A 10-foot-tall peace sculpture was unveiled and dedicated to the people of Wausau, Wisconsin, recently, to build a bridge between them and their Arabs friends in Egypt. Doves were set free at the ceremony for the monument, which features a large dove carrying the word “peace” inscribed in English on one wing, and in Arabic on the other.
The landmark was envisioned by Mostafa Saleh, a Fulbright Scholar from Egypt who is studying at the the area’s Northcentral Technical College. When Mostafa first arrived in America he was concerned about how he would be received from the Wausau community. But worry gave way after the warm welcome and kindness he received. He wanted to donate a gift to thank the town. He first thought about a sculpture involving pyramids but then decided on something to encompass all the Mideast, and not just Egypt. The peace sculpture resulted, which shows the planet Earth resting between the wings of a dove. On its base the word peace is spelled out in 37 languages, including Braille.
Peace Sculpture Unveiled, Born of Egyptian Student’s Gratitude for US Town
Malawi Farmers Adapt to Climate Change, Become Filmmakers to Teach Others (Video)
A journalist and CNN corporate sales executive quit her job to pursue a Masters thesis that would help Malawi farmers use video to teach neighboring villages about the ways they have learned to adapt to climate change and preserve their livelihoods in the wake of new flooding.
Rural communities in Africa are among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The change in weather patterns has caused extreme drought and flooding, compromising crops and consequently food security, shelter and livelihoods. The majority of farmers do not have access to proper information about what’s happening to the climate and most importantly, if there are adaptive actions that could help them cope with the problems.
Thanks to education provided by the Malawian Red Cross, one village has taken real action and begun adapting their activities in simple ways, such as substituting maize crops with rice, and replacing their chickens that drown during flooding, with ducks that float.
With the help of Fernanda Baumhardt, who quit her high-paying job in broadcasting so she could “work for a cause, and not just a paycheck,” farmers in Mphunga were transformed into filmmakers and shown how to produce a video so their successful community-based adaptation practices could be shared with neighboring villages.
Following Baumhardt’s instructions, a group of farmers developed into filmmakers. She taught them how to operate a camera and how to write the script for a movie, which then turned into an educational tool. The village even created their own Climate Change music to play over the credits. The movie contained six examples of adaptation practices and was shown to four other villages, which were suffering from similar climate impacts. As a result, people from those villages were willing to change their behavior to implement the same successful measures needed to sustain their rural farming lifestyle.
Fernanda, now has her Masters in Environmental Resource Management, and for her work received an Award of Appreciation from Images and Voice of Hope at their World Summit in October. The group of global journalists, media professionals and artists honor media professionals who make contributions to “new stories of possibilities about the world”. Fernanda inspired all of us in attendance with her courage: Uprooting herself from Los Angeles and trudging along Africa’s rural landscape in a quest to help others use the powerful tool of communication enabled villagers to spread the good news that success is possible amidst torrential change.
Malawi Farmers Adapt to Climate Change, Create Video to Teach Others
A journalist and CNN corporate sales executive quit her job to pursue a Masters thesis that would help Malawi farmers use video to teach neighboring villages about the ways they have learned to adapt to climate change and preserve their livelihoods in the wake of new flooding.
Rural communities in Africa are among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The change in weather patterns has caused extreme drought and flooding, compromising crops and consequently food security, shelter and livelihoods. The majority of farmers do not have access to proper information about what’s happening to the climate and most importantly, if there are adaptive actions that could help them cope with the problems.
Thanks to education provided by the Malawian Red Cross, one village has taken real action and begun adapting their activities in simple ways, such as substituting maize crops with rice, and replacing their chickens that drown during flooding, with ducks that float.
Would-be Robber Pays Back Store Owner Who Showed Kindness
A would-be robber in Long Island has paid a store owner back.
In June, a robber tried to steal money from a deli, but the shopkeeper provided the man with forty dollars and a loaf of bread, and made him promise never to steal again after saying a prayer.
The robber has now paid that money back, sending a letter that read in part, “I know it was wrong, but I had to feed my family.” He said he had turned to religion instead.
Watch the updated AP story below…
Watch the original story here: Armed Shopkeeper Takes Pity on Robber
Would-be Robber Pays Back Store Owner Who Showed Kindness
A would-be robber in Long Island has paid a store owner back.
In June, a robber tried to steal money from a deli, but the shopkeeper provided the man with forty dollars and a loaf of bread, and made him promise never to steal again after saying a prayer.
The robber has now paid that money back, sending a letter that read in part, “I know it was wrong, but I had to feed my family.” He said he had turned to religion instead.
Watch the updated AP story below…
Watch the original story here: Armed Shopkeeper Takes Pity on Robber
Socialite’s School Brings Hope To Brazilian Slum
Poverty and violence are part of every day life for children living in Brazil’s slums. But a Rio de Janeiro socialite is fighting to change that. Yvonne Bezerra de Mello dedicates her time and wealth to teaching the poorest of the poor in some of the worst neighborhoods.
Her school is called Children of the Golden Rainbow and when she arrives in the mornings it is all hugs and kisses, but once classes start, they get down to the business of learning. Through play and song, she hopes to encourage and engage the students who have been written off by society.
(Read or hear the rest of the story at NPR.org)
(LINK ADDED) Goldman Sachs, Buffett Donate $500 Million for Small Businesses
Goldman Sachs joined Warren Buffett to announce a half-billion dollar donation to provide assistance to small businesses in the United States.
The $500 million charitable initiative, announced three weeks ago, aims to provide assistance — ranging from counseling to obtaining funding — to 10,000 businesses. Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is the largest shareholder in New York-based Goldman Sachs.
(Continue reading in Bloomberg News)
Black Friday Numbers – Good News for Charities? World Vision Gift Giving Up 30 Percent
The faltering U.S. economy is again forcing many U.S. adults to cut back on holiday gift spending this year, but one leading U.S. charity reports 2009 gift giving from their holiday catalog is up dramatically compared to last year. World Vision, an international relief and development organization, says 2009 revenue from its gift catalog is running 28% ahead of 2008. Since October 1st, the charity has raised more than $4.7 million toward its goal of $25 million this holiday season.
These numbers seem to confirm findings from a new study on charitable giving conducted on World Vision’s behalf by Harris Interactive. According to the study, three out of four U.S. adults (76%) would prefer to receive a meaningful gift that would help someone else instead of a traditional holiday gift like clothing or electronics. And an overwhelming majority (95%) agrees it is especially important to help children during the holiday season. Most Americans also say, once the economy improves, they’ll increase their donations to charities.
But these new revenue numbers indicate charities like World Vision may not have to wait until the recession is over.
Swine Flu Receding, Vaccine Supply Growing
The number of H1N1 swine flu cases in the United States has dropped steadily for four weeks as vaccine stockpiles continue to grow, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported Monday afternoon.
“Visits to doctors for influenza-like illness nationally decreased sharply this week over last week with all regions showing declines,” announced the Atlanta-based CDC on its website, referring to a preliminary analysis of the week ending on November 21.
“This is the fourth consecutive week of national decreases.” According to the update, the number of states reporting undefined “widespread influenza activity” also dropped by 11 during that week; from 43 to 32.
(Read more at Pediatric SuperSite)
We May Be Born With an Urge to Help
What is the essence of human nature? Flawed, say many theologians. Vicious and addicted to warfare, wrote Hobbes. Selfish and in need of considerable improvement, think many parents.
But biologists are beginning to form a sunnier view of humankind. Their conclusions are derived in part from testing very young children.
Biologists discovered that human babies are innately sociable with a natural willingness to help.
(Continue reading in the New York Times)
Good News on AIDS Front, New Infections Down by 100,000
India had reassuring news on the HIV/AIDS front on World AIDS Day Tuesday. The number of HIV positive people in the country had declined by 400,000 over the last five years and new infections were down by at least 100,000 per year.
“AIDS is not spreading like earlier. It is stable now.”
(Continue reading at India eNews)
Used Shoes Take Giant Steps in Poor Countries
From shoe drop-off centers across the U.S., hiking boots, sneakers, sandals and baby shoes are delivered by bags and boxes to a 400,000-square-foot warehouse in Illinois, opened by a mom with a mission.
Collecting and distributing 900,000 pairs of used shoes over the past decade has changed Mona Purdy’s life. She is now the executive director of Share Your Soles, a charity which has no religious or government affiliation but has helped the needy in at least 29 countries and several U.S. states.
Snow boots go to American Indian reservations in South Dakota, rubber boots are destined for people scavenging garbage dumps in Haiti and slip-on water shoes are headed for the Amazon.
(Continue reading Reuters story at MSNBC )
New Yorkers Answer Letters to Santa
The United States Postal Service has kicked off its annual “Letters to Santa”, inviting people to respond to a child’s letter to Santa and give a gift off their wishlist.
Whether naughty or nice, the program gives kids hope, when they need it the most. For almost 100 years, the Postal Service has been opening the letters addressed to the North Pole, and determining if there is a real need. Volunteers can sort through the letters and choose one that touches their heart.
