Getting Ready for the Trip to the Haiti

As you all know, I am leaving to Haiti next week from June 8 - 20. I have to prepare for a few health precautions/vaccinations such as Hepatitis A, B, Thypoid, and malaria pills. I just took my first dosage of malaria pills today and will continue to take it weekly for four weeks. I also have to be concerned about cholera and Dengue fever.

By the way, hurricane season in Hait officially starts today and will continue for the next few months. Even though there are many adversities that I have to face, I am still pretty excited to go and cannot wait. Please follow me on my Facebook and Twitter as I will post images of my trip and of all the kids that I will care for. Below is a picture of the orphanage that I will be working at.

Going to Haiti

Just to let you all know, I have already bought tickets to volunteer at Haiti from June 8 - 19. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Ever since the devastating earthquake in 2010, the amount of poverty, jobless and hungry people, and spread of cholera has risen. I also want to shift my direction as to where to donate. The people in Haiti need much help and I will go there to volunteer at an orphanage, so I can tell you about their living conditions and what they need help the most.

I am planning on keeping a daily journal when I go there, and will share it to all of you when I get back. Also, I am planning on making a documentary as well, since honestly, not many people have made documentaries about Haiti after the earthquake.

The trip I am going to is supported by Global Family Philanthropy. To learn more about volunteering and donating to Haiti, click on their site to learn more.

Japan Relief Earthquake Fund

A few weeks ago, while I was in Berkeley, Ca., I came across a store that had a flag of Japan on the display window on the corner of Telegraph Avenue & Park Street. As I went in, I realized that the store was set up like a bazaar. The Japanese community of Berkeley were selling their goods and valuables, such as crafts, hats, jewelries, clothes, shoes, and books, away to raise funds for Japan. I was very inspired by this, and that is how I had the idea of donating our proceeds from the TOMS Event a couple weeks ago to Japan Relief.

The store has its own website that tells you directly where to donate for Japan relief. All proceeds will go to the Japan Red Cross Society. Click here to donate and make a difference.

Onitsuka Tiger X YAP X ShoebizSF

 

YAP has joined forces with Shoebiz and Onitsuka Tiger to bring awareness about the Japan earthquake and tsunami. Our goal is to raise money to help kids who lost their parents and families during the devastation. Help us to spread the word and if you want to help, just send me an email at shawnesmaili@gmail.com, and I will guide you to reliable organizations where you can safely send your donations. To find out more, you can also go to shoebizsf.com and hypebeast.com.

Japan Earthquake Relief Fund

I would like to thank everyone for participating at the event. Overall, we sold and customized 72 pairs of TOMS Shoes, which means that we are giving 144 pairs of TOMS Shoes to the victims in Japan. Below are pictures of the event. To view more pictures of the event, visit our Facebook page. 

Thanks again for participating. You guys have made a big difference.

YAP Supports Orphan Support Kenya

Orphan Support Kenya is a Non-Profit Community based organization in Kenya. Their mission is to provide a nurturing centre that will be a home for children and women in distress, and to educate and empower them to become self-reliant members of society. 

Listed below are some of the cases and children they are helping in the community.

Emmanuel Josephine: Age 12 years, is not only a partial orphan. The father is deceased and is living with the mother. The boy is in standard 4 also in a nearby school. The mother is not employed but relies on casual labor from neighborhood when she is in good health to feed herself and the boy. However many times they have to rely on neighbors of good will for handouts.

John Mutune,12 years, Irene Mutheu, 8yrs, and Miriam Kavindu, 10 years. This is a child headed family. They live alone in a dilapidated house and in the care of their blind grandmother. Their parents abandoned them due to domestic quarrels; however the mother visits once in a while. John who is in class six is the bread winner for the family and takes care of the blind grandmother. Although other relatives visit once in a while to take food to them; Irene and Miriam fetch water and firewood daily to cook and do their washing. They were enrolled in school with the free primary education but due to lack of school uniform attaining of formal education still remains a dream to them.

Veronica Wabua, 12 years. She lives with the mother who has several other children but who are now grown ups and have now left home to get casual labour jobs at Nairobi as “house maids” to the mother. Education is not a priority and when girls grow old they can feed for themselves and get married. Veronica, when she grows up, wishes to be a nurse, but this is a dream, because she has no support and she is not consistent in school because of the many household chores. The father abandoned the family and is hardly seen at home.

Felistus Mutindi, 8 years, and John Mbai, 5 years. They are a brother and sister. Their both parents are deceased and are living with their uncle and aunt who are daily habitual drinkers of traditional brews. They physically abuse the children and don’t care of their up keep. The children have to fed for themselves from casual labor from the neighborhood and their returns are too shared by their hosts.

