1

The recession may be drawing to a close (knock

on wood) but some of us are still feeling the

pinch. With the inflation rate climbing steadily

up and money becoming increasingly hard to

come by, there is no better time like now to be

economical and adopt a greener lifestyle at the

same time. We are happy to bring you 15 easy

recycling tips that will help you save some

bucks whiles being good to the earth at the

same time!

Professor Wangari was born in 1940 in Nye-

ru , Kenya. After receiving a bachelor’s degree

in Biological Science from

Mount St. Scholastica Col-

lege, Kansas, she went on to

earn her master’s degree

from the University of Pitts-

burg in 1966. She would

eventually earn a doctorate

from the University of Nai-

robi where she also taught

veterinary anatomy.

A pioneer in many ways, she was the first

woman to obtain a doctorate in both East and

Central Africa as well as the first woman to

head the Department of Veterinary Anatomy

and become an associate professor. In 1981,

she became the chairman for the National

Council of Women of Kenya and served on it

for six years. She introduced the community-

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based tree planting exercise whiles serving as

chairman. This quickly developed into a “broad-

based grassroots organization” the

Green Belt Movement (GBM) with

the objective of poverty reduction

and environmental conservation

through tree planting. This move-

ment gained international recogni-

tion and contributed to her being the

first African woman to receive the

Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for "her

contribution to sustainable develop-

ment, democracy and peace."

She went on to serve as the MP for the Tetu Con-

stituency in Kenya and later on as the Assistant

Minister for environment and Natural Resources

from 2003-2007. In 2006, she co-founded the

Nobel Women’s Initiative with her fellow women

laureates to promote the work of women in their

fight for peace, justice and equality. Cont. on pg 2

10 tips for an eco-green lifestyle

In this issue:

The Rwandan Community of

California

2

William Kankwamba–

Determined to Rise

3

A Giant Sweep 3

I Rise 4

Special points of interest:

From The President’s Desk

10 Tips for an eco-green lifestyle

Wangari Maathi– An African Environmental

Pioneer

What Do You Know About Ghana?

1. Always shop on Wednesday at the grocery

stores. That is when they get their fresh pro

duce in.

2. Want get rid of something you don’t need? Have a garage sale. Better still, try communi-ty barter trading sites like Freecycle and Ecoflip.

3. You can also recycle by donating all unwanted items to places like the goodwill.

4. Wash and safe glass jars for handy use as

storage, vases, and food leftover containers.

Continue on page 4

You can only suc-

ceed if you try,

even when the odds

are mightily

against you.

Wa

nga

ri M

aa

thi

2

From The President’s Desk

The trajectory of international economic growth appears to show the strength of Afri-can ingenuity in ‘making something out of nothing’; a testament to what we can do if we put our minds to it. The time has never been more perfect than now, for Africans all

over to begin examining what we already have and using them to achieve unbelievable heights of innovation.

We have done it before and can do it again. However the starting point should be to take ownership of our destiny as a people and work together. This month, I have been consumed by the amazing African spirit of determination throughout history. Oh what a blessing we have as Africans! We fly even when our wings are cut off, we swim when our fins are clipped, and we rise, yes we still rise in the face of insur-mountable hurdles!

President

The Rwandan Community of California

In 2007, she was invited to co-chair the Congo Basin Fund, an

initiative to protect the Congo forests. In 2009, Professor

Wangari was named the UN Messenger of Peace with a focus

on environment and climate change. In 2010, she founded the

Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies

(WMI) with the University of Nairobi, Kenya. “The WMI will

bring together academic research—e.g. in land use, forestry,

agriculture, resource-based conflicts, and peace studies—with

the Green Belt Movement approach and members of the organ-

ization.” (Green Belt Movement). She is the author of four

books: The Green Belt Movement; Unbowed: A Memoir; The

Challenge for Africa; and Replenishing the Earth. Professor

Wangari passed away in September, 2011 from complications

from ovarian cancer.

We salute Professor Wangari for being a trailblazer who paved

the way in environmental conservation and women’s rights. She

sets an exemplary model that we seek to emulate and that con-

tinually inspires us to strive to protect our natural environment,

even in our quest for development. Her call to action still ech-

oes in our hearts, “We cannot tire or give up. We owe it to the

present and future generations of all species to rise up and

walk!”

Our strength lies in our zeal to not wait for the government to

answer all our needs and solve every problem but to rise up and

do our part in restoring our nations and Africa.

The Rwandan community have been part of the African communi-

ty in Sacramento and Bay Area for several years through Friends of

Rwanda Association (FORA). The purpose of FORA was to bring

individuals together to support victims of the 1994 genocide. This

week, a new organization was launched purposely to create a sup-

port base for Rwandans in the diaspora to have a more direct con-

nection to the homeland and to create an avenue for the people to

invest in the development of Rwanda. This new diaspora organiza-

tion is known as The Rwandan Community

of California (TRCC).

