2018 Recap
The holidays are on us, the year is coming to a close and it's time to reflect back on what OMPT has accomplished over 2018.
Update: New Projectors!
For several years OMPT has been supplying our partners with the same projector—the reliable, affordable and eminently transportable Philips PicoPix Pocket Projector. Today, we are sad to announce that the PicoPix is no longer available in the United States.
Reflections on our Burkina Faso and Malawi workshops
Matt reflects back on our September workshops in Burkina Faso and Malawi and looks forward to a busy end of the year, with all the trials and tribulations that entails.
Burkina Faso (UNICEF) Photo Blog
While we wait for our coworkers to get back and tell us all about their time in Burkina Faso and with UNICEF, we thought it might be a good time to share some photos from our most recent workshop. If you weren’t aware, OMPT traveled to Burkina Faso in West Africa to host a Video Education Workshop with UNICEF where we trained several different NGOs on video production.
Malawian Culture: the "Big Dance" and Lake of Stars
Immediately following our trip to Burkina Faso, we head off to Malawi for our first opportunity to work with CARE. Like we did with Burkina Faso last week, we want to explore the unique culture of Malawi. Nicknamed the “Warm Heart of Africa,” Malawi is known for its welcoming, friendly people and colorful, vibrant culture.
Burkina Faso's Masks and Movies
As we are traveling to Burkina Faso next week, we thought it might be a good time to look into the culture and history of the nation. Like other West African countries, Burkina Faso has been inhabited since approximately 14,000 BC. Nomadic tribes still travel the nation’s northern regions and traditional religious ceremony remains an important element of day-to-day life. As one of the most ethnically diverse nations in the world, Burkina’s cultural identity is as varied as it is vibrant.
Upcoming trips and income inequality
Burkina Faso
A great thing about working in Burkina Faso, since we’ve been there before, is the familiarity with the landscape. Normally some of your brain is working towards getting the lay of the land, trying to figure out what the local customs are (in some places you can’t put your feet up with the bottom facing people, in other places you can’t refer to a certain period of time because it was marked by a violent revolution) so it’s always nice to be someplace where your brain power can be focused on building relationships.
International Literacy Day
This Saturday, September 8th, marks the 51st annual International Literacy Day. Established in 1966 by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), the holiday was first celebrated the following year in 1967. Observed by all UN states, International Literacy Day is meant to raise awareness and highlight the importance of literacy for individuals, communities and entire nations.
illuminAid partners with CARE in Malawi
Our second stop in our September trip will be in Malawi, this time working with CARE. Our workshop in Malawi will be our first time both working in Malawi and with CARE. Unlike most of the countries we travel to, Malawi’s official language is English, allowing our English-speaking staff to more directly engage the workshop’s participants.
illuminAid returns to Burkina Faso
Partnering with UNICEF (United Nations International Fund for Children), we will be returning to Burkina Faso at the end of September. As you may remember from our July newsletter, this trip was originally scheduled for mid-summer but had to be postponed. While this is our second time traveling to Burkina Faso, this will be our first time working with UNICEF. We are incredibly excited for the opportunity to work with an organization as large and influential as UNICEF and look forward to future partnerships.