1. Small donations can make a world of difference for children living in poverty and working in situations of child labour. According to "Free The Children":
- $1 can buy $10 worth of medical supplies for people in developing countries
- $50 can buy a goat that will provide a source of income for a family in a developing country
- $100 can provide a clean water system for a family in a developing country
- $5000 can build a school in a developing country
2. Get together with friends who share your passion and organize a fund raiser at your school or church, or in the community. Car washes, bake sales, garage sales, bbq's and dress-down-days at school or work are great ways to raise money.
3. Contact government officials. Your provincial MPP's and Federal MP's simply love receiving strongly-worded, passionate letters outlining issues that concern you. Be straightforward and to-the-point, but do not be offensive or insulting. Make sure to be clear and concise when outlining the issue and include your contact information so that they may respond back. If you receive a response that you are not happy with feel free to write back again. Government officials are elected to serve the people whom they represent, so don't be shy!
4. Raise Awareness. Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. The more people know about the issue, the more people can help.
For more information, visit www.freethechildren.org
Sunday, April 27, 2008
What can we do to help?
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Ratification Campaign:
As a citizen you can use your rights, affiliations and beliefs to bring about change. You can:
1. Lobby your government to ratify and apply ILO Conventions to the letter.
2. Pressure your local authorities to enforce laws on education.
3. Urge your trade union to take up the cause at home, or in solidarity with unions abroad.
4. Urge your employers’ confederation to start relevant programmes.
5. Join and support national or international non-governmental organizations active in the field.
6. Help create or run educational alternatives for working children.
7. Talk to children and parents to encourage them into alternatives.
8. Urge local, national and international news media to raise awareness about child labour.
9. Distribute IPEC and other anti-child labour documentation.
10. Be an informed consumer and traveller.
Hi Mariam,
I love your blog. It is very informative.
This cause is something I have been thinking about... Each one of us can take on a project (sponsor an orphanage or village in Africa, etc).
A little goes a long way. With each person taking this on, the task is manageable, and this way we can make a difference.
If you get people that are interested, please let me know. I am in!
Thanks:)
-- @ Sweet Sensei - Thanks a lot for your support and contribution.
-- @ Beebs - Thanks for the support and encouragement! I really like your idea which almost corresponds to the spirit of this blog.
However, it is not about coming together to help one specific country or region. We are all based in different countries,
and realistically, it's too expensive for someone in Canada or Australia to send stuff to an orphanage in Africa.
I am planning an exploration trip and all expenses will be on me. The expense for the big awareness project we are
planning for the end of the year will also be on me. At this point I don't want anyone to contribute with money but with concrete
materials!
In due time, I will send a notice to all my subscribers, my friends and family and those that have shown interest in this cause;
specifiying how to send me the clothes and school supplies for children.
Everything will be dispatched in orphanages I'd visit during the exploration trip in Nigeria, Ghana, Cape Verde and Niger!
I think a lot has to do with the issue of education here..now in a country where even the child hawks on the street without any legislation against it..I'm compelled to do some serious thinking...
A 7 year old girl got raped by a pedophile just some blocks from my house and I'm not sure the parents want 2 go far wiv d case..My wife was even considering Legal services pro bono to the family..but for the helpless girl, whose parents are not so willing to fight, sometimes ur hands just get tied, real badddd!!!!
I got this from CIDA, It is a very enlightening site. Ya'll can check it out, It's up in the "Important Links" Section.
What you can do
Get informed. Learn more about child labour, and share what you learn with your friends, family, and teachers. Visit the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Save the Children Canada, and the International Labour Organization's Program on the Elimination of Child Labour.
Get connected. Join and support non-governmental organizations working directly with children to help stop the worst forms of child labour, such as Global March Against Child Labour, Street Kids International (SKI), and Eldis Working Children and Young People Guide. You can also join a chat forum on child labour.
Make a difference. Join Anti-Slavery's Campaign Network. Urge local, national, and international news media to raise awareness about child labour. And be an informed consumer and traveller.
about this issue. i think there are organizations that already doin things like this. i even heard angelina jolie also is doing. and y'all know oparh has a school in south africa even if it is just for girls and i think that is mainly due to the fact that most of this things happen to the female child. madam we can always start stuff like this right here. it doesnt mean just talking about it. we have to take actions and steps to a better tommorrow so all children of the world especiallyy africa can have a better future.
lola
Dear Mariam,
I wanna start off by sayin' i sincerely send ma'salutations ta yh 4 speakin' loud bout such a sensitive case everybody needs ta be aware of..
