Montel Williams, Video footage, and more!

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

I hope that this update finds you well!  Firstly, I want to remind you to listen live to my interview with Montel Williams on Air America, this Friday at 11:20 am (note change of time).  Also, I invite you to view the video of my recent interview with national talk show host Jack Rice on our  Amman Imman blog.

VIDEO:  Julie's footage of the sprouting Tangarwashane forest

As you'll see in my welcome letter below, Julie Snorek is now the USA Operations Coordinator for Amman Imman.  Last August, Julie returned to Niger, a place where she lived as a Peace Corps Volunteer from 2005-2007.  Along with Moumine and Amamatou, two members of our local Amman Imman team, Julie took the grueling ride in a 4x4 to the see for herself the oasis of life that the Tangarwashane borehole has become.  Her short video shows evidence of a forest now sprouting in Tangarwashane, just one example of how Amman Imman brings water and development to the Azawak.   Click here to watch the video.

 Welcome Julie Snorek, Amman Imman’s USA Operations Coordinator! 

I am pleased to announce the arrival of Julie Snorek as our USA Operations Coordinator.  Julie will be coordinating our fundraising efforts, organizing volunteers, following up with partners (including sponsors and donors), conducting outreach, and keeping our Bethesda office running smoothly. Julie’s passion for Niger began during her time living in a Tuareg village as a  Peace Corps volunteer from 2005 to 2007. I first met Julie in Niamey,  during her Peace Corps Swear-in ceremony, and then later at a festival in northern Niger.  The festival fell towards the end of my first visit to the Azawak, and so Julie and I talked at great length about all I had witnessed there while visiting several villages on the way back to her village in the south.  I was impressed that Julie not only understood the culture and history of the Tuareg people, but also spoke their language, Tamashek.  When Julie moved back to the US, she became a dedicated Amman Imman volunteer, spearheading many outreach efforts, including hosting three exhibitions of Amman Imman's photographs, speaking on stage to 800 Tinariwen (a Malian band whose album is "Aman Iman") concert-goers, and presentating to community and school groups in New England.  Today, Julie and I have unified our passion for the Azawak by working more closely together to bring them water and hope through Amman Imman.

Sincerely yours, for the children of the Azawak,

Ariane Alzhara Kirtley, Founder and Director

AI founder and director, Ariane Kirtley, interviewed by Jack Rice of Air America radio

Air America radio journalist Jack Rice talks to Ariane Kirtley, founder and director of Amman Imman: Water is Life. Jack’s interview with Ariane gets right to the heart of the matter.  He says, “Every so often I come across someone who inspires me. Someone who makes me want to do more or be more.”  He is talking about a conversation he had with Ariane, which lead to this interview. 

Jack asks her about Amman Imman’s mission to bring water to the 500,000 people of the Azawak. Then he probes deeper, asking her why she personally has taken this on, at great risk to herself and her young family. Ariane speaks eloquently, from her heart, about why she has dedicated herself to bringing water to this extremely remote region with conditions so difficult that other organizations, even large ones with resources, would not undertake.  And yet she, moved by the great dignity and love of the people who had become her friends, decided she had to help.

Clearly, bringing these Oases of Life to the people of the Azawak is more than a job for Ariane.  She is compelled by something greater than herself.  Call it love, call it destiny.  She cannot turn away. As she says, “You do it because you know it is right.  Somewhere in your heart you know it is right.”  Watch this two part interview and get to the heart of it with Jack Rice and Ariane Kirtley.

Amman Imman Founder Ariane Kirtley Featured Guest on Air America Radio Show "Montel Across America"

Washington, D.C. (October 7, 2009) — Ariane Alzhara Kirtley, the Founder and Director of Amman Imman: Water is Life will be broadcast live throughout the country on Air America’s “Montel Across America” show, October 23, 2009 at 11:30 am EST. An Emmy Award-winning host for one of the longest-running talk shows in history, Montel Williams has presented challenging issues to American households for the past 17 years. With Amman Imman and Ariane Kirtley, Montel is tackling one of the most important issues of the century – water scarcity.

Tune into Air America online at: http://airamerica.com. Montel Williams and Ariane Kirtley will discuss project Amman Imman: Water is Life and the water crisis facing over 500,000 people due to climate change. The conversation begins at 11:30 AM EST during his October 23rd show entitled "Living Well."

With partners like Air America, Amman Imman: Water is Life is bringing water and hope to the children of the Azawak in West Africa and focusing the country's attention on the "human face of climate change." Please help us spread the word and listen to Montel and Ariane at 11:30 EST, October 23rd 2009 on Air America.

