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Youth Action International is a growing network of young people using grassroots techniques to develop and implement programs that help alleviate the suffering of children affected by war or living in difficult circumstances and to empower them to reach their full potential. Learn more continue
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Kimmie Weeks makes cover of IB Magazine

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May 29, 2008

Kimmie Weeks to speak testify before Congress

Please join the Congressional Human Rights Caucus for a briefing on human trafficking from conflict zones in Sub-Saharan Africa. The briefing will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, in room 2200 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

The majority of trafficking victims in Africa are children who are trafficked either within their own countries or in the region for forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation. Adult women are also trafficked for sexual exploitation and domestic servitude across African borders to Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Conflicts and civil strife in Africa have created displaced populations and traumatized local communities who are vulnerable to exploitation. In conflict areas, where government control is often limited, armed groups frequently abduct women or children for sexual slavery, and often recruit children into their ranks. 

The conscription of child soldiers is a unique and extreme form of trafficking that UNICEF estimates affects more than 300,000 children under 18 in more than 30 armed conflicts worldwide. In December 2007, the United Nations noted that evidence suggests that refugee and internally displaced person (IDP) camps are often prime recruiting grounds for child soldiers because of the concentration of vulnerable children.

May 9, 2008

YAI begins support for former child soldiers in Uganda

Jinja, Uganda – On Wednesday April 30, 2008 Jinja District officials handed over goods donated by Youth Action International to the transit center in Jinja. Youth Action International (YAI) provided beds, mattresses, and blankets to cater for the basic needs of the children at the transit centre. This is the only transit centre in the district that caters for abandoned children who originate from different parts of Uganda including Karamoja, Soroti, Mbale, and Gulu.  Speaking at the handover ceremony Ms. Agnes Amooti Namiyingo, YAI’s Country Representative noted that YAI chose to work with Jinja transit centre because it was giving hope to children who would otherwise not have anyone to care for them and possibly spend the rest of their lives on the streets. James, one of the children at the centre said that “he never thought he would sleep on a bed nor have a blanket to cover himself.” 

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May 9, 2008

YAI ASSIGNS REGIONAL DIRECTOR TO WEST AFRICA

Monrovia, Liberia: Eve de la Mothe Karoubi has taken up temporary assignment as Youth Action International’s Regional Director in West Africa.   Although based in Liberia, Eve will help to coordinate YAI’s activities in Sierra Leone as well as explore opening a new office in the Ivory Coast.  While in West Africa, Eve will host workshops on conflict resolution, and help launch a series of new YAI programs for women and youth.   Continue reading continue

April 19, 2008

$150,000 in education materials for Liberia

Youth Action International is teaming up with People United for Libraries in Africa (PULA) and Mother Goose Times to ship over $150,000 in books and education supplies to Liberia and Sierra Leone.    The consignment will include books for rural libraries, materials for a new after school initiative, computers and materials for Sierra Leone’s school for the visually impaired. Youth Action International will continue to ship education supplies to Liberia throughout the year.

April 19, 2008

Kimmie Weeks Joins Premier Gathering of Donors and Social Investors in Ambitious Undertaking: Finding Fresh Solutions for Global Social Impact

REDWOOD CITY, CA: Internationally acclaimed Liberian child rights activist Kimmie Weeks of Youth Action International is among the featured speakers at this year’s Global Philanthropy Forum (GPF), an annual gathering of cutting edge donors committed to international causes. Kimmie Weeks will be joined on stage by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former UN Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, Virgin Atlantic’s Sir Richard Branson, Google.org’s Larry Brilliant, scholar Samantha Power and singer Annie Lennox in a discussion of “Human Security, Human Rights and the Shared Responsibility to Protect.” Five hundred of the world’s best known and most effective philanthropists will be in attendance.   

According to the Global Philanthropy Forum’s founder and president, Jane Wales, “Once a year, the Global Philanthropy Forum convenes leading philanthropists from around the world for an intense three days to consider ways to tackle large problems. These challenges — be they poverty, disease, climate change, social exclusion or mass atrocities — cannot be solved by one state or one sector. Philanthropy, and those it supports, has a role to play.” GPF members are joined by on-the-ground advocates from the developing world, social entrepreneurs, business leaders and policy practitioners to chart strategies for impact and enter into collaborations. Continue reading continue

April 11, 2008

New TV series on Kimmie Weeks begins airing around the world

Youth Action International’s founder and Executive Director Kimmie Weeks is being featured in  a new MTV and Discovery Channel reality series called 4Real.   Hosted by Sol Guy, the show takes pop star MIA to Liberia to explore Kimmie’s work to transform his country.

As children of war, Sri Lankan rap maven M.I.A. and Liberian child advocate Kimmie Weeks know much about the devastation of civil war on countries, families and neighbors.  Bringing M.I.A. to post-war Liberia, Sol introduces M.I.A. to Kimmie, showcasing his work to help young people rebuild their lives and their country.  Forced into a refugee camp, Kimmie formed his first NGO at a young age and became one of the most wanted men in Liberia.  But Kimmie’s reputation for helping others, now earns him an invite to meet with Liberia’s first female president, and he brings M.I.A. and Sol along for the gathering.  Afterwards, Kimmie enlists Sol and M.I.A.’s help to repair the first playground in post-war Liberia – a symbolic example of the healing process.  Mobbed at the marketplace, Sol and M.I.A. head back to the block for a party where she performs ‘World Town’ – inspired by her visit to Liberia.  An impromptu dance-off shows off the spirit of a people working towards a better life and brighter future. 