The journey of Rwanda has been a long

one…One that many probably know al-

ready: the demise of the genocide! But like a

phoenix, the Rwandan spirit has risen from

ashes to glory, risen above the hurdles, risen

above the road blocks, risen to move the

agenda of unity and prosperity. The objec-

tive to move the African agenda cannot be

fully accomplished without her sons and

daughters, both home and abroad, working together.

In this respect, TRCC is a

vital part of the determina-

tion to continue building

Rwanda. One important

goal of TRCC is to push

the agacirro fund initiative

and to provide some of the

resources needed to fund

the development of Rwanda. Under the leadership of Yeho Mban-

gukira, the Chairman of TRCC, the Rwandan Community in Sac-

ramento and the Bay Area has answered the call to support the

homeland through their commitment (both financially and in spir-

it).

TRCC is working with the

African community at large

and is now the newest mem-

ber of the Organization of

African Leaders in the Diaspo-

ra (OALD) in Sacramento.

Congratulations TRCC!

Yehoyada Mbangukira

Chairman of TRCC

The fabulous Rwandan Dancers

Young Rwandan ladies

3

A GA GA GIANTIANTIANT SSSWEEPWEEPWEEP

W i l l i a m K a n k w a m b a– D e t e r m i n e d t o R i s e

Since then, he has built a solar-powered water pump that supplies the first drinking water in his village and two other windmills (the tallest standing at 39 feet) and is planning two more, including one in Lilongwe, the political capital of Malawi. William Kamkwamba exemplifies African innovation and excellence.

His commitment and deter-

mination to rise above his

challenges and build a bridge

of hope for his community is

a true representation of the

essence of Africa. Africa is

a continent of hope with

nations of believers and in-

novators who are willing

and ready to solve their na-

tions environmental crisis.

His commitment and determination to rise above his challenges

and build a bridge of hope for his community is a true representa-

tion of the essence of Africa. Africa is a continent of hope with

nations of believers and innovators who are willing and ready to

solve their nations environmental crisis.

With determinations, Africa can and will rise, one bit at a time!

Being a two-time champion is pretty impressive. Being an en-

vironmentally-conscious champion is the reason why the San

Francisco Giants have won our utmost respect. Following

their 2012 win over the Detroit Tigers, they went on to part-

ner with the mayor of San Francisco, Mayor Ed Lee, to launch

an environmental campaign to help rid the City of its filth.

It is indeed a paradox that San Francisco, one of the most fa-

mous cities in the United States and one of the most pictur-

esque could also be named as the 12th dirtiest city in the states

in the 2011 Travel + Leisure magazine. Haunted by years of

failed efforts to clean it up, San Francisco gladly welcomes the

helping hand in cleaning up its mess. This new campaign taken

by the SF Giants is the third attempt by the city to clean its

22,000 tons of garbage on average. The program hopes to use

inspirational leaders like outfielder Hunter Pence, to motivate

children about keeping their environment clean. "My obser-

vations have been that the kids in the whole school system,

they connect with sports as an inspiration," Lee said. "If the Giants can have a clean sweep, why can't we?" Mayor Lee acknowledges the difficulty in changing behaviors but is optimistic about the to-day’s children who are more involved in community events and already have a leg up on the green revolution. The campaign has already made scheduled stops at the Civic Center, Tenderloin dis-

trict and SoMa .

This campaign effort is admirable and one that ought to be emulated the world over. What better way to in-spire kids to do the right thing than to pair them up with their heroes? Time and again, the importance of involv-ing children in social change is brought to the fore. Trans-Atlantic Environmental Inc. (TAE) is cur-rently working on a similar campaign to raise environmental awareness in Ghana. Continue on page 4

There's an African Proverb that says, in the moment of crisis, the wise build bridges and the foolish build dams. In the twenty-first century Africans are building bridges creating concrete solutions to the environmental crisis that are affecting the coun-tries, the communities and the homes. Africans are becoming more self-sufficient and empowered with innovative ideas to help build Africa , like William Kamkwamba a Malawi born inventor and author. When he was 14, he built an electricity producing windmill from spare bicycle parts, blue gum and materials from local scrap to help feed his family. William Kamwamba lived as a simple farmer in an area of poor farmers, in time a when Malawi was experiencing famine. The famine had forced William to drop-out of sec-ondary school because his parents could not afford tui-tion. William Kamkwamba saw the hunger crisis that he and his family were experiencing with a result that he was not will-ing to accept. Undeterred, William studied science books from the library and learns how to build a windmill to power his family home. The determination to make a difference strengthened his resolve to change their condition for the bet-ter. And with what he already had...which was broken bicycle parts etc!

William Kamkwamba - The boy who rose

Community Clean Team at work

4

Harinder Dhillon

916-607-0533

Harinder@dhillon.com

You may write me down in history; With your bitter, twisted

lies; You may trod me in the very dirt; But still, like dust, I'll

rise. Out of the huts of history's shame.

