Category Archives: Updates

Staff Announcements

OIC International is announcing staff additions and is excited to introduce two new members to our organization, Dewardric L. “D. L.” McNeal and Christina Yantis.

Dewardric L. “D.L.” McNeal joins the Executive Office of OIC International as the Director of Global Strategy and Policy.  He will be responsible for evaluating market size, competitors and industry structures, and making recommendations to senior management to assist in the development of OICI’s goals and priorities. In addition he will be responsible for managing the development of OICI’s strategic plan, in collaboration with McKinsey and Company, and ensuring its implementation.

Before joining the senior staff at OIC International, Mr. McNeal served three years as the Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia and China Country Director at the United States Department of Defense.  He was appointed to this position by President Obama in May 2009 after serving on the 2008 Obama for America Campaign’s Asia Advisory Team.  Prior to joining the Obama Administration, he spent four years as the Assistant Director for International Programs at the Brookings Institution’s John L. Thornton China Center.

He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in international studies from Morehouse College and also studied Chinese politics, culture, and language at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and Nanjing University in China.

Christina Yantis joins the Finance team as the Grants and Contracts Compliance Specialist.  Christina is responsible for overall support for general grants and contracts administration, including grant/contract data management for field offices and financial reporting for the Ghana office and programs, among many other duties within the Finance Department.

Prior to joining OICI, Christina spent four years with the Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA).  At CEDPA, she worked as a Senior Accountant in the Finance Department, and later as a Grants and Contracts Specialist.  She provided financial and compliance technical support to all staff engaged with a project’s lifecycle.  She also developed cost proposals for USAID and other funders in collaboration with program and business development staff, prepared internal and external project financial reports, monitored and revised project budgets and ensured compliance with donor requirements.  She was responsible for a range of cash management functions, along with providing financial and operational support to field offices.  Christina holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Gettysburg College.

I appreciate you joining me in providing a warm welcome for D.L. and Christina.

With excitement,

Crispian Kirk

Sewing a New Future for Ghana

Dear OIC International Supporter,

A young woman in Ghana sees a magazine cover. She sees Iman in a business suit, and it inspires her to be a strong woman like her. But she knows her family can’t afford to send her to train as a seamstress. This is where the power of OIC International begins.

This young woman wants to study textiles and sewing and maybe even own her own small sewing business. She’s dreaming big. She even dreams of sewing for the next inspiring African supermodel. But she can’t without your help.

Put power in her hands right now. In Ghana, our trainees in our textiles classes learn to make beautiful, quality clothes. Literally $100 helps us provide a sewing machine and sewing classes for a young woman to help her provide for herself and for her family. Imagine giving this gift of power.

Help us help her dream big.

Sincerely,

Cripsian Kirk

How much is a jar of peanut butter worth to you?

For Pindayi Chiduwa and the nine other women of the Tagona Peanut Butter Factory in the Bikita district of rural Zimbabwe, a jar of peanut butter is priceless. A jar of peanut butter is a business, a livelihood. It is a way out of poverty.

Started in 1996 and supported by Zimbabwe OIC’s Business Development Services program, the Tagona Peanut Butter Factory is a thriving business that, as Pindayi states, is “pushing to solve issues of poverty as a female-run, community-based program.” In a country with a crippling 95% unemployment rate—where most of the general population makes less than 60 US cents a day—the Tagona Peanut Butter Factory is revitalizing its community. In addition to selling peanut butter wholesale, the factory has contracts with local hospitals and schools. It provides the women with a viable business, local services with nutritious foods, and members of the community with employment at the factory.

For Pindayi and her colleagues, the profits from their business help keep their children in schools and their homes in order. For farmers, the presence of a local factory allows them to sell their groundnuts at a competitive price year-round. For the entire community, who came together to build the factory and support their wives, sisters, mothers and daughters, the factory has provided employment and strengthened community bonds.