Jacqueline Gaiti is a 12 year old girl who has lived and still lives and is taken care of by her great grandmother since she was six years old. The great grandmother is about 83 years old and the two live in small mud house in a ¼ an acre of land; both have to depend on each other. Their survival over the last years has been dependent on farming on the small land which most of the time is futile since the old woman does not have the strength neither does she have the money to buy the seedlings. Well wishers have come to their aid often but not always.

To view the pictures of each of these children, click here

 Click here to support and donate to Orphan Support Kenya. The children in Kenya need your help to improve their lives and bring them hope.

 

 

Come to the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund

YAP X TOMS Shoes X ShoBizSF

When: Saturday, March 26.

Where: ShobizSf Noe Store (3810 24th Street, San Francisco, CA)

Event Hours: 11-5

For every pair of TOMS sold, TOMS will give a pair of shoes to a child in need and Shoebiz will donate two pairs to the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund.

Come and get your TOMS shoes painted by local bay area artists.

 

Youth Against Poverty supports Mapendo International

Mapendo International gives humanitarian assistance to those who have been affected by war and conflict. Their main mission is to create a safety net for people in Africa who are fleeing violence, whose lives are at risk, and who have no access to humanitarian aid. Right now, there are nearly 3 million refugees across Africa who have fled their homes due to violent conflict and persecution. Less than half of those refugees are served.

Click here to join the cause in order to help rescue and protect the refugees in Africa.

 

The TOMS Event Was a Success

I want to thank everyone who participated in the event by buying TOMS shoes. Now we are able to give 197 pairs of shoes to orphans and children in need. TOMS shoes will match every shoe sold to a child in need and Youth Against Poverty will give every money raised to the orphanages and organizations that we support.

 

Youth Against Poverty X Toms Shoes X Shoebiz

"ONE FOR THREE" Event - Saturday December 18, 2010

Event will be held at Shoebiz Noe Store (3810 24th Street)

Local Bay Area Artists will customize Toms Shoes Purhcased that day for Free.

Shoebiz will match dollar for dollar for every shoe they sell to Youth Against Poverty. We will use that money to donate to the orphanages and organizations that we support.

Also, with every pair of Toms Shoes sold, Toms will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need.

Youth Against Poverty Supports Jatukik Providence Foundation

The Jatukik Providence Foundation is a non-profit organization in Congo that focuses on improving the lives of 400 Congolese orphans who are victims of war and disease. Their goal is to continue to better the life of the orphans in the oppressed communities by providing education, food, clean water, and medical supplies .

Did you know that if you add the deaths in Darfur, Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Rwanda of 1994, they WOULD NOT equal the millions of deaths in Congo?

These orphans need help because Congo is the deadliest conflict in the world since WWII.

For more on the Jatukik Providence Foundation, click here

 

Youth Against Poverty Supports Stand Proud

Stand Proud provides braces and surgeries to children and adolescents who are victims of polio, accidents and/or other diseases that result in leg and foot deformities, mainly concentrated in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Handicapped in Congo are despised and often accused of being filled with evil spirits.  Even parents sometimes believe their children are cursed or being punished for some unknown evil.  Getting braces and being able to walk opens new doors.  Walking doesn't always solve all problems; many people are still cruel to the handicapped. But when they can walk and get around with dignity, they have a good chance at improving their lives. One of the big expenses for this organization is school fees for the beneficiaries. Some of these kids weren't able to attend school before they got braces, and others needed to stay up to date with classes while they are in rehabilitation. 

To learn more about Stand Proud, click here.

Youth Against Poverty X TOMS Shoes X Noe Shoebiz Presents:

"One For Two" Event on October 23, 2010 @ Noe Biz (3810 24th Street), from 11AM-5PM.

Local Bay Area artists will customize any Toms Shoes purchased that day.

Shoebiz will match every pair of shoes sold in store that day, donating/giving all the proceeds to Youth Against Poverty. PLEASE JOIN ME TO RAISE AWARNESS AND SUPPORT FOR KIDS IN NEED.

Also remember, for every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need.

   

YAP giving away tickets to the movie Step Up in 3D

YAP is giving away complimentary tickets to the premier movie Step Up in 3D on Wednesday, August 4 at 7:30 PM located at 845 Market Street, 5th Floor, San Francisco.

All you have to do to get these tickets are to:

  • Join our Youth Against Poverty Facebook page
  • Join our Twitter Page (YAP123)

After you have joined our Facebook and Twitter pages, email me at shawnesmaili@gmail.com and I will mail you the tickets. We only have 20 tickets.

