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jenergy   jenergy Jennifer Corriero's TIGblog
Jennifer Corriero's profile

Six Archetypes of Youth Change Makers

Since the founding of TakingITGlobal in 1999, I have been incredibly inspired by my interactions with thousands of young change makers from all around the world. Through my Masters Research on youth-led action in an international context along with exposure to other studies and international conferences examining the role of today's generation of youth as change agents, I have gained an important observation. My observation is that I have seen the emergence of Six Archetypes of Youth Change Makers, which provide a glance at the roles young people are taking on in the process of creating change.


The Dreamer

The Dreamer is the driver behind new ideas. Dreamers are often the first to articulate a long-term vision for the future and think big. It is the sense of aspiration, optimism and imagination of dreamers that drive progress, innovation and change.

The Megaphone

The Megaphone is a vocal advocate for change. Megaphones are very focused on delivering the message and will campaign tirelessly and work hard to lobby for a message to be heard. They inspire action through their words and help to shift priorities on the agenda.

The Spark Plug

The Spark Plug is a catalyst and has a gift for networking and connecting people. The Spark Plug is able to foster collaborations and bring many different organizations and individuals together in dialogue, convincing diverse interest groups to come together for a common goal.

The Task Master

The Task Master is often behind the scenes making things happen and is sometimes the under-rated player within a group or organization. Often, it is the Task Master who literally keeps things together by turning ideas into manageable tasks with actionable timelines. Task Masters are practical, objective-oriented individuals.

The Sherpa

The Sherpa serves as a guide who provides mentorship, insight and training through peer education. Sherpas are natural educators with a strong interest in learning and sharing knowledge. Sherpas value hands on experiences and are able to draw upon the expertise and resources of those they encounter.

The Storyteller

The Storyteller is often the documenter of an organization and its projects, preparing short stories, interviews, blogs, webcasts newsletters and more. Storytellers become a vehicle for spreading inspiration and sharing of best practices through identifying patterns and strengthening movements through recognizing exceptional individuals.

July 2, 2009 | 5:18 PM Comments  0 comments

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leapinGazelle   leapinGazelle ghazaleh's TIGblog
ghazaleh's profile

Maximize its use by minimizing its service


As one human being you don’t have enough brain cells and heart pulses to care for the people you have connected with in your life. It’s harder when you’re actually a good hearted person, because everyone wants your time. This social chatty internet shit makes it more confusing with how to spend your time living a healthy life. You’re not really “supposed” to be in touch with everyone you’ve met.

It’s harder for us to know who our true friends are and who really deserves our energy. So my suggestion is whoever makes you feel more comfortable in your own skin is worth your time. Others shouldn’t matter as much. The more real you are with yourself, and the more you surround yourself by people who “really” know who you are, the less stress you have to deal with.

Stop the frontin’. Your time is valuable and your brain shouldn’t be so distracted by caring about so many other problems. We all just have one body to deal with and one brain to be creative with and one heart to really squeeze and pour-your-love-out with. Maximize its use by minimizing its service.


July 2, 2009 | 10:07 AM Comments  0 comments

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leapinGazelle   leapinGazelle ghazaleh's TIGblog
ghazaleh's profile

how to keep creative


Make, move, make, move, make, move — nothing needs you for too long unless you are in love and/or have kids, and even then, you can still make and move. Help as many people as you can by providing service. But when I say too long, I mean stop when you’re full. By full I don’t mean your hopes and dreams — I mean pride and acceptance. By that I don’t mean give up — I mean stop and think about longevity and sutainability. By lasting I don’t mean doing what you’re told to survive  – I mean keep your spirit alive. By spirit I don’t mean God — I mean your self.

Train yourself to be creative because if you don’t, you’ll just miss out on reality. It’s all moving — just catch it when it comes and roll with it baby (yes, you are a baby). The only home you got is in your heart and the only thing that distinguishes you is your creativity. Practice moving around. By that I don’t mean travel the world — I mean face your fears and challenge your comfort.

That’s how you keep creative.


June 24, 2009 | 12:06 PM Comments  0 comments

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leapinGazelle   leapinGazelle ghazaleh's TIGblog
ghazaleh's profile

dead and gone?


