In 2009–2010, we traveled to eight countries in three months. Crazy, right? We made our way through Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Ghana, as representatives of Mocha Club, an online community of people giving up the cost of two mochas a month — or $7 — to fund relief and development projects in Africa.
It was an amazing experience, capturing stories on film so that people in the U.S. could witness what was happening in Africa. In Kenya, we interacted with HIV-positive communities focused on counseling and caring for one another; in Darfur, Sudan, we celebrated with a huge crowd as clean drinking water wells were completed, which would serve over 37,000 people.
So many Westerners think Africa is equated with hopelessness; we wanted to paint a real picture of Africa. The hope that comes out of tragedy is so powerful.
— Char Beck '08 and Dan Skiffington '08
