Thanks to all of you who contributed to make the project of Sosena Solomon, Merkato, a reality! The documentary is fully funded so you can expect to see the DVD out soon or maybe catch the film at some festival. What is most important of all is that the people of Merkato will enjoy a personal screening of the movie in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Now I want to bring attention to two other projects closely related to Ethiopia.
The first one is the photography book and audio CD, Tribes of the Omo River by Daniel Sullivan. Although the project is already funded, you still can make a contribution and at the same time get something, for example for $65 you’ll get a copy of the book and a CD with the sounds of the tribes and natural environment of the Omo River, which I think it’s a bargain. You’ve got time until November 10th.

The other project is a documentary film by Peter Eliot Buntaine & Greg Vander Veer, Church Forest. This a quite ambitious enterprise, since they need at least $25,000 to travel to Ethiopia with Meg Lowman, a “tree expert", to make it happen.
I posted before about deforestation in Ethiopia and how the old churches in that country have helped to preserve forests of natives trees that otherwise would have disappeared a long time ago. However they are not still out of danger, and this film can contribute to their study and protection by spreading the word about them.
Meg Lowman is an experienced researcher that has a large knowledge about world forests and that already published a book about her job and life: Life on the Treetops.
You need to know that the donation you make to Church Forest is tax deductible and that 10% of the money will go directly to the preservation effort.
If you want more information about this project go to the Tree Foundation website.

The beauty of this story is the close relation between spirituality and nature, how religion in Ethiopia is totally respectful of the natural environment which is seen as a manifestation of God.
If you have any doubt about the need to protect these forests, a picture is worth a thousand words:

This project still has a long way to go to get the necessary funds, and by contributing YOU become part of it, it’s YOUR project too.
And of course you will get something in return depending on the amount of your donation.
Hope you can help before November 11th!

More information about these forests:

ETHIOPIAN CHURCH FORESTS – OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FO RESTORATION by Alemayehu Wassie Eshete (.pdf)

Ethiopian Church Forests by Alemayehu Wassie Eshete (short version) (.pdf)

Opportunities, Constraints and Prospects of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Churches in Conserving Forest - Resources: The Case of Churches in South Gonder, Northern Ethiopia by Alemayehu Wassi (.pdf)

Conservation of Ethiopian Church Forest, Aug 10-24

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