Ever wonder if anything is dead when you think it’s dead?

Like when you get into an argument with someone you have a close relationship with, or when you lose a game, or when you promised to do something and you don’t live up to? Do you wonder if you lost something knowing you can never get back?

I thought about it and then I realized I’m too stubborn. I thought about being stubborn and then I realized that human beings have various degrees of stubbornness in them. My stubborn temperature rises in strategic situations where my decision affects a larger situation that it’s dependent upon.

I believe in moments of stubbornness one can learn most about themselves, others and completion of tasks. Nothing can survive or be complete on its own. It otherwise would not exist. This means that we as individuals must realize how important others are and how invisible we as individuals must be in the process of completion.

I believe everyone should aim to become invisible by controlling their times of stubbornness. In the society we live in, people are not like that, which means you have to always remember that.

Nothing is dead and gone, because if it was, you could never grow and mature as an individual. The way you handle and recognize your own stubbornness determines your level of maturity. So learn as much as you can about yourself by aiming to become invisible in your run to the finish line.

Pace yourself to win the marathon.


June 23, 2009 | 11:06 AM Comments  0 comments

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leapinGazelle   leapinGazelle ghazaleh's TIGblog
ghazaleh's profile

this is for everyone who thinks i’m nice


You’re wrong.

I’m a monster. Just like you.

Calling yourself good or nice is probably the most untruthful thing you can do and the worst path to pursue in promoting yourself in thinking that you are doing good for the world.

This might shock many of you who know me that might be reading this. Over the last few months I’ve realized some things about myself and the world that have spun me around.

I gave up a couple years of my life, or should I say gave in, to a passion for improvement and innovation. I pretty much became the project, the idea, the vision I was pursuing, and let everything about it become me. I left myself behind to explore myself and who I really was. I kept pushing, pushing, pushing for more, more, more. Talked to thousands of people, spread myself out, connected spirits and tapped into hearts. I’ve been called an idealist, altruist, agent of change, a kid with stars in her eyes and anything else you can imagine that falls under the category of hippie or activist. 

I have a lot of love to give, that’s one thing. But I’m equally full of anger, greed and pride — sins maybe? I’ve been called brave and seen as a risk-taker. I would say however, that I’m a wimp and cannot manage to put up too long with mundane, institutional, conventional environments and people . So instead, I do what I want to do and find my own nice way to get out and do what I want with the body and energy that I have. If I was brave, I’d work within the system, be a tool and part of the majority of society that is risking their bodies and energy for the consumption of others.

I figured that I have abilities that convince people to throw money in the shit I talk about. I make it all up. None of it exists. I’m not nice. I just want to do what I want to do and forget me not, I have a lot of love. I think that’s all people see and they kind of just trust it…for some reason. Maybe because I’ve got myself convinced that I’m so good.

Love, my fellow humans, is the only thing I have. I’m absolutely not in control of it. It has attracted me to the right people in my life — good or bad I label them not. I’ve become self-aware and realized that I’m nothing but a selfish, honest, confident, angry and competitive five-foot-two Iranian-Canadian girl who wants to take out my athletic personality (body no more) to the next level in society.

I’ll tell you what’s real:

Fiction, science fiction, cartoons, drugs, graffiti, sex, war, sports, dance, comedy and of course music and art tie all of them together. Oh and don’t forget space and energy.

If you put love beside any one of those, you’ll get magic — not good or bad, just magic. Probably the closest experience you can have to reality.

Being nice to people is only so they like you and give you a hand when you need one. You cannot survive in this world on your own. So convince yourself that you’re nice when you’re really a monster. It’s just a game man, you’ve got no choice but to play, and might as well try not to be a loser.

Let your love lead the way — that means forget yourself, do it for the game.


June 18, 2009 | 11:06 AM Comments  0 comments

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leapinGazelle   leapinGazelle ghazaleh's TIGblog
ghazaleh's profile

loyalty is extreme


swear at the bus driver

tag the truck

yell at the parents

and punch the wall

burn the grass

pass it around

 

keep it moving

I don’t have all day bro

 

 shit in a bowl and give it a price tag

that shit is art

it’s worth it

you wanna buy?


