by Alison Fraser | Sep 24, 2013 | 2013, Africa, Canada, Childhood, Education, Eye on Culture, Family, Girls, Human Rights, Humanitarian, Humanity, Inspirational, International, ONE, Philanthropy, Poverty, Uncategorized, United Nations, Women's Rights, World Voice
City of Kitchener Councillor, Kelly Galloway-Sealock, and the author’s three daughters at a 2012 International Day of the Girl Child event
Mark your calendars and celebrate October 11th with your families and in your communities! Why you might ask? Well, the reasons are two-fold. Firstly, October 11th is Eleanor Roosevelt’s birthday. Eleanor was a world-renowned advocate for human rights and world peace. She was instrumental in the development and implementation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. So, how fitting is it that the United Nations has declared October 11th as the International Day of the Girl Child.
This October 11th marks the second annual International Day of the Girl Child. This day will be celebrated worldwide in an effort to bring attention to the human rights of girls around the world, and to highlight the gender-based struggles that so many young girls face daily.
Forced childhood marriages, rape, and female genital mutilation are just some of the issues that many little girls are forced to deal with at very early ages. In many countries, young girls are not valued and as a result are not invested in, particularly when it comes to schooling. The resulting long-term effects are alarming and have been documented in an eye-opening video by the Girl Effect movement. Please watch this video and share with friends and family – it will change the way you see the world. Girl Effect – the clock is ticking!
Last year, the focus of the very first International Day of the Girl Child was child marriage. This year, the focus will be on education. There are so many wonderful ways that you can participate in this important day. Whether you plan a family event or a community event, we all need to ensure that this very important day is recognized. Spread the word – girls are important and need to be valued, respected and treated as equal partners in our local and global communities.
What can you do to honour this important day? You can host a community screening of the Girl Rising film that is receiving acclaim worldwide. You can act to spread the word about struggles some young girls are facing in the world today. You can talk to your children about these critical issues. You can ask your child’s teacher to discuss this day with their class. You can organize a fundraising event in your office/workplace. Whatever you choose to do, whether it be large or small-scale, YOU can make a difference on October 11th!
Last year, my three young daughters tied pink ribbons in their hair and joined a local city councillor on a hike discussing the importance of human rights for all girls. It was a simple but highly effective way to celebrate this day. So many people asked them why they were wearing the ribbons, allowing them to speak about the day in their own words describing what it meant to them. It was so great to see the passion being shared by a younger generation, especially given that many of these issues are often difficult for them to understand and rationalize!
This year, we are planning a yoga event at a local studio for young boys and girls in the community. We are asking for small donations, which will then be used to support the educational needs of girls in Tanzania. In addition, my two older daughters have done small research projects on the significance of the International Day of the Girl Child, and will be presenting all that they have learned to their classmates on October 11th, thanks to the support of their teachers. I encourage you to plan an event too!Your event does not have to be fancy or sophisticated. Sometimes the smallest and simplest acts can have the greatest impact.
Let’s all celebrate October 11th together – girls are worth it!
As Eleanor Roosevelt once said;
“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
In what way might you celebrate the Day of The Girl Child?
This is an original World Moms Blog post written by Alison Fraser.
Alison Fraser is the mother of three young girls ranging in age from 5 to 9 years old. She lives with her family in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. Alison works as an Environmental Toxicologist with a human environment consulting company and is an active member of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC). She is also the founder and director of the Canadian Not for Profit Organization, Mom2Mom Africa, which serves to fund the school fees of children and young women in rural Tanzania. Recently recognized and awarded a "Women of Waterloo Region" award, Alison is very involved in charitable events within her community including Christmas Toy and School Backpack Drives for the local foodbank.
More Posts - Website
Follow Me:
by World Moms Blog | Sep 3, 2013 | Humanitarian, Philanthropy, Social Good, Travel, World Moms Blog, World Voice
– An All Female Team’s Journey to Everest Base Camp –
By Christine Amour-Levar
There are unique opportunities in life that come your way, and at first you may not realize how meaningful they are. We often get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of our daily schedules, that when these new possibilities cross our path, we sometimes miss them altogether. My trek to Everest Base Camp was one such life-enriching journey that I was fortunate to experience with eight other dedicated women. Our experience last November will count, without a doubt, as one of the highlights of my life…
As my teammates and I clambered up the final few meters of uneven ground onto the shifting moraine leading to the Base Camp of Mount Everest, a surge of elation filled our racing hearts. We had succeeded in accomplishing our goal as a team; and as we embraced and congratulated ourselves with moist eyes and throats tight with emotion, we took in the incredible view of this symbolic place.
