The SAFI Organization (www.safiempowers.org) announced the launch of a new website provided by Foster Concepts, Inc., an Oracle Gold Partner specializing in ecommerce solutions.  SAFI, Support Africa (Empowerment) Foundation International empowers disadvantaged Africans, starting with rural Kenyans, to transform their lives and living conditions through clean water, medicine, education and microfinance projects that allow them to help themselves, which has successfully proven to strengthen communities through leadership training.  Foster Concepts donated the technical and design expertise to build the new site, which includes a content management tool for SAFI to update the site with news and information.

For the past six months SAFI has experienced an increased demand for its service, including its hand-made purses and jewelry that comprise its microfinance projects. This situation required a new level of sophistication and control through technology. Foster Concepts rectified this situation and allowed SAFI to expand its online merchandise channel as it also helped its target population.

“Yes, thanks to Garrett Foster and his technical and marketing staff, who created our new technically savvy site, SAFI is now reaching more clients throughout the global marketplace, as it enables our trained and empowered Kenyan leaders to connect youth and adults to the Internet, too; where they have become informed citizens and participants using our recently shipped 100 donated computers,” reports Barbara Novick, SAFI’s Chair. “Technology is the key for bridging the digital divide between rural Africa and the global society. And, thanks to socially responsible companies, such as Foster Concepts, SAFI is doing just that.”, adds SAFI’s founder, Dr. Lucas Shamala.

To date, SAFI, located at SAFIempowers.org., helped 6,400 Kenyans with clean water, at a cost of 30 cents per person, annually. Also, two rural women’s micro finance projects involving hand-made jewelry and purses are now selling items in the U.S. This year, SAFI has sent over $6 million worth of donated high blood pressure medicine, and $2 million worth of donated cholera, malaria, typhoid medicine as well as antibiotics, anti-fungals and multiple vitamins to Kenya. Likewise, it just shipped $846,000 of donated medical supplies to local western Kenya dispensaries, as well.