June 18, 2009 | 1:06 AM Comments  0 comments

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leapinGazelle   leapinGazelle ghazaleh's TIGblog
ghazaleh's profile

The IRAN in ME


I’m going to zoom out a bit here.

I’m Iranian. Yes. Full-blood, deeply rooted in ideologies, traditions and history of  Persian culture. You may argue that it’s dead, but I will argue that it is a living spirit that goes way beyond family, food, religion, language, music, poetry, politics and pride. It is a solid combination of all of them, still in search of identity.

I am who I am because of who my parents are, my family, my childhood and my life as an immigrant girl, now a woman, living in Toronto Canada. It’s not easy might I add, more complicated than I expected. I have come to accept it however and respect myself and my body more than what I’m expected of.

I am also who I am because I don’t agree with what society gives me. I’m completely against it. I wish I could kill people who don’t deserve to live and take up land, resources and infect the minds of humans. I’m completely against brainwashing people with what is THE RIGHT WAY – THE WAY OF GOD, THE WAY OF JESUS, THE WAY OF ALLAH. I think it’s all a pile of crap to keep us in our shells and used as tools within a system, whether its a political system, a technological system, a scientific system, an educational system…whatever the system may be. We have yet to pursue a system in harmony with nature.

Or maybe not, maybe this IS all nature and we ARE meant to be here exactly the way we are up to this point and our future is in our own hands. 

 

Zoom in: your life as one human. Zoom out: your life as one humanity.

 

Read a book to get ideas, don’t live your life by devotion to writing. Words are interpreted to create meaning, and as we know through evolution and time, things change — it’s inevitable, the way of nature. We are growing up. We’re pretty mature now.

So Muslims, who are you? Tell me! I want to know! What defines you as a Muslim? Because Christians let their faith lead to capitalism and consumer culture and you’ve let your faith limit the nature of your body and pleasures. Sure there are beautiful sayings in the Quran, there are many in the Bible too. Not to mention some other pretty amazing science fiction writers, filmmakers, poets, artists and philosophers with revolutionary minds that manifested to MOVEMENTS in society. They did a good job of literature too, but they never called it the word of God and punished you for disobeying them.

I have the freedom to sit here and type up my thoughts and share it with others. That is nothing new.

What is new is the future of Iran.

Why?

Iran, in my opinion, is the most confused country in the world right now because I can feel Iran living in me since the day I was born. Maybe it’s my dad, or my mom, or the combinations of the two, or the generations passed down in spirit and cosmos. But I am Iran. Iran is a confused, chaotic, versatile, passionate, intelligent and creative spirit that has been encapsulated for thousands of years and has not given up. We are the last hope for this world. We are capable of redefining the Middle East, the cradle of civilization, because of our revolutionary spirit that has lived in us for years.

I don’t know what else to say but…the time is right Iranian people. The media is on us. It’s what we’ve all been waiting for. What’s next? Community. Communication. Poetry. Our poetry will save us. Make a living poet the politician. No other land owns poetry like us. We have lived by it and continue to pass it down.

Use it Iran.

Use it now.


June 15, 2009 | 11:06 AM Comments  0 comments

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JesseD   JesseD Jesse Desjardins's TIGblog
Jesse Desjardins's profile

i have moved

You can find me at Global Gossip - http://www.globalgossip.com

or on twitter - http://www.twitter.com/jessedee

or my blog - http://www.getmoretravellers.com

June 1, 2009 | 3:57 PM Comments  0 comments

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copudo   copudo Christabell's TIGblog
Christabell's profile

A champion of Africa and the United Nations

The United Nations Millennium Campaign Deputy Director for Africa and leading Pan-Africanist, Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, died in a road accident in the early hours on Monday this week. He was 48.

He was enroute to Jomo Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi to board a flight for Rwanda where he was scheduled to launch a maternal health campaign and meet with President Paul Kagame.

Recognized for his outspoken nature and strong leadership, the Nigerian-born Taju as he was popularly known, was adamant in his beliefs that Africa and its people were perfectly capable of solving their own problems. As a prolific writer and public debater, the Nigerian political scientist joined the United Nations Millennium Campaign in March 2006 as the Deputy Director for Africa. His most prominent role was to direct the Africa team in motivating people across the continent to become more proactive in engaging their leaders to deliver on the Millennium Development Goals.