For more information about Amman Imman, please visit http://www.waterishope.org. To read about student efforts to help, visit: http://montessori-amman-imman-project.blogspot.com/.

Upcoming Interview with Montel Williams and More!

    

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

I hope that this update finds you well!  Today I write to share news from Tangarwashane and tell you about the media attention we've been getting, as well as my upcoming live interview with talk-show host, Montel Williams.

An Oasis of Life in the Azawak

Julie Snorek, our newly hired USA Operations Coordinator, visited the Tangarwashane borehole in August and brought back footage and photos of happenings I only dreamt of three years ago.  Most impressive is the creation of a Gum Arabica forest from the tree nursery with the help of International Relief and Development (IRD).  Julie's footage shows the villagers from Tangarwashane digging parcels to plant their trees, which the families will then use for commerce by selling the sap.   IRD and the national government are also helping to improve the population's food security by working with women to build up livestock herds and run a cereal bank.  As IRD claims, none of these developments could have taken place without the borehole. 

The Tangarwashane borehole is truly becoming an oasis of life, and helping the populations adapt to the consequences of their rapidly changing climate.  We still have so much more work to accomplish in order to create life-bearing oases across the Azawak.  I am in the United States with my husband and Niger Program Director, Denis and our son Fassely with this goal in mind.

Amman Imman in the Media

Of the many exciting things happening in the USA is the media attention Amman Imman has garnered these past couple of months.  Among the most impressive was the four-page coverage in the book "Changing People's Lives While Transforming Your Own" (read about the book and download the article on our website) and my interview published in the World Wide ASPect (download the article here).  I hope to write soon announcing my most recent interviews in some major publications.

Listen live to Ariane's Interview with Montel Williams on Air America, October 23, 2009 at 11:30 am

 
Please listen in as my interview with Montel Williams is broadcast live throughout the country on Air America's "Montel Across America" show on October 23, 2009 at 11:30 am EST.  Our conversation will take place at the Washington Convention Center during the 2009 kickoff of the Marine Corps Marathon.  Tune in to Air America online at http://airamerica.com.

An Emmy Award-winning host for one of the longest-running talk shows in history, Montel Williams has presented challenging issues to American households for the past 17 years.  With Amman Imman, Montel is tackling two of the most important issues of the century - water scarcity and climate change.  Together we will discuss Amman Imman and how the children of the Azawak are the human faces of climate change today. 

Air America is partnering with Amman Imman by helping with such various things as providing commercial air spots, offering commercial air time to our partners, and organizing interviews with such highly respected talk-show hosts such as Montel Williams and Jack Rice (air date to be announced soon).  We are so grateful to Air America, and particularly station manager Marty Sheehan, for their incredible support!!  Please spread the word by telling your friends and listening at 11:30 EST, October 23rd 2009 on Air America.

Yours in peace, for our brothers and sisters in the Azawak.
Ariane

The Human Face of Climate Change

“Water is Life.” This could not be truer than in the Azawak of West Africa where half a million people have no water for ten months of the year. Only half of the children reach their fifth birthday, and many die simply of thirst. They are the human faces of climate change.

A vast plain approximately the size of Florida on the edge of the Sahara, the Azawak is one of the poorest regions in landlocked countries, Niger and Mali.  Climate change has shortened the rainy season to less than two months a year.  Without rain, the people and animals have no water to drink or bathe with.  Living on the brink of survival, the region’s 500,000 inhabitants walk up to thirty-five miles a day searching for water.  They have no access to roads or schools, and health centers are a two day donkey ride away.  Few development organizations work to improve their lives.

There is hope.  Clean and sustainable sources of water do exist there, at depths ranging from 600 to 3000 feet, too deep to reach without expensive mechanical equipment. As the humanitarian program of the American 501c3 non-profit The Friendship Caravan, Amman Imman is drilling permanent sources of water in order to provide these resilient people a chance to live without the indignity of daily thirst and fear of water-borne illness.   Amman Imman’s borehole wells provide water for up to 25,000 people and animals, and serve as a catalyst for community development. Once water flows year round, other development organizations provide an array of other desperately needed support, such as schools for children and adults, reforestation and environmental protection programs, and food and health aid.

Water is life.  One water source at a time, we can bring water and hope to people who have nowhere else to turn.  Please help fulfil this dream.  The children of the Azawak deserve a better future.

Today is Blog Action Day and the focus is climate change! 

Take action by helping Amman Imman: Water is Life

bring water to the children and families

living in the Azawak of West Africa! 

These are the human faces of climate change!