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YCFaC 2014 President Greetings

To the Members, Supporters and Friends of YCFaC:

On behalf of the 2014 YCFaC Leadership, I wish you a happy and prosperous 2014. In line with our ambitions and expectations for the New Year, we are excited and look forward to, continue our positive attitude in helping to uplift and educate our people-in leading healthier and much more productive lives. The leadership team will focus on developing new initiatives, as well as, continue existing programs that foster organizational continuity, leadership and, community service in our various localities.

We want to thank everyone who helped make 2013 a very successful and memorable year. Last year was very challenging, but yet very productive. We came through many obstacles, and that has helped us grow stronger as a group. We couldn't have done it without you...thank you again.

Going forward, we wish to work harder on collaborative alignments and program development as two key initiatives in 2014. We believe that collaborating with other stakeholders and developing programs that are aligned with our mission statement- "encourage healthy living/lifestyles, helping mitigate deadly preventable diseases" will ensure the strengths of both YCFaC and the communities/people we serve.

First on our agenda for 2014 is the innovative "Health For All" health fair. This event will be held at the Alliance Franco Gambienne Campus on Saturday, February 1st 2014. We hope you will find the time to attend and or participate. For more information on this event, you can either check our Facebook page or send us an email at: yourchangeforachange@gmail.com.

For the past three years, YCFaC has been a champion for health and healthy living in our communities. We encourage you to go through our 2013 annual report to learn more about our activities and growth during the past year. This document can be found on our website: www.ycfac.org.

Our primary goals for 2014 include but not limited to:

a. To continue making education and awareness one of the key leading activities of YCFaC in 2014. And this year we will be celebrating different world wide recognized health related days starting with World cancer day February 4th. YCFaC will engage multiple experts and individuals into radio/tv interviews, symposiums and workshop presentations regarding various health related topics throughout the year, such as:

i. World cancer day February 4th
ii. World tuberculosis day march 24
iii. World autism awareness day April 2
iv. World health day April 7
v. World malaria day April 25
vi. World asthma day may 7
vii. World no tobacco day may 31
viii. World blood donor day June 21
ix. World breastfeeding day August 1-7
x. World humanitarian day August 19
xi. World suicide prevention day September 10
xii. World Alzheimer's day September 21
xiii. World heart day September 29
xiv. World mental health day October 10
xv. World sight day October 10
xvi. World food day October 16
xvii. World pneumonia day November 12
xviii. World diabetes day November 14
xix. World AIDS day December 1

b. Continue our fight against Malaria and other preventable diseases.
c. Continue to provide support to the communities in which we serve.
d. Continue to represent YCFaC organization as one of the premier role model to our communities and other organizations alike in accordance with our mission and objectives.
e. And organize a major "Health Expo" in one of the benefiting communities of YCFaC.

As we continue to lead with vision, your continued support and collaboration will always be solicited to ensure that YCFaC exceeds all of its goals and objectives for the coming year and beyond.

Once again, thank you for 2013, and with your continued support, we are very hopeful for an even better 2014.

Sincerely
Saikou Camara
YCFaC Chairperson

YCFaC 2013 Events/Activities Report

YCFaC is always trying to re-invent itself when it comes to improving the health and welfare of the people. This is the organization's 4th year since inception and this past year (2013) has been our most productive year since we began our efforts. We have extended our expertise and attention to other aspects of health besides malaria.

Below is a list of some the events and seminars that YCFaC organized/funded and participated in from January 2013 to December 2013 (table in descending order):

YCFaC 2012 Report and 2013 Plans

To the Members, Supporters and Friends of YCFaC:

The beginning of 2013 marks the end of a very successful year for YCFaC 2012 malaria campaign; but it also marks the beginning of a new year for strengthening and honoring both those we serve and YCFaC mission. This year's leadership team looks forward to building on the past and trailblazing many successful stories for the organization and our benefactors for many years to come. We welcome and are more than ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the future.