“His most untimely and tragic death on Africa Liberation Day comes as a terrible shock,” said Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT. “He was a true son of Africa, a tireless campaigner and champion of Africa and Africans at home and around the world. May he rest in eternal peace. Our prayers are with him and his family.”

Africa Liberation Day on 25 May 1963, marks the occasion when the leaders of 32 independent African states met to form the Organization of African Unity. It is on this day that Africa and the rest of the world reflects upon the development and growth of the continent.

Prior to joining the United Nations Millennium Campaign, Dr. Tajudeen was the General Secretary of the Pan African Movement Secretariat in Kampala, Uganda and Co-Director of the London based human rights and peace organization, Justice AFRICA. He was also a freelance journalist and widely sought after commentator on African affairs in major global media and across Africa, including Radio France International, Al-Jazeera, the BBC and Voice of America. He is well known for his syndicated weekly column, “TAJUDEEN’S POSTCARD”, which was widely circulated online and published in a number of newspapers across Africa.

May 29, 2009 | 10:46 AM Comments  0 comments

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jbanerjee   jbanerjee Joya Banerjee's TIGblog
Joya Banerjee's profile

Why the average american hates the idea of "universal access" to anything
About this category: Health




I think I’ve figured it out. There’s something in public health called the “prevention paradox”: measures of disease prevention that offer great benefits to populations at large (such as fluoridation of water sources, wearing seatbelts, lifestyle changes, smallpox vaccinations, etc) offer little benefit or personal incentive to individuals.

But research shows that health education geared toward individuals (counseling on reducing salt intake for hypertension, exercise for diabetes, etc) are less effective when geared only toward individuals and/or used in a short-term approach. People are motivated to act for immediate gain and substantial personal benefits, but “the medical motivation for health education is inherently weak. Their health next year is not likely to be much better if they accept our advice or if they reject it. Much more powerful as motivators for health education are the social rewards of enhanced self-esteem and social approval.” (Geoffrey Rose, Sick Individuals and Sick Populations.)

Physicians also prefer individualized health education because with population interventions (such as anti-smoking campaigns), their success rates are low and results take a long time to achieve.

The US is such an individual-centric society that people have no cultural reason to care about population health as a whole. Most Americans do not see that universal access to healthcare means that problems are detected and treated early (which is less costly), and that sometimes preventive medicine can encourage life-saving behavior change. That the person going into the ER for stomach pain because s/he does not have health insurance is costing the taxpayer literally thousands more dollars than s/he would if s/he’d gone to a primary care physician.

Nor do they understand the concept of herd immunity- if a large proportion of a population is immune to or vaccinated against a particular disease, the likelihood that one individual will get that disease is far less.

The focus on the individual and the apathy toward the well-being of communities and populations is by no means restricted to health alone. The same can be said about the current financial crisis. Individuals who borrowed more than they could pay back, and their unscrupulous lenders have created a global downward spiral of hundreds of economies, with the bottom billion hit the hardest.

I find it ironic and deeply saddening that 30 million more people have been pushed into starvation thus far due to the financial crisis while bankers are taking hefty bonuses and governments are bailing out businesses that were failing even before the crash (GM, Chrysler, etc…)


May 18, 2009 | 4:09 PM Comments  1 comments

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leapinGazelle   leapinGazelle ghazaleh's TIGblog
ghazaleh's profile

life has its ways


It’s been over 2 months since I last made a blog post.

What a shame.

I thought I was going to reflect more on my experiences and continue writing. Well, sometimes its best to let it lead up to the point where there is enough to write about and the inclination makes it happen.

So many things are going on in my life, it’s hard to grasp and put into words. Basically, I have stayed put in a place that I feel comfortable. I realized that the confidence I have in myself is the ONLY thing I have that keeps me going and keeps my life pointed in the direction I need to be going in.

I’ve come to the conclusion that everything is meant to happen to you because you deserve it. Every experience you go through and every new relationship has a meaning and place in your life. The more clear you are on how you operate and function, the more comfortable you will be in your own skin and your thirst for being alive is what defines you as an individual.