Its such a shame how ppl ignore cases like those cuz children r cryin' out 4 a drop of water ta kill their thirstiness..while tha rich ones livin' their luxury life as if dey neva felt sum1's tuff situations like povery nd hard circumstances..not all of 'em does care less bout dis issue thou'..like mentioned above by anonymous celebrities r startin' ta take a positive role in these situations..such as brad nd angelina,u2,jayz nd othaz donated wit millions for tha poor african countries dat desperately needs a dollar ta buy clothes nd a piece of bread.Me being from darfur stood a part in helping my ppl ofcourse..i donated like $500 last year 2 tha charities that supports darfur..ppl might say dis amount of money is not enuff ta satisfy tha majority of ppl in darfur needs..I reply saying if u can at least donate wit a dollar...trust me it might sound very little but can make a big change than u think it will..
So ta make it brief as possible..juss like ma' homegal mariam said we don't need no monetary donations if dats unaffordable but we need ur voice ya'll..if u care bout otha children dat dies every single minute passin' by without u being realizin' how fast dis death rate increases every year..then pass on ur voice nd god may bless ya'll...god bless america ma' ass lol...i'd ratha sae god bless those who pray 4 a change in africa,nd countries facin' every day struggle..Spread tha peace nd love worldwide..no racism,no ignorance,no prejudice,no hatered,no jealousy,no envy nd most importantly...NO POVERTY..Salam
Thankx 4 ur time 4 readin' ma' comment..Hope tha msg gets into every body's mind nd starts from dis very moment ta help make a better change,a better world :)
Mariam what is the next big step?
When is this big awareness project?
How do you plan to pull it off?
You said it's not going to stop here, what other plans do you have?
I just want to know what you've gat under the pillow. I am excited about this. I want to be part of it!
I have Ideas, a lot of ideas. So get back at me so we could kick it off!
The next big step is "Project Niger."
lol... this big awareness project should be actuallized sometime between NOVEMBER/DECEMBER!
"Project Niger" -
I am planning to spend a month or 3weeks in Niger working for free with a chosen organization tolearn and explore Child Mining and labour in general; to get a first hand feel of what really goes down in Nigers' mines... I will visit four villages (check the post "Project Niger"). I shall see, observe, learn, study and then report back to you guys and then, together we can try to solve the issue of child mining in Niger. (this is just a rough sketch,soon enough I will post all I have been working on - the plans, dates, the chosen organization... the when, the where and the how!
1. Well Project Niger is one of the plan. Working and raising awareness in Nigeria and all of West Africa and South America as well.
2. Building a strong dedicated and selfless team.
3. Exploring more, expanding,and sending all children back to school where they belong.
Now that you have an idea of what I gat under the pillow, watchu gat?!
I love to hear new ideas... bring it on sistah :)
@ Jad Jr. - Thanks alot bro, really, thanks for the support and encouragement....
Always remember that no matter what or how much you donate, it's never too much or too little. Like u said, as little as a dollar can go a long way especailly in Africa.
And ya knaw Sudan ain't alone in this... It's all over the world including places like Canada.
Even the "developed" European countries are not immune from this.
There are estimatesd 44.6 million child labourers in Asia alone; 23.6million in Africa and - 5.1 million in Latin America!!
"Among the 10- to 14-year-old children the working rate is 41.3 percent in Kenya, 31.4 percent in Senegal, 30.1 percent in Bangladesh, 25.8 percent in Nigeria, 24 percent in Turkey, 20.5percent in Côte d'Ivoire, 17.7 percent in Pakistan, 16.1 percent in Brazil, 14.4 percent in India, 11.6 percent in China, 11.2 percent in Egypt, 6.7 percent in Mexico, 4.5 percent in Argentina, 1.8 percent in Portugal and 0.4 percent in Italy"
Please notify your friends about this blog.... invite people to join the movement. Raise awareness..
You don't have to thank me at all. This is nothing. I am excited about your Niger trip and I wish I could travel with you, but I have to be in Ecuador with another NGO.
Neverheless, you'll do just fine.
Good Luck and all the best.
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