YAP in Collaboration with Onitsuka Tiger and Wendy MacNaughton

We are in planning stages to have a fundraising event in San Francisco (1553 Haight Street) on August 13-14. We are displaying creative art by Wendy McNaughton with generous support of Onitsuka Tiger/Asics to raise funds and awareness for orphanages across the world. The art event will coincide with Outside Land Music Festival. I am asking everyone to join us and support our cause, purchase art, and Shoebiz and Onitsuka will match dollar for dollar with all the purchases that we make. In addition, Shoebiz and Onitsuka Tiger will match every dollar you donate to Youth Against Poverty. I have to emphasize, YAP does not collect money, we provide money to youth and orphans in need.  

I will be at the event, so if you have any questions, comments, etc, please feel free to talk to me about it.

 

Earthquakes Soccer Tickets to Charity

We have just listed our San Jose Earthquakes Soccer tickets online. All the proceeds go to charity such as the organizations and orphanages we support. The dates for all the games and the links to buy the tickets are: 7/3, 7/31, 8/14, 8/21, 9/11, 9/15, 9/29, 10/16, and 10/20

Remember, all the proceeds will go to the orphans in need.

 

Youth Against Poverty supports Inspire the Youth Foundation

Inspire the Youth Foundation is a non profit organization that is greeting you from the state of Alabama, USA and from our affiliates and/ or programs in Burundi, Mali and Zimbabwe, AfricaOur aim is to support the lives of the children who are being cared for by their grandparents, brother(s) or sister(s) or an agency Our direct impact is focused on education and the well being of the child. Inspire the Youth pays for school fees, purchases school materials (uniforms, shoes, sweaters, tracksuits, etc.) and school supplies (books, paper, pens, rulers, etc.) as well as providing access to medical attention.  Thus, we are always looking for assistance to keep this effort moving along such as:

 

  • Shipping collected items to benefit the needy
  • Sponsor the education and health of orphaned, vulnerable and deserving children
  • Sustain affiliate centers (supply rural areas with farming materials & classroom necessities)
  • Provide boreholes in city and rural areas (need access to clean water)
  • After-school programs such as sports that help in building a motivated character 
  • Structure income generating projects for sustaining development to help widows and elderly
  • Provide lunch lines in impoverished areas
  • Contribute to the youth community service projects (clearing debris, planting trees & mentoring peers)
  • Building of a children homes and education centers

For more about this organization, click here.

To go their website, go to www.inspiretheyouth.org.

If you want to donate to this organization, their address and contact is:

INSPIRE the YOUTH FOUNDATION, INC.
P.O. Box 831209
Tuskegee, Alabama 36083
USA
334.552.0897

If you want to contact Dingani Nkuchwayo (founder and director of Inspire the Youth), his email is director@inspiretheyouth.org.

 

Technical Email Problem

We are facing a technical problem with our email account. If you want to contact us, or if you have tried to email us through our Write To Us tab and have not been replied back, please email us at shawnesmaili@gmail.com. We are very sorry for the inconvenience. 

Donating Earthquakes Soccer Tickets for Charity

Youth Against Poverty is planning on donating San Jose Earthquakes soccer tickets for the cause of charity. The proceeds from all tickets will go by its entirety to the orphanages and organizations we support. We have 4 tickets to every game. Dates for the games are: 5/29, 6/02, 7/03, 7/31, 8/14, 8/21, 9/11, 9/15, 9/29, 10/16, and 10/20 and each ticket costs $25.00

If you are interested to buy one to four tickets, just send me an email at shawnesmaili@gmail.com and I will give you the details

Go to a soccer game while helping the poor. Tickets are going fast and many people want to buy these tickets, so please do not hesitate.

Help The Orange Giraffe Orphanage in Uganda

The Orange Giraffe Orphanage and Children's Home is a program in Uganda (Africa) under the Foundation for Rural Development and Action Research (FORDAR). The orphanage was targeted as a preschool center for orphans and needy children in order to provide them with food, clothes, soap, shelter, medicine, and education. To learn more about this orphanage click here.

Here are a couple pictures of the Orange Giraffe Orphanage. To look at more pictures, go to the Photo Blog (on the bottom left hand column) and click on Orange Giraffe Orphanage 

The Experiential Learning International (ELI) is able to accept your donations to the Orange Giraffe Orphanage in Uganda. If you would like to donate, please mail a check to the ELI Associates to this address:

Experiential Learning International

2828 N. Speer Blvd., Suite 230

Denver, CO 80211