I’ve come to accept that I am a leader and after many years of practice and working towards improvement, I have learnt that you are in complete charge of your life if you are brave enough to accept opposing views. Fighting doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no love. The tiger wants to eat its prey and the prey wants to escape. It’s life: death happens, growth progresses, now is all we have, so accept it and move on.

People will always defend themselves – it’s part of human nature’s law of survival. What shocks me when I look around me is people’s fear. Maybe I shock people, and I’ve got it all wrong. I probably do shock people, but only  because I am shocked by people’s choices of fear when life is about self-preservation.

This tells us there is love. We make our choices from love.

Love is violence. Love is freedom and bliss. Love for self is unveiled through curiosity, creation and play.

God is in-between. This is what sex is all about. The most taboo topic is the reason why we fear everything around us. We have a general fear of our own bodies’ abilities, so we choose to exploit them instead of understanding how they can give us access to pleasure, marriage and freedom

All these words in italic must be redefined. We must deconstruct and reconstruct our understanding of concepts that can give us absolute freedom and happiness in this age of evolutionary consciousness.

Let it all go, accept it all.

Life has its ways.


May 14, 2009 | 7:05 AM Comments  0 comments

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zoa   zoa Raphael Mlozoa's TIGblog
Raphael Mlozoa's profile

PROPOSED LEGISRATION ON HIV AND AIDS FOR MALAWI
Related to country: Malawi
About this category: Human Rights


The PROPOSED LEGISRATION ON HIV AND AIDS FOR MALAWI
Malawi law commission [MLC] has finished drafting the HIV and aids law for the land, if passed by parliament it will be a law in the near. The law has eight sections, which are
1 INSTITUTION BODIES
The National Aids Commission [NAC] and the department of Nutrition were establish by the government to coordinate the fight against HIV and AIDS in Malawi
The proposed law developed by the Malawi Law Commission will establish NAC under statute as a state institution to coordinate and facilitate the national response to HIV and AIDS.
The proposed law shall make sure that NAC enhances government’s commitment since its existence would be strengthened within the government structures
The proposed registration states that NAC would ensure better coordination and liaison between it and other departments of government, including the department of Nutrition, HIV and AIDS.
The proposed registration also states that the department of Nutrition, HIV and AIDS shall be responsible for formulating policies relating to HIV and AIDS its supervision and oversight mandate of the national response to HIV and AIDS.
2 GENDER
The vulnerability of women and girls to HIV and AIDS is aggravated by certain cultural and religious practices.
Such practices do not only violate the dignity of females but are usually practiced without the express consent of women and befall females mainly on the basis of their sex or marital status
The proposed law states that all cultural practices that are perceived to spread HIV infection should be prohibited.
The law intends to uplift the subordinate status of women and children because this impairs their ability to access information on HIV and AIDS and promotes discrimination in all spheres of life.
The law proposes that women and children infected and affected by the HIV and AIDS should know and enjoy their rights.
3 HUMAN RIGHTS
Section 20 of the constitution prohibits discrimination in general on the basis of, among other things, ‘other status’. The words ‘other status’ in encompassing HIV and AIDS as a ground on which discrimination is prohibited with a view to emphasizing the negative consequences of discrimination on people living with HIV and AIDS [PLWHIV]
The new law proposes that PLWHIV and all those infected and affected by the pandemic know and enjoy their rights.
The law proposes that any form of discrimination on the basis that another person is infected with HIV or is suffering from AIDS or is perceived to be infected with HIV or suffering from AIDS shall be illegal
The law proposes states that any person who is infected with HIV or is suffering from AIDS shall have the rights to
- A respectful and humane attitude on the part of society, entailing no humiliation of his right to dignity of his person, physical, integrity, life or health.
- Practice a profession of choice just to mention a few
The law states that a health service provider may disclose information relating to any person’s HIV status where he reasonably believes that it is medically appropriate to..
- Any person he reasonably believes has been or will be exposed to risk of infection in the course of his duties or emergency services or
- The spouse or other sexual partner of the infected person
4 INFORNATION
The MLC proposes that NAC shall be the only accrediting authority of all information on HIV and AIDS disseminated to the public.
As such any information on HIV and AIDS developed by any person other than NAC shall be screened and verified to establish its accuracy before dissemination
The MLC proposes that any person who gives or publishes false or inaccurate concerning HIV and AIDS to any person or the public shall be committing an offence and shall face punishment. This is so because of the tendency by traditional doctors, faith groups, and others who provide false or inaccurate information to HIV infected people and the general public.
5 EMPLOYMENT
The employment sector has been severely affected by the HIV and AIDS epidemic in that there is a decline in the levels human resources in whom heavy financial and material investment has been made.
As such the MLC proposes that no employer shall require any person to undergo HIV testing as a pre-condition for recruitment.
However, pre-employment HIV testing shall be permitted for purposes of assessing fitness for those wishing to serve in the defence force, police, prison and the immigration department
The law also proposes a mandatory testing for purposes of assessing the health status of a domestic worker
MLC also proposes that any person who terminates the employment of an employee only on the grounds that he or she is HIV positive shall be committing an offence punishable by a fine.
6 EDUCATION
People infected with HIV or suffering from AIDS are likely and are actually excluded from participating in education and activities of their choice.
The MLC proposes that no person shall be required to undergo HIV testing as a condition for
- Entry in an education or training institution
- An award of a scholarship, grant, bursary, benefit or other scholarly endowment, or
- Remaining as a student or trainee in any education or training institution
The law also proposes that no education or training institution shall, where there is no risk of infection of others with HIV, refuse admission, expel, segregate, refuse participation in an event or activity or deny any benefits or services to a person only on the grounds that the person is HIV positive or is perceived to be HIV positive.
The MLC proposes that the Minister shall ensure that the materials on HIV and AIDS developed and integrated into the school curriculum are free from all forms of stigmatization against, persons living with HIV and AIDS, not sexually explicit, developed in consultation with associations representing parents and teachers, education officials and interest groups.

