Velvery
500er-Club
08|10|05
Hello Everybody!
Welcome to my new site! I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to Safesearching and Monkey Boy for designing a site I can be proud of. I will use my blog to share my feelings and opinions with you all. With my entries I hope to capture my passion about social issues, keep you updated on my humanitarian efforts and give you information on how you too may be able to help those in need.
I had an unbelievable time in India and needless to say, I am saddened by the recent monsoon devastation. I haven't stopped looking at the pictures I took while there. Once I have a chance to sort through them all I will share them with you. The trip gave me a really good understanding of not only the struggles within the country but the unyielding dreams that reside in the hearts of the beautiful Indian children. It seems that what makes India so enchanting is the very thing that makes it so complicated. It is a paradox, to say the least, but I am impressed with UNICEF's responses to India 's current problems.
I will now list my in country schedule along with my feelings and suggestions that I made to UNICEF.
DAY 1 – TSUNAMI FOCUS, CHENNAI FIELD OFFICE
-Psychosocial support for children
-Village level watchdog committees
-Nutrition Programs
I was elated to see the children of the tsunami-affected village moving on with their lives and being children. They sang and danced. Some of the women shared their moving stories with me about the day the tsunami hit. You could see how close to the surface the emotions still were. The only thing that made little sense and made me uneasy was the temporary housing. I was invited into one woman's temporary house and it felt twenty degrees hotter inside (and as you know, India is hot enough already). The temporary houses were made of steel. The woman said that the heat has frequently made her and her family ill. I know this is an issue beyond UNICEF's reach, but it upset me nevertheless and I would like to look into why alternative materials are not explored for such housing.
DAY 2 – AIDS FOCUS IN MUMBAI
-Bombay Cambridge School–Aids education program
-Dharvi Urban Health center – Adolescent girl's project – Kishori Project
Our first stop was the Bombay Cambridge School where I saw their HIV awareness program. The program was amazing. I was so inspired by the children. They not only were doing their part in erasing the stigma attached with HIV (HIV positive people are treated as outcasts in India ) but they were spreading the word to family members and friends. The children were very informed and were adamant in wanting to do their part in spreading the information obtained by the program. My suggestion to UNICEF was to come up with a volunteer peer educators program, where children who want to help - can help. A program in which well - educated, empowered children with life skills training and HIV training would reach out to children without access to such programs. I was frustrated by the lack of outreach programs for the less accessible children (slum and village kids) who are more vulnerable to HIV because of stigma and ignorance. Maybe with some NGO partnerships UNICEF can solidify a way to reach all children with this program, not just the middle class students that can afford such luxuries. Also, the students made many suggestions, some of which I thought were powerful like - a UNICEF driven mass ad campaign (radio and newspapers) to spread awareness. They also suggested carrying the program on to college campuses where the ads can run in college newspapers to keep the flow of information coming past their primary school curriculum. The faculty has agreed to put a UNICEF SUGGESTION BOX in the school so we can hear more of the student's ideas. I found their ideas substantial.
We then saw the Kishori Project. We learned that the project has helped 1500 girls not only in educating them about HIV but also giving them access to life skills and vocational skills. The program empowers them by building self-esteem. It arms the girls with knowledge, and teaches them to be self reliant, economically independent and gives them the tools for good decision-making. Fifteen hundred is a good amount to have already reached but not enough. The girls explained the program and how it changed their lives and helped them to find their voice. They were well spoken and passionate about their achievements since beginning the program. The girls said they couldn't afford to go to school. The Kishori Project has filled that void. It seems to be a huge success. Again, I want to reiterate how important it is to reach all children with the information UNICEF is making available. I really feel the harder to reach children are the most vulnerable to the disease and the stigma associated with the disease.
When I was in Angola , one of the programs I found to be most beneficial was the Teen Youth Center 's that UNICEF built in partnerships with other NGOs. They were built in more remote areas for the hard to reach, under privileged children. These youth centers had everything a kid could ask for – sports equipment, HIV education, computer labs and training (is India not the new Silicon Valley?), gender equality seminars for girls and boys, vocational training, movie night, educational social pamphlets for kids to leisurely read at their convenience, and a good, clean place to just hang out, have fun and be safe. I was there the day one such center opened and there was a line around the block (250 kids) waiting for the doors to open. Some of the children traveled by foot for miles to be there. I think Teen Youth Centers would be great for India 's children and I recommended a pilot program that would implement such a place.
