Africa

Africa, Breaking News, Climbing, Environmental Journalism, Environmental Protection, Ethiopia, Manic Media Monday, Photography / 14.02.2011

It’s good to finally be caught up. After months of road trips, foreign travel and writing projects this Monday morning I suddenly find myself at the top the news cycle ready to take another lap. Now that Season Three of the Joy Trip Project is well underway it’s time to start taking a look around the world of adventure see what’s going on. Here are six stories to watch this week: Imagine One Day Opens Registration for Ethiopia Tour 2011:   [caption id="attachment_4575" align="alignright" width="368"] Majka Burhardt setting new routes in Ethiopia[/caption] If...

Africa, Environmental Protection, philanthropy, Photography / 16.12.2010

[caption id="attachment_4413" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Photo by Rachel Meyer"][/caption]

Filmmakers, fashionistas and philanthropists pulled it together in Portland to benefit elephants in danger of extinction due to the illegal ivory trade. The Go Wild Night of Fashion event raised money and awareness for a media and research partnership that aims to document the DNA of pachyderms picked off by poachers.

Adventure Activism, Africa / 01.12.2010

Adventure activist Richard Mooney is making plans to row across the Atlantic Ocean. On this World AIDS Day the 45-year-old man from Queens christened his 17-foot boat called “Never Give Up” at the Brooklyn Marina and hopes 5,000 supporters will Tweet their names in recognition of his next attempt to raise awareness for the continuing fight against the deadly disease. A journey of 5,000 miles, this will be Mooney’s third try to oar his way from Cape Verde Island off the coast of West Africa to New York City.

Africa, Climbing, Environmental Journalism, Ethiopia / 15.10.2010

Eight thousand miles is a long way to travel just to set up a top rope. That’s especially true when there’s a guy with a machine gun blocking your way on the approach. But here on the sandstone cliffs of the Gheralta Massif was a unique opportunity to help writer and mountain guide Majka Burhardt establish some of the very first sport climbing routes in the nation of Ethiopia. The risk of automatic weapons fire notwithstanding it didn’t take long to convince me that it was still a good idea.
Africa, Ethiopia / 12.10.2010

My morning coffee will never taste the same. After three weeks in Ethiopia the standard breakfast blend is desperately lacking that unique flavor of hospitality and culture steeped in a thousand years of tradition. With the rich fresh scent of roasted bunna still wafting through my imagination my thoughts drift back to the highlands of Africa as the sun raises slowly on a crisp autumn morning in Wisconsin.
Africa, Charitable Giving, Ethiopia / 06.10.2010

The Ethiopia Joy Trip is slowly winding down. Today we’ll drive from Hawzen to Mekele where we’ll stay overnight. In the morning we’ll fly back to Addis Ababa. From there I’ll say goodbye to the staff and participants of Imagine 1 Day and head back home to Wisconsin. This has been a truly transformational experience for me. Apart from the wonderful culture and scenery, I have also learned a great deal about a unique expression of community investment. In combining tourism with philanthropy through Imagine 1 Day I have been handed a rare gift, to see the direct impact of a non-governmental organization as it does the good work of creating a sustainable solution to the cycle of poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa.