Wall of Freedom

This is my loungeroom wall :-)

I decided I needed a wall space. 

So this 2 and n half by 2 metre wall in my lounge room was perfect.

A space to wander and roam,

 through my abstract feelings and expression.

My freedom wall, my place to play.

Play with colour, play with scope.

A creative space to find freedom from self.

Turn off my brain, tune into my spirit.

I love colour, love the feelings it evokes.

I especially love the freedom of abstract painting.

It has more a life it's own than any other, particulaly a wall work of art.

My whole body is involved, bend and stretch, reach for the stars'

This is a work in process, a process that involves play and more play.

Play is such an important part of component of creativity...

and so I give myself to the wall.

A Girl In The World has arrived...

www.agirlintheworld.org/ 

A Girl In The World is a story about a girl and a world, about how she see's and feels about herself, and the world and her place in it. A story that reminds us that no matter what thoughts and feelings come and go, life changes and we grow through the ups and downs and challenges we go through...and in the end we must hold onto our dreams and keep believing in them and ourselves.

Each book is Australian made with full environmental considerations and certification, so that it may sit in the hands of children and adults not having cost the earth. Raising awareness for sustainable printing and eco friendly trade and practices will empower children and parents to be part of the solution.

We aim to raise awareness for Orphfund, a life saving and life changing organisation that champions children's wellbeing and welfare throughout the world.

A percentage from every A Girl In The World book sold goes to Orphfund. We aim to support Orphfund’s first ever children’s eco village in Sierra Leone, due to commence building 2012.

Copies of A Girl In The World book can be purchased from our Big Cartel store below...

agirlintheworld.bigcartel.com

http://agirlintheworld-org.blogspot.com.au

Exactly

i am exactly where i need to be

i need to be exactly where i am

i am a blessing manifest

i can undress the moment

naked time unwinds beneath my mind

and from within i find the kind of beauty

only i can find

i am exactly where i need to be

i need to be exactly where i am

i am surrendering so willingly

to be the perfect me inside this now

and truly how else could it be

destiny she blesses me

when i try to fight or run

i only wind up back at square one

when i think i know what's best for me

fate she takes me back 

to exactly where i need to be

It is vital that we educate and empower our children if we are to protect them, to enable them to protect themselves when adults around them fail to do so. To give them a voice, to speak up and speak out about childhood sexual abuse...

To understand that they are not at fault and that its ok to tell someone, to be protected.

Erin's activism is an inspiration, energy, passion an honesty I admire. In her own words...

"Growing up in Illinois public schools every year I was educated with my classmates on tornado drills, fire drills, bus drills, stranger danger, and learned the 8 ways to say "NO" to drugs through D.A.R.E.

As a child I never had to take cover because of a real tornado. I never had to stop, drop, and roll or run out of a burning building. I never had to evacuate a school bus due to an emergency, but I had the knowledge to know what to do if any of those situations happened.

Where was the drill on how to escape a child molester? Where was the lesson plan on sexual abuse, safe touches, and safe secrets? It never came. I was not educated on “How to Tell Today or How to Get Away.”

I was never educated on “My Body Belongs to Me.”

Empowering our children is the key to protecting them and helping them to protect themselves.

The Imagination Foundation - Caine's Arcade

The Imagination Foundation's mission is to find, foster, and fund creativity and entrepreneurship in kids.

The Imagination Foundation was formed by the creative team behind Caine's Arcade, an 11-minute short film by Nirvan Mullick about a 9-year-old boy's cardboard arcade. 

Posted online April, 9th, 2012, the film became a global phenomenon, receiving over 7 million views, raising a scholarship fund for Caine, and inspiring a wave of cardboard creativity around the world. 

With the support of a matching challenge grant from the Goldhirsh Foundation, we hit the ground running and started a Caine's Arcade School Pilot Program, where over 100 schools in 9 countries used the film and cardboard arcade building to teach kids math, science, engineering, art, entrepreneurship, storytelling, creative thinking, and more. Our second initiative is the Global Cardboard Challenge, a world-wide celebration of play, creativity and community.