Other Celebrity guests for Season One are Cameron Diaz, Mos Def, Joaquin Phoenix, Eva Mendes, Casey Affleck, K’NAAN, M.I.A. and Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The 4Real series is now airing in 133 countries and 35 languages.

NEW: watch previews and see showtimes

April 11, 2008

YAI participates in the 2nd Afro-Arab Youth Conference in Uganda

Kampala, Uganda – Youth Action International staff in Uganda participated in the just ended Afro-Arab Youth Conference which took place in Kampala, Uganda.  Under the conference theme “youth in partnership for peace and development” the youth re-echoed the need to consolidate partnerships and unity between

Africa and the Arab world in order to achieve perpetual peace and development.  The ten-day event was attended by about 2,000 youth delegates from Africa and the Arab world who discussed issues ranging from HIV/AIDS, poverty, hunger, poor health to illiteracy, unemployment, gender inequalities and wars.  The conference was officially opened by Ugandan Present Yoweri Museveni and officially closed by the Libyan President Muammar Ghadafi.  In her presentation under the topic “Young people and the challenges of the 3rd millennium goals for development,” Youth Action International’s Regional Director, Memory Bandera presented alongside the Sudan Minister of Children.  Continue reading continue

April 10, 2008

YAI LAUNCHES Hospital2Hospital

Hospital2Hospital is one of Youth Action International’s newest and most exciting projects.  Hospitals around the United States are working together to collect unused medical supplies, which would otherwise be discarded as waste.  These medical supplies will be delivered to a major government hospital in Liberia and other hospitals in partner countries that are in dire need of the most basic of materials.   

Many surgical materials such as gloves, sutures, drapes, gowns, and more are prepared for medical procedures but are later discarded unused even though they have had no contact with any individual and remain in their packaging. Hospital2Hospital uses the Remedy model, which is a safe and legal way of collecting unused medical supplies from U.S. hospitals.   Remedy was founded at the Yale-New Haven Hospital by anesthesiologist William Rosenblatt and the model has spread to hundreds of hospitals around the country.  Using this model, the Yale-New Haven hospital collects over $200,000 worth of medical supplies for groups around the world that otherwise would have been thrown away.  In fact, this method saves some hospitals money from having to dispose of the medical supplies.  

Every medical supply that is collected and shipped instead of being wastefully discarded can literally save lives in partner hospitals while cutting down on “waste” in the U.S. To find out how to get involved, please contact info@peaceforkids.org.

March 30, 2008

YAI Launches Vocational Training Program

Kampala, Uganda – On Friday February 8th, the Minister of Youth and Children, honorable James Kinobe officially opened Youth Action International’s vocational skills training initiative in the slum areas of Kampala, Kisenyi.  Honorable Kinobe urged the youth to “maximize the opportunities afforded to them by this initiative.”Youth Action International launched the vocational skills training program in collaboration with Mengo Youth Development Link, a grassroots organisation for both income generation and skills development to the marginalized youth in Kampala’s slum areas. Continue reading continue

February 18, 2008

Next Page »

YAI BLOGS more news

Is Kony really interested in peace?

Posted by memory, May 9, 2008

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A cross-section of observers, traditional and religious leaders, local and international media stormed Ri-Kwangba last week to witness the historical moment were Joseph Kony, the Lord Resistance Army (LRA) leader was supposed to sign the final peace agreement. The rest of the world held its breath to witness the day that northern Uganda would finally get to normalcy after 20 years of conflict between the Government of Uganda and the LRA rebels.

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Journey to Uganda - by Heehwa Choi

Posted by memory, April 29, 2008

Heehwa

“Aren’t you nervous?” my dear friend carefully asked me when I told her that I’d be visiting Uganda. That’s how my parents reacted at first. I told myself it is not because Uganda is part of Africa that they are worried for my travel. Traveling to new places is always uncertain to some extent. However, I couldn’t deny that part of me was more worried than usual. What would I see? How would I feel? What should I expect? Am I mature enough? Above all, the question was ‘why would I want to go visit Africa’? I cannot tell Uganda story leaving out the influence of Kimmie and Youth Action International. I actually met Kimmie at Northfield Mount Hermon High School where Kimmie graduated from.  

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Peace in Uganda?

Posted by memory, April 19, 2008

 

The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), an Acholi-based opposition group led by Joseph Kony has been fighting first against president Museveni’s government, and currently against other Acholi peoples. The Acholi are an ethnic group who live in Northern Uganda. Though Kony, leader of the LRA reportedly believes he has been chosen by God to overthrow president Museveni and establish a government based on the Ten Commandments, and a purified Acholi race, the LRA has yet to explain its goals or put forth any sort of political agenda.
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Death in Uganda

Posted by Abigail, September 3, 2007

I wasn’t promised an African sunset. When Kimmie Weeks invited me on a humanitarian mission through post-conflict countries, what came to mind were the stunning landscape pictures my friends had brought back from the ranch in Kenya. It was how I had envisioned this beautiful continent. Streaks of red and orange, firing up the night sky of deep blue and purple: a kaleidoscope of color. Instead, I found another kind of sunset. I found the African people wasting away, dying brutal, horrific deaths at the hands of war, disease, and poverty. I found the sun setting on their lives. Not fading into the night with brilliant lights, but being shredded into a nonexistence wracked with pain and suffering. Continue reading continue

Notes from West Africa

Posted by Nina, September 3, 2007

I traveled to Liberia and Sierra Leone with Kimmie Weeks during the summer of 2006 to assist him and carry out research for YAI. I am originally from Tanzania and was excited to visit west Africa. I was confident I would adjust to Sierra Leone pretty quickly, because hey, it was still Africa wasn’t it? And I’m half African. Continue reading continue

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