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“Say the Word-I’ll Be There”: A song to benefit War Child

Andras Fixler 'Say The Word - I'll Be There' cover artwork

Every so often a famous singer is moved by the problems they see around the world and use their talent and celebrity status to try to make the world a better place. On my blog, I’ve introduced you to the latest songs for charity by such famous singers as Beyoncé (“I was here” sung for the UN World Humanitarian Day) and the “Every Beat Matters” campaign with rocker group OneRepublic and Save the Children. Now I’d like to introduce you to another song for social good, “Say the Word – I’ll Be There” recorded by Andras Fixler, a pop entertainer from Budapest.

Andras Fixler promo photo

Following is a press release with the details about the song and the cause close to Andras Fixler’s heart.

“Hungarian Singer Andras Fixler Unites With War Child, To Donate All Profits From Selling A Song “Say The Word – I’ll Be There” To The Charity”

(Budapest, Hungary) War, conflict and natural disaster have far-reaching consequences across the Earth, with people of all backgrounds suffering even in scientific times as these. Across the world, violent events, both human-made and natural, have their greatest and most catastrophic effects upon the most vulnerable among us: children.

This fact has never been more depressing, more gruelling to Hungarian singer Andras Fixler, a man with a passion for music. After years of witnessing shocking images of children impacted by war and natural disasters, from child soldiers in the Congo to starving children still living with the consequences of the 2004 Indonesian Tsunami, Andras knew he had to do something. His philosophy combines the beautiful idealism that even one human being can make a difference through philanthropy and empathy.

With his cause came his inspiration. With his inspiration, Andras could see the world in a new light. Ever since its 1991 release, Kylie Minogue’s Say the Word – I’ll Be There had left an impression on Andras as a great song, but he found the lyrics particularly relevant to the plight of disadvantaged children across the world.

And to do his part in supporting unfortunate children across the world, Andras Fixler teams up with War Child North America to release his own charity single, offering it for sale for $4.99. It may seem like it’s not too much, but just $2.50 can provide a street child with transport to visit their family in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, $5 can buy a school uniform for the dry season in Uganda, $15 can purchase one toiletry and hygiene kit for one girl in prison in Afghanistan. By purchasing this single, you help Andras making a real difference in the lives of these children.

“I had to discover after listening to it from time to time that it is not exactly about love. Or at least it can be interpreted to be about CARE. I like the meaning of the lyrics that there are always so many bad things happening all around the World and we ought to do something to help. I discovered that this song can be understood as care for children, protecting them, doing everything to save them. They are the future and it is very important to recognize that. And all should join us in helping and saving them!

“War Child is a charity that dares to dream, and to create, a world that is better for children whose lives are affected by decisions that are not their own.”

That’s what inspires Andras every day: daring to make a difference, one song at a time.

You can download Andras Fixler’s version of Say the Word – I’ll Be There via http://act.andrasfixler.com/saytheword . All profits he generates will go to War Child North America.

War Child is an international charity that protects children from the brutal effects of war and its consequences. To learn more about War Child, click here. 

To download a sample of the song, click here.

Andras Fixler is a Hungarian singer who performs Hi-NRG / retro hits from 80s and 90s. To visit his website click here. You can also check his project out on Facebook. 

SOCIAL GOOD
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WaterAid: Imagine life without access to clean water

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All photos credited to WaterAid and used with permission.

Can you imagine living a life without access to clean water or sanitation? Something as basic yet critical as clean water and access to a toilet is a luxury that many people around the world in developing nations simply don’t have.

Global Health Global Issues Global Non-Profit Organizations and Social Good Enterprises Poverty SOCIAL GOOD
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First impressions on nine days in Honduras

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Sunset over West Bay Beach on the island of Roatan is always a magical treat.

Sunday night I arrived home utterly exhausted and unfortunately sick from Honduras. I tend to be prone to stomach bugs when I travel to developing countries and thankfully I always carry an antibiotic which has already began to help. Nevertheless, I lost six pounds in a week and came back to a sick child again as well. We just can’t seem to get healthy in our house.

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The tropical island of Roatan. Worlds apart from the mainland of Honduras where 80% of the people live in poverty.

Honduras Poverty SOCIAL GOOD TRAVEL BY REGION Volunteering Abroad
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The Crisis in