Request from Ariane: Amman Imman Fundraising in America and cast your vote for $1000

** This update covers two important topics, for which your help is requested:

1) My upcoming fundraising trip to the states, for which I ask your help to make it the most worthwhile and successful possible.

2) Your online vote so that Amman Imman may win $1000, and at the same time gain notoriety within the world of non profit organizations. **

Dear Friends of the Azawak,

Before I begin with my two major themes for this email, I want to share good news: today we received a call from the department of hydraulics in Abalak informing us that the borehole in Tangarwashane is functioning properly, and that everyone is in good health, grateful, and well hydrated! We also spoke with our local connection, Moustapha, who has recently returned from the Azawak and confirmed this good news.

Ok, now for the pressing topics:

1) Fundraising in the USA:

I will be in the USA as of early October until November 8th, traveling around the USA raising money for Amman Imman. I am presently working on a travel itinerary with speaking engagements that will best expose Amman Imman to potential donors, meanwhile raising awareness about the the Azawak.

Debbie Kahn, a major leader of Montessori/Amman Imman partnership, spent 10 days with me in France last month reviewing over 13 hours of video footage, and helping to select photos from the five months of our work in Niger for the Azawak. We have a great deal of new and enlightening material to show, not only of the living conditions in the Azawak during the dry season when water is most scarce, but also of our work constructing the Tangarwashane borehole.

I am eager to share these images and information to as many media outlets, institutions, foundations, schools, churches, and individuals as possible! Please help!

Now that you have been able to witness our success at Tangarwashane, you may want to contribute directly. You can also greatly help us by connecting Amman Imman with possible future donors, and helping to set up meetings and presentations that could significantly facilitate Amman Imman's fundraising and awareness raising efforts.

The Amman Imman team worked exceptionally hard to bring water to the region of Tangarwashane. People in the region now have enough crystal clean water to drink, bathe with, and give to their animals. We will ensure success through follow up visits and continued training of the management committee and community.

The team is eager to help save more lives by building additional water sources. Please help in whatever way you can make my fundraising trip to the USA successful so that we may soon have enough money to return to the Azawak with hope and water!

2) Help Amman Imman win $1000 by casting your vote!

Between now and Sept. 14, Amman Imman has been entered to win a grant of $1,000 through a Speed Granting Contest. The grant will be awarded to the proposal that gets the most votes on Facebook during this time period.

The theme for the two week period that began on Sept.1 is Change your Water World, offered to organizations providing solutions to make a difference in the lives of people and communities who do not have access to clean, safe water.

Amman Imman is only 36 votes behind 2nd place, and could easily win first place if we all vote! Your votes must be cast before September 14 th. Let's not hold back… this voting process takes very little time and will cost you nothing!

Please sign up with Facebook ASAP and recruit at least 4 more Facebook friends to vote for Amman Imman's proposal with the intention of casting a larger light around the cause of bringing water to the Azawak. The grant is small, yet sizable, and winning would put Amman Imman into a recognizable position that could attract more attention in the non profit world. It will also bring us just that much closer to building our second permanent water source, thereby saving more lives.

PLEASE take a few minutes of your precious time to recruit your friends on Facebook and/or send emails! Direct people to this link, and ask them to vote: http://apps.facebook.com/speedgranting/proposal.php?pid=148

I apologize for making the focus of this email a financial one! We dream that Amman Imman will flourish in water bearing activity, and this depends greatly on the money that we are able to raise.

I send you all my gratitude.
Peace,
Ariane