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

One of the most distinctive and prolific artists in Australia Beastman

http://www.beastman.com.au/

Beastman is an artist based in Sydney. 

Influenced by the beauty and symbolism behind 

nature’s repetitive geometric patterns and organic lines.

Beastman's tightly detailed, often symmetrical paintings 

depict a parallel world of hope and survival inhabited by his 

beastlike yet beautiful and emotive characters.

These instantly recognisable and loveable deities have spawned from the elements of the earth, as if nature has come to life in a way we could never have imagined.

International Peace Day

This year 2011 on International Peace Day-September 21

A class at the local primary school Avoca Beach 

participated by colouring in and designing their own 

peace symbols taken to school by young activist Lenny Harriott.

Along with the symbols Lenny also took some information about

International Peace Day and Jeremy Gilley.

Lenny's teacher further encouraged and supported their exploration 

and communication by showing the class the 

Peace One Day website and video footage, see link below

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

Lenny hopes to get the whole school involved next year to 

celebrate the plans of Peace One Day and their aim to create 

the biggest call to peace to world has ever seen.

Lenny is a wonderful advocate for Peace One Day.

I look forward to my involvement and staying tuned in to 

the activity and lead up to International Peace Day 2012.

Free The Children's We Day

http://www.weday.com/

http://www.freethechildren.com/

Free The Children's We Day is more than just one day of celebration and inspiration. We Day is the movement of our time - a movement of young people leading local and global change.

Harnessing the energy and passion of a young community of changemakers, We Day brings youth together in an unparalleled setting to show them that they are not alone in their journey to make a difference.

Within stadiums full of cheering young people, We Day brings some of the greatest social issues of today to the forefront, and - no matter the cause, no matter the issue - provides ways in which every young person can find their place within the movement to create global change.

We Want Peace - Emmanuel Jal

Emmanuel Jal’s Story

“Left home at the age of seven/one year later I’m carryin’ an Ak-47.” For hip hop artist Emmanuel Jal, a former child soldier in Sudan’s brutal civil war, these lyrics are hardly empty posturing. They are the bitter reality of a young man who was “forced to sin” but determined to “never give up and never give in.” Today, wounded but still hopeful, Emmanuel Jal fights a new battle: bringing peace to his beloved Sudan and building schools in Africa.

This time, his weapon is a microphone. See why audiences from New York to Berlin to London rave about the award-winning film, War Child, and have embraced the hip-hop artist with a terrifying past and a gentle soul. Interspersing original interviews, live concerts, and rare footage of Emmanuel Jal as a seven year-old boy, War Child will make viewers cry, laugh, dance, and celebrate the power of hope.

http://www.warchildmovie.com/

Being Young and Making an Impact - Natalie Warne

At 18, Natalie Warne’s work with the Invisible Children movement made her a hero for young 

activists.

At TEDxTeen she uses her inspiring story to remind us that no one is too young to change the world.

For more inspiring free to the world talks by remarkable people around the globe visit TEDx below.

http://www.ted.com/

http://www.invisiblechildren.com/

In the spring of 2003, three young filmmakers traveled to Africa in search of a story. What started out as a filmmaking adventure transformed into much more when these boys from Southern California discovered a tragedy that disgusted and inspired them, a tragedy where children are both the weapons and the victims.

After returning to the States, they created the documentary "Invisible Children: Rough Cut," a film that exposes the tragic realities of northern Uganda.s night commuters and child soldiers.

The film was originally shown to friends and family, but has now been seen by millions of people. The overwhelming response has been, "How can I help?" To answer this question, the non-profit Invisible Children, Inc. was created, giving compassionate individuals an effective way to respond to the situation.

Minds In The Water - Dave Rastovich

Minds in the Water is a feature-length documentary following the quest of professional surfer Dave Rastovich and his friends to protect dolphins, whales and the oceans they all share. Through Dave's journey—a five-year adventure spanning the globe from Australia to the Galapagos, Tonga, California, Alaska and Japan—we see one surfer’s quest to activate his community to help protect the ocean and its inhabitants.
The message: if ocean minded people are to pass
on a sustainable culture then they must become responsible stewards of their coastal environment
~ Dave Rastovich

http://transparentseavoyage.com/

TransparentSea is an awareness campaign aimed at highlighting coastal environmental issues, with particular attention given to cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and the waters they inhabit.

The first journey (Byron Bay to Bondi, Australia, 2009) successfully highlighted the plight of humpback whales and the threat faced by Japanese whaling fleets.

