FOR THE LOVE OF AFRICA

Today I would like to introduce you to Krista, a woman deeply passionate about Africa, her people and wildlife. At first I was expecting a spoiled high maintenance society woman, You know... the ones that do lunches, travels and have their children watched by hired help, while leading their social life. We met at a cocktail event, where I first heard about her mission in Africa.

As an animal lover, the subject instantly took me. But still I envisioned her as one of these woman who do charity work on the side, to make them look more interesting and to have something meaningful to share. Regardless, I wanted to learn more about her foundation and asked Krista if she would be willing to share such information with me. Soon after, we met at my house and I was simply smitten by her. I can tell you now how wrong I was about her. Sitting next to me, was a down to earth, non-pretentious woman with a big heart. I discovered that Krista’s life is all about empowering Africa, even her Children are all involved in the same mission, which takes up a great amount of time and dedication. Krista has been involved in the human empowerment projects in Africa since 2007. Her inspiration came from a trip to Africa, where she fell in love with its beauty but also discovered the misery and unacceptable living conditions. I myself took a trip to Africa once and I can tell you, who ever visits Africa, has it engraved in their soul, from the beautiful sunsets, the freedom of wild life animals passing right by you in herds. There is something about it that gives you peace and serenity, a deep connection to nature.

Krista fell in love with Africa, when she went on a safari trip with her husband; they expected to see nothing but the beauty of the wild life and nature. What they didn't expect to see when they visited neighbourhoods and communities of young children was the bad living conditions, the run down schools, the lack of classrooms and lack of food. "You could feel the poverty around you", Krista pointed out. Her self-awareness of how her children lived compared to these unfortunate natives, struck her heart to the core.

Krista came back home all inspired, she sat down with her dear friend Michele Gradin and spoke full of emotional excitement about what she had just experienced on her recent trip. She engaged Michele, and inspired her to take action and do something about this situation. They raised funds to make improvements to an elementary school and a preschool, they funded new paint, purchased new learning tools, build new bathrooms and classrooms. Her friend Michele, was actively involved in making a difference and helped tremendously. They decided to take a group of woman to Africa, so they can see with their own eyes how the schools were run down hoping, that they will feel and experience what she did for the first time she was there. They also wanted to see the new classrooms and other projects they had funded. After forming the first group trip, of 9 women, that is exactly what happened. Each one of these women got effected directly and could never turn back from that point onward, just as Krista hoped for. And so the group grew and this is how the family Safari trips started. The groups grew to 20 women, who traveled to Africa with their children.

Krista eventually co-founded a foundation with these women called Empowers Africa in 2013, as most people may know opening a foundation requires money and time, which was not an easy task to compete, since she also had to take care of her children. First Krista employed a legal firm by the name of Baker & McKenzie and got 20 woman on board. I asked her how did she manage to do so, getting such # is not an easy task! Krista answered with a slight smile explaining that she had to do all the legwork herself to save money and keep the overhead low. Empowers Africa benefits wildlife and human empowerment combining education and healthcare within. For example in Ethiopia some woman are destroyed from childbirth with obstetrics fistula. Empowers Africa grants to a foundation that takes care of the post operative rehabilitation of these women, getting them education, physiological help and placing them in jobs. The foundation also provides micro lending, and seminars to better their lives. Another example is aiding widows whose husbands died in line of duty, leaving them with little government support, food nor water.

I asked her to point out a most memorable incident she had experienced during her many trips to Africa. Krista answering with a big "YES, I can!" and quickly pointed out, that in 2007 she walked into a school and said "this can't be! It cannot be that human beings live this way!". These children had no chairs, no books and no learning toys and were the same age as her own children. Some of the students were crawling on the cold cement floor with torn clothes and many seemed hungry and undernourished. Who can learn on an empty stomach? Since then Krista could not turn my back, these little children changed her life.

As an animal advocate, I had to asked Krista about the wildlife and poaching? She commented by saying: "I have seen tracks of poachers, I have seen carcasses of dead animals, I have seen the evidence that it was done by poachers by them leaving their tools and smoldering fires behind. It is a daily battle to eliminate poaching, and it is contributing to the possible extinction of many species. When something is extinct, it is gone! Education is key to help eliminate the poaching practice, I feel that if we educate them about the negative effects poaching will have, and instead give them jobs, like being employed by the safari camp, etc. it will improve their standard of living and eliminate poaching.

Education and jobs, will transform poor starving families who kill elephants for food and money. You must address the issue at the community level". I agreed with Krista that this is a behavior of survival mode in the wild, if not taken care of properly, it will not stop and the results are unacceptable. Her work fascinates me, so I asked to know more about the groups that came with children and how they were affected by what they saw in Africa?

Krista: "We call it the family Safari, we go every June. It is an educational process. For 5 years we have been doing family trips. We have received profound reactions." She mentioned that it was surprisingly easy for the children to communicate with other Native children in sign language. Kids are fully aware, that they are privileged and want to help, they want to give and make a difference in Africa. Since the inception of the foundation, 1000 children are being fed by her foundation alone, 2 times a day, everyday of the year. The foundation is in some cases the only source of food for them. Michele, Krista’s friend and her kids, went along on a trip, to witness the bad school conditions. The highlight of that specific trip was to see their children handing out foods like sandwiches, snacks and drinks. For the African kids it was like Christmas, over 750 children got fed directly by their kids that day, which was the only meal of that day for them. These kind deeds, made Krista and Michele’s children glow and put large smiles on their faces, they felt good. This experience will inspire them to become big humanitarians. "Our children must be part of the process so they can experience the fast divide. By being involved, they see their impact first hand, and return home, with a healthy perspective emphasizing, what they have, and not on what they do not" I was wondering about the foundation’s future plans? Krista told me that the focus will be on educating others and spreading awareness, targeting the next generation. One other goal is to get our support and inspire us to travel there to help make a difference or by donating to the foundation.

The charitable tourism contributions from travel agents, in 2015, generated over 34,000 dollars in commission from the trips. Each agent they work with donates 50% of their commission to the foundation. Krista’s foundation is small, but she makes it work! She puts the money in places where is most needed and connect with other charities, and donors. Her socially connected board, has the potential of introducing other foundations to donors in NYC, Aspen, Florida, Dallas and California. I can see that Krista is well connected! I wanted to know about Krista’s personal goals. Her goal, is to balance out both her work and her family as the foundation seems to have taken over her life a little. Being a role model to her kids, she feels good about having them be proud of her. Krista is grateful that they understand that mommy would go crazy, without a mission. However, she is aware that she needs to balance things out and so she is working on achieving such.

How will Krista go about growing her foundation? She is choosing projects she can support and raise funds for in order to do more good in this world, without taking over her life with massive administrative duties,. She just wants to have enough funds to put in the right places. How does she do it all? Krista has neither spokes person nor PR firm, she is in need of a face/persona who has a voice and will stand behind the foundation and help promote it. Krista will explore the options and possibilities in hand to produce an awareness documentary film with spectacular visuals and resonating interviews with school children and poachers. The effect of having a face/persona and a film, will help communicate the foundations message. Krista needs the next generation to step into her shoes and continue the work, so the foundation can have an impact on the future of Africa. She hopes, that this foundation will always have a legacy to take over. What do you think is needed more or missing to raise public awareness? Krista was quick to answer more Media Social Media and a Film. For example the last fund raising benefit for Empowers Africa in New York, was a success and raised 25,000 dollar. When Krista left my home, I sat a few moments to digest the whole thing. Although I have visited Africa on a safari in the past, I was fortunate to enjoy the beauty of Africa without having to experience the many not so pleasant sides I am so impressed with Krista’s work, that I am looking forward to joining her on one of her trips to Africa, so I can experience the daily living, the schools, the animals , the good the bad and the ugly! I wish to take my children along to this magical place and hope we can all experience the real EMPOWERS AFRICA together.

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