MassiveGood

Check out MassiveGood, and fight HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and improve maternal and child health. How?


It's "the social network generation’s solution to put a stop to the millions of deaths from HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, and to improve maternal and child health in the developing world. If social media has revolutionized the way in which we interact, why can’t we harness its power to change the way we think about humanitarian aid? Is it possible to use the reputed “network effect” to raise awareness and increase funding for some of the most pressing global health issues in the 21st century? MASSIVEGOOD does both, by creating a worldwide community based on a simple and easy act—the 'micro-contribution'.”

The Value of Volunteering

Globalteer is an "organisation independent of government, politics and religion with the objective to help projects and communities around the world." It is a non-profit charity that aims to help those in need.
According to Globalteer's website, the organization's mission includes: 

• Support - To provide support to communities and projects in need.
• Awareness - To raise awareness in developed countries of the plight faced by poverty stricken countries.
• Education - Educate locals and volunteers about environmental issues and the need to protect wildlife.

Currently the charity has projects to help children in Cusco, Peru; Medellin, Colombia; and Siem Reap, Cambodia, as well as wildlife and conservation ventures in Thailand, Indonesia and Cambodia.

Globalteer says: "We send volunteers to schools to provide free education to children who are unable to pay fees to go to local schools. We work closely with centres that care for children providing support and funding to allow a safe and comfortable environment in the most important and vulnerable time in their lives. In developing countries the poorest people are often overlooked as there is little governmental funding available to provide support. We work with projects that help the most vulnerable children and communities. By providing an education and vocational training to children we give them an opportunity to break the relentless cycle of poverty and support their own families by becoming a useful and productive member of their society."

Want to help? Make a donation or volunteer!

A Commitment to Safeguard Children

Who is building a world in which every child:

• Is loved and respected regardless of race, religion or caste
• Is fed and clothed and housed within a caring family environment
• Has free access to quality education and training in line with his or her abilities
• Has free access to quality health care
• Has free access to recreation and leisure
• Has a voice and can speak out without fear of the consequences
• Is free from exploitation and abuse
• Is free from the direct and indirect effects of armed conflict and communal violence?

Butterflies is.  "Butterflies addresses the challenge of making the Convention on the Rights of the Child a reality, particularly of those children who are most vulnerable, neglected, abused and exploited. Butterflies is committed, within its mandate, to work towards solidarity among NGOs, Government and all Civil Society organizations for addressing the concerns of all children."

According to its website, "Butterflies is a registered voluntary organization working with street and working children in Delhi since 1989.  We believe in the right of every child to have a full-fledged childhood where she/he has the right to protection, respect, opportunities and participation in his/her growth and development. Rights of street and working children are no exception.  Butterflies is committed to a non-institutional approach, follows principle of democracy and promotes children's participation in decision making as part of its programme planning, monitoring and evaluation."

Its aim is "to empower street and working children with skills and knowledge to protect their rights and to develop them as respected and productive citizens. We use the Constitution of India, Laws related to Children and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as a major tool for ensuring government and public accountability for all."

Help Butterflies and make a difference in the life of a child who needs care and protection. 

Thanks to a Deceptively Simple Product

What company's products have been used in 140 countries? What company has had an effect on millions upon millions of children? What company's CEO has said he reaches more youngsters in the world "than Coca-Cola or Pepsi could ever hope to reach up to the age of ten"?  Give up?

It's Serum Institute of India.

Serum Institute of India is a leader in the production of vaccines. The Insitute was founded in 1966, "with the aim of manufacturing life-saving immuno-biologicals, which were in shortage in the country and imported at high prices." It manufactures vaccines against Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis, as well as Measles, Mumps and Rubella.  The company's reputation and reach is such that agencies like the World Health Organization, the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), and the US National Institutes of Health are working with it to develop vaccines against Meningococcal A, H1N1 Influenza, Rotavirus and other diseases.