The Inspiration

Playing for Change is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. The idea for this project arose from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. No matter whether people come from different geographic, political, economic, spiritual or ideological backgrounds, music has the universal power to transcend and unite us as one human race. And with this truth firmly fixed in our minds, we set out to share it with the world.

The Production

We built a mobile recording studio, equipped with all the same equipment used in the best studios, and traveled to wherever the music took us. As technology changed, our power demands were downsized from golf cart batteries to car batteries, and finally to laptops. Similarly, the quality with which we were able to film and document the project was gradually upgraded from a variety of formats-- each the best we could attain at the time—finally to full HD.

One thing that never changed throughout the process was our commitment to create an environment for the musicians in which they could create freely and that placed no barriers between them and those who would eventually experience their music. By leading with that energy and intent everywhere we traveled, we were freely given access to musicians and locations that are usually inaccessible. In this respect, the inspiration that originally set us on this path became a co-creator of the project along with us!

The Effect

Over the course of this project, we decided it was not enough for our crew just to record and share this music with the world; we wanted to create a way to give back to the musicians and their communities that had shared so much with us. And so in 2007 we created the Playing for Change Foundation, a separate 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation whose mission is to do just that. In early 2008, we established Timeless Media, a for-profit entity that funds and extends the work of Playing for Change.

Later that year, Timeless Media entered into a joint venture with the Concord Music Group through the support of label co-owner and entertainment legend Norman Lear and Concord Music Group executive vice president of A&R John Burk. Our goal is to bring PFC’s music, videos and message to the widest possible audience. 

Now, musicians from all over the world are brought together to perform benefit concerts that build music and art schools in communities that are in need of inspiration and hope. In addition to benefit concerts, the Playing for Change band also performs shows around the world.

When audiences see and hear musicians who have traveled thousands of miles from their homes, united in purpose and chorus on one stage, everyone is touched by music's unifying power. 

And now, everyone can participate in this transformative experience by joining the Playing for Change Movement. People are hosting screenings, musicians are holding benefit concerts of every size, fans are spreading the message of Playing for Change through our media, and this is only the beginning. Together, we will connect the world through music!

REGENERATION

The award-winning documentary film, #ReGENERATION, explores the galvanizing forces behind the Occupy Movement and the state of social activism in our society. The film takes an uncompromising look at the challenges facing today’s youth and young adults as they attempt to engage on a myriad of social and political issues.

Focused on how our education, parenting, and media can influence us, the film follows three separate walks of life representing today’s generation. Each brings their own unique perspective – from an inspired collective of musicians working outside the corporate system, to a twenty-something conservative family about to welcome the birth of their second child, and a group of five high-school students from the suburbs looking for their place in society. Their stories are interspersed with the knowledge, wisdom, and personal reflections of some of the country’s leading scholars, social activists, and media personalities, including Noam Chomsky, the late Howard Zinn, Adbusters’ Kalle Lasn, Andrew Bacevich, Talib Kweli, and many others.

Narrated by Ryan Gosling and featuring a riveting soundtrack from STS9, the film explores how today’s generation approaches activism, how it is impacted by technology, our disconnection with nature and history, our consumer culture, and the economic factors holding many of us back from becoming more active participants in our communities. Through a diverse and intelligent series of stories, interviews and insights, we come to a deeper understanding of the influences shaping our society. We have entered uncharted territory, economically, environmentally, and intellectually–and we must look honestly at ourselves to create a sustainable future.

Peace One Day - Global Truce 2012 campaign

Why the Global Truce 2012 campaign?

