hi everyone
        At the last International Permaculture Conference and Convergence (IPC7)  in Croatia 2005,  a commitment was made by all in attendance to bring as many as possible from all parts of the globe, including those that are cash poor, but tradition and skills rich.  Santa Barbara Permaculture Network chose to help the organization Food & Trees For Africa from South Africa as our personal commitment. 
        
        The 8th International Permaculture Conference (IPC8) www.ipc8.org  is the bi-annual gathering of people from around the world from Permaculture organizations and projects, taking this opportunity to meet face to face and share what they are doing in their regions. 
        
         Food & Trees For Africa (www.trees.co.za) is an exemplary organization bringing tree planting,school gardens, HIV/AIDS projects and permaculture to townships and rural areas of South Africa since 1990
        
        Please attend our event if you are in SB area this will be a way to find out about the work of FTFA. Donations large or small lovingly accepted. Please look below to see how you can donate. Let's show how we can share with Permaculture folks in South Africa

thanks wes roe and margie bushman www.sbpermaculture.org/upcoming.html



AFRICA TO BRAZIL
Fundraiser Event
Tues, March 20, 3:30 - 5:30 pm
Pascucci Restaurant
729 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA

Join us as we raise funds to bring four members of Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) Permaculture
organization from South Africa to Brazil for the 8th International Permaculture Conference & Convergence (IPC8), May 2007.

The 8th International Permaculture Conference (IPC8) is the bi-annual gathering of people from around the world from Permaculture organizations and projects, taking this opportunity to meet face to face and share what they are doing in their regions. This is a way for folks to connect, help each other, and share knowledge about their work and projects. At the last International Permaculture Conference (IPC7) in Croatia,  a commitment was made by all in attendance to bring as many as possible from all parts of the globe, including those that are cash poor, but tradition and skills rich.  Santa Barbara Permaculture Network chose to help the organization Food & Trees For Africa from South Africa as our personal commitment. 

Food & Trees For Africa (www.trees.co.za) is an exemplary organization bringing tree planting and permaculture to townships and rural areas of South Africa since 1990. FTFA has assisted tens of thousands of people  by greening  unhealthy, denuded and degraded landscapes through diverse programs, including national school garden competitions, community gardens and urban forestry projects. FTFA extended its operations to assist organizations working in the field of HIV/AIDS, helping to reduce the potentially devastating effects of the disease by establishing permaculture food growing projects at clinics, schools and in public open spaces.

Needed funds to raise $3000 each for: DANIEL CHITUNGO, DALE MILLARD, JEUNESSE PARK, & JOSEPH MATIMBA  to attend IPC8 Conference. Donations large or small lovingly accepted.

Donations made out & sent to: Santa Barbara Permaculture Network 501(c), (designate FTFA),
PO Box 92156, Santa Barbara, CA, 93190.
Contact (805) 962-2571, margie@sbpermaculture.org

If you would like to make a donation by Credit Card/ATM please go to International Permaculture Conference and Conference webpage (www.ipc8.org/payments) and specify your donations is for  FTFA (payment will go directly them).

WHO IS FTFA ?

Food and Trees for Africa is a dynamic and fast-growing NGO, based in South Africa, which promotes greening and food security through permaculture.  Formerly known as Trees for Africa, FTFA has three key programs: Trees for Homes, Eduplant, and the Urban Greening Foundation. A multitude of projects fall under each of these programs.
Trees for Homes
This program aims to improve the quality of life of the poor by providing plant material, environmental awareness and education for those living in low-cost housing developments in urban areas. Growing trees and other plants in the townships beautifies the environment, prevents soil erosion, and provides wind breaks, as well as food, also providing income and activities for many unemployed people.

