BornAgain! Funding our projects from within ... will it work?

Our eco label ... "BornAgain!" ... of old tyres (Line1)

You may all know by now that I have spent the past 5 to 6 months trying to raise funds for a Biogas plant for a little village in the Upper West Region, called Tuori. If you don't know about it yet (*giving you a strange look*), then click here and have a gander: Energy for Tuori (and all the others)!

Well, being a busy person who does many other things, and the NGO being a self-funded one, you can imagine how difficult it's been  keeping the momentum going in the face of the general suspicions and financial hardships of most Ghanaians ... N O T  G O O D. 
Haha. Okay, so now I can laugh about it. 
But only because I spent the last 2 months of the past 6 months of the fundraiser building up a careful structure for internal funding for the NGO's projects, so we don't have to keep worrying y'all with our beggar's aluminium cup ... yeah, the noisy one. And no, I don't sing and roll my eyes when  go begging.


Aaaannnnd, after weeks of thinking and careful planning, I came up with "Born Again!", an entity within the NGO which recycles and re-uses old and 'wasted' stuff, and makes them trendy-useful and affordable for people.
We then market it like every other usual service/product, sell it at competitive prices, and put ALL the profits after expenditure into the NGO's projects!
To start with, I looked at the huge numbers of tyres all over the city (and the country), and how difficult it is to find uses for them after car-owners discard them ... and I came up against two 'walls'.


I had decided previously to have them stripped and shredded, the strips to use in addition to wood and metal, or by itself ... for furniture. But soon after gathering a number of tyres, and purchasing some from vulcanisers (if you want it, they sell it ... cus they figure if you have a use for it, thing got value! Sigh ... I love my peoples), my shredder expert told me that there are 2 types of tyres: the wire-mesh (more common) and the nylon thread. The nylon thread is what CAN be stripped, NOT the wire-mesh.


Oh Lord. So I went back into town to get the nylon thread types. Then whilst he went to work shredding em up for my wood/metal combinations and the eco-friendly footwear line,  sat down with my sketch pad to design things that can use the wire-mesh tyres whole .... WHOLE, I say.


I came up eventually with 2 trendy designs : one for a seating facility, and one for a funky, eye-catching table design (which has a lot of oomph!).
So over the next 12 weeks, we will launch our first 3 eco-products for raising funds for our projects (very very crucial projects): an eco-seat made out of whole wire-mesh tyre .... an eco-table with wood-glass-rope combination also made out of whole wre-mesh tyre ... and 2 or 3 footwear designs made out of nylon-thread tyre with fabric-rope combination.


We hope (and intend) it to sell well to you, my supportive peoples on here, and your social circles and business associates ... as well as the general public not just in Ghana, but internationally. We hope to make good sales not only because our clients will want to support a good cause, but also because these eco-friendly products REALLY DO make your mouth drool, and make you feel real proud to own them. 
We guarantee you, they WILL BE quality, all through and through.


To show you how, follow this link to see some of our first few pictures of the TYRED.UP! an eco-seat under the BornAgain! label. Click The TyreSeater - BornAgain!
Give me all the feedback you want to ... but more practically, give me all the orders you can make! Haha! 


.... oh, and a Merry Christmas in advance. Make the rest of 2011 count. ;)


Golda.


P.S: the link also opens up other albums for you on trips and work done so far, so feel free to browse through all the albums and pictures.
And if you want to keep updates or follow discussions, join us on Facebook by just clicking here. :)

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!

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.