DAY 3 – VILLAGE MICRO-PLANNING AND SPARSH PROJECT
-Visited the village of Pimpalgaon
The Sparsh (means “touch” in sanskrit) program blew me away. It made me think of when I was a child and my parents taught me the basics in taking care of myself. As an adult, I think I assumed that these skills were innately obvious but as I listened to the fundamentals of the program, I was reminded of my mother teaching me the importance of good hygiene, nutrition, etc. These life skills are, in fact, learned for us all and I am elated that Sparsh exists for the children in the villages. It teaches the community to take care of themselves, each other, and their surroundings. The village that we saw was clean, healthy and proud! The children were nourished and had a 100% school enrollment and attendance. I believe it is of great social importance to implement this program into as many villages as possible. Micro planning is an investment of one hundred dollars per village that will last for generations and generations to come.
DAY 4 – MUMBAI PROGRAMS
- PPTCT Program
- Childline 1098
I was blessed to have had the opportunity to speak to a twenty two year old, pregnant woman who was HIV positive. She was very brave to tell me her story. I think she was happy and relieved to share her fears with someone who would hold her hand without judgment of her illness. Her husband is also HIV positive and much to our surprise he was supporting her and their unborn child through their ordeal. She was scared. The Doctor who shared the program with us was very informative. He explained the drug cocktail that pregnant women can take to prevent spreading the disease to their unborn child and how if the women do NOT breast feed they have less chance to give HIV to their new child. If all elements are taken into consideration and followed there is only a thirty percent chance of the baby being infected with the disease. The only problem is that most women can't afford the drug cocktail recommended (at fifty dollars a month) and that they HAVE to breast feed because of their financial situation. Is anyone lobbying to make these drugs more affordable (by letting go of patents to make generic brands available)? Also, the hospital showed me their breast milk bank (apparently a one of a kind breast milk bank), where women who are excessively lactating can donate their breast milk. It is then pasteurized, to make it pure and ready for mothers, who aren't producing milk, to use.
As we were talking, I asked this beautiful Indian girl if she would be interested in being a peer counselor at (but not limited to), the hospital to help other young pregnant women and their spouses deal with being HIV positive. She as well as the doctor thought this would be a great program. Taking HIV positive women, training them on HIV awareness and prevention of parent to child transmission, and giving them a voice to effect change within their communities. I think it would help infected pregnant women to learn and share from other infected women.
We then went to learn about Childline 1098. This is a hotline for street kids in need. I loved this program and felt relieved that there was a way for street kids to get protection, medical care, counseling, and rehabilitation. I hope the government helps UNICEF and its partners in expanding the Childline program, so more children can benefit from what it has to offer.
OVERVIEW
When I return from these trips, I run the gamut of emotions. I feel everything from utter happiness and inspiration to frustration and despair. My trip to India was no exception. The more I travel with UNICEF the more I understand humanity. I have realized that the struggles of a developing nation are not unique from each other and are therefore the struggles of humanity. In other words, the struggles of India are the struggles of humankind. What makes each country unique is relative to their political and social territory. For instance, Angola has suffered forty years of civil war. They are totally rebuilding their infrastructure. They also have a landmine issue on top of all the other elements UNICEF fights for – HIV prevention, gender equality, child trafficking, exploitation, malnutrition, etc. India , on the contrary from most developing nations, has an abundance of positive aspects on her side. India is a democracy. India has its own financial resources. It is a country rich with culture, religion and traditions. As Gandhi once said “A nation's culture resides in the heart's and soul's of its people.” I couldn't agree more. For more information on how you can help please visit www.unicef.org . Until next time……
Peace,
Light,
And Love,
Alyssa
P.S. Don't forget to check out our first Safesearching auction. Money collected from the auction will benefit the Mattel Center Children's Hospital's Christmas party!
