5 Trades Away From Life for Ugandan Newborns

***  UPDATE: Trading has now closed and this will be my donated item to the upcoming 5 Trades Away auction.

Go Bully Vapor Bicycle

Interested in placing a bid on this bicycle?  Or perhaps the 99 other items Maria Bailey and friends have accrued through trading?  Be sure to join us on Tuesday, May 5th at 8pm EST for an ONLINE AUCTION and Twitter party.  All proceeds go towards the purchase of Village Ambulances.  Let’s see how many we can buy?  Need some motivation?  Read on-

It takes a village.  And a blogosphere full of high-octane Type A get-it-done moms to change a distant corner of the world for profound good.  When the powerhouse that is Maria Bailey parlayed her recent University of Notre Dame homework assignment into a lifesaving MOVEMENT to save the life of newborns and expectant moms in Uganda, I didn’t flinch.  What doesn’t this gal reimagine into something profound??  But perhaps, for the very first time, she needs US to achieve her dream.  (Not the other way around!)

The facts:
–  800 expectant African moms die each day because they cannot transport themselves to a clinic to deliver their babies.
–  Pulse, a company based in Kampala, Uganda, partners with government, development organizations and private sector forces to improve transportation to health care in neighboring villages.
–  This company’s primary solution is the Village Ambulance; a transport that universally attaches to the rear of any bicycle or scooter.

The assignment:
–  Maria’s professor (and Catholic priest) assigned a project to practice negotiation skills by trading articles he brought with him from China; not silks or gems or notebook computers, but simple chopsticks.
–  Trade UP and get the highest value item in exchange for these basic wooden tools from the generous, kindhearted folks in her vast network.
–  Only 5 trades in total are allowed, hence 5 Trades Away.  Strategy!
–  Wheeling and dealing ends May 5th at 8pm EST, when Maria will host an online auction and Twitter party to sell these hard-won items to the public.  #5TradesAway
–  All proceeds will go to the purchase of Village Ambulances for Uganda.
–  Maria will personally head to Africa this June, working with Pulse to use her famous know-how to maximize this movement.

Now is the time for our homework assignment.  Before my authentic chopsticks arrived, I had my first trade up.

Pre-School Play Pack

And so it begins- my trade #1 is valued at $80 and it is perfect for little people ages 18 months and older:
Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway Rock & Roll Quarry Set ($39.99)
Melissa & Doug Construction, Vehicles and Fire Truck Chunky Puzzles ($9.99 each)
Patch ABC Games Garanimals ($12.95)

Interested??  Have something of greater value to trade?  Check your basement and garage and comment below.  If you find something of lesser value, donate it to Maria’s online auction HERE.  In a buying mood?  Tune into the auction on May 5th and shop your way through the maze of goodies.

Let’s make this work.  Let’s change a life.  It simply takes a village and some chopsticks…  It’s 5 Trades Away.