HIV/AIDS has had a particularly devastating impact on children in Malawi, Africa the fourth poorest country in the world. A 2008 UNAIDS report estimated 640,000 children are orphaned because they’ve lost both parents to the disease. Raising Malawi is founded in the spirit of Ubuntu, an African philosophy that acknowledges the common bond between all people. There is a saying in Ubuntu: “I am because we are.” Translated simply, it means, “Without you there is no me. Your fate is mine.”

Our goal was to create a symbol for every child effected by this epidemic, in the image of a butterfly – beautiful, fragile, and longing to be free, with the message of Ubuntu on the inside “ I am because we are.” This is an interactive piece, when closed it looks like a Map of Africa, indicating the location of Malawi through the positioning of the guitar tone & volume knobs. When opened it becomes a butterfly. More photos here.