The Base Camp of Everest is an emblematic site, from which countless attempts on the summit of the goddess of all mountains, Mount Everest, have been made, and continue to be made every year. It commands nothing but respect and humility.
Just standing there, a little breathless from both the excitement and the 60% oxygen levels in the air, gazing admiringly at the Khumbu Icefall rising jaggedly before me, and surrounded by majestic snowy peaks…. it’s hard not to imagine the legendary climbers that must have treaded very close to where I was standing. Just over half a century ago, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first climbed Mount Everest in 1953, using this south col route, forging a path through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall, at our very feet.
My teammates and I had been dreaming of and training for this moment for many months. Despite the sun shining brightly in the cloudless azure sky, at 5,364 metres of altitude, it was already a chilly -3 degrees.We didn’t have much time before the sun would move behind the mountains and the temperatures would plummet to a crisp -15 degrees. So with a bit of haste we unfurled our various banners, and took the pictures we had been planning to capture.
The long days of non-stop trekking had taken its toll on our team. Three of the members of our group fighting illness had been put on antibiotics, and two others had to be put on oxygen at the last stop – Gorak Shep (5,164 m). They had been enduring pounding headaches for the last three days, which didn’t disappear with the intake of paracethamol. This was a sure sign of altitude sickness – an ailment not to be taken lightly. Just that morning, a French climber had to be airlifted from Gorak Shep because of this very condition.
We had committed to taking on this challenge to support a very special humanitarian cause, so were motivated to continue once they were treated.
Our goal was to trek to Everest Base Camp to raise awareness and funds ($100,000 SGD to be exact) for women survivors of war around the world. And throughout the journey, during the more strenuous moments of the climb, this calling had guided us and given us added strength and endurance.
Thinking about these destitute women, who had lost everything because of war and conflict, helped us focus on the task at hand.
The journey to Everest Base Camp can take approximately ten days to two weeks, depending on how many days of acclimatization you allow. This trek is classified as moderate to difficult, but it isn’t the terrain or hours on the trail that are the real difficulty (between five to eight hours on average per day depending on the itinerary) – it’s the altitude itself.
You start out from the village of Lukla (2,800m), a short scenic flight from Kathmandu, landing at Tenzing-Hillary Airport – incidentally considered one of the most dangerous airports in the world. The single runway is 460 by 20 metres (1,510 by 66 ft.) with a 12% gradient. On one side you have the mountains, and on the other, sheer nothingness – a complete drop.
The trek is also a deeply spiritual journey in the land of the clouds. As we progressed through the various villages that took us to Everest Base Camp, we came across a multitude of temples, monasteries, prayer wheels, stone tablets depicting the life of the Dalai Lama.
It’s impossible not to feel that sense of peace and spirituality emanating from the very ground, which is only enriched by the stunning backdrop of the Himalayan mountains.
The Nepalese people with their warmth and kindness touched our hearts forever. We returned home with a deep sense of fulfillment and gratitude to have been part of this team of determined ladies, supporting other women in distress. Each and every one of our teammates believed wholeheartedly in our chosen charity’s mission and objective. We embarked on this journey to support other mothers, daughters and sisters whose lives have been ripped apart by the horrors of war. By helping them surmount and climb their own personal “Everest” against the injustices of this world, we felt we were standing in solidarity with them, and it filled our hearts with more courage and determination.
The trek to Everest Base Camp is an adventure of the highest sort. It simply is wonderful to realize how much we can accomplish when we have the courage to leave our comfort zone, and when we dare to leap a little further…. We are just like you, ordinary people, who want to do extraordinary things. In our hearts, we know we can make a difference, one person at a time.
To find out more about Women on a Mission please visit www.womenmission.com.
This is an original post written for World moms Blog by guest writer Christine Amour-Levar. She is a Freelance Writer and Marketing Consultant currently based in Singapore. Christine is the Author of The Smart Girl’s Handbook to Being MUMMYLICIOUS – a motivational and practical guide to getting your body (and your GROOVE) back post pregnancy.
For more information please visit: www.thesmartgirlshandbook.com
World Moms Blog is an award winning website which writes from over 30 countries on the topics of motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. Over 70 international contributors share their stories from around the globe, bonded by the common thread of motherhood and wanting a better world for their children.
World Moms Blog was listed by Forbes Woman as one of the "Best 100 Websites for Women 2012 & 2013" and also called a "must read" by the NY Times Motherlode in 2013. Our Senior Editor in India, Purnima Ramakrishnan, was awarded the BlogHer International Activist Award in 2013.