As YCFaC enters into its 3rd year, you will see a few changes in the way we communicate and manage our programs and events. However, our focus and commitment on our mission, leadership and service to those we serve will not change. We will continue to have collaborative alignments and programs development as two key initiatives for the upcoming year. We believe that collaborating with other stakeholders and developing programs that will encourage healthy lifestyles and assisting the less fortunate people with health incentives that will help mitigate deadly preventable diseases will ensure that our mission prevails and strengthens both YCFaC and the communities/people we serve.

In 2012, our malaria campaign experiences a total growth rate of 40%. In 2011 we provided and distributed 500 bed nets. In 2012, we increased that number to 700 bed nets. And our greatest accomplishment thus far as an organization is that out of the 500 benefactors of the 500 bed nets distributed last year, not a single one of them reported a malaria case. YCFaC could not have achieved this milestone without the relentless support from our members, donors, volunteers, and sympathizers. Our primary goals for 2013 includes:

a. To make education and awareness one of the key leading activities of YCFaC in 2013. And this year we will celebrate different world wide recognized health related days starting with World cancer day February 4th. YCFaC will engage multiple experts and individuals to have radio/tv, symposiums and workshop presentations regarding various health related topics throughout the year, such as:

i. World cancer day February 4th
ii. World tuberculosis day march 24
iii. World autism awareness day April 2
iv. World health day April 7
v. World health day April 7
vi. World malaria day April 25
vii. World asthma day may 7
viii. World no tobacco day may 31
ix. World blood donor day June 21
x. World breastfeeding day August 1-7
xi. World humanitarian day August 19
xii. World suicide prevention day September 10
xiii. World Alzheimer's day September 21
xiv. World heart day September 29
xv. World mental health day October 10
xvi. World sight day October 10
xvii. World food day October 16
xviii. World pneumonia day November 12
xix. World diabetes day November 14
xx. World AIDS day December 1

b. To provide a minimum of 1000 bed nets to communities mostly affected by malaria the previous year.
c. Continuing to provide support to the communities in which we serve.
d. Continue to represent YCFaC organization as one of the premier role model to our communities and other organizations alike in accordance with our mission and goals.
e. And organize a major "Health Expo" in one of the benefiting communities of YCFaC.

The leadership team is excited to serve underprivileged communities and lead our organization for 2013. As we continue to lead with vision, your full support and collaboration will ensure that YCFaC exceeds all of our goals and objectives for the coming year.

Sincerely
Saikou Camara
YCFaC Chairperson

2011 Summary + 2012 Plans

It's been a good run in 2011, we started our first general meeting was on January 14th 2011. Ideas where brought forth and the aim and objectives of the organization where briefly discussed. It was at this meeting that the idea for the first project was born, the first project being the Malaria Initiative Project. The Malaria Initiative Project was to raise $5000.00 to buy 500 bed nets.

We started doing fundraisers in order to meet our goal. We started in New York City, followed by London, Memphis, Atlanta, Raleigh and lastly Stockholm. Alongside fundraising events, donations were being made through our website.

We are proud to update the YCFaC family and sympathizers that the 500 bed nets are secured and in Gambia. We are launching the organization in the Gambia on January 7th 2012 at the Joint Officers Mess in Kotu. We have two events during the day. The morning event is for the dignitaries at 11 am and the evening is a fundraising PARTY involving several Gambian artists. The main goal of this launching would be:

* To formally introduce YCFaC to our Gambian people.
* Discuss the overall mission and objective of YCFaC.
* Formally launch our current malaria initiative/project.
* Seek corroborative efforts with other organizations & institutions in the Gambia.
* Encourage and challenge Gambians to invest in the health of our own people.

The nets would be distributed in the Gambia a week after the launching to the village of Marakissa. According to a well established source of reference and an organization that has been doing public health work in the Gambia, Malaria rate was highest in that village in 2010. The nets would be distributed with the help of this said organization and also with the help of public health workers. We are not involving a third party in the distribution of the bed nets. The bed nets would be from our hands (YCFaC) to the hands of the benefactor.

We want to thank everyone that has been involved with YCFaC one way or the other, whether it is through donating or just talking to someone about YCFaC. THANK YOU!! The bed nets could not have been secured without you.

The work does not stop here; we said we are here to help improve the health of the under-privileged. We are all not in a position to help someone, but if we do it collectively, we can have an impact beyond imagination. So again, the work does not stop just because we have secured the 500 bed nets. We started with Malaria Initiative; more projects are under way in 2012.

