Ambitious Group Seeks to Set Up an Online Needs Clearinghouse for South African Village, Raise 1 Million Dollars

Nashville, TN, June 29, 2006 --(PR.com)-- Two weeks ago, June 16th, David Mauldin stepped on a plane heading to Johannesburg, South Africa with one major goal in mind: To document the needs of the communities he visits. David's not alone in his endevour; his three business partners are supporting him from all over the globe.

About four months ago Peter Amico, a recent college graduate from Taylor University, returned to Linyi China, where he was teaching English. He had just spent a month witnessing the devestation the AIDS pandemic was having on South Africa and he was passionate about doing something about it. Like many people his age today, Peter wrote about his passion to do something on his blog, an online journal. Peter wrote: "the plan is to try and raise a million dollars to help those who do not receive much help. There are many small organizations that are only known because of my relationship with them and are not government supported. These are the places that I want to help. These small organizations are tapped for resources and can continually do more in the fight against AIDS. I want to enable them to build new orphanages, drill new wells, and give more people the ARV's that they need."

Josh Shanklin, a part-time barista and pastor in Nashville, whom Peter had met during an internship in California, offered his assistance. Ariah Fine, an aquantince of Peter's through a mutual friend at Wheaton College, also read about what Peter wanted to do and asked to join in. Finally, David, a classmate of Peter's at Taylor University, shared a cup of tea with Peter while in China and decided he wanted to join the group too.

For the last four months, the four partners have been working together, planning and dialoging using the internet to begin their organization. More then email, the group has used project collaboration software, Basecamp, and Skype to conference call from across the globe.  "Organizing and implementing this project would have never been possible ten years ago," said Ariah Fine, "We'll be able to document a need today, and someone on the other side of the globe can see it, donate, and see the need being met days later." The group plans on using online video and blogging to help document the needs in South Africa.

The organization is called the Eikon Project. Eikon means image or likeness. The reason for choosing the name is discussed on the website, EikonProject.org: "We are all eikons, images of God. The child in Africa is as real as you and we are all of equal worth. There are things that can be done. Join us. Be an eikon."

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