Dates set, donations keep coming!

Huge thanks to the more than 50 people who have donated money or digital gear so far in support of my "Congo In Focus" project. In addition to used cameras from friends and families; I've received headphones, video cameras, laptops and harddrives from places as far reaching as Belgium and Norway.

Just yesterday, I received confirmation that Flip video in the U.S. will be donating several Flip Mino HD video cameras to the project, all thanks to the hard work and initiative of an incredible supporter in Australia.

Also, earlier this week in Seattle I met with social documentary photographer and co-founder of Bridges to Understanding Phil Borges about his experiences with teaching photojournalism/ multimedia workshops to students in remote areas of the world. He gave me a couple great contacts for my time in Congo, showed me some of his work from his "Women Empowered" portrait series and steered me toward a great book called Half the Sky about the struggles women face around the globe.

My Congo dates are officially set now-- departing on Feb. 5 and returning on May 3-- but I will gladly accept donations right up until my departure date. In particular, very few audio recorders have been donated thus far, so if you have one that you don't use, please consider donating it.

Thanks again to everyone.

Congo In Focus project website in the works

Local ecogeek genius Hank Green has graciously offered to take on the role of website designer for the student multimedia project I will be helping create in Congo. The website-- www.congoinfocus.com-- will feature Congolese students' multimedia work, still photos and blog posts. Check back for updates on when the site will go live.

I'm still collecting digital gear (cameras, video cameras, audio recorders, headphones, etc.) to take with me to Congo in February for teaching purposes. Please contact me if you'd like to donate something.

As always, donations to help fund my trip to Congo are greatly appreciated (click "donate" button at upper right of this blog). Thanks to all who have already donated. I will repay you in chocolate chip cookies someday.

The magic of money

Between donations made at the Missoula fundraiser in late August and donations received so far through this blog, I'm grateful to say I just passed the halfway point ($1519.47, to be exact) to my goal of $3000 to cover my airfare to Congo.

Thanks so much again to everyone for your support. I truly couldn't make this teaching experience happen if it weren't for your generosity.

Again, if you haven't donated and would like to, just click the "donate" button at the upper right of this blog. If you know others who may be interested in supporting multimedia education in Congo, please feel free to forward them the link to my blog. No donation is too small!

Also, the Digital Drop Box project is in full swing. Friends and supporters have already donated digital cameras, laptops and audio recorders. Please contact me if you have any digital gear you'd like to donate to Congolese university students studying multimedia journalism.

Thanks again everyone!

Digital Drop Box project

In conjunction with my upcoming teaching plans in Congo, I have created a multimedia gear donation project called "Digital Drop Box" (cue rap music).

If you recently upgraded your digital camera, audio recorder or video camera and would be willing to donate your old equipment to help Congolese university students learn multimedia journalism, please let me know. I will happily pay the shipping to have your gear sent to me so I can take it to Congo with me when I depart in February.

Please contact me at anne.to.congo@gmail.com to make a gear donation.

If you are in Missoula and will be attending the Congo Initiative fundraiser tomorrow night, please feel free to donate your gear then.

Thanks so much...

Fundraiser in Missoula on Thursday, Aug. 20

For those of you in Missoula, please come to the Congo Initiative fundraiser this coming Thursday, August 20th from 7-9pm on the 3rd floor of the University of Montana's School of Journalism (Don Anderson Hall).

Justin Hubbard, Director of Development and Partnership for the Congo Initiative, and Arnila Santosa, grad student in International Peace and Conflict Resolution at American University, will speak about their experiences working and conducting research in war-torn DRC. I'll also talk about my goals for teaching in Congo. Beer and wine have been donated by Big Sky Brewery and Clear Weather Wines.

If you can't make the event, but would still like to donate to help me get to Congo, you can use the "donate" button on this blog to donate via PayPal. If you would rather PayPal not make any money off your donation (yes, they do take a small percentage), you can mail checks directly to me at:

Anne Medley
2310 Lester St.
Missoula, MT 59801

Lastly, I'll be starting a collection project for used digital cameras, audio recorders and video cameras for the journalism department at Universite Chretienne Bilingue du Congo (UCBC) soon. If you have upgraded your digital point and shoot or SLR camera recently (or audio or video gear) and would be willing to donate your old equipment to help Congolese students, please let me know.

Thanks so much again for everyone's support.

Heading to Congo... hopefully

If you're reading this, you've obviously been directed here by... me. Thanks for stopping by.

I'm in the beginning stages of fundraising for my upcoming teaching gig in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) starting in late October/ early November. If you can spare $5 or $10, please consider donating (see donate button at upper right) to help defray some of the costs associated with my trip (namely, the exorbitant airfare over).

The Congo Initiative runs a university in Beni, DRC where I will be teaching multimedia journalism and, hopefully, organizing student projects to be featured on the Congo Initiative website.

For those in Missoula, Justin Hubbard of the Congo Initiative and I will be holding a fundraiser on Thursday, Aug. 20 from 7-9pm in the School of Journalism's Native American room and foyer on the 3rd floor of Don Anderson hall. Snacks and drinks will be provided, so please stop by and make a donation, if you can. Any amount helps. More details to come...

Thanks,
Anne