The second (California, October, 2011) traces the southern migration of the California Grey Whale from Santa Barbara to Baja, Mexico with an emphasis on engaging key coastal community groups and drawing awareness to the causes they support.

Lost Generation - Turning It Around Is A Choice

Birke Baehr - What's wrong with our food system...

12 year old Birke Baehr presents his take on a major source of our 

food - far away and less-than-picturesque industrial farms.

Keeping farms out of sight promotes a rosy, unreal picture of big box agriculture, he argues as he outlines the case for green and localize food production.

At age 9, while traveling with his family and being "roadschooled," Birke Baehr began studying sustainable and organic farming practices such as composting, vermiculture, canning and food preservation. Soon he discovered his other passion: educating others -- especially his peers -- about the destructiveness of the industrialized food system, and the alternatives. He spoke at TEDxNextGenerationAsheville in 2010

1.4 Billion Reasons - Ending Global Poverty

http://www.globalpovertyproject.com/pages/take_action

The Global Poverty Project's vision is a world without extreme poverty within a generation. 

We exist to increase the number and effectiveness of people taking action to end extreme poverty.

We have developed 1.4 Billion Reasons - a simple yet ground-breaking presentation, that is travelling the world, inspiring and empowering audiences in its path.

Making simple changes, everyone can be part of the solution.

Compelling and challenging, the presentation moves audiences to take action and become a part of the movement to end extreme poverty.

Founded by two Australians, the Global Poverty Project was launched at the UN High Level Event on the MDGs in September 2008.

1.4 Billion Reasons launched to the world from Melbourne in July 2009. Since then, the presentation has been seen by more than 60,000 people.

In 2011 the Project continues its grassroots phase, as we train a number of passionate Australians to deliver 1.4 Billion Reasons in their own communities, and expand our education and advocacy work.

Dallas Clayton

http://veryawesomeworld.com/

This is Dallas Clayton.  

He wrote a book for his son about the idea of 

dreaming big and never giving up. 

He put it online and his whole life changed forever. 

Because of this he started a Foundation to give away one book for every copy of An Awesome Book he sells. Now he writes children's books for a living, travel the world reading to kids, and spend his days having magical adventures.

http://veryawesomeworld.com/foundation.html

The foundation was formed in an effort to promote children's literacy by 

encouraging kids to dream and dream often.

 The foundation's goal is to donate one book for every copy of An Awesome Book sold by Awesome World llc. Books are delivered directly and distributed to schools, hospitals, libraries, camps and shelters both domestically and worldwide.

Take 3 A Clean Beach Initiative

The 'Take 3' message is simple: take three pieces of rubbish with you when you leave the beach or waterway and you have made a difference.  

Marine debris, particularly plastic, has a disastrous impact in our oceans on marine life and, ultimately, us. We can greatly reduce the amount of marine debris in our oceans by preventing it from getting there in the first place. We encourage people to 'Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle' and Respond by picking up other people's rubbish.

As a proud recipient of the inaugural "2011 Taronga Conservation Society Green Grant" the team at Take 3 are ready to take this important initiative to Australia and beyond.

Take 3 and you will make a difference!

Pay Attention to your Fortune

Define Necessity

Gift Giving

In a world were so few have so much and so many have so little.

We have indulged long enough in the oasis that we can just continue to live beyond our means and ignore the needs of those less fortunate.

The depletion of natural resources brought about by the greed of governments, corporations and various individuals, has become the fuel which has powered the mass production and consumerism of modern societies.

This has left this world with an unhealthy balance and for a great many an unlivable inbalance of power and wealth, which to the extreme has us living in a world were a child dies every 3 seconds.

How do we continue to justify and excuse the extravagance in our lives when we know without a doubt that in our world there are those that will live their whole lives in the misery of the neglect of their basic human rights to food, water and shelter.

One way in which we can be more aware is in the traditions of gift giving, which without a doubt is one of our greatest displays of overindulgence.

In a world were over 80 billion dollars is spent worldwide for the sole purpose of a holiday that was originally marked on the calendar as a religious celebration of life, we have created a monster that leaves behind a trail of waste and consequences that we can no
longer afford to ignore or remain indifferent to.

The throwaway nature of our societies is no more present and obvious than at Christmas time.

It has long been the time to shift the focus, time, energy and money from mass productivity of goods, trades and services that, use, abuse and destroy our planet, our environment, our people and our animals in one form or another.

By putting our energy and focus into creating a world that is sustainable and fair and encouraging those around us to do the same, there is hope.

Teaching our children, the future generations of adults and leaders to come, the value in the principle that less is more.
Reminding ourselves and teaching our children that its is in the giving that we receive.

Melanie Lee