Here we go!!!

Date Change!

The performance date has been changed! It will now take place from Saturday November 27, 10:00am- Sunday November 28, 10:00am. We'll be keeping a constant stream of images soundbites thoughts and so on here, so check in throughout the day and leave us some words of encouragement!

A Message from the Mali Health Organizing Project

Greetings art lovers!

As the director of the Mali Health Organizing Project, I am so excited for this opportunity to bring together emerging artists and the Sikoro community in Bamako, Mali. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Mali Health Organizing Project (“MHOP”), we are a US-registered nonprofit that empowers urban West African communities to improve maternal and child health. Our Health Radio Show provides health education and a platform for community mobilization around local health issues while our Community Health Workers translate health education into healthy behaviors, accompanying sick mothers and children for medical treatment, and following up to ensure recovery. Finally community organized health events, or Health Actions, address community health issues, like access to clean water and sanitation, through community collaboration.

By supporting “Art Marathon for MHOP” you’ll not only have the opportunity to enjoy the work of two fantastic emerging artists, but also join the MHOP community and support our efforts to promote health change, not charity, in a country where one in five children die before celebrating their fifth birthday. Every dollar goes a long way in Mali: the purchase of just one painting can buy twenty mosquito nets to prevent malaria, support comprehensive healthcare for two children for a year, or sponsor a community health worker for two months. Read more about our work at www.malihealth.org, or email information@malihealth.org to sign up for our quarterly newsletter. Thank you for your support.

A ni ce kosebe,

Anna Ninan
Executive Director
Mali Health Organizing Project
anna@malihealth.org

More about Art Marathon for M.H.O.P.

Last December, artists Geddes Levenson and Annie Blazejack made 12 paintings in 12 hours and sold them to benefit The Mali Health Organizing Project or MHOP - an organization dedicated to empowering urban West African communities to improve maternal and child health. The $1000.00 they raised helped opened a community-run clinic in Sikoro, Mali.

The artists will scale up the project this year, to 24 paintings in 24 hours. Responding to the themes and compositions in each other’s work, the two artists will engage in a 24 hour art dialogue.

The Marathon will be documented in real-time online, and viewers will be encouraged to leave comments and offer inspiration. After the performance, the 48 paintings will be available for purchase through this blog.

24 in 24 for MHOP

Mali Health Organizing Project

Art Marathon for MHOP

A Conversation Between Geddes Levenson and Annie Blazejack

in Support of the Mali Health Organizing Project

The Project

On November 27^th, artists Geddes Levenson and Annie Blazejack set aside a day for a painting conversation. Over the course of 24 hours, each painted 24 works on paper responding to each other’s work; together building two series of images. Paintings can be purchased for $250 at http://artformhop.blogspot.com, with half of proceeds going to the Mali Health Organizing Project.

The Artists

Geddes Levenson is a New York based artist. She graduated with Honors from Brown University in 2009, concentrating in Visual Arts. She has studied and worked in the United States, France, Spain, and China. To see more of her work, please visit her website www.GeddesLevenson.com or her blog OfficiallyAnArtist.blogspot.com.

Annie Blazejack lives and works in Miami, Florida. She too graduated from Brown University, where she also studied Visual Arts, especially painting. Annie has exhibited her work in galleries across the U.S. and won numerous awards. See Annie's work at www.AnnieBlazejack.com and AnneBlazejack.blogspot.com.

The Organization

The Mali Health Organizing Project (MHOP) empowers urban West African communities to improve maternal and child health. Our Radio Show provides health education and a platform for community mobilization around local health issues. Community Health Workers translate health education into healthy behaviors, accompanying sick mothers and children for medical treatment at our Community Clinic, and following up to ensure recovery. Finally, through Community Health Actions residents address neighborhood health challenges, like access to clean water and sanitation, through community collaboration.