In 1912, Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock authorized local postmasters to allow postal employees and citizens to respond to the letters, dubbing it, Operation Santa. In the 1940s, mail volume for Santa increased so much that the Postal Service invited charitable organizations and corporations to participate by providing written responses and gifts. (The video below features New York volunteers)
Iran Frees Five British Sailors Detained At Sea
Iran freed five British sailors detained last week when their racing yacht drifted accidentally into Iranian waters in the Persian Gulf. Britain said it was delighted with Wednesday’s release and praised Tehran’s handling of the incident.
The 60-foot yacht was in the Persian Gulf on its way from Bahrain to Dubai last Wednesday for the start of its first offshore race when it ran into a problem with its propeller, said Andrew Pindar, whose Team Pindar owns the yacht. It drifted into Iranian waters and was seized by the elite Revolutionary Guard’s navy
“After carrying out an investigation and interrogation of the five British sailors, it became clear that their illegal entry was a mistake,” the Revolutionary Guard said in a statement.
A Lift for NY Spirits: Stray-bullet Victim Making Miraculous Recovery
A gift for a grateful city, a reason to rejoice. Vada Vasquez – the 15-year-old Bronx girl felled a stray bullet – is making a miraculous recovery.
She can already write and comprehend what is said to her. Doctors say she will make a “full functional recovery” and could be back in school in a matter of months.
US to Lift Ban on HIV-Positive Travelers
Today is World AIDS Day, and I just found this good news item about the US dropping its travel ban on people with HIV coming into the United States. The full removal of the ban takes effect on January 4, 2010.
Ambassador Eric Goosby, the Global AIDS Coordinator said the entry ban was originally placed into effect in 1987 when there was little information on how HIV is spread, and was then codified by Congress.
“Even after scientists had long proved that HIV/AIDS was not spread through casual contact with a person living with HIV, the entry ban remained in place. Only a handful of countries worldwide prohibit HIV-positive travelers from crossing their borders, and the United States has been the only Western country to uphold this discriminatory policy. Last year, Congress finally repealed the law mandating the travel ban, and the Obama Administration was able to remove the remaining regulatory barriers.”
Egypt Slum Recycles Waste to Create Energy (Video)
Cairo’s overflowing public garbage has been a plague on the Egyptian capital, but an American engineer is helping locals to see their waste as wealth. Food scraps are now moved outside to the bio-container which processes the rubbish to create ‘biogas’, a fuel for cooking and heating homes.
Watch the AFP video below…
Nursing Moses: Moms Step In After Infant’s Mother Dies
What evolved in the days and months following his wife’s death this January in childbirth still touches widower Robbie Goodrich. More than 20 mothers in Marquette, a city of 20,000 in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, volunteered to nurse his baby Moses.
All these months later, they’re still at it, giving the the kind of sustenance Goodrich knew his wife wanted for the boy.
“It’s been such an incredible outpouring of community love for this child of mine,” said Goodrich, a 44-year-old history professor at Northern Michigan University.
(Continue reading at CNN)
Thanks to Lois C. for submitting the link!
Innovative IPO Raises Million for Homeless
A new homeless shelter in San Francisco is using an innovative IPO program to raise money. Homeward Bound of Marin raised one million dollars by creating the world’s first nonprofit IPO (Immediate Public Offering) at $32.00 per share. The offering has attracted over 31,000 shareholders including Warren Buffet, who bought the first share.
The ROI (Return on Investment) for each share includes:
• 32 units of affordable housing and job training programs.
• A legacy of self-sufficiency.
• Invitations to Annual Events at their fabulous facility.
• A shareholder certificate.
• 10% discount off their homeless-run catering service.
• A letter confirming the IPO is tax-deductible.
Mr. Buffett gave his personal endorsement to the IPO, stating that it is “a good investment” for everyone.
The shelter can house up to 350 homeless per night, has a culinary school to help train and certify homeless in food services, and provides a variety of other services to homeless families and adults.
(Read more from Deborah Price at Belief.net)
White Rhino Comeback- a Success Story That Gives Hope
(Highlighting the best news of the decade with this video from 2008)
Africa’s white rhinos were driven to the brink of extinction in the early 20th century as poachers hunted the animal for its horn. A breeding program launched in Botswana over 10 years ago has been successful in bringing the white rhino back to Botswana’s bush, and lifting it off the endangered species list.
From 100 rhinos a century ago to more than 15,000 roaming Africa today, the success story offers hope that black rhinos, which are still seriously endangered, may also survive. (Photo by Renaud Fulconis, rhinos-irf.org)
Watch the video from AFP below…