More Posts
by Kristyn Zalota | Jun 25, 2013 | 2013, Birthing, Clean Birth Kits, Health, Maternal Health, Philanthropy, Social Good, Uncategorized, World Moms Blog
Photo By Kristyn Zalota
Nine months ago, I received the first donation to CleanBirth.org, my project to make birth safer in Laos. It was fittingly given on the playground after school by a fellow mom.
I say fittingly, because I have spent much of the past 7 years of motherhood pushing swings and spotting my monkeys on bars. It is also fitting because the bulk of the three hundred donors who followed that first donation are fellow frequenters of playgrounds. The support from moms, dads, and grand parents totals almost $20,000 in just 9 months!
Kristyn with OVA Staff and Nurses in Laos
So how does a playground aficionado add safe birth advocacy to her daily life?
Here’s my 3-step plan for changing the world in the way only you can:
1. Find your passion. My kids are 4 and 7 today, but when they were younger full-time, stay-at-home motherhood was tough for me. I wanted to be with them and I also wanted to travel and work. By way of a compromise, I volunteered on projects in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Thailand, Cambodia and Uganda. Sometimes the kids came with me – we lived in Thailand and Cambodia for a year – and other shorter trips they stayed at home with their dad and grandparents. My experiences as a volunteering mother transformed my long-standing interest in women’s empowerment into a passion for global maternal health.
Once I realized that I wanted to advocate for women and make birth safer, I became a mama on a mission.
2. Find a do-able project. So, how can I be at pick-up by 1pm everyday *and* make birth safer in Laos? I started with a manageable project. CleanBirth.org provides Clean Birth Kits (an absorbent sheet, medicated soap, a sterile blade, cord clamp, picture instructions) and birth education to women in one province of Laos. Studies show that kits prevent infection in both mothers and babies.
To ensure that the project is locally driven and sustainable, I have partnered with two organizations. The first partner is Our Village Association (OVA), a Lao non-profit with 10 years of experience working with local villagers. Together with OVA, CleanBirth.org trains local nurses in the use and distribution of Clean Birth Kits. OVA continuously monitors the nurses, tracks the use of the kits and reports back to me via email.
The second organization that I teamed up with, AYZH, manufactures high-quality Clean Birth Kits in India and mails them directly to OVA in Laos. Since the kits are shipped directly, I do not need to be on the ground to ensure quality-control or resupply.
I travel to Laos twice per year to see everything for myself. In the US, I spend all of my kid-free hours raising funds and awareness – and loving every minute of it!
3. Find help. None of this would be possible without the support of my family: my husband, mother-in-law and parents. Having the people closest to you believe in your cause is so important, especially if you are working 30 hours per week and not getting paid.
I have also asked for help from maternal health experts and volunteers. By going to the experts, to those already doing the work, I have been able to capitalize on best practices. Volunteers can be invaluable. When someone competently takes on a task, no matter how small, it enables me to move onto another to-do item.
I can honestly say that I am living my dream life. I still hit the playground every afternoon — after 4 hours of working to promote safe birth. When I travel to Laos, I pack in more in 2 weeks than I could have imagined in my pre-kids wanderings. No time to waste, I’ve got kids at home missing their mama.
If you are reading this and thinking: “I have a passion for _____ but I don’t know where to start,” I urge you to just start. Find a small first project. Make time each day to work on it. Get advice from others who are doing similar work. Ask for help.
If your goal is to help others, you will find support from many places, often you just need to ask. I have been overwhelmed by the unexpected generosity and support of friends and perfect strangers.
So use your passion, get out there and change the world in the way only you can!
What’s Your Passion?
This is an original post written for World Moms Blog by Kristyn Zalota.
____________________________________________________________
Kristyn brings her years of experience as an entrepreneur and serial volunteer to CleanBirth.org. She holds a MA, has run small businesses in Russia and the US, and has volunteered in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Uganda on projects related to women’s empowerment. After having children, Kristyn became an advocate for mothers in the US, as a doula and Lamaze educator, and abroad, as the Founder of CleanBirth.org. She is honored to provide nurses in Laos with the supplies, funding and training they need to lower maternal and infant mortality rates in their villages.
Kristyn brings her years of experience as an entrepreneur and serial volunteer to CleanBirth.org. She holds a MA, has run small businesses in Russia and the US, and has volunteered in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Uganda on projects related to women’s empowerment.
After having children, Kristyn became an advocate for mothers in the US, as a doula and Lamaze educator, and abroad, as the Founder of CleanBirth.org. She is honored to provide nurses in Laos with the supplies, funding and training they need to lower maternal and infant mortality rates in their villages.
