| From Latin to Pink Floyd | | | | detect the exact position of every landmine, but |
| From when he was very young, Charlie proved | | | | equally important, we also learn where the mines |
| he was a person of action. As a rebellious young | | | | are not. Most of them are planted on fertile land |
| man he attended Eton College as a Latin scholar - | | | | but 85 percent of the land does not have them, |
| but when he left at 18, he went through his love | | | | even though they have been marked as mine |
| of riding racehorses, into business as an Events | | | | fields. They have been taken out of production |
| promoter. By the time he was 24, he could count | | | | because no one wants to work a field where |
| The British Government among his clients, and by | | | | there could be mines." |
| the time he was 27, he had managed events for | | | | Turning Killing Fields to Kitchens Once it is known |
| Pavarotti and Pink Floyd. | | | | that land is clear of mines, it can be put back into |
| Charlie found himself in Australia when he was 29, | | | | food production. "We can change the people who |
| where he met Cher while promoting her massive | | | | were trading for today into making crops for |
| tour. The following year, with Cher as his sponsor, | | | | tomorrow," says Charlie. "We turn the killing fields |
| he went to America and for a number of years | | | | into kitchens, where people can produce the food |
| worked with her in her management company. | | | | they desperately need." |
| Charlie is one of four co-founders of Promenade | | | | One of the crops that they can also be growing is |
| Pictures, a US film distribution company. Frank | | | | biofuels. "By 2010, Europe is going to require |
| Yablans, the former President of Paramount and | | | | nearly 20 percent of their energy to be biofuels, |
| CEO of MGM/UA, and Ron Booth and Cindy Bond | | | | but they don't have the capacity to provide it all |
| are his partners. Charlie, who works as President | | | | domestically. Countries such as Mozambique, |
| of Music and Management in Promenade's Santa | | | | Angola and Senegal can be growing crops for |
| Monica offices, says that Frank has been an | | | | biofuels that will provide revenues for the people." |
| invaluable mentor to him. "I strongly believe in | | | | Self-sufficiency is at the heart of the work that |
| mentoring," he says. "Over the decades Frank has | | | | Charlie and Sole of Africa do. "Overcoming the |
| mentored some of the best in Hollywood, and | | | | problems in Africa won't come through aid, and it |
| just as I've benefited by his mentoring, I believe | | | | won't come through debt reduction - which |
| that others could similarly benefit from getting | | | | makes no difference to the people who are most |
| direction and advice from the right person." | | | | in need. These measures are just band-aids on a |
| 100 Million Land Mines | | | | hemorrhaging wound. Only by empowering people, |
| In addition to being an executive producer of | | | | by teaching the fishermen to fish, are we going |
| films, Charlie continues to do events, and in 2004 | | | | to make a difference." |
| he served as Arrangements Chairman for the | | | | Irrevocable Talents |
| final Billy Graham Crusade. "This was a great | | | | Charlie sees one his "irrevocable talents' as being |
| honour," he says, "and immediately after this, I | | | | able to bring people together to use their talents |
| was approached to become involved with the | | | | and resources to take action. "There is no doubt |
| Mineseeker Foundation. When I learned how | | | | in my mind," he says, "that the way Sole of |
| important an issue this is, and how it affects so | | | | Africa has aligned its forces, with its focus for |
| many other things, I agreed to become a part of | | | | immediate result implementation, is the way |
| it. There are over 100 million landmines under the | | | | charities should operate in today's world. A lean, |
| ground, not just killing people, but disrupting | | | | cost-effective management co-opting the best |
| commerce and society where they are planted. | | | | technology and the best people, who are a lot of |
| When Princess Diana died, landmines fell off the | | | | fun to work with, is the way to do it. As I give |
| front page - but they continue to be a global | | | | 100% I get back 1000% that stays in my heart. |
| issues which impact more than the physical | | | | This is why it's worth it to me!" |
| danger they represent. We need to get rid of | | | | While it may be worth a lot to Charlie, his efforts |
| them." | | | | of bringing people together means even more to |
| Mineseeker has a special technology that quickly | | | | the people who benefit from his endeavours. |
