Plumpynut: Funny Name, Serious Results

Last week, Kate and I visited the Edesia factory in Providence, RI- home of Plumpynut, a line of products that treat and prevent malnutrition for over 100,000 children. We met with Marie Wisecup, Communications Manager, and got a chance to tour the Edesia building to see how Plumpynut products are made. YUGA knows that access to food and adequate nutrition is a basic right according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and organizations in RI are helping to ensure that right!

While there, Kate and I learned that there are 195 million undernourished children in our world. Every day, 16,000 children die because of a lack of food and adequate nutrition. Edesia works to treat malnutrition, as well as prevent malnutrition among vulnerable children ages 6-24 months. The main ingredients are simple: peanuts, sugar, vegetable oil, and milk; but the products have a huge impact. They require no preparation or refrigeration, have a two-year shelf life, and are easy to eat. Main purchasers of Edesia’s products include UNICEF, World Food Program, Doctors Without Borders, and the Clinton Foundation.

Edesia also actively hires immigrants and refugees through the International Institute of Rhode Island. This not only provides work for newly arrived refugees, but often connects them to their homes and past. Nine years ago, Andrew Kamara, Edesia’s Supply Chain Supervisor, arrived in the United States. Having lived several years in a refugee camp in Western Africa, he now produces the types of food that he and his family once relied on.

The Edesia factory is open for tours, and is a great way to learn about nutritional assistance. If you’d like to schedule a tour of the Edesia factory for your class or YUGA Chapter, click here or visit http://www.edesiallc.org/.

Walk for Wells

Water Security in Niger
How you can help bring clean water to schools in Niger

Children everywhere should have access to an education—particularly in Niger, where only half of boys and a third of girls attend primary school. Access to water and sanitation plays a major role in their ability to get an education, especially for young girls with big responsibilities. In most families, it is a girl’s responsibility to fetch water for her family—which is often a long and difficult task. She may have to walk several miles to access clean water, forcing her to miss out on going to school. If the local school doesn’t have clean water, she’s even less likely to go. She isn’t able to get a drink, wash her hands, or use a clean restroom during the day. If she is able to get to school, she may have to leave early to get water for her family at home. Without access to water, life for students is far more difficult, especially if they’re a girl.

By providing access to clean water and sanitation, the number of girls who are absent from school can decrease by up to 37%.* The IMAGINE project (Improve the Education of Girls in Niger) seeks to increase the number of children, particularly girls, who complete primary school by addressing many of the reasons why they can’t. Plan’s 60 IMAGINE schools throughout Niger are equipped with wells, latrines, teachers’ lodgings, day-care centers, cafeterias, and a girls’ dormitory- all of which help support girls and their access to education.

Why Wells?
Streams are an unsafe source of water, often carrying waterborne diseases such as cholera and dysentery. In sub-Saharan Africa, diarrheal disease due to a lack of safe water and sanitation is the leading killer of children under 5 years old. A bore hole, which is dug deep into the ground, provides a safer supply of water that hasn’t been exposed to disease and contamination. By making it safer and easier to get water, we’ll make it safer and easier for girls to go to school. She and her family will be healthier, more educated, and better prepared to lift themselves out of poverty. Walk for Wells, and you’ll help girls in Niger reach their dreams!

For More Information about the Walk for Wells, visit www.planusa.org/walkforwells

*CARE Action Network, September 24 2010 http://bit.ly/cE92LN

Back to School with YUGA!

What does "Back to School" mean to you? ... Back to homework? ... Practice for sports teams? Hopefully, back to school means back to YUGA, too!

Many of our YUGA Chapters across the country are dusting off their toolkits and getting ready for another year of projects, events, fundraisers, and workshops about global issues. As voted upon at YUGA Camp, our current campaigns are Global Poverty, Climate Change, Child Exploitation, HIV/AIDS, and Because I Am a Girl. Visit the YUGA Website to download all of our toolkits and get ideas for your next YUGA meeting here!

YUGA at Cranston East High School didn't waste a moment before getting their chapter moving. Their first meeting started with an icebreaker about AIDS, followed by a discussion about the issues they wanted to address throughout the year.

Cranston East also participated in Plan UK's A Hand in my Future campaign, collecting pictures of hands with a message about the importance of youth in decision-making. Says 16-year-old Colette from the UK, "A Hand in My Future is about reminding decision-makers that children and young people have the right and the ability to make a difference to the significant development issues that will affect the next generation’s future.” View a selection of the hands they collected, and visit their website to read more about their campaign!

