Frank: hey Barrett me: hi, Frank, how's it going? Frank: good! in canada now for a few days Frank: with my family, Frank: apologies for my latent contact Frank: your idea sounds good and i will need a bit more info before knowing how to proceed exactly, but in theory, yes, i would be available to help Frank: we might be running out of time a bit for the workshops this year, Frank: but we might have a summer program also, and if not, in the fall definitely me: okay. I'm going down to Texas for about two months to write my next book and do some hunting and a few other things but will be back in August for my second book release media stuff and the Project PM launch. me: also me: do you know when you'll next be returning to Africa with your participants? Frank: our participants are going to Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Nicaragua, June 30th. Frank: for 6.5 weeks Frank: our next program in africa won't be for a while me: okay me: our first major charitable project we've decided upon me: suggested by one of our participants, a patent lawyer me: involves compiling a pamphlet filled with reasonably easy-to-implement engineering projects me: such as certain sorts of pumps, waterwheels, etc me: and then distributing those pamphlets to villages me: in order to increase their potential productivity and provide for clean water options me: we have a couple of plans in mind by which to actually get these pamphlets distributed Frank: and how would the implementation be financed? me: when we've gotten things finalized, perhaps you'd consider taking some copies along with you to pass along to another aid group me: several ways me: we are preparing grant applications me: and myself and our participants in the media - bloggers and journalists and producers - have a number of outlets by which to request donations me: we're about to decide what legal form our charitable arm will take and in what state it will be incorporated me: but this particular project will only require money for printing costs for the most part me: from there, we plan to partner with a few entities located throughout Africs me: I may have mentioned that I lived in Tanzania when I was younger Frank: ok me: I have a few contacts over there still and we're in a position to acquire more me: so, I'll get back to you on that, will provide you a sample of the pamphlet so that you can decide if you consider it worthwhile, and then if so you can bring along perhaps a few dozen copies and distribute them as you see fit me: also Frank: ok, sounds good me: if you happen to know of any other organizations that are doing anything interesting or otherwise approaching Africa development issues in an efficient manner, please let me know, as we're trying to ensure that our other, more money-intensive projects that we'll be pursuing later on are going to be the best possible uses of donor money with the best possible results Frank: i certainly know of quite a few me: we have a few people on board who've worked for such groups but we just want to make sure that we have the best info possible me: great, if you have a moment please send the names of any you'd recommend to myself or to our lawyer Clark Robinson me: at robinsonchicago@gmail.com me: Thanks again for your assistance me: also me: I'd like to do a write-up on your organization me: for Bushwickbk as well as True/Slant and possibly Huffington Post, where much of my work is cross-posted me: so if that would be helpful to you guys, let me know me: and you can provide me with whatever basic info you have and then I'll get back to you with folloe-up questions Frank: great, that sounds good...i have to take off for a bit, but let's reconnect soon me: great, get back to me at your convenience