| detects landmines. "Previously," Charlie explains, | | | | "Last week we were able to provide two and half |
| "with the means that were available, it was going | | | | million dollars worth of food without spending a |
| to be a 500-year problem of detecting and | | | | dollar. We provided needy people with Vitameals |
| clearing all the landmines in the world. It cost | | | | through Nourish the Children [See XL Magazine Vol |
| $1000 to clear one mine, so it is not only a very | | | | 2 Issue 6, 2006] which is headed by Lee Iacocca, |
| slow process, but also very expensive." | | | | and then distributed by Larry Jones, Chairman of |
| New Technology | | | | Feed the Children; and then we have team |
| The new technology that Mineseeker has was | | | | members in the field, such as Heidi Baker, who is |
| developed by the British Ministry of Defence and | | | | a modern day Mother Theresa, to handle |
| licensed to Mineseeker. It is a ground-penetrating | | | | distribution to the families in crisis after recent |
| radar that when carried on a stable aerial | | | | floods and cyclones. |
| platform, can scan the ground at 100 meters per | | | | "We don't reinvent the wheel," Charlie continues, |
| second, detecting all mines. "It can even detect | | | | "We use people who are already doing the work |
| those pesky plastic mines designed to take off a | | | | that they do best so there is no wastage. In this |
| foot," Charlie adds. | | | | case, we had no expenses so everything goes to |
| Mineseekers work is so pivotal to supporting | | | | the people who need it. |
| growth in nations that the world's most prominent | | | | Giving and Receiving |
| humanitarian figure, Nelson Mandela, is a major | | | | In the last few months, for our donors we have |
| supporter. "As patrons of The Mineseeker | | | | set up HUB (Humanities Unites Brilliance). We have |
| Foundation," says Mr Mandela on the website, "my | | | | USA XL members, and like many of our donors, |
| wife Graça Machel and I take this | | | | they are empowered and looking to make as big |
| opportunity to call upon world business leaders | | | | a difference in their lives as possible. So HUB is |
| and statesman to support a new technology that | | | | set up not only to give but also to receive. HUB |
| can hasten our quest to rid the world of | | | | members receive weekly conference calls with |
| landmines. I call upon you to stand hand-in-hand | | | | various Sole of Africa alliance members, as well as |
| with us as we move forward to remove | | | | attending a Mark Victor Hansen "Mega Giving and |
| landmines from our planet, once and for all." | | | | Receiving Conference' in Los Angeles ( |
| Incredible and Impassioned | | | | With high-profile people on the board such as |
| "Mr Mandela and his wife Graasa Machel, have | | | | patrons Nelson Mandela, Queen Noor of Jordan, |
| guided the Mineseeker work in Africa," Charlie | | | | Graasa Machel, Sir Richard Branson, John Paul |
| states. "Everyone knows former President | | | | deJoria, Brad Pitt, and Michael Kendrick as Founder |
| Mandela. However, it is important for the world to | | | | and Chairman, Sole of Africa is able to mobilize |
| know how incredible and impassioned a lady is Mrs | | | | people and resources. |
| Machel. She was the wife of the late Mozambique | | | | Donated Operations |
| president Samora Machel, who died in a plane | | | | "We have superstars and we have nameless, |
| crash in South Africa in 1986, and she later | | | | faceless people with skills that help us do so much. |
| married Nelson Mandela. She is the only woman to | | | | We are about to bring a little boy, Beloved, who |
| be married to two Presidents of different | | | | blew his own face up when he picked up a |
| countries." | | | | grenade, to Los Angeles where he is being |
| Mineseeker and The Sole of Africa Campaign's | | | | donated operations. We also have medical teams |
| deliberate focus is to move country by country, | | | | who go to Africa where they can carry out 120 |
| and it is Mozambique where they are | | | | operations in six days." |
| concentrating much of their effort. After 36 | | | | Charlie knows more can be done by bringing |
| years of war in the former Portuguese colony, | | | | people together and using their irrevocable talents. |
| landmines litter the country. | | | | "After the Tsunami, 70% of NGOs worked |
| "Every 19 minutes landmines kill and maim | | | | separately when they could have done so much |
| someone," Charlie points out, "and they are usually | | | | more by working together. We bring people and |
| women or children. With this technology we can | | | | organisations together. |