Lafayette, Indiana … Malawi and Central Africa are a long way from Lafayette, Indiana, yet the two have a common link that contributes immersible to the development and success of the Malawi Project in Africa. For many in Malawi that bond is unknown, and the name John Clark does not ring bells of recognition. Yet, lives are saved, villages receive agricultural assistance, hospitals have critically needed supplies, and school children read from new textbooks; all because of John Clark. Who is he and what part does he play in the work in Africa?
John is the art director for Copper Moon Coffee Company in Lafayette, Indiana. Both the company and John are strong supporters of the Malawi Project and its work in Africa. More than anyone else John has been responsible for the print image of the Malawi Project for over 28 years. His creative design has appealed to thousands of people as they gained knowledge about Malawi, its people, and the Project that bears its name. Since its inception, he has been the creator of nearly every piece of literature that reached the hands of contributors and potential supporters. Early in the Project John traveled to Malawi to gain first-hand experience about its people., and to experience what life is like in one of the poorest nations on earth. Each time he is asked to help John is quickly available to design a highly impactful and professional image that tells the story of Malawi and the work of the Project. Thanks to John Clark and his employer, every time there is a need the time is made available for the project.
In the top picture, John is adorned in costume for a campaign for the coffee company. In the second picture, he sits in his spacious second-floor office at the corporate headquarters in Lafayette, Indiana, and contemplates another project to help the people of Malawi.