You may already know that Peace One Day led the initiative to establish the first ever annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence, unanimously adopted by United Nations member states as 21 September – Peace Day. You may also know that we then proved that the day could work in areas of conflict, most notably in Afghanistan, where Peace Day agreements have led to the vaccination against polio of 4.5 million children in recent years. We are grateful to UNICEF, WHO, UNAMA and other UN agencies for making it a great success.

On Peace Day 2008 the UN Department for Safety and Security announced a 70% reduction in violent incidents in Afghanistan.

These successes and many others led Jeremy to launch the Global Truce 2012 campaign: what we hope will be the largest reduction of violence on one day – Peace Day 21 September 2012 – a world record; and the largest ever gathering of individuals in the name of peace.

That mass participation on Peace Day 2012 will be the key to the success of a Global Truce.

http://peaceoneday.org/

A Girl in the World goes crowd funding...

3 days left friends, I need to raise my funding goal to print the first run of A Girl in the World :-) I have this weekend left to do it' Pleeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaasssssssseeeeeeee tell everyone, check out the finer details below, you may very well see that it is an initiative that you must support because the world needs all the good it can get...and A Girl in the World is 100% eco friendly children's book with my heart and soul in it, it's true! it's really, truly real and true...!

Click link below to order your copy of A Girl in the World

http://www.pozible.com/index.php/archive/index/5847/description/0/0

The world needs all and every which way we can get, make, create, and take to ensure and support awareness and understanding, kindness and care, for ourselves, each other and our environment...that's what A Girl in the World is all about, that and helping kids help kids and feel empowered to have and use their voice, energy and passion to make a positive difference in the world

By the way A Girl in the World already has a follow up book in the series being created, thank you everyone for you lovely support and encouragement I am ever grateful and thank you'

A Girl in the World Video

The Samaya School Feeding Program

Our new school in the town of Samaya, Sierra Leone is our most remote and isolated project to date. In September 2011 we opened our classrooms up to over 150 children, providing them with a free primary education. Our school is the first of its kind in the area and gives children there an amazing opportunity to access school for the first time. The children come from the regions poorest homes, some being orphans or abandoned. During our time there it was evident that people really struggle to simply find enough food to survive, eating only once per day.

Giving to the Samaya Feeding Program will allow OrphFund to provide children with one large nutritional meal, our goal is to raise enough for every child in the school.

To do this we are asking people to spare just the smallest of sacrifices each month. For just $5 each month you can provide one child with a meal every day they go to school. This helps our children to learn but also takes away the burden that families have in the area to find enough food for their children.

This campaign is simple and direct, for every $5 given each month, one child we no longer sit at school hungry all day. And of course you can help more than one child if you can afford it!

How do I feed a child?

It will only take a few minutes to help feed a child in our Samaya School.

Our preferred method is through a bank transfer/bankers standing order. (This has no administrative cost) To do this you will need to either pop into your local bank or log into your netbanking and set up a regular payment to - See our bank details here. Please add SAMAYA FEEDING as a reference for your transaction.

Once this has been set up please send a confirmation email to orphfund@gmail.com We will then send you a thank you certificate in recognition of your support.

How your money is spent

100% of your donation will be sent every month to our school in Sierra Leone and help with the costs of feeding all of the children who attend.

To find out how you can support this wonderful initiative please visit

http://www.orphfund.org/drupal/

Very Awesome World

http://veryawesomeworld.com/

Thankyou you Dallas Clayton for your inspiration. I will be taking a leaf out of your book, so to speak...

Soon enough I will be releasing a children's book of my own and I look forward to sharing it.
It's been in the pipeline for some time and I will be sharing the details here, but for now check out Dallas Clayton and his wonderful story of dreams and inspiration, hope and tenacity.

A bold and wildly creative man indeed. Love your work and the way you carry it out and out into the world with such passion and joy'

One Girl...Changing the world one girl at a time

We focus on empowering women and girls so that they can create and lead change in their communities. We believe that education and economic empowerment are vital when it comes to tackling the issues that women and girls face in Sierra Leone. We currently have two projects that we’re working on, Back to School Scholarships and LaunchPad. You can find out more about these projects below.

