Summer Participants Volunteering at Local Soup Kitchen
July 24, 2010
This summer several students volunteered at the RAM House in Roanoke, VA. The RAM house, also known as Roanoke Area Ministry, is a non-profit organization that serves the Roanoke Valley by providing a safe shelter for the homeless, a nutritious lunch, and emergency financial aid to those in need. The RAM house opens its doors to those in need 365 days a year from 8:00am to 4:00pm
Some of the participants helped to prepare and serve lunch, while other participants assisted with administrative tasks. Many of the participants said they plan on volunteering more within their local communities after such a positive and rewarding experience.
GYV Alumni Inspired to be a Social Innovator
July 2, 2010
Amir Dajani attended the Global Youth Village in 1986, 1987 and 1989 where his experiences inspired him to become a social innovator and a global citizen. Today, Amir is Deputy Managing Director of Bayti Real Estate Investment Company, where he oversees the Rawabi project, the first Palestinian planned community. Dajani directs all technical and business development operations of the Rawabi project and oversees and coordinates donor community participation.
Prior to joining Bayti, he worked in the Private Enterprise Office of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) West Bank and Gaza Mission in Tel Aviv. In this capacity, he oversaw the design, implementation and monitoring of multimillion-dollar institutions and capacity-building programs, along with trade facilitation and loan guarantee programs. Dajani formerly worked on a European Commission-funded program as the small- and medium-size enterprise (SME) technical assistance specialist in Jerusalem, gaining extensive experience in private-sector sustainable growth and sustainability.
Amir received a bachelor’s degree from Trinity College (Dublin) and a master’s degree from Sheffield Hallam University in the United Kingdom.
GYV 2009 Alumni Receives Prestigious Award
April 22, 2010
Robert Jackson, 2009 GYV alumni, has been selected as a Gates Millennium Scholar. As a Gates Scholar his entire college tuition will be paid in full by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. He will receive tuition support from his freshman year of college through doctoral study.
Robert says his participation in the Peace Building Program has truly been a significant experience in his life. We would like to congratulate Robert on such a wonderful achievement!
IWD-Women’s Day- March 8
March 6, 2010
Women: They are half of the world’s population, make up 42% of global internet users and control $14 trillion in assets. They also do two-thirds of the world’s work yet receive only 10% of the income. They are disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS. In many parts of the world, they lack basic economic, social, cultural, and political rights.
This Sunday, March 8th is International Womens Day (IWD). It is an international celebration marking the achievements of women and their importance to our future.
The IWD website posts:
“IWD is now an official holiday in China, Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother’s Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.
The new millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women’s and society’s thoughts about women’s equality and emancipation. Many from a younger generation feel that ‘all the battles have been won for women’ while many feminists from the 1970’s know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women’s visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women’s education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men.
However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices. And so the tone and nature of IWD has, for the past few years, moved from being a reminder about the negatives to a celebration of the positives.
Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women’s craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more.”
Visit the International Womens Day (IWD) website to find an event in your community. Better yet, volunteer with an organization that supports women and girls. Keep up to date on issues affecting women around the globe and inform others. Post links to news stories on your Facebook or MySpace page, etc. Contact your government representatives to voice your opinions and learn more about legislation that affects women and girls. Finally, as authored on the IWD site, “Make every day International Women’s Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.”
Statistics from IWD website: www.internationalwomensday.com.
WIN A SCHOLARSHIP: GYV Essay Contest!
February 17, 2010
Enter our Global Youth Essay Contest between February 20-April 10, 2010! Your essay must answer the question “How can I use technology to change the World.” The winners will receive full or partial scholarships to this summer’s program. Click here for offical rules and details.
- You must be ages 15-18 and a US citizen
- Essays should not exceed 500 words
- You must read the official rules
- Essays should be e-mailed to gyv@legacyintl.org
- Essays should be submitted between February 20- April 10th
- Your essay will be judged on
- (a) overall creativity (20%),
- (b) content for your proposal on how using technology can change the world (70%)
- (c) overall grammatical and structural fluency (10%)
Make 2010 a Year of Service
January 15, 2010
Community service projects are the foundation of bridging social barriers. This year we each have the opportunity to serve our neighboring communities by becoming involved in a community project. It is amazing the difference one person can make! National holidays, such as the Martin Luther King Day of Service, provide the perfect venue to get started. Just a few ways you could help out:
• Collecting items for charity such as clothes, food, or furniture.
• Cleaning roadside verges.
• Helping the elderly in nursing homes.
• Helping the local fire or police service.
• Helping out at a local library.
• Tutoring children with learning disabilities.
• Participating in school activities that benefit the wider community.