More Posts
by Martine de Luna (Philippines) | Mar 14, 2013 | Education, Human Rights, Philanthropy, Philippines, Social Good, World Events, World Moms Blog, World Voice, Youth Programs
I’m reaching out to the global community on behalf of a small organization in our nation, known as the Yes Pinoy Foundation (or “Yes, Filipino” — “pinoy” is a colloquialism).
I am sharing a video about Justin, one of the children of a 30 year-old public school in the small town of Casili, and how much effort he takes to get to school.Some months ago, a small public school was featured on local television. The town, known as Casili, is located in one of the most treacherous landscapes in Luzon, our country’s northern province. Casili is actually a government-protected watershed northeast of Metro Manila, in the province of Rizal. Because of this, no structures are allowed to be built.
Every day, the children of Casili Elementary School risk their lives crossing a river to attend class, riding a
salbabida (rubber inner tube) or bamboo
balsa (raft). Their lives are especially at risk during the rainy season when the river becomes a fifty-feet deep raging waterway.
(more…)Martine is a work-at-home Mom and passionate blogger. A former expat kid, she has a soft spot for international efforts, like WMB. While she's not blogging, she's busy making words awesome for her clients, who avail of her marketing writing, website writing, and blog consulting services. Martine now resides in busy, sunny Manila, the Philippines, with her husband, Ton, and toddler son, Vito Sebastian. You can find her blogging at DaintyMom.com.
More Posts
by Lauren @Hike.Blog.Love. (USA) | Dec 18, 2012 | Autism, Family, Friendship, Kids, Parenting, Philanthropy, Social Good, Special Needs, World Motherhood, World Voice, Younger Children
The author holding her son after completing the Best Buddies 5K in August 2012.
I hold my breath as my five-year old son zooms around the playground. There are children laughing and squealing all around us. Games of tag and the sound of ring-around-the-rosey sung in unison fill the evening air.
My son continues to run in circles as if he is the only child on the playground. Another child approaches him and catches his attention. He stops. My heart starts pounding and I convince myself to wait and watch before jumping in to help him navigate this brief social encounter. It’s over as quickly as it began and he is back to zooming around the playground.
Some of the moms and other children begin to stare. Most smile politely and continue on with what they were doing and I sink back into my seat, wondering what the future will hold for my son. This is a typical day in the life of my five-year old son who is diagnosed with autism and cognitive delay. While my other typically developing five-year old son is eager to play with friends on the playground, my son with special needs is satisfied to stay within his comfort zone of isolation.
Could you imagine a world without friendship? I certainly could not.
So one day I asked myself if my son is truly happy playing alone with only brief and superficial social encounters. Doesn’t he really crave friendship like his brother? Although my son is limited verbally, a single conversation was enough to clarify that he did indeed want to make friends. As his mother, I was determined to help him do it. (more…)
Lauren is a lover of nature, an avid hiker and mama to two boys adopted from across the globe—one who happens to have autism. She is passionate about special needs adoption and the great outdoors.
You can find Lauren blogging about all of her adventures at "http://hikebloglove.com", Hike Blog Love. where she hopes to inspire others to get outdoors and explore. She fiercely believes that adventure is for all.
More Posts
by Alison Fraser | Dec 14, 2012 | Africa, Being Thankful, Canada, Communication, Culture, Family, Friendship, Girls, Human Rights, Humanity, Inspirational, International, Kenya, Life Lesson, Motherhood, Parenting, Philanthropy, Social Good, World Motherhood, World Voice, Younger Children
Teddy Bear Picnic Fundraiser
Global awareness has been identified, by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, as key to the success of today’s young people. I have always prided myself on my commitment to raising my three young daughters to understand the challenges that people all over the world face on a daily basis. Despite my best efforts, I felt like I was failing. Of no fault of their own, given their young ages, I felt that they were slowly being swallowed up by a world driven, at times, by materialism and egocentrism. As their mom, I knew it was my responsibility to raise them as globally aware citizens. But how?
The major stumbling block at the time was their young age. How would I ever manage to teach my daughters to be empathetic when they were all under the age of 6! After much thought, I realized that the only way to accomplish this was to truly involve them in the process right from the start. So, no fancy and sophisticated fundraisers, no black tie events, no galas…but a teddy bear picnic: absolutely! (more…)
Alison Fraser is the mother of three young girls ranging in age from 5 to 9 years old. She lives with her family in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. Alison works as an Environmental Toxicologist with a human environment consulting company and is an active member of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC). She is also the founder and director of the Canadian Not for Profit Organization, Mom2Mom Africa, which serves to fund the school fees of children and young women in rural Tanzania. Recently recognized and awarded a "Women of Waterloo Region" award, Alison is very involved in charitable events within her community including Christmas Toy and School Backpack Drives for the local foodbank.
More Posts - Website
Follow Me:
