Dear Friends and Family,

My colleagues and I are trying to help an extraordinary man from Zomba, Malawi. He is on the verge of completing his Master of Science in Managing Rural and Community Development at ShareWORLD University in his country. He has done very well in his program despite practical obstacles (his marks have earned him "distinction"), but he is falling short on the funds he needs to complete his degree in 2026.

Many of you know that I have been active in an international peacebuilding NGO called Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI). Through my work there, I was fortunate enough to meet Brown Masingati. Brown is already an accomplished community organizer, peacemaker, and change agent. Malawi is a very poor country where a few dollars go far, and Brown works creatively to make life better for the people in his region.

Brown first joined MBBI in relation to his work on violence against women and children. I now work with Brown mostly through MBBI's Climate Change Project. Brown has made vividly clear how the impacts of climate change create stressors that increase violence.

After Brown's community and food supply were devastated by Cyclone Freddy in 2023, Mary and I sent some funds to help him and others buy seed corn. Later, I was able to secure $1,500 from Ithaca's Rotary Club to support the African Harmony Collective (AHC) in its work with tribal elders and young people to prevent youth violence, which has plagued elections in Malawi. (The AHC is a nonprofit Brown co-founded in 2024 with another MBBI friend.)

Brown has remained active in the community, with AHC, and in MBBI even as he pursues his degree and he and his wife raise their family. I am confident that he will be able to graduate with distinction next year, and that his degree will enable him to be an even more effective community leader in the years ahead.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to help Brown succeed!

Love,

David