It was hard not to get swept away by the social media wave that was created around the KONY 2012 movement last month. And, personally, I think that the motive behind the effort was brilliant. It showed what a powerful tool social media can be, and it exposed a serious issue in the meantime. However, I can’t help but feel like the majority of people that got involved must feel like they are lacking a little bit of closure on the issue. Other than making Kony a household name, what have your efforts done on the ground level? What results have the tweets you’ve made, the donations you’ve delivered and the calls you’ve made to various politicians done?
The problem is the fact that the Kony mission had a lofty, and perhaps unattainable goal. It aimed at using the Hollywood drama to fund raise. In that regard it was successful. But what I doubt it did was achieve a better world on the ground level for the people of Uganda. Big goals are easy to rally around, but difficult to see any progress on even if it’s there. The truth is, that though big-minded goals are fine, but there are little things that can be done every single day to make this world a better place. Today, I’m calling to you to help make this world a better place. I am asking for your help, because girls like the one photographed below can’t. They have lost their parents to natural disasters, poverty, violence, or any one of a thousand reasons. They have been left to basically fend for themselves in orphanages around the city.
Perhaps you remember my photos of Haiti, the majority of which were filled with the smiling faces of children. While, a good part of those images were taken at an orphanage where we also filmed and photographed this dance session, which you may have also seen. While you watch the video below, I want you to look at the smiling faces of these children:
Amazing isn’t it??? Now, comes the sad part.
Those children don’t have beds, they don’t have blankets, and they don’t have pillows to sleep on at night. That cement floor that we all danced on, the one that was so dusty that it turned my black shoes grey, is where they sleep. In that space 37 children between the ages of 5 and 17 sleep on the cold cement floor without anything to comfort them except each other. You may remember that scene in the Kony video where all the kids are lying in a room side-by-side on the floor. You might remember how seeing that made you feel. While, these kids at this orphanage sleep like that every night. They don’t ask for your pity, nor your money; they are just kids trying to get by. It’s me asking for you to give to them.
I think we should get those kids some beds, don’t you?
Working in conjunction with the charity “Future for the Kids” a friend of mine named Dani Nobrega, who was also in charge of the dance project at this orphanage, we are trying to raise enough money so that she can buy these kids bunk beds, blankets and pillows by the time she returns to Haiti in a month’s time.
What is it going to cost?
- Each bunk bed = $90USD x18 = $1700
- Pillows = $5USD each = $185
- Sheets = $5USD each = $185
- Total = $2070
How can you help?
- Donate: If you can spare $10, $20, $100 or whatever, we’d really appreciate it. Just think. A $15 dollar donation is going to give a kid a pillow and a sheet. A $90 donation is going to buy a kid a bed. What more direct influence on bettering the life of someone can you have? Besides, it’s a tax write-off for most! I’ve started off by donating $25. Donations are done through paypal and can be made by credit card even if you don’t have a paypal account. Click the paypal logo below to be brought to the donations page.
- Social Media: Even if you can’t afford to donate cash, you can donate your time. Get onto the various social media networks like twitter, facebook, reddit, digg, and even pintrest and get the word out about this project.
- Blog it: If you have a blog, we’d love you to tell your readers about this little project. It only takes a short amount of time to write about it, and has the potential to do a lot of good.
Progress Reports
We did it people! Congrats! We have made the mark!!!! These kids will have beds April 25th, and a post will come when that happens.
What if we Earn More?
Donations will be left open even if the goal is reached, but you will of course be notified when it is. Any extra money donated will be sent to the organization “Future for the Kids” which works with a number of orphanages in Port au Prince, Haiti.
Are you ready to Donate?
I know that sometimes it’s hard to part with a little bit of your hard earned money, but believe me when I tell you that your money goes directly to the source. None of these donations will go to producing Hollywood-type movies, printing posters, staff wages, or advertising. 100% of these dollars will go directly to the goal of getting these kids somewhere comfortable to sleep at night.
I want you to look at the photo below and think: Does this kid deserve to sleep on the floor? If this were my child, would I allow him to sleep on the floor?
Donate here and put a smile on a child’s face.