OIC International believes in sustainable, community-based change. The Tagona Peanut Butter Factory is an example of how a community can be transformed when individuals become self-reliant. You can learn more about Pindayi and the Tagona Peanut Butter Factory in our upcoming short documentary series, and to find out more about OIC International’s programs, visit www.oici.org.

Sincerely,

Your OICI International Team

OICI Announces Short Documentary Series

Dear OIC International Supporter,

In 2010, OIC International President & CEO, Crispian Kirk, and a group of OICI team members spent four weeks in Africa with a camera crew and filmmakers. Their mission was to capture the OIC International story: who are the people behind the projects? Who is OIC International?

The people they encountered and the stories they brought back were truly breathtaking. From the remarkable perseverance of Sam Boateng in Samsam, Ghana, to the spirit of Pindavi Chiduwa and the women of the Tagona Peanut Butter Factory in Zimbabwe, the stories they were told spoke of endurance and strength, compassion and commitment.

The unifying message of everyone they met was: Tell our stories. Tell what we’ve been through, what we’ve accomplished—and how OIC International has helped.

These faces, these stories, these people are OIC International.

In the upcoming weeks, we’ll be sharing their stories with you and soon, you’ll be able to see them yourselves with the release of the incredible footage Cris and his crew caught.

Keep an eye out—these are stories you have to hear.

 

Sincerely,
OIC International

“The Continued Human Crisis in Côte d’Ivoire”

We want to share the following update with you, which we received from Mr. Eliah Kassi, Executive Director at OIC International, Côte d’Ivoire:

The war has caused many people currently [to be] displaced throughout the country. Currently just for the city of Bouake where OIC-Côte d’Ivoire is located, we [have] registered more than 15,000 people displaced by war. These people have all abandoned [their homes] and in their flight[,] came to seek refuge in Bouake. With the help of local authorities and NGOs we are currently register[ing] them in an [effort] to help them. For now, their needs are mainly in food, clothing, and other basic necessities.”

As many of you no doubt know, Côte d’Ivoire has been embroiled in a long and costly political crisis. Despite the capture of president incumbent Laurent Gbagbo by Alassane Ouattara’s forces, the humanitarian and economic impact from this month of violence will only get worse. During the months of the political impasse, nearly one million Ivoirians have been displaced with hundreds of thousands fleeing to neighboring countries. Côte d’Ivoire, whose poverty level has gone from 10% in 1985 to nearly 43% in 2008 according to the World Bank, will endure struggles long after the eyes of the international media and community have turned away.

costa-marfil

OIC International, however, has been working in the country since 1986, and we will continue our tireless efforts to help Ivoirians surmount the current crisis and to flourish in the future. We are working closely with the UNDP to support displaced persons, through a new priority implementation area for the city of Bouake, called early recovery, which seeks to “identify projects to revenue initiatives that can enable people displaced by war to take charge themselves.”

We will keep you updated on the struggles in Côte d’Ivoire as well as the recovery efforts by OIC-Côte d’Ivoire.

Thank you for your continued support. To make a donation to support our work in Côte d’Ivoire and other OIC International initiatives, visit oicinternational.org.

Sincerely

Your OIC International team

What does Green really mean?

“Go Green!” “Be Green!” We have all heard this call to action many times. Community Supported Agriculture, “farm-to-table” freshness, sustainable agriculture, and certified organic are the newest popular themes in American culture. But in many parts of Africa and in Haiti, “green” agriculture is more than just a theme. It is the means by which families and communities are fighting poverty, surviving and making a living.

Women are responsible for 60-80 percent of food production in developing countries, in addition to the work they do raising children and managing their households. The work is far from easy. With limited resources, tools and seeds, not to mention sometimes poor soil quality, these strong, intelligent and determined women-farmers must fight everyday to feed their families and support their communities. While we may desire that “farm –to-table” freshness, the women-farmers we work with depend on it.

