Filed under: Inexpensive Ways to Give, Social Change, Technology, Twitter 4 Good | Tags: change, children, community, Earth Day, International Volunteering, service, take action
By Cheryl Mahoney
How much of your time do you spend on the internet? Obviously some–you’re here, after all! Personally, I’m on here eight hours a day for my job, and usually some time in the evening once I’m off of work too. For me, the internet’s where I go when I’m communicating with a friend, looking up a random fact, trying to remember a quote, puzzling over where I’d seen that actor before, looking for movie times, needing directions, checking to see if my library books are overdue, looking at my credit card bill, wanting to feed the hungry with one click…and on and on and on. I think we’re all a bit like that. And mostly, we don’t think about it–I don’t, anyway.
But some people do. The people over at One Web Day definitely do. One Web Day is all about celebrating the openness and interconnectedness created by the internet, and the power of the web to transform the world. An annual event on September 22, they consider themselves the Earth Day for the Internet. Earth Day is all about bringing environmental concerns in front of the world. One Web Day is intended to do the same for the internet. They had events in thirty-four cities across the world last year, and they’re gearing up for this year–less than a month away! The slogan is “One Web. For All” and the goal is to empower everyone to access the internet and to use it freely.
I admit, most of my examples up above of how I use the web are not really going to change the world. Not as individual actions. But it’s the cumulative that counts. It’s the spread of information, and the spread of connections. I can look up a random quote or a fact I’m curious about. Suppose a child in Africa could do the same. One fact won’t change her life, but the ability to access knowledge and information will. It’s about the freedom of information to spread. Twitter became an important spread of information during the aftermath of elections in Iran. Blogging has become an incredible tool for the freedom of communication. Sure, a lot of the internet is frivolous or unimportant, but not all of it–and sometimes the parts that seem frivolous are important after all. Besides, even if only 10% of what happens on the internet actually matters (I’m making this figure up), that’s all right. Because the internet opens up endless possibilities, and 10% of infinity is still infinity.
So if you use the internet (and clearly you do!) and want to celebrate the possibilities, visit One Web Day’s site. You can join their network and look for groups in your city, or read the blog for stories about supporters, and to learn how you can get involved too. If you’d like to help spread the internet and ensure one web for all, come visit UniversalGiving. You can sponsor one month of internet access for a classroom in rural China (just $15!), or help World Computer Exchange enhance internet connections in developing countries, or even volunteer in Ethiopia teaching children to use computers. Imagine the possibilities.
Filed under: Fun Ways to Give, Giving, Twitter 4 Good | Tags: charity, geography, hope, take action, travel
By Sarah Keyston
When someone mentions the seven wonders of the world, I usually think along the lines of “Yeah, it’d be nice to see those some day”—you know, in a distant life-goal sort of way. But for Chi-chi Ekweozor, seeing the seven modern wonders is a goal to be accomplished in a week. Yes, you read that correctly. Chi-chi plans to see 7 wonders in 7 days, raising 777,000 pounds (she’s from Manchester, UK) for 7 charities.
In order to fully grasp the extent of her travels, take a second to imagine a globe. Imagine you are in the United Kingdom to begin your (mental) journey. You fly to Rome via Brussels to see the Colosseum. Before you know it, you’re back on a plane, traveling to Amman, Jordan via Beirut to see Petra. Next you travel to the Taj Mahal in India, where you make a brief stop before flying on to Beijing, where you dart up to the Great Wall for a visit (Keep in mind that it has only been 4 days… are you tired yet?).
Continuing on, you fly to Lima, Peru via Toronto to see Machu Picchu at Cuzco. Next it’s on to Brazil to see Christ the Redeemer (Is your head spinning? Mine is!) before a jaunt up to Mexico to see Chichén Itzá. Finally, it’s back to the UK via Chicago for a grand total of 7 wonders in 7 days.
I’m exhausted just thinking about that jet lag! Chi-chi admits, “I know it’s a massive physical challenge to see all seven wonders in seven days: I will be crossing multiple time zones in that time but I’m willing to do it if it raises money and awareness for the seven charities I’ve chosen.” There is nothing like hearing about an individual’s personal sacrifice on the behalf of others to inspire me to give!
You may be wondering just what motivated Chi-chi to venture on this trip. She was brought to tears while watching a British TV show, saying, “I saw an elderly man caring for his elderly wife who suffers from Alzheimer’s and the memories of what my Gran went through before she died came flooding back.” One of the seven charities that her trip is benefitting is a foundation started by her parents in honor of her grandmother—the Jessie Ekweozor Memorial Foundation will provide educational aid in Nigeria. The other charities are the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, Diabetes UK, British Red Cross, Open Doors, Young Minds, and Feed the Minds.
Chi-chi officially launches her campaign with a Charity Auction in the UK today, though most of her efforts are being made virtually. An Internet TV and social media consultant in the UK, Chi-chi is raising awareness for her cause largely through social media like Twitter (follow her: @7wondersin7days), Facebook, and her blog.
