Program

Subject: 40 Chances Fellows

Dear Ruth:

I am writing to you with the great hope that we can collaborate on an opportunity for young social entrepreneurs to implement start-up, innovative initiatives designed to enhance food security in Africa.

Given your role as Editor-in-Chief of AJFAND and your extensive knowledge of innovative programs uplifting smallholder farmers in Africa, I hope you can assist me in identifying promising applicants who would make a meaningful difference through our exciting new 40 Chances Fellowship program.

Last October at the World Food Prize symposium in Des Moines, I joined together with Howard G. Buffet and former Prime Minister Tony Blair to announce the creation of the 40 Chances Fellowship program that seeks to spur innovation in developing market based approaches that address food insecurity, conflict or poverty in Rwanda, Malawi, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

These fellowships will provide $150,000 each to four individual social entrepreneurs [one in each country], under the age of 40, who submit the most compelling application for a start-up program that can produce and enhance economic development and poverty elimination in that country and thus ensure greater food security. Citizens of any country are eligible.

We need your help to reach out to as many individuals as possible who might be strong applicants for this program and encourage them to submit a proposal at www.40chances.com/fellows. The deadline for applications to be received is May 31, 2014.

I would, therefore, be extremely grateful if you could do the following to assist us:

1. Please personally contact three to five individuals whom you know and who would be good candidates for this fellowship, provide them the above link to the application form and urge them to personally apply for it themselves;

2. Please send a message with your own personal encouragement to any organizations/ individuals with whom you are in contact to urge them to distribute the link to our application to any potential candidates they know; and

3. Please provide to me the names and contact info for any persons/organizations with whom you think I should be in contact myself to publicize this project or solicit applications.

You will have my most sincere gratitude for your invaluable help with this project. I would be grateful if you could reply to me as soon as possible to let me know that you did receive this message and whether you can be of assistance.

Thank you again for your interest and support. We very much hope you can be in Des Moines next October 15-17, 2014 when we introduce our four winners at the World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue.

Warmest wishes for great success in the new year and thank you for all of your support for the World Food Prize. You are a fantastic friend!

Ken

Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn
President
The World Food Prize Foundation
666 Grand Ave., Box 1700
Des Moines, IA 50309
Fax: +1-515-245-3785
www.worldfoodprize.org