Serum Institute's mission is "to develop quality vaccines and offer them at inexpensive prices." Learn more about Serum Institute's high quality standards and modern production means on the company website. 

KaBOOM!

Many of you in the US will no doubt have heard about KaBOOM!  Elsewhere, though, little is known about this non-profit organization, "dedicated to saving play for America’s children." What is KaBOOM!? In their own words, "We are peppy, purple-adorned people who passionately promote the power of play!"

It's clear that children are more sendentary than in the past, back when there were fewer TVs, video games and computers. According to KaBOOM!, "Our children are playing less than any previous generation, and this lack of play is causing them profound physical, intellectual, social, and emotional harm. The Play Deficit is an important problem, and it is imperative that we solve it to ensure our children have long, healthy, and happy lives."

Created officially in April 1996 by Darell Hammond, according to their website, so far "KaBOOM! has built over 2,000 playgrounds, saving play for over 5.5 million children." You can help them build one too: click here for KaBOOM!'s detailed Project Planner that provides all the information you will need to build a playground in just one day! 

Or click here to find out how to make your community more playful. One simple idea: sit on a bench near a park - it will make the play area safer, especially if you sit there regularly and take friends with you. Or take a picture of a playground near you and then upload that photo on the KaBOOM! Playspace Finder to help parents find nearby playspaces.

There are many ways to help this cause, which will help put smiles on children's faces and make them healthier at the same time! To find out more go to http://kaboom.org/ or read about the movement in Hammond's book.

Helping Children Whose Rights Have Been Violated

"Friends-International believes that together we can protect marginalized children and youth and give them exciting opportunities to build their futures." Friends-International's key principles include:

"-Breaking the stereotypic images of pity and charity and promote empowerment, hope and transformation

-Making sure everything we do has a direct, positive impact on children

-Creating innovative, responsive and flexible initiatives to respond to issues facing marginalized children and youth

-Encouraging the participation of children and communities in all projects

-Creating international standards for the quality of services for children

-Being financially transparent and accountable

-Working with communities and families to help them to provide a safe, secure environment for children

-Supporting children and communities to become sustainable and reduce dependency"

This Cambodian child welfare organization began helping street children in 1994. It is a social enterprise that aims to "build their futures by:

-Protecting urban children and youth from all forms of abuse within the scope of the International Convention of the Rights of the Child

-Reintegrating marginalized urban children and youth so they become actively involved in the development of their society

-Preventing marginalized urban children and youth from engaging in risky behavior and/or dangerous situations that compromise their futures

-Improving the way organizations work by promoting innovative and effective approaches with the active participation of the children and youth

-Influencing all tiers of society to provide supportive environments and adopt positive behavior changes"

For more information on this important effort to help vulnerable youth through projects in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Honduras, Mexico, Egypt and Myanmar go to Friends-International's website.

The Good Times Contest Winner

Marie Trempe: Devoted Mother, Autism Education Trailblazer

Tony Attwood, author of The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome, believed that individuals with Asperger’s represent “bright threads on the rich tapestry of life.” Applying these bright threads to tapestries can result in works of art that stand out from the rest; however, properly applying these threads is not an easy task, and failure to stitch these threads effectively can result in tapestries that are either unfinished or lack the artistic creativity to stand out.

When a bright thread presented itself to Marie Trempe, a married mother of two from LaCrosse, Florida, she not only found a way to create a rich tapestry, but found a way to share her secrets with others.

When I first met Marie, I was a master’s student at the University of Florida pursuing my degree in Mass Communications. She posted a message on Craigslist requesting volunteers to assist with her son, Narottam’s, recovery from autism using the Son-Rise program. Barry and Samahira Kaufman started this program as a way to help their son, Raun, recover from his autism diagnosis; it encourages its practitioners to focus on interaction with the children rather than their disability.

THE 99 - Superheroes from 99 Countries

With a view to providing positive role models for children in the Islamic world, Naif Al Mutawa created the Teshkeel Media Group and THE 99, comic book heroes working together to improve the world. The idea behind these children's adventures is to "tell universally relevant stories" that promote "diversity, multiculturalism, personal responsibility and personal accountability", as quoted in Outstanding Social Entrepreneurs 2011. THE 99 comics have so far been translated into 8 languages, with editions in Bangladesh, France, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey.

Teshkeel Media Group states that by "Drawing upon our own history, culture and traditions, we aim to provide positive and inspirational images for children by creating properties that they can relate to." It's also good to remind the world that Islam's global values are shared by most humans everywhere, including honesty, peace, knowledge and tolerance.

For more on this useful initiative, here is the TED video with Naif Al Mutawa:

Free Education For All - "The First Grader"

"The First Grader" is a film infused with inspirational messages, advocating tolerance, tenacity and determination. It forcefully argues that education is a right and shows one fight for the right to a free education. "The First Grader" also communicates messages about the possibility of changing and growing at any age, and about the healing power of children. In a world where baby boomers are retiring and where many countries have huge populations of young people, this film also inspires us to think about the opportunities afforded by combining nurseries with old-folks homes or giving grandparents and seniors greater opportunity to care for grandchildren and youth. Here's a glimpse of this movie, based on a true story:



GoldcrestFilms
Writer: Anne Peacock (The Chronicles of Narnia)
Director: Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl, Bleak House)
Producers: David M. Thompson, Sam Feuer, Richard Harding
Cast: Naomie Harris, Oliver Litondo

Offering a Jumpstart in Life

The Leapfrog Scholarship was established in 2010 by Maya Grodman and her family, as an extension of the Maya Library project started in 2004. Only 13 years old at the time, Maya wanted to make a difference in the world. So she collected used books she donated monthly to the Charis Center, an orphanage and primary school in Uganda. Her idea was to promote reading for the orphans aged 4 to 14. Since that first book project, the initiative has grown to include the Leapfrog Scholarship, which provides funds for Charis graduates to continue their studies in secondary school. The Charis Center is an orphanage sponsored by Children's Hunger Relief Fund. The first Leapfrog Scholarship winner is 14-year old Lovisa, pictured here. Lovisa's father died of AIDS and her mother is suffering from the disease, but Lovisa is AIDS free.

The Leapfrog Scholarship will allow her to attend high school for the 3 years of secondary education in Uganda.

More information on the scholarship is available at the Leapfrog Scholarship website. Or, if you wish to contribute pocket change (every little bit helps) or donate a fixed amount of money each month (even just a few dollars), write to

LeapfrogScholarship@gmail.com or HGrodman@hotmail.com

When a Child Is Born

A ray of hope flickers in the sky,
A tiny star lights up way up high,
All across the land dawns a brand new morn -
This comes to pass when a child is born.

A silent wish sails the seven seas,
The winds of change whisper in the trees,
And the walls of doubt crumble, tossed and torn -
This comes to pass when a child is born.

A rosy hue settles all around,
You get the feeling you're on solid ground,
For a spell or two no one seems forlorn -
This comes to pass when a child is born.

All of this happens because the world is waiting,
Waiting for one child. Black, white, yellow? No one knows.
But a child that will grow up and turn tears to laughter,
Hate to love, war to peace and everyone to everyone's neighbor,
And misery and suffering will be words to be forgotten forever.

It's all a dream, an illusion now.
It must come true sometime soon, somehow.
All across the land dawns a brand new morn -
This comes to pass when a child is born.
When a Child is Born (Soleado, 1972 melody by Ciro Dammicco/Zacar)

Child-Driven Education

Sugata Mitra is an educational scientist who has done a great deal of research on the social context of learning and technology. He makes clear that the social context where children are working together yields great benefits. One of his simple, optimistic messages is that, "If children have interest, then education happens." Mitra's research is powerful, as you'll hear in this video.