that, much as we are naughty and un-formatted ... we are VERY blessed.

This is the whole story:

Monday saw us in town again, trying to beat as many self-given deadlines as possible. We all know how our dreams never approximate or equate the realities, hence a lot of frustrations and trying moments ... lol.

We always set out with targets and unrealistic, severely short deadlines (which is why i say we are unformatted!) ... but at the last moments, we get smack into the perfect precipitator, and next we know ... task accomplished!

On Monday, the ad came out with much fewer calls than we expected and hoped for ... however, Mi called to tell me that WELLNEZ CENTRE had called her in response to the ad ... and they wanted to provide a 4th prize for the competitions.

So we booked a time and went over to them. We then met T and A and had a lively short chat about self-made success and how its not easy, but all very worth it. On the way, I called Mr. KO of Joy FM to confirm a tentative meeting he had agreed to earlier.

Turned out that it was perfect timing, and he asked us to pass through. Relieved that another hurdle had been chalked, we presented ourselves at Joy FM and met with KO.

He was pleasant and straightforward about their current priorities and status of sponsorship, and led us to MF, for a more confirmed position on our partnership-sponsorship proposal. This was concluded on a request that we call him back in 2 days for a response to the issue. Which means, this morning should get us Joy FM's position (final/tentative) on either sponsoring something of the Greenfoot Campaign, or partnering with us on the entire thing. (Fingers crossed).

From there, we called Reggie Rockstone, who had a very lively Ashanti Twi conversation with Mi on the fine details of what he wanted to do for the Campaign (Mercy's gift or forte is communication and campaign strategizing, so I am very happy to have her on my side).

At the end of their conversation, she giddily informed me that Reggie had stated that he was going to host the funfair event ... and was also going to have an intimate interactive "Take the Mic" show with the audience of the music show later on that day. We were to call him back in a few days to confirm a meet to finalise the details.
Another hurdle chalked!!

We went our separate ways after this, weary but fulfilled.

On Tuesday, we had a meeting with TN of Lincoln C School ... to go over the contract and also view the facilities as they are.

She is a very lovely lady, merged professionalism very well with amiability ... but what i will always remember about our meeting with her is the recommendations she made on the preparations for the fun fair.

She made very good suggestions about the publicity and funding strategies we could us, as well as a cool, funky poolside theme for Reggies interactive "Take the Mic" music programme ... where we use their swimming pool area with its bleachers, standing spaces, etc.

Yes, of course, its more business to her, but her perspective was most helpful, considering that she was thinking as a potential visitor to the fair and what would appeal to her most - it helped us see clearer. I found her attitude very memorable.

From here, we walked around, then out of the school, and down to the main junction, to get a feel of the locations and timings and possible happenings on the D-day itself ... and therefore the backup plans and counter-strategies we should have in place for the day.

Wednesday came, and from morning till 2:00pm, it was blue and uneventful. I had all but shut down my brain, when I met up with Mi and she suggested that we go down to Unibank physically ... again.

She had called them earlier, and tried tracking the letter I had sent earlier ... I had told her they informed me it would go to Corporate Affairs, and much as she tried, they simply would nt connect her to, or give her the numbers to Corporate Affairs.

So we went there again (the administrative side at Kokomlemle), and met same receptionist.
She would not call them. She insisted "THEY WILL CALL YOU IF THEY FEEL IT NECESSARY" and asked us to pick brochures. When Mi asked her for what purpose, she stated that for the bank's contact numbers. And that was all the help she could give us. By this time, it was nearing 4:00pm and I was cussing her in my head and calculating traffic hours till i got to New Gbawe again ...

Now God being so fantastic and mysterious ... who shld be walking behind us, but a lady who knew Mercy very well ... and who was a Unibank employee!!!!!

So here comes the hugs and 'hey you' s!! And Mi asked her if she knew anyone in Coporate Affairs we could speak to ... she immediately asked us to proceed back to the building and wait for her ... she was going to the banking side. I asked Mi to follow up for me whilst i went home.

We started conversing about keeping the chin up ... with Mi doing the cheerleading dance (lol!) when her friend suddenly came back (amazing!) and asked us to follow her inside.

After a quarter hour wait, we finally met the Manager for Corporate Affairs, Unibank ... where Mi showed her commmunication prowess once again ... he he he!

We could tell the guy was taken with her narrative, and he declared so after our meeting. He also gave us more pointers on what to fix into our proposal to them, and with a promise to e-mail him the proposal ASAP, we left him with smiles.