When a girl is educated, she’ll get married later and have fewer, healthier children. For every year she stays in school she’ll increase her income by at least 10%. 

With the money she earns, she’ll invest 90% of it back into her family.

An educated girl becomes an educated woman. 

A woman who ensures her children go to school, just like she did.

Educating a girl improves the local economy more than any other type of investment. Check out the girl effect video to your right to see it all in action.

http://www.onegirl.org.au/

Peace One Day - International Peace Day September 21

About Global Truce 2012

You may already know that Peace One Day led the initiative to establish the first ever annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence, unanimously adopted by United Nations member states as 21 September – Peace Day. You may also know that we then proved that the day could work in areas of conflict, most notably in Afghanistan, where Peace Day agreements have led to the vaccination against polio of 4.5 million children in recent years.

We are grateful to Unicef, UNAMA and other UN agencies for making it a great success.

On Peace Day 2008 the UN announced a 70% reduction in violent incidents in Afghanistan.

These successes led Jeremy to launch the Global Truce 2012 campaign.

On Peace Day 21 September 2012, the day of Global Truce, we are asking the students of the world to mobilise in every country and make history. That mass participation on Peace Day 2012 will be the leverage needed to inspire governments to follow – it will be the key to the success of a Global Truce.

http://peaceoneday.org/global-truce/

SurfAid International - Behind The Palms

Behind the Palms - 10 years of SurfAid is a compilation of footage donated over the last decade, 

highlighting SurfAid’s mission.

Since being founded in 2000, SurfAid’s programs in Indonesia have been saving thousands of lives in isolated communities in the Mentawai and Nias islands off West Sumatra. Programs include malaria prevention, water and sanitation, health and nutrition, and emergency preparedness to respond to events such as the 2010 tsunami. 

http://www.surfaidinternational.org/

Amnesty International Art Exhibition

Time will not erase me, nor will distance, indifference and denial…take from me all things outside of me and even all the parts of me you see, but you will never claim my soul. Cover my mouth and bind my hands but you will never silence me or hold me down for I am eternally free…inside of me there is a garden you will never enter, not with your force nor your brutality, you can bury my body but you will bury never my spirit...Inside of me there is a garden and I am eternally free...Melanie Lee, Artwork for Freedom Art Exhibition, Tap Gallery Darlinghurst in support of Amnesty International.

Peace One Day Jeremy Gilley

http://www.peaceoneday.org/en/welcome

We're building the biggest call for peace the world has ever seen: 

Global Truce 2012  and we want you to be part of it!

Each year, 21 September marks Peace Day;

a day for wide-scale community action, and a day for UN agencies

and aid organisations to safely carry out life-saving work.

What have we done so far?

By 2007 - 100 million people have been active

on Peace Day (source UNDPI).

Peace Day 2007 - Peace One Day ambassador Jude Law and

founder Jeremy Gilley traveled to Afghanistan to spearhead

a campaign that has resulted in 4.5 million children being vaccinated 

against polio in previously unreachable areas.

Peace Day 2008 - UN Department of Safety and Security recorded a

70% reduction in violent incidents in Afghanistan on Peace Day.

Peace Day 2010 - WHO/UNICEF/Afghan Ministry of Public Health

vaccinated over 50,000 children and women in 

23 locations against all vaccine-preventable diseases.

They also launched a nationwide polio campaign 

targeting 8 million children across Afghanistan.

And the future?

For Peace Day 2012, we're calling for a day of 

ceasefire and non-violence - a Global Truce.

We want 21 September 2012 to be the largest reduction in

global violence in recorded history, both domestically and internationally.

We know that this is an ambitious aim,

but we believe that each individual has the power to make a difference 

if we all come together, we can change the world, one day at a time.

Take the first step to peace  

Sign the Global Truce 2012 petition now