7 CRIMINAL LAW.
It is an offence under section 192 of the penal code when any person unlawfully or negligently poses the risk of spreading the infection of any disease dangerous to life.
The MLC is proposing that any person who deliberately infects another person with HIV shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to imprisonment.
The commission also proposes that any person who recklessly or negligently infects another person with HIV shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to imprisonment.
A person who knows that is HIV positive shall not do an act or omit to do an act, which is likely to transmit or spread HIV infection to another person unless, before the act or omission takes place, the person has been informed of the risk of contracting HIV infection from him or her and has voluntarily agreed to accept that risk.
8 PUBLIC HEALTH
On the modes of HIV testing the MLC proposes that there shall be
- Voluntary counseling and testing
- Routine testing
- Diagnostic testing
- Compulsory testing
- Any other mode of HIV testing that the Minister may prescribe.
The law also proposes that any person who offers to donate blood or any tissue shall, immediately before such donation, undergo HIV testing.
The law also proposes that consent to undergo HIV testing shall be deemed to be given where a person offers to donate any tissue or offers to donate blood.
The MLC is proposing that compulsory testing for HIV infection shall be prohibited but shall be permissible in the following instances under an order of the court for any person who is charged with a sexual offence, for commercial sex workers, for persons intending to enter into polygamous unions, for pregnant women and their sexual partners or spouses and for donors of blood and tissues.


April 13, 2009 | 11:49 AM Comments  0 comments

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copudo   copudo Christabell's TIGblog
Christabell's profile

Urban youth groups receive boost from new UN scheme

25 March 2009 –With nearly three quarters of the world’s one billion slum-dwellers under the age of 30, a new United Nations programme seeks to empower urban-based, youth-led community initiatives.
The UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) “Opportunities Fund for Urban Youth-Led Development” scheme will provide grants between $5,000 and $25,000 to groups, steered by people between the ages of 15 and 32, promoting sustainable urbanization.

“In this time of worldwide economic crisis, it is not only banks and automakers who deserve financial support, we also need to encourage youth who are often best placed to solve problems in their communities,” said Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT.

“We must harness the energies of the young if we are to overcome the problems of urban poverty,” she added.

The Norwegian Government-backed initiative aims to support efforts in employment, education, environment, health and safety, among other areas.