OIC International invests in the lives of these women to help families and communities rise out of poverty. Although there are no easy solutions to poverty, supporting the matriarch of the household creates an environment for the entire family to thrive. She not only teaches her children the skills she has learned, but also invests her earnings into her family’s and community’s well-being. You can help these women by making an investment in their future. OIC International has the tools and resources to teach women how to farm, and you can support OIC International with its programs in Africa and in Haiti.

Very Truly Yours,

Crispian Kirk

Global economists are all saying the same thing: Women-farmers are a key ingredient in ending poverty. By making a donation to OICI International, you, too, can be a key ingredient in ending poverty. Go to www.oici.org to help.

 

Ways to Help Japan

Like us, you have most likely heard about and seen footage of the triple disaster that struck Japan on March 11, 2011. Following a magnitude 9.0 earthquake (the fifth largest recorded since 1900), northeastern Japan was struck by subsequent tsunamis with waves measuring up to 33 feet tall, wiping away homes and buildings, and devastating whole cities and towns.

The death toll has climbed to over 8,000 and with more than 10,000 individuals still missing, it will continue to rise. Over 400,000 survivors have been displaced and are living in temporary shelters, where food, water, heat and electricity are running low. Finally, the threat of nuclear emergency continues as workers race to stabilize conditions at the Fukushima Daichi power plant.

While OIC International does not work in Japan, we remind you that international support and solidarity, which you have demonstrated many times through your support of OIC International, always make a difference in an otherwise dire situation. Please consider donating towards relief efforts in Japan, to help make a difference. There are many options available:

You can easily donate $10 by simply texting any of the numbers below, and $10 will automatically be added to your phone bill.

Text “REDCROSS” to 90999 (American Red Cross)

Text “JAPAN” to 50555 (Global Giving)

Text “JAPAN” or “QUAKE” to 80888 (Salvation Army. You must reply “yes” to the automatic thank-you message)

Text “JAPAN” to 20222 (Save the Children)

AMERICAN RED CROSS-

http://american.redcross.org/

site/PageServer?pagename=ntld_main&s_src=RSG000000000&s_subsrc=RCO_NewsArticle

AMERICARES

http://www.americares.org/whatwedo/emergency/japan/japan-earthquake-tsunami.html

GLOBAL GIVING

http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/japan-earthquake-tsunami-relief/

SAVE THE CHILDREN

https://secure.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6617251/k.7E71/

Donate_to_the_Japan_Earthquake_Tsunami_Children_in_Emergency_Fund/

apps/ka/sd/donor.asp?msource=wellpaqkf311

SALVATION ARMY

https://donate.salvationarmyusa.org/site/c.tvI3IeNUJsE/b.5760419/k.2CB3/

Donate_Now/apps/ka/sd/donor.asp

?c=tvI3IeNUJsE&b=5760419&en=5eJzHIOjF4IIJSNmG3JEIUMDJoKRJXNyGjIRJVOuEgLLJWOIF

INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS

http://www.groupon.com/deals/international-medical-corps (buy vouchers of $5, $10, $25)

Japan Red Cross/ Unicef /Save the Children — pay with Google Checkout

http://www.google.co.jp/intl/en/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Crispian Kirk

 

Remembering Grace Sullivan

It is with great sadness that we report the death of Mrs. Grace Banks Sullivan, who passed away peacefully on March 15, 2011 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Mrs. Sullivan was the wife and life partner of OIC International’s founder, Reverend Leon H. Sullivan.

In his book Moving Mountains, Reverend Sullivan described his wife as thus:

My wife “Amazing Grace” whom I could never credit or thank enough shared my vision and my struggles, walking with me every step of the way. As a mother, wife and helper, she has no equal… For all important things achieved in this world, there are those who pay a special price, and this is true for Grace Sullivan. No one will ever know the sacrifices she made in standing by me and helping me with all the things I have attempted to do. As I zigzagged across America and the world it was Grace who maintained a home, cared for our children, and in untold ways made it possible for me to continue on… Neither I nor the world will ever be able to repay the debt that we owe to Grace Sullivan. Without her, the things we were able to achieve would never have been done.