Eduplant :
An eight-year-old nationwide project which teaches schools about permaculture – a system of farming and gardening that combines animals, plants, buildings, local people and the landscape in way that recycles nutrients and waste, replicates nature as much as possible and generates more energy than it uses.  Hundreds of schools have started their own income-generating organic food gardens. Often the entire community gets involved, with unemployed parents helping out. Schools have come up with innovative plans to grow food, recycle waste and improve their school environments. Eduplant holds a competition every year for the best school permaculture projects.

The Urban Greening Foundation:
Established in response to requests from local governments and communities to help with urban greening & environmental initiatives – from streets to homes to community food gardens.
Formed in 1990 by a group of individuals who realized that the country’s environmental challenges  were far greater than just saving endangered animals, FTFA has grown from strength to strength, developing, managing and promoting sustainable greening programs, including land use management and food security through permaculture.

Meet the members of Food & Trees for Africa
we are helping to attend through our fundraising efforts:

DANIEL CHITUNGO
Daniel is a project manager for FTFA.  He does project assessments for permaculture and environmental projects, and teaches Permaculture in schools and communities. What is this thing called "permaculture gardening", what does it bring to a community?  Food, self reliance, and positive solutions.  Daniel networks and fundraises with skill to continue bringing these precious gifts to many.

Educated in Zimbabwe and Cambridge, England, prior to joining FTFA, he worked with the Food Garden Foundation, and earlier in his career, with the Ministry of Local Government, Rural & Urban Development in Zimbabwe.

DALE MILLARD

Dale Millard is a naturalist with diverse interests and experience ranging from herpetology to ethnobotany.  Over the past ten years he has worked closely with some of South Africa's most prominent Sangoma's (healers), as well as with various indigenous groups in Brazil.  Dale was a founding director of M.E.G.A. (Medicinal & Edible Gardens Association) a company established to offer sustainable primary health care solutions to schools, clinics and communities in the form of "Living Pharmacies & Food Forests".  A primary focus of his work is the use of plants to help HIV/AIDS patients secure optimum immune function and treat opportunistic infections, through community based gardens.  With good nutrition and a working knowledge of only thirty plant species, he suggests one can overcome the vast majority of health problems affecting communities throughout the world.

Dale is a qualified Permaculture facilitator and combines ethnobotany with sustainable design techniques.  He has worked closely with Food & Trees for Africa for the past ten years. and annually facilitates a Permaculture Design Course.  He currently assists with projects in South Africa, Lesotho, Brazil and Zimbabwe.

JEUNESSE PARK
Since the early 1990s Jeunesse Park has played a significant role in changing consciousness and regenerating the landscape in South Africa through the work she initiated with the non-profit Food & Trees For Africa (FTFA).

Born in South Africa, Jeunesse spent her early school years in England, later returning to Africa for high school and graduating from Drake College in Melbourne.  She traveled extensively, residing in many parts of the world.  Always concerned about the environment, and noticing the widespread degradation & destruction of the landscape, in 1989 she formed Progreen, South Africa's first environmental communications and public relations company, to promote awareness of preserving our natural resources.

She introduced Permaculture in 1991 when she brought Bill Mollison to South Africa at her own expense, introducing him to audiences around the country.  Since then she has organized annual Permaculture Design courses in South Africa, training hundreds of people and facilitators. 

JOSEPH MATIMBA

Joseph Matimba was one of the original students in Africa training with Permaculture founder Bill Mollison at the Zimbabwe Institute of Permaculture.  He has also received EcoVillage training certificates at both Tlholego Development Training Center, and Findhorn Ecovillage in Scotland.  Working as a Permaculture Facilitator for Food & Trees for Africa for over ten years, he develops educational projects in schools and communities promoting organic food production and self-sustainable development also for Home Based Care Centers, hospices, prisons.  He runs youth development and HIV/AIDS programs in urban & rural areas.  Prior to coming to FTFA he was a Permaculture Manager & Facilitator with the Wildlife & Environmental Society, Umgeni Valley Project, developing course material relating to Permaculture, nature conservation & environmental education. He also has a strong background in organic agriculture, working at a Natural Farming Training Center.