March 26, 2009 | 12:29 PM Comments  3 comments

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copudo   copudo Christabell's TIGblog
Christabell's profile

Urban youth to benefit from UN-HABITAT’s two-million dollar opportunities fund

Nairobi, 25 March 2009: Urban based Youth-led organizations in developing countries who are working to improve the living conditions of their communities can now apply for financial assistance from UN-HABITAT.

The Opportunities Fund for Urban Youth-Led Development will provide grants between $5,000 and $25,000 to organizations led by young people, aged 15-32 years.

“In this time of worldwide economic crisis, it is not only banks and automakers who deserve financial support, we also need to encourage youth who are often best placed to solve problems in their communities,” said Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT. “The Opportunities Fund is designed to provide financial support of up to one million dollars per year, to youth-led initiatives aimed at sustainable urbanization. We must harness the energies of the young if we are to overcome the problems of urban poverty.”

Of the one billion slum dwellers in the world today, it is estimated that more than 70% are under the age of 30. Yet these young people have few resources available to improve their own living environment. This is a major oversight as there are many youth-led initiatives in slums and squatter settlements that are in urgent need of financial support.

The Opportunities Fund for Urban Youth-Led Development has been established with support from the Norwegian Government specifically to provide funds to youth-led community initiatives. The initial grant is for two million dollars over two years with a possibility of renewal.



The fund is committed to support innovative youth-led projects in areas such as employment, education, environment, health and safety. Applications from organizations partnering with government agencies and the private sector are encouraged. Projects promoting gender equality are particularly welcome.

Applications details are now available at www.unhabitat.org/opfund.


March 26, 2009 | 12:25 PM Comments  0 comments

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leoninestein   leoninestein Simeon's TIGblog
Simeon's profile

Arresting our Development
Related to country: Nigeria
About this category: Culture


As a sign of the times, hard or otherwise, things are getting worse than better, Our government seems to have lost the touch on tackling the economic crisis. Jobs are getting few by the day or better still by the minute every second count..time is money and time runs fast, never still always on the move.

The credit crunch is a test our resilience, how well we survive depends on a whole lot on government policies or lack of it. An average youth is bound to belief there's no hope or even a future.

Its all a matter of getting the mind right, being at peace with the self is the first step in the healing process..getting rid of the negative thought and imbibing positive attitude, the can do and all thing are possible spirit.

Every thing is not about the credit crunch and job cut/rate unemployment. It takes an extra effort, tasking our intellect to be creative, using our talent/abilities as a fall back mechanism and above all faith....

"Work hard to be better, creatively seek out new opportunities for growth, weighing out options, alternative to such (options) cost wise. To wait for the credit crisis to pan out would amount to arresting our growth and development"..it take a little bit of individual effort to make a big difference.

March 21, 2009 | 10:01 AM Comments  0 comments

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edudzie
EL JAAFARI ABDELAATI
Emily Karechio
Erick Ochieng Otieno
Esther
Fai Moh
ghazaleh
Hannah
Haylz
hnin
Jarra McGrath
Jean Claude
Jennifer Corriero
Jesse Desjardins
Joel
Joya Banerjee
Justin Bukoski
k dot
KASSIM ABDILLAHI WAISS
Ken Auma
Kjerstin Whiteley
Kubasu Nolasco Lazarus
LauraK
Luciana Gomes Alves Arfelli
Lucie
Luyombya Henry Hudson
Madelaine Hamilton
Maja Andjelkovic
mariposa
Nada
Nahbila
Natasha
Nguyen Thanh Huyen
Nikisha Reyes-Grange
Olesya Gook
Owais
Prince Boakye
Radha
Raphael Mlozoa
Ruzanna
Samson
Sandy Mae
Sanja Menicanin
Sara Donají
Sexy Lexy
Simeon
sosyof
Stephen Kasoma
Tamoy
Temmylade
Tiffany
Trevor Kellogg
Vanessa Currie
Veronica Ifeoma Ugwu
VITTORIA
VOICEMASTER
WhereHopeRemains
Xitij Ritesh Patel
Yahya
Yasmary Mora

Links
True Love Waits - USA
Youth Works East Africa


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