Quelle: profimedia
So das wärs dann mal
Hello Everybody!
Welcome to my new site! I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to Safesearching and Monkey Boy for designing a site I can be proud of. I will use my blog to share my feelings and opinions with you all. With my entries I hope to capture my passion about social issues, keep you updated on my humanitarian efforts and give you information on how you too may be able to help those in need.
I had an unbelievable time in India and needless to say, I am saddened by the recent monsoon devastation. I haven't stopped looking at the pictures I took while there. Once I have a chance to sort through them all I will share them with you. The trip gave me a really good understanding of not only the struggles within the country but the unyielding dreams that reside in the hearts of the beautiful Indian children. It seems that what makes India so enchanting is the very thing that makes it so complicated. It is a paradox, to say the least, but I am impressed with UNICEF's responses to India 's current problems.
I will now list my in country schedule along with my feelings and suggestions that I made to UNICEF.
DAY 1 – TSUNAMI FOCUS, CHENNAI FIELD OFFICE
-Psychosocial support for children
-Village level watchdog committees
-Nutrition Programs
I was elated to see the children of the tsunami-affected village moving on with their lives and being children. They sang and danced. Some of the women shared their moving stories with me about the day the tsunami hit. You could see how close to the surface the emotions still were. The only thing that made little sense and made me uneasy was the temporary housing. I was invited into one woman's temporary house and it felt twenty degrees hotter inside (and as you know, India is hot enough already). The temporary houses were made of steel. The woman said that the heat has frequently made her and her family ill. I know this is an issue beyond UNICEF's reach, but it upset me nevertheless and I would like to look into why alternative materials are not explored for such housing.
DAY 2 – AIDS FOCUS IN MUMBAI
-Bombay Cambridge School–Aids education program
-Dharvi Urban Health center – Adolescent girl's project – Kishori Project
Our first stop was the Bombay Cambridge School where I saw their HIV awareness program. The program was amazing. I was so inspired by the children. They not only were doing their part in erasing the stigma attached with HIV (HIV positive people are treated as outcasts in India ) but they were spreading the word to family members and friends. The children were very informed and were adamant in wanting to do their part in spreading the information obtained by the program. My suggestion to UNICEF was to come up with a volunteer peer educators program, where children who want to help - can help. A program in which well - educated, empowered children with life skills training and HIV training would reach out to children without access to such programs. I was frustrated by the lack of outreach programs for the less accessible children (slum and village kids) who are more vulnerable to HIV because of stigma and ignorance. Maybe with some NGO partnerships UNICEF can solidify a way to reach all children with this program, not just the middle class students that can afford such luxuries. Also, the students made many suggestions, some of which I thought were powerful like - a UNICEF driven mass ad campaign (radio and newspapers) to spread awareness. They also suggested carrying the program on to college campuses where the ads can run in college newspapers to keep the flow of information coming past their primary school curriculum. The faculty has agreed to put a UNICEF SUGGESTION BOX in the school so we can hear more of the student's ideas. I found their ideas substantial.
We then saw the Kishori Project. We learned that the project has helped 1500 girls not only in educating them about HIV but also giving them access to life skills and vocational skills. The program empowers them by building self-esteem. It arms the girls with knowledge, and teaches them to be self reliant, economically independent and gives them the tools for good decision-making. Fifteen hundred is a good amount to have already reached but not enough. The girls explained the program and how it changed their lives and helped them to find their voice. They were well spoken and passionate about their achievements since beginning the program. The girls said they couldn't afford to go to school. The Kishori Project has filled that void. It seems to be a huge success. Again, I want to reiterate how important it is to reach all children with the information UNICEF is making available. I really feel the harder to reach children are the most vulnerable to the disease and the stigma associated with the disease.
When I was in Angola , one of the programs I found to be most beneficial was the Teen Youth Center 's that UNICEF built in partnerships with other NGOs. They were built in more remote areas for the hard to reach, under privileged children. These youth centers had everything a kid could ask for – sports equipment, HIV education, computer labs and training (is India not the new Silicon Valley?), gender equality seminars for girls and boys, vocational training, movie night, educational social pamphlets for kids to leisurely read at their convenience, and a good, clean place to just hang out, have fun and be safe. I was there the day one such center opened and there was a line around the block (250 kids) waiting for the doors to open. Some of the children traveled by foot for miles to be there. I think Teen Youth Centers would be great for India 's children and I recommended a pilot program that would implement such a place.
