A New Year : New Dreams To Chase

Happy New Year!  2009 is now in full motion.  

My professional time is split between public television (PBS) and film projects and an ongoing engagement with documentary photography.  

On January 14th, I leave for Malawi, Africa to start an exciting media campaign and fund raising project with an innovative, non-profit named: "Project Peanut Butter."  

You can visit PPB's web site at: www.projectpeanutbutter.org

Here's a link to information about this country: Malawi

I will be traveling with Dr. Mark Manary, a legendary pediatric doctor with a specialty in child nutrition, through villages in Central and Southern Malawi for two and half weeks.  

Our goal is to support awareness, advocacy, and fundraising for Project Peanut Butter through a series of short documentary films and other media initiatives.  

Project Peanut Butter has developed a transformative approach that addresses Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) with Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTFs).  

Crushed nuts, vegetable oil, milk powder, vitamins, minerals, and sugar are mixed into a paste and delivered in small containers to families in crisis.  

Through foundation support and private donations, these therapeutic food products are provided at no cost these children and families.  

This is a story of hope, care, and the power of persistence.  

For many years, the survival rate for children near starvation (children diagnosed with Severe Acute Malnutrition) in Malawi was roughly 25%.  Several years ago, the infant mortality rate in the country hovered around 23%.  

Today, there is a national health care program with stunning outcomes.  About 95% of the children who receive Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTFs) survive and go on to a state of stable health.  The infant mortality rate (the percentage of children who die before age five) has dropped close to six percentage points, with roughly half of this improvement attributed to RUTFs.  

Project Peanut Butter has been transformational.  

In 2007, the United Nations adopted RUTFs and Dr. Manary's community based approach to support children with severe nutritional needs as the global standard.

Still photography and HD Video camera in tow, I pursue a great learning adventure as I explore ways I can support this important cause.