Special Projects

Lynette is on the International Board of Directors for the
Martin Luther King, Jr. Foundation (LUKMEF),
which is headquartered in Limbe, Cameroon.
The foundation works to promote peace, non-violence,
social justice and sustainable development in Cameroon.

The Words Across The World Book Project
A few years ago I took a trip to Central Africa (to Limbe, Cameron) where I became acquainted with an organization called the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Foundation (LUKMEF). The foundation was founded on the principles of nonviolence and promotion of human values and its efforts include HIV/AIDS education and reduction of poverty through training and job placement.

As a result of the trip I made a personal commitment to send the Foundation’s resource library books, which they are very much in need of. People travel from surrounding areas to use the library and it is the primary location used by the local University, which is located near the Foundation’s office. With the help of friends who donated the books and some financial support form the Fairfield, CT rotary, last year I sent 800 books to the library. All types of books were sent, including the topics of computers, children’s books, humanity, social sciences and development issues, medical and the arts. This year I have collected 1,400 books for shipment. Shipping to Africa is very expensive (postage, customs and tariff fees) and though the Rotary is once again supporting the project, additional funds or donated shipping services are needed.

I am working with Limbe’s Martin Luther King Foundation and the Minneapolis, Minnesota based organization Books For Africa (www.booksforafrica.org). Working with this group 25,000-30,000 books will be shipped to Africa, where they are desperately needed. The foundation is in the process of raising the $10,000 it will cost to ship the books in a 40-foot container. It is truly exciting to realize how many children and adults will be served by these books that will be available in schools, libraries and at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Foundation resource center.

How You Can Help?
Join the Africa Peace and Democratic Institute (http://africanpeaceinstitute.ning.com)
and be connected to like-minded people. Click on the “members” link, followed by the “sign up” link. It’s free.
From the API website:
The African Peace Institute sets out to provide a platform for peace education, with focus on two major segments: - Cultural Peace Issues and Policy Issues. It is our understanding that citizens of any community in pursuance of happiness, must seek to develop their communities, nations, regions and continent. In so doing, people must fully understand and actively implement peace values, non-violence, social justice, and good governance as prerequisites for sustainable development. To maintain peace, the absence of war is necessary, and must become a reality that is sustained through peace education, systematic and total disarmament and control of conventional and small arms proliferation. The African Peace Institute therefore in its program and infrastructural design has taken into consideration cultural and policy peace issues by providing facilities for continuous and certificate learning for aspiring peace activists, and a home for peace exchange programs. It will provide an ideal environment for mediation and dialogue between individuals, communities, and nations as well as a solemn environment for national, regional, continental and global peace programming.

Encourage others to sign up

If you know of any potential supports let me know and I will contact them. Write positivebliss1@yahoo.com  

If you are interested in writing grants for the effort let me know

If you care to make a donation contact Tanyi Christian, CEO of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Foundation at christian@lukmefcameroon.org

Visualize peace and a world of economic and educational equality

Feel free to contact me at Positivebliss1@yahoo.com  
Thanks in advance for your help!
Peace!
Lynette Turner