Their YUGA meeting ended with a plan to collect cans at their school's football game. "Not only our we helping the environment," says Luis, "but we're also able raise money by personally bringing the cans to the recycling plant." A great way to fund raise, raise awareness of environmental sustainability, and have a great time, too!

Above, Cranston East YUGA members promoting recycling at the football game!

For ideas or help with your YUGA meetings, contact Corrie at corrie.bonham@planusa.org- and come to the next YUGA New England meeting on October 17! 11:30-1:30 at the Plan USA Office, 155 Plan Way, Warwick RI 02886. We'll be discussing plans for the year, activities for your YUGA chapter, and get updates about what's been going on at YUGA Centeral!

United Nations International Year of Youth Launch Event

Are Youth Undervalued?
Written By: Luis, Cranston RI


Youth everywhere are severely undervalued. Most people never see the value in young people. They hold certain perceptions about children and teens that are just not true. They just write us off as lazy and uninformed. However, in many cases it is quite the contrary. There are young people everywhere working hard to try to change local and global issues. In fact, I myself am of these young people. I am part of a youth group aimed at stopping many global issues, such as Gender Inequality, Global Warming, Poverty, and HIV/AIDS. The youth group I am part of is called Youth United for Global Action and Awareness, or simply Yuga.

This past August, Yuga sponsored a trip to New York City to give youth the opportunity to speak at both the United Nations and an evening reception, which I was lucky enough to be part of. Two other Yuga members, Heather and Claire, also came on the trip as well. The purpose of the trip was to speak at the launch of the International Year of Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding, which is the dedication of a whole year by the United Nations:

“[to] harness the energy, imagination and initiative of the world’s youth in overcoming the challenges facing humankind, from enhancing peace to boosting economic development.”

However, Yuga was not embarking on this trip by itself. We had tremendous support from Plan, the charity organization that sponsors and directs Yuga. Plan is a multi-national charity that works in over 40 countries around the world promoting child rights and trying to eradicate poverty through many different approaches. Since Plan is an international organization, youth from the UK also joined our trip as well. The youth from the UK were Katie and Emily, and yes they did have amazing British accents.

Katie was part of Plan UK’s YAP, or Youth Advisory Panel, which is similar to Yuga in the United States, while Emily was the UK winner of Shoot Nations, a London-based international youth photography competition. Shoot Nations was also planning to give a presentation at the UN, with the 2010 winners of their photo competition being the focus of their presentation. The trip was a sort of collaboration between Yuga, YAP and Shoot Nations, with amazing support and guidance from Plan, of course.

The entire trip was scheduled during the second week of August, as this was the week of both the launch of the International Year of Youth, as well as the Plan evening reception. Heather, Claire, Emily, Katie and myself, alongside with Corrie and Jo, our lovely chaperones, all made it to New York City two days before we were to give our joint presentation at the United Nations.

For the few days that we were in New York, we had the chance to visit the Boys and Girls Club in Manhattan, which acts almost like a second home to the many kids and teens who attend;

This picture, taken at the Boys and Girls Club of Manhattan, shows us giving “our hands” to the A Hand In Our Future Campaign, which is a campaign being run by Plan UK to remind world leaders that their decisions will affect the future of our generation. To learn more about it, go to http://www.plan-uk.org/newsroom/ahandinmyfuture/

The Apollo, where we took part in the famed Amateur Night, which has a format similar to American Idol;

Times Square, a must for any tourist in New York;

And of course the UN, which is such an important and influential governing body for the whole world! We really saw so much that New York had to offer.

However, the trip was not meant for just vacation. There was work to be done too. The speech that we were to present at the U.N. had to be written and completed and we only had a few days to do so! From the beginning of the trip we all began to brainstorm the general idea that we wanted to convey through our speech. We all agreed to three main talking points: diversity and how it makes us more open-minded, technology and its effect on global communication, and the initiative of our generation to try to solve global issues.