Filed under: Give to Children, Inspirational Thoughts, Social Change, Twitter 4 Good | Tags: awareness, change, children, community, homelessness, service
By Cheryl Mahoney
Thanks to the unexpected connections of Twitter, I found an amazing story yesterday. I manage UniversalGiving’s twitter account (we love followers!), and yesterday my notices of new followers included ZachyB1. ZachyB1 is Zachary Bonner, the founder of The Little Red Wagon Foundation, Inc.
I checked out his website, ZachTracker.com, and learned that Zach is walking from Tampa, Florida to Washington D.C. That’s one thousand, two hundred and twenty-five miles. (I thought if I wrote it out in words that might capture the scope of it better than numbers…but nothing really can.) I don’t think I can really imagine walking that many miles. I walked across San Francisco once, but that’s only about seven miles–no comparison.
So, the big question–WHY is Zach doing this? He’s walking to raise awareness of homeless children. The march is called “My House to the White House.” Visit Zach’s website, and he’ll tell you all about it himself in a video.
But here’s the best part of the whole story. A walk like that is impressive. Raising awareness like that is impressive. But it gets better–Zach is eleven years old.
I’ve loved reading Zach’s Twitter updates. They’re full of wonderful references to “stranger friends” met along the road, and written with a maturity that, if it weren’t for the video, would almost make me suspicious that he was secretly older. But if there’s anything Zach’s proving, it’s that you’re never too young (or too old, for that matter) to make a difference, and that there’s no such thing as “can’t.” Because if there’s anything that can’t be done, it’s a kid walking over a thousand miles–but he’s doing it.
You can donate to The Little Red Wagon Foundation through Zach’s website. Or for another option to help homeless children, click here.
By Jacqueline Labrador
Who can resist the sight of a litter of puppies or watching a polar bear slide down a snowy hill on its belly? Almost every day I have some sort of encounter with animals, and not only do I learn something new from them; they also never cease to amaze me. I wanted to dedicate this post to my love for animals. For the way they offer a person so much, and how a deep bond can be forged without uttering a single word.
At a Memorial Day barbeque my family’s dog Oddie would flit from person to person leaving smiles on everyone’s faces. He added a little something extra to that day. There is definitely a reason that people have photo albums of their pets and why they tell stories lovingly of their mishaps and adventures. And we all know the health benefits that pets can offer us including stress relief and as an aid from mild depression. Whilst out in nature there is a certain excitement that comes with the encounter of a wild deer or a koala nestled in the branches of a tree. During the recent fires in Australia a story emerged of a firefighter and his encounter with an injured Koala that awed the whole world. Life just wouldn’t be the same without their presence. And with that in mind it is our job to make sure that we can protect those creatures we love so much by being mindful of how we act toward our environment and how it can also affect them. Orwell said in his 1945 book Animal Farm; “he [man] is the lord of all the animals”, if this is so then we should try to be just rulers. We can enrich the lives of our planet’s creatures and in turn they will also enrich ours.
By Jacqueline Labrador
Our world is becoming a small place. At any one moment we can find out what someone is doing in Tokyo, chat online with another in Brussels or look at a satellite image of a village in Angola. It seems as though we are a very connected society; and through the internet and social networking websites we are able to stay in touch with others throughout the globe. But what we seem to be missing out on is deeper connections with others. We have become so reliant on superficial indirect methods of communication that it leaves a basic element missing. Our lives are full of so much over stimulation that it’s hard to break away those simple moments, which is where the most joy and meaning can be found. If at any point we feel like something is missing in our lives, then maybe we need to step back and focus on something other than ourselves to really get in touch with our true self.
Volunteering can be a great way to connect to others in a world that is increasingly becoming closer, yet less connected. It can become a way for people to be involved in the global community and to physically participate in creating a better, more positive world, whilst gaining valuable life lessons. There are so many reasons to become a volunteer and by getting involved in a charitable organization it can become a way to really get to know ourselves and our purpose in life. This greatly benefits the disadvantaged community and breaks down social barriers, creating understanding and tolerance between different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Whilst going overseas and committing a month or more to an international organization may seem out of reach for some, there are plenty of ways to make such an endeavor manageable. Many organizations offer scholarships and grants to assist people in going overseas, and if you decide to fundraise every contribution is a tax deduction. A few organizations even offer their experiences for free. Even more simply, we can reach out in our communities by joining a local organization or helping out with fundraising events.
Find something that you are passionate about or a natural skill that you would like to share with others. This will increase the positive impact that you will have on the community and the overall experience for you. Try working with children in Rwanda, monitor coral reefs in Thailand, or protect dolphins in Greece, and so many other possibilities that can be found at Universal Giving.
Like so many things in life, it is one that you have to experience to know the value that it will provide. But for many people it leaves them more open minded and enriched with an experience that changes them forever. It just takes small steps to create a better world and if we all lead by example it takes us closer to a more positive future.