I rise! Up from a past that's rooted in pain

I rise! I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,

Welling and swelling I bear in the tide; Leaving behind nights

of terror and fear; I rise! Into a daybreak that's wondrously

clear; I rise! Snippets of A poem by Maya Angelou

Simple Arrangements by Ivy

Call 916-690-2328 Order your fruit trays today

A GIANT SWEEP: Continued from page 3

In partnership locally-based nonprofits like Kids Against Waste,

TAE seeks to carry out this mandate of training future leaders to be

environmentally conscious through educational campaigns and

events. By educating our kids at an early age and empowering them

to make the right choices, we instill in them excellent living skills

that eventually transform their society. TAE hopes to continue to

implement such transformative programs with your continued sup-

port.

8. Buy vintage everything. From electronics to furniture to fashion,

vintage is the most eco-friendly choice you can make. And it’s

chic!

9. Use old t-shirts for yard work and vehicle cleaning tasks. Try to

find a use for everything you’d normally throw away. Unleash

your creativity! There are dozens of things you can reuse.

10. Are you a garner? Yogurt containers can be turned into herb

planters. Do you need to get rid of clutter ? Shoe boxes are ex-

cellent file storages.

So there it is! Why don’t you hit us up on facebook (Trans-Atlantic

Environmental) or twitter (@TAEnvironmental) and share your eco

-green tips with us?

Good Fortune Catering

"United by food, kept by the taste."

For consultation, please call

Lesego Musopyoe

(916) 248-9932

Lmusopyoe@ Hotmail.com

I R i s e

Continued from pg. 1: 10 tips

5. But if you choose not to, then please recycle all glass,

metal, plastics , electronics and batteries and papers.

6. Look for ways to go digital to reduce waste: books, maga-

zines, music, and movies.

7. Wait, save and buy that higher quality coat or dress in

seasonal cycles that will last you a lifetime instead of buy-

ing a whole bunch of cheap ones that will fade away and

shrink after one wash and then be tossed aside forever.

Trust me, it will be well worth the money.

5

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We continue to bring you Ghana through the festivals celebrated by the different ethnic groups. One way of know the people is through their culture. So far we have brought you Aboakyere from the peo-ple of Winneba, and Agbamevoza (Kente festival) from Agotome traditional area in the Volta region. In this edition, we bring you the Akwambo festival from Central region of Ghana. AKWAMBO FESTIVAL The Akwambo festival is celebrated by the chiefs and peoples of Agona Nyakrom and Agona Swedru in the Central region of Ghana. The festival is celebrated in the month of August every year to give thanks to the ancestors for a blessed year and to request for another blessed and fruitful year. The name akwambo means “path –clearing”. The festival The Asafo companies clear footpaths leading to the streams or rivers, farms and other communal places, as well as paths leading to the shrines. The following day, the whole community assembles at the an-cestral shrines and the chief pours libation to the ancestral spirits to thank them for their protection during the previous year and then request for more blessing, abundant rain-fall and good harvest for the ensuing year. At the stream or riverside where some of the sacrifices are offered, alligators and other species of fish come out to enjoy the mashed yams sprinkled on the water. With their bodies smeared with clay, the people then parade with twigs and tree branches through the town in groups amidst drum-ming, dancing and firing of musketry. In a procession, they go through the principal routes and then to the durbar ground to meet the chief and his elders. There is a vigil kept at night and patronized mainly by the youth. It is a time when people come together to renew family and social ties. Performing groups, which are dormant are revitalized and new groups initiated. Akwambo is celebrated by most of the traditional Fante groups in the

wHAT dO yOU kNOW aBOUT gHANA…?

‘Fancy’ dancers

at akwambo festivi

ties

Young boy playing traditional musical instrument

Central region. Traditional groups such the people of Enyan

Abaasa, Agona Nyarkrom, Ekumfi and many others celebrate

their Akwambo festivities at different times but mostly with-

in the month of August. It was first observed by the migrant

ancestors of these people, whose primary task when

they arrived in a new place was clearing

paths to the rivers and other wa-

tering places. A day was

set aside for this pur-

pose, and for clearing

the paths leading to

farms and other

communal places

as well. Every-

one who used

these routes

was expected to at-

tend and help in the work or

contribute financially.

In some places, path clearing is no longer necessary

because there are paved roads. But the festival is still ob-

served, especially at Agona Nkum, where it is part of a week-

long celebration.

6

Fhhhh

TAE is a 501 (C)(3) non-profit

organization committed to im-

proving the environment

through the production of re-

useable energy, reduction of

waste related illnesses in devel-

oping countries, and helping

those countries to establish

sustainable economic develop-

ment.

All donations are tax deductible

to the extent allowed by U.S.

law.

Find us at

YUSOL INTERNATIONAL FOODS

Office:

Business Central

3550 Watt Avenue, Suite 206

Sacramento, CA 95821

Mailing:

9758 Horned Lark Way

Elk Grove, CA 95757

925-709-4823 (4TAE)

Visit us @

www.taenvironmental.com

Admin@taenvironmental.com

trans-atlantic

environmental,

inc

A f r i c a n c o r n e r

Re-energizing Africa,

One nation at a time.

Donate

To Donate, go to

www.taenvironmental.com/

donations.html

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