Specifically, my portion of the speech focused on the increasing diversity that we all live in. I’m proud to say that I am the son of immigrants and so are many of my friends and peers. I enjoy the fact that there are people from all over the world that go to my school. I’ve learned so much about so many different cultures just through the people that live in my town. Things that previous generations would have scoffed at our now considered cultural norms. Our generation is just so much more open-minded. This new found tolerance is not just because of the wide range of people that we all live amongst, but also because of another huge factor in all of our lives: the internet, which was the focus of another part of our speech.

The day after we wrote our speeches, was the day we were presenting it at the United Nations! Our speech was to be part of a larger event, the launching of the International Year of Youth, which is a whole year being dedicated by the United Nations General Assembly to youth everywhere. Before we gave our own speech there were appearances various prime ministers and Secretary General Ban Ki- Moon. Obviously, I was nervous. I was going to share the spotlight with actual world leaders!

When the presenter called our group’s name, I was momentarily stunned. It was at that moment that I came to fully realize what I was about to do. I was going to give a speech at the United Nations. I would have never imagined that in my entire life that I would ever been given the chance to do such a thing. It was such a great and humbling feeling. Heather was going to give the introduction of our speech, but I was next. I heard Heather give me my cue, and then I walked up to the podium….

Yuga, YAP’s and Shoot Nation’s joint presentation at the United Nations

It is such an unbelievably amazing feeling voicing your opinion on the world stage, especially as a teen. Representing youth from all around the world, I felt empowered, knowing that my voice finally counted for something. World leaders listened to what I had to say. If some youth in this world managed to get politicians, prime ministers and a secretary general to listen to them, I think there can be hope for youth everywhere. Give us some choices, and I’m sure you’ll see that young people are much more valuable than what you think.

YUGA meets US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse!

Above, YUGA members Luis, Angie, and Rachel stand with Plan USA's interim CEO, Audrey Bracey-Deegan and US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse at Plan USA's Warwick office.

While many middle school and high school students were gearing up for the start of school yesterday, several YUGA members ended the summer on a slightly different-- and more political note!

Yesterday, YUGA members Luis, Angie, and Rachel spoke with US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse about the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act. Having been an original cosponsor of the bill, Senator Whitehouse talked with the YUGA members about child marriage and how we can all work together to get this important legislation passed.

Child marriage, defined as marriage before age 18, affects more than 60 million girls worldwide. In some countries, half of the girls are married before they turn 18. For some girls, they don't reach age 10 before being married, often to a man they have never met.

While this harmful practice exists worldwide, YUGA members took action to protect girls and help them reach their full potential. At YUGA Camp, a workshop was held about the international crisis of child marriage. At the workshop, YUGA painted a 'Thank You!' sign to RI Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, an original co-sponsor of the bill, and presented him with our banner, pictures from the workshop, and a YUGA t-shirt!

Above, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse sits with Angie, Rachel, and Luis in the YUGA Hut!

Above, the pictures presented to Senator Whitehouse show the
Child Marriage workshop at YUGA Camp and the presentation of 11,000 signed letters
in support of the Child Marriage Prevention Bill at Congress.

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Angie shows Senator Whitehouse a picture of the young girl who her YUGA Chapter helps to sponsor in Benin.

Check out the YUGA Facebook page at www.facebook.com/yugacentral to see more pictures from the meeting!

YUGA CAMP 2010!

YUGA campers took on global and local issues this year at Camp

Idalis sporting her YUGA Camp 2010 tshirt

Having fun at YUGA Camp!!

From July 18th to July 24th around 40 youth from across the United States and abroad came together for an exciting week at YUGA (Youth United for Global Action and Awareness) Camp! This year, YUGA Camp was held at Camp Aldersgate in scenic North Scituate, Rhode Island. Throughout the week, our campers learned about various global issues (including fair trade, refugees, child exploitation, genocide, HIV, and more) through interactive workshops, daily "World Cup" family challenges, and some wonderful guest speakers.

Luis sketching scenes during a documentary-making workshop

This year at camp, we also had a delicious international dinner night (featuring food from Liberia, Thailand, and Norway), learned to dance Capoeira, tie-dyed tshirts, went swimming, roasted marshmallows, walked a high ropes course, sumo wrestled, and made some great memories.

Paola, Deona, and Priyanka took on the high ropes at camp

Daniel demonstrating Capoeira

Heidi presents her traditional Norwegian dish at international dinner

Picking up trash, making a street beautiful, giving residents hope

Some of our YUGA campers planting flowers in South Providence

Our fantastic group also participated in a street clean-up in South Providence, packed lunches for Crossroads of Rhode Island, and wrote letters to congressmen advocating for an end to child marriage. It was truly and inspiring week for our campers and counselors alike.