Fundraising Events & Dates

* New York City, NY: August 13, 2011
* London, UK: August 27, 2011 and September 4, 2011
* Memphis, TN: September 10, 2011
* Atlanta, GA: October 29, November 25, 26,2011
* Toronto, Canada: TBA
* Dallas, TX: TBA
* Minnesota: TBA
* Charlotte, NC: December 4, 2011
* Detroit, MI: TBA
* Baltimore, MD: TBA
* Seattle, WA: TBA
* Madison, WI: TBA
* Banjul, Gambia: Jan 07, 2012
* Paris, France: TBA
* Stockholm, Sweden: December 4, 2011

Contact us for more details.

Malaria Fundraiser

YCFaC is currently embarking on its malaria initiative to raise $5000, the target this year is to donate at least 500 bed nets to meet one of the foundation overall goal of eradicating malaria, especially in the African Continent.

Why Malaria

Humans are at war with malaria, especially in the African Continent, and malaria is winning, killing one child every 30 seconds, or 3,000 children every day! Malaria has killed more people than all wars combined, and continues to be one of the greatest public health challenges facing humans today and here is a sucking reality, Malaria is not just a disease associated with poverty, malaria causes poverty. Malaria greatly hinders economic growth in developing nations. Economists believe that malaria is responsible for a "growth penalty" of up to 1.3% of GDP per year in many developing nations

In the Case of the Gambia:

Although the whole population (1,735,464 people) is at risk, children under five years and pregnant women are at increased risk developing severe malaria. During the implementation of the expired strategic plan (Malaria Control Policy, The Gambia, January 2003), 39% of under-five visits and one in five of antenatal consultations to Reproductive Health and Child (RCH) clinics were due to malaria. In-patient mortality due to malaria in these two groups was 2.7 and 8.3%, respectively (DoSH & SW, 2002). The prevalence of malaria varies from area to area with highest rates being recorded in rural areas. There are differences between rural areas, with more intense transmission and more severe diseases in the Upper River Region than in any other area Malaria cases occur in The Gambia throughout the year, but the majority of cases occur from September to October. The transmission of malaria during this period is intense and the number of cases seen at the peak of the season may increase nearly twenty fold compared with the number of cases seen in the middle of the dry season. Although cases of malaria are still seen during the dry season, the number of positive blood smears is low (between 20 to 40% in comparison with a positive rate of over 70% during the peak of the rainy season) in rural areas and as low as 5 % increasing to 59% during the rainy season in a peri-urban setting.

Malaria Facts

* 40% of the world's population is at risk
* 515 million cases every year, a child every 30 seconds
* Kills mostly children under 5 and pregnant women
* Kills 1 in 20 Africans before the age of 5
* Plagued humans for over 50,000 years
* 90% of deaths occur in sub-Sahara Africa
* Malaria is both preventable and curable

YCFaC will only be distributing long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) manufactured by Vestergaard-Frandsen called the PermaNet. These state of the art nets are impregnated with an odorless and biodegradable insecticide called deltamethrin, and the potency of the nets insecticides last 3-5 years. The PermaNet net is harmless to humans and the environment, but kills or repel mosquitoes on contact. The long-lasting insecticidal nets require no maintenance or re-dipping in insecticide to maintain potency. These nets represent a HUGE technological breakthrough that are helping win the war on malaria!

Nets are highly valued in African communities. Unfortunately, in the Gambia many people simply cannot afford the $6-10 to purchase one. That's where YCFaC wishes to step in!

World Malaria Day(April 25, 2011)

YCFaC will like to join the rest of the world in acknowledging this 25th day of Apri 2011 to commemorate global efforts to control malaria. The theme of the fourth World Malaria Day is Achieving Progress and Impact heralds the international community renewed efforts make progress towards zero malaria deaths by 2015. We do not celebrate malaria we overcome it. This Monster disease is not immortal. It is very controllable and curable and there is no excuse why someone should lose a love one to something we can all prevent. You can safe a child life by simply donating a bed net. And remember, we are not alone in this fight, it is a collective moral responsibility.