Last week was a good week. Two new people within our circle of incredible friends joined BARKA as Board members. Lynnea Bylund and Daniel Da Hien, two amazing people will help our organization in many key ways. Four new volunteers came on board, 3 of whom speak French and one of whom is Burkinabe living in the US. Today, Ali Thomson, one of BARKA’s volunteers offered her boyfriend’s services as a web developer and she stepped up as a webmistress. Without money, things are still moving. It’s as if we’re organically unfolding into the shape of an organization that will inspire the confidence of investors, potential partners and donors. In fact, even though Ina & I can’t return to Burkina yet to implement the water/sanitation/hygiene project which awaits, we are actually picking up momentum, developing a team, organizing processes in areas of fundraising, partner relations, accounting, social networking and hiring. Sanjna Katyal, a potential volunteer responded today to the open position for UN liaison- she’s perfect. Experience in development (she started a school in India), former HR Director and will be able to help us build a team and shoulder some hiring responsibilities, and of course, has experience with the UN and is already quite familiar with the UN System. It’s boggling to think about it- we have numerous volunteers and two Board members in Burkina Faso, other staffers are in the UK, France, Maine, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Florida, Minnesota, Illinois, Tennessee. Since January of this year, we have amassed a virtual team. Everyone at the moment is working together virtually to find the financial support that we know exists to advance this work forward. Last year, for the first time, when Ina & I traveled to Burkina, there was 1 person here in the US who was working with us, holding down the fort, pushing things forward, handling finances… this year there will be an entire team, both here in the US and in Burkina.