Welcome
In Fada N'Gourma, the place in Burkina Faso, West Africa we call home, people say Bial Bialla, welcome.
JUST RELEASED: The BARKA Foundation's "Vision Plan" is most comprehensive overview of The BARKA Foundation to date. It explains what we do, how we do it and why. It is full of photos of our family in Africa, the children and students we work with in the US and features past accomplishments, future plans, audited financial statements for 2007-2008, a statement of activities for 2009 and revenue projections.
Download BARKA's Vision Plan here.
Latest News:
BARKA partners with Live Earth as a beneficiary NGO Partner for Live Earth's Run for Water on April 18, 2010.
Great Barrington, MA Board of Selectman approve BARKA Foundation's sister-city proposal with a city in Burkina Faso advancing the effort for a culture of peace through deeper connections between schools, youth groups, women's associations, businesses, faith-based organizations, civic and political leaders.
BARKA partners with World Water Organization to provide financial assistance, research and translation services for its next phase of work in La Petite Village, Gourma province which includes drilling 1 well, fixing 1 well, implementing a WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) program in local schools, digging 2 gender-specific latrines and establishing irrigation for a village garden.
BARKA Foundation produces 1st Edition Festival de la Paix, Eau et Tradition (Peace, Water & Wisdom Concert & Festival) in Ouagadougou, September 19-21, 2009. The objective of this concert is to raise funds to increase the availability of clean water to the rural population of Burkina Faso. This is a project of the BARKA Burkina Consortium, a collaborative effort to achieve the UN's Millennium Development Goals in Burkina Faso by 2015. BARKA is working with the Burkina Faso government to declare "Peace Day" a national holiday. Festival highlights:
- "Ouaga Walk for Water" brings the rain
- Unprecedented 7-hour concert event at 14 Yaar with exclusively Burkinabe artists: Adama Zongo & Song Taaba Brothers who flew in from Paris, Ima Hado & Watinoma from Koubri, Rasta Yoni, Djata, Bazbill, Vitalo, Bamos Theo, and introducing BARKA Wende Music (Thank God Music)
- Peace Ceremony held at United Nations Roundabout (see photo above) on 9/21 International Day of Peace
- BARKA & FESPACO co-produce Peace, Water & Wisdom Film Festival
- BARKA!BURKINA screens at 5 movie theatres in Ouagadougou
- His Majesty the Mogho Naaba receives first BARKA Peace Ambassador award and blesses BARKA's next stage of work: raising funds for water, sanitation, agriculture, education and women's empowerment projects in "La Petite Village", eastern Burkina Faso.
September 1st: National Emergency declared in Ouagadougou as worst storm in 100 years floods the city, destroys more than 150,000 homes, city bridge, hospital and more. Read details of this catastrophe in BARKA's newsletter dispatch written during the crisis.
June 2009: BARKA granted official affiliation as a UN Department of Public Information NGO.
May 2009: BARKA Foundation walked 500 miles with prayer walker Danny Garcia to raise awareness and funds for the need for clean water in Burkina Faso. This epic "Walk for Water" from the UN to Bangor, Maine marched through 20 cities in 20 days raised over $30,000. SMTV crafted a beautiful 2-part program of the event and broadcast it on its global satellite network.
April 2009: BARKA does facebook: Initiates presence with Esu Ina page, raises funds with Peace, Water & Wisdom Cause. Become a fan of the recently created BARKA Foundation page.
February-March 2009: The new film BARKA! BURKINA has its world premiere at FESPACO and owns the distinction of being the only film in Official Competition in the "Diaspora" category that got screened twice.
