Hello, YUGA!

Hello!  I'm Dounia Bredes, the new Youth Outreach and Marketing Coordinator for Youth Engagement and Action (YEA) programs here at Plan International USA.  I work with Corrie Mook, the wonderful YEA Coordinator, here at Plan's offices in Warwick, Rhode Island.  I'm happy to finally introduce myself to you!

 

My background is in education and youth mentoring, with experience in marketing and publicity.  I come from a small town in northeastern Vermont, but I've spent time in New Haven, Connecticut and in New York City, and I've also studied abroad in Dakar, Senegal.  (Psst!  You should study abroad, too!)

As Outreach and Marketing Coordinator, I get the wider world to appreciate (and participate in!) the impressive initiatives run by YEA: School-2-School Linking, Walk for Wells, and, of course, YUGA. 

I have quite a few goals for YEA's programming in 2012.  I want to post more, Tweet more, and rally more for YUGA's campaigns; I also want to get more mentions, more followers, and more connections for you and your YUGA chapter.  In short, I want to get the word out.  Across the country, YUGA members are taking action on world issues.  I want to support you, connect you, and cheer you on!

Another one of my goals is a "relaunch" of YUGA's look in January 2012.  The relaunch includes a new logo, an updated website, re-tooled toolkits, and much more.  Here's a sneak peek!

YUGA is still a youth-led, grassroots movement.  That means that you lead, you learn, and you decide what happens next.

 

What do you think of the relaunch?  Where do you want YUGA to go in 2012?  Leave a comment on this post to let me know!

World Against Child Labor Day!

June 12th was World Against Child Labor Day celebrated around the world by million of children that organizations like Plan USA were able to save from hazardous working conditions. According to the International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor, there are 115 million children currently working in hazardous working conditions making this issue of great significance. There has also been a recent rise in the number of older children working in hazardous conditions- an increase in 20 percent within 4 years! This issue MUST be given urgent attention in order to help reduce the number of children and adolescents suffering high rates of injury when working in unfair working conditions.

What do organizations suggest we do to address the problem of child labor in hazardous conditions?

We must take a life-cycle approach when dealing with the issues of child labor. This involves a stronger focus on ensuring that education and training policies prepare children for work life so as to acheive an effective school-to-work transition. If adolescents enter the workforce, there must be adequate safety regulations in place to ensure their safety and health. There must also be a wider knowledge of the internation labor standards spread throughout the world. Laws and regulations along with proper education for children, workers, and employers must be established and put into place.

Organizations like Plan USA are taking strides to ensure safer working conditions for many children in the workforce. Children in Shebedino, Ethiopia were celebrating World Day Against Child Labor now that a Plan project has helped protect them from hazardous work and enabled them to go to school. These children used to spend their days at the local clay makers crushing soil for hours with just sticks and stones. Because the soil and dust were so overwhelming, the young children would cough for hours because of this tiring work.

Plan USA provided this community with 1 diesel and 2 manual clay grinding soil machines and now many children do not have to hand crush the soil and can attend school full time! These manual crushers are safer and less tiresome than using a stick to crush the soil.

Here is a woman demonstrating how to operate the clay crushing machine provided by Plan!Check out the full article about Plan's work in Ethiopia here: http://www.planusa.org/contentmgr/showdetails.php/id/2068673

Spread awareness about this issue at your school or tell your family and friends. Many of the companies that we buy clothes, food, and other items from support child labor and have many children working in sweat shops or under other unsafe working conditions. Check the labels and buy clothing that is made in America!

YUGA also has a FULL toolkit on what you can do in your school or at home to help stop child labor and get educated about the facts.
Check it out!
http://www.planusa.org/contentmgr/showdetails.php/id/2136

Move to Stop AIDS Dance-a-Thon a Success!

Youth from around the state danced the night away at Plan USA's 5th annual Move to Stop AIDS Dance-a-Thon!

We were thrilled to raise $5,500 for Plan's HIV/AIDS programs in Zimbabwe, thanks to the hard work of YUGA youth, raffle prize money, and a generous donor who agreed to match everything raised at the Dance-a-Thon!

Check out pictures pictures from the Dance-a-Thon taken by YUGA member Rachel from Cranston East High School. Thanks to everyone who came out to a great night!



Two bands from Cranston East High School performed a song for the Dance-a-Thon.



Everyone at the Dance-a-Thon enjoyed music from DJ Tatu!

The finished pieces! Dance-a-Thon attendees helped paint four canvases to
reflect their feelings about AIDS in different communities of the world.

Mayor Cicilline came to our Dance-a-Thon! He had great things to say about YUGA, and was excited to receive a plaque of thanks from YUGA members.

Pictured above: Clare, Arisa, Livia, Angie, and Carissa.

Representatives from Edesia hosted a table at the Dance-a-Thon. Edesia is a global nonprofit that treats malnutrition and extreme hunger, located right here in Providence! To learn more, visit http://www.edesiaglobal.com/.



Dancers from PAIS performed a traditional bellydance!



PAIS dancers perform a dance they choreographed themselves!



Above, Linda and Daniel- mother and son- do a capoeira demonstration.



Emily and AliceMae had a great time at the Dance-a-Thon!



To host a Dance-a-Thon at your school or community center, contact yuga@planusa.org!

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!!!

Youth United for Global Action and Awareness - Plan USA - YUGA Youth Movements