Born in Maryland in 1924, Mrs. Sullivan graduated from Beaver College with a B.A. in Government and History and an M.A. in Education and Leadership. She founded and developed the Philadelphia Miniversity, an education program for adults that required no educational prerequisites, and also served on the boards of the Public Broadcast System, the William Penn Foundation and the International Foundation for Education and Self-Help (IFESH).

Mrs. Sullivan is survived by her three children, Julie, Hope and Howard, as well as seven grandchildren, Charlie, Leon, Chelsea, Elisabeth, Grace, Matthew and Saige.

On behalf of OIC International and our affiliates around the world, we are deeply saddened by the loss of Mrs. Grace Banks Sullivan. Please join us in remembering and honoring Mrs. Sullivan, who as an initial and longtime supporter of self-help was integral to OIC International’s mission and work.

Sincerely,

Crispian Kirk

 

Women and Children in Food Crisis

After 14 years of civil war, Liberia is in a serious food crisis. Seventy percent of the population is solely dependant on agriculture for their food production, but even 5 years after the war has ended, Liberia’s infrastructure and economy are still feeling its devastating effects.

Women and children feel the brunt of this crisis as the struggle to provide food and sustainability for the households becomes increasingly difficult. Pregnant women are especially in need of nutritional aid, but 85 percent of Liberians have no access to healthcare.

OIC International has developed the Health, Agriculture and Nutrition Development for Sustainability Program (HANDS) to try to eliminate the current food gap and nutritional deficit—greatest among women and children–in the most food insecure parts of Liberia. This program will achieve long-term benefits as it helps Liberian women and men to help themselves with training and vocational programs, business development, and the distribution of soy flour and soy beans.

As we attempt to grow these struggling economies, we ask for your help to support our efforts and campaigns like HANDS, a program that will benefit over half a million Liberians, many of them women and children, over the next five years.

To learn more about this crisis and see how you can help, visit oici.org.

Sincerely,

Your OIC International Team

P.S. Women and children are feeling the largest effects of a food crisis brought on by 14 years of civil war in Liberia. Support our efforts to help these communities thrive again by visiting oici.org today.

 

The Year Of The Woman Farmer

2010 was truly a remarkable year. Women-farmers around the world, in Haiti, Ghana, Liberia, and dozens of other countries, took a stance to change their lives and the lives of their families. Many of them had the opportunity to do so because of the support you gave to OIC programs in these countries—opportunities these women-farmers took full advantage of.

Now, at the beginning of a New Year, we have an even bigger resolution: to make 2011 the Year of the Women-Farmer. That means giving more Women-Farmers the Opportunity for Ownership, the Opportunity for Empowerment, and the Opportunity for Change. Many of us made resolutions on January 1st. While these resolutions might fade, we’re asking you to follow the example of the Woman-Farmer: 365 days of resolution.

What exactly do we mean by that? With your support, Women-Farmers can achieve their resolution to better their families, farms and lives. Not just on 1/1/11, but every minute of every day. With your support, we can truly make 2011 the Year of the Women-Farmer. That means redoubling our commitment and our efforts to help Women-Farmers gain the skills, knowledge and resources to help themselves, their families, and their communities. In Liberia, we are helping women-farmers commercialize their soy produce through HANDS (Health, Agriculture and Nutrition Development for Sustainability Program), an initiative that will benefit over half a million Liberians over the next 5 years. In Haiti, we are reaching out to women-farmers who lost their homes and farms in the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck the island in January.

With your continued support, we will be able to maintain and expand our skills training programs to teach Women-Farmers innovative growing, processing and marketing techniques, helping them generate more product and profit.

All they need is a chance. Your donation today will help us give it to them.

Thank you for your consideration,

Your OIC International Team

PS—Women-Farmers have resolve. All they need is an opportunity. Make it your resolution to give them the Opportunity to create real Change in their lives. Donate today .