Not because they had promised anything ... but because what an eventful hour it had been all of a sudden!

As if that wasn't all, Mrs JA of a certain Waste Management company here in Accra, with whom we had been trying to meet for a while, called us and asked if we were in town, and if we could meet?

I informed her that we were at Unibank in Kokomlmle ... and what do you know? She said she was turning right into the park then ... she was just THERE at that moment!!!!!!!!

So we went down, met her and had another superb talk and made decisions - she also agreed to assist us any way she could, and asked to be e-mailed the proposal ... oh my my!

When God has His eye on you, and a finger to your name .... you better be ready to call for all your blessings!!

Lord Bless us with every blessing conceivable! And give us the cloth to pad our head for the load!!!

If you don't join us now ... when again?!

Riding the wish-horse down!

Seeing an opportunity? Seeing it? Still staring at it?

What the h.ll are you sitting staring at it for?! Grab the d.mn thing and dig in! It might never show up again ... opportunity comes but bloody once!

People!!!!!!!! Things are good ... met a few good men (unfortunately, the romance wasn't there ... sigh.), a handful of superb ladies, and a lot of walking-around maties this week!

I'm on my wish horse ... and I'm a love activist, but I'm running that poor horse "deh-wn"! Forgive me, but I can't help it. Too many things I've been praying for, wishing for, working for ... time is now!

So we finally got the DAY confirmed, and everything is going great ... a few semi-confirmed issues here and there, but nothing scary ... nothing He can't put aright.

As the advert states, it's the 17th of October ... and please make it if you're in town. It's revolutionary ... women in energy! Ghana going Green officially ... pitch in and help if you want to ... or just sit back and enjoy the events! Just BE THERE!! lol

Mi and I went round to about 25 locations from 23rd Aug till today ... spoke to over 50 companies and experienced individuals by phonecalls and e-mails through same duration.

We sent letters physically to the following:

Coconut Grove Regency Hotel, Accra (gave us FREE use of their venue for our Charity Ball - 24/25 Oct)

Joy FM (promised us normal coverage, but yet to confirm partnership/sponsorship)

Solar Light Com. (we felt it would be great to partner with them because we will have to refer our clients to them in case of solar energy gadgets or set-up ... no word so far; directors unavailable)

Milani Food Processing Ltd. (nothing yet)

Nestle Ghana Ltd. (I think the letter is still at the reception area ... they get so many job applications I think they don't bother much with letters anymore ... still checking on them)

Tigo (Millicom Gh. Ltd) (nice numbers ... no-one is picking up my calls ... receptionist herself gave them to me!)

Unibank (nothing yet)

DENG ltd (said I should call back next Tuesday on partnership/sponsorship qn) However, we will try to sell some of their solar lanterns ...

Zoomlion Waste Experts - my goodness, their offices are SO far out! (Haven't spoken to them yet on the issue, but we also have to promote them)

Standard Chartered (still working on the right people)

Stanbic Bank - they promote their support of renewable energy a lot, so we felt ... (still trying to get word/direction)

Koala Supermarket

Sunshine Salads

Frankie's

Papaye (they said they have a fixed policy ... never participate in such fairs)

Smoothy's

The last 5 most especially to supply food and drink services, but yet to confirm all of them.

As you can imagine, it was a crazy week, and a crazy situation of encounters ... I still intend to distribute 20 more letters throughout next week.

We have a Graphic ad coming out this Monday, 31st, so all in Ghana ... please look out for it (it's same as the insert above).

We are setting up an i-kobo account for all those who wish to donate something little.

We also have our numbers up for any one who can assist us spread the word, and wants to make more enquiries.

We have gotten a phenomenal group of foreign volunteers who are helping us run and monitor everything on the D-day ...

The Cycling competition starts first - at 6:00 am. This will be followed by the marathon at 6:15 am. The swimming competition will start at 6.15 am as well. They will all be 2 - 2.5 hr long events, so by 9:00am, all the competitions will be over. Winners will be awarded, and certificates given to all participants on same day.

In the meantime, the stand-owners would have been setting up, and getting ready for the first few visitors starting 8:00 am.

Music show commencement will be 12 pm or as Reggie himself confirms (updates will be given of specific time).

It will be music, business promotions, fun, socialising, and fun!!

In the meantime, we are still welcoming all support, spread-of-word, assistance, counsel, funds, and anything that can make us better!

Thanks to all of you who have been encouraging and following so far ... it means much!

I love you all! And will keep you updated.