Oscar, Maura, Arisa, Allegra, Samir, and Clare at Camp Aldersgate

Flora advocating for an end to child marriage

Sumo wrestling during our international carnival

Back in Estados Unidos

Though our trip to El Salvador has ended, I thought I should end with a blog post...

I have traveled before, taken trains to Boston and planes as far way as Paris, and every time the scenery grew familiar, I remember thinking of the comfort and pleasure I have in coming home. However, when the plane window began to frame pictures of Newport, I didn't feel the same feeling. During the trip, I met some of the most vibrant, animated, friendly and loving people and the energy they radiated and the atmosphere they created was gone with El Salvador. I was accepted in an instant and never once was I afraid to dance to Shakria or stutter out Spanish in front of fifty youth. And once I did, I was only met with smiles, laugher and praising. Perhaps, I can go back to Latin America, which I already prefer over Europe, but will it ever be the same? The food, the music and the culture will of course persist, but the atmosphere of the conference will not. I will never forget playing football (soccer) under a warm sun with just bathing suits, calling each other by our countries to pass the ball or exchanging thoughts through three different languages. Now the circle that was "Somos Voces, Somos Regions" (the name of the conference) has re-dispersed back to the thirteen American countries and settled back into routines. And knowing that I might never see my Plan peers again is saddening. We are still though, a region, and I want us to continue to work together as youth to keep this up.

I decided that once I captured a place full of this indescribable energy, I now know I need to find it again. Even if it's in small doses, playing football again or dancing to salsa will bring El Salvador back. I found that I need to be around more people like those in El Salvador, and that vibe is what I need. I think this need to recapture this energy, will inspire me to take more risks in the future, travel to Latin America again, work to help others, learn Spanish and find who I want to be. Someone once told me, find what makes you fly and go with it, this trip has given me the motivation and courage to do just that. Telling my dad this, he responded, "you have your whole life ahead of you," and he is right, I do. I can do whatever I want, and I already find myself itching to get out of here and into the sky.

Shout outs to Kate and John, the best chaperons as well as Plan El Salvador for coordinating an amazing event and Plan International for bringing all its youth together and promoting our voices, our stories and our power, for hosting an incredible environment and never once doubting its youth.

This is it :)

Amazing no? We went to the Mayan Ruins in El Salvador. It took my breath away. I’ve never seen anything like it. I just couldn’t believe I was standing in a place so full of history and culture.
This whole experience has been amazing. I've learned so much and have met such amazing people who will always hold a place in my heart. I think that I've grown so much from this. I've got to admit that I was very nervous when I first came but I've grown to love this place. I'm sure going to miss seeing the mountain on my way to breakfast. I just can't wait to see how all the other countries are doing two months from now. Best of luck and thank you El Salvador for being so Awesome!

Somos Voces Somos Región 12 Country Tour [VIDEOS]

Spinning

My head is spinning with all the activity and ideas that have been generated during the first two days of the conference. A few of the thoughts swirling around are:

- How much I admire and respect the 4 YUGA members who are the ambassadors for the USNO at this conference. I know that they have struggled with figuring out their place as youth from a national office versus youth from program countries. From an outsider's perspective I feel that they done an excellent job of finding overlap and discovering new opportunities to move the mission of YUGA forward.

- Pupusas make a excellent breakfast food

- The view from my bedroom window in Providence is going to pale in comparison to waking up with a view of the countryside of El Salvador.

- ROA has endless songs and icebreakers to get the energy flowing...as a person who does not willingly participate in icebreakers, I find myself wanting to participate...and I think the songs will be stuck in my head for weeks to come.

- Police escorts make moving through morning traffic in San Salvador much quicker.

- El Salvador makes the best hot chocolate

- Youth involved with Plan's programs are some of the most dynamic, passionate, intelligent, caring and inclusive youth I have ever met...I am honored that I am invited to hang out with them.

- I wish that all Plan staff and supporters could experience what I am experiencing right now...this is what Plan is all about: a global network of youth leaders fully participating, shaping their involvement and their future, using their voice and their experiences to move Plan forward!

- If they keep giving us hot chocolate and pupusas I may never leave!!!