DAY 3 – VILLAGE MICRO-PLANNING AND SPARSH PROJECT
-Visited the village of Pimpalgaon
The Sparsh (means “touch” in sanskrit) program blew me away. It made me think of when I was a child and my parents taught me the basics in taking care of myself. As an adult, I think I assumed that these skills were innately obvious but as I listened to the fundamentals of the program, I was reminded of my mother teaching me the importance of good hygiene, nutrition, etc. These life skills are, in fact, learned for us all and I am elated that Sparsh exists for the children in the villages. It teaches the community to take care of themselves, each other, and their surroundings. The village that we saw was clean, healthy and proud! The children were nourished and had a 100% school enrollment and attendance. I believe it is of great social importance to implement this program into as many villages as possible. Micro planning is an investment of one hundred dollars per village that will last for generations and generations to come.
DAY 4 – MUMBAI PROGRAMS
- PPTCT Program
- Childline 1098
I was blessed to have had the opportunity to speak to a twenty two year old, pregnant woman who was HIV positive. She was very brave to tell me her story. I think she was happy and relieved to share her fears with someone who would hold her hand without judgment of her illness. Her husband is also HIV positive and much to our surprise he was supporting her and their unborn child through their ordeal. She was scared. The Doctor who shared the program with us was very informative. He explained the drug cocktail that pregnant women can take to prevent spreading the disease to their unborn child and how if the women do NOT breast feed they have less chance to give HIV to their new child. If all elements are taken into consideration and followed there is only a thirty percent chance of the baby being infected with the disease. The only problem is that most women can't afford the drug cocktail recommended (at fifty dollars a month) and that they HAVE to breast feed because of their financial situation. Is anyone lobbying to make these drugs more affordable (by letting go of patents to make generic brands available)? Also, the hospital showed me their breast milk bank (apparently a one of a kind breast milk bank), where women who are excessively lactating can donate their breast milk. It is then pasteurized, to make it pure and ready for mothers, who aren't producing milk, to use.
As we were talking, I asked this beautiful Indian girl if she would be interested in being a peer counselor at (but not limited to), the hospital to help other young pregnant women and their spouses deal with being HIV positive. She as well as the doctor thought this would be a great program. Taking HIV positive women, training them on HIV awareness and prevention of parent to child transmission, and giving them a voice to effect change within their communities. I think it would help infected pregnant women to learn and share from other infected women.
We then went to learn about Childline 1098. This is a hotline for street kids in need. I loved this program and felt relieved that there was a way for street kids to get protection, medical care, counseling, and rehabilitation. I hope the government helps UNICEF and its partners in expanding the Childline program, so more children can benefit from what it has to offer.
OVERVIEW
When I return from these trips, I run the gamut of emotions. I feel everything from utter happiness and inspiration to frustration and despair. My trip to India was no exception. The more I travel with UNICEF the more I understand humanity. I have realized that the struggles of a developing nation are not unique from each other and are therefore the struggles of humanity. In other words, the struggles of India are the struggles of humankind. What makes each country unique is relative to their political and social territory. For instance, Angola has suffered forty years of civil war. They are totally rebuilding their infrastructure. They also have a landmine issue on top of all the other elements UNICEF fights for – HIV prevention, gender equality, child trafficking, exploitation, malnutrition, etc. India , on the contrary from most developing nations, has an abundance of positive aspects on her side. India is a democracy. India has its own financial resources. It is a country rich with culture, religion and traditions. As Gandhi once said “A nation's culture resides in the heart's and soul's of its people.” I couldn't agree more. For more information on how you can help please visit www.unicef.org . Until next time……
Peace,
Light,
And Love,
Alyssa
P.S. Don't forget to check out our first Safesearching auction. Money collected from the auction will benefit the Mattel Center Children's Hospital's Christmas party!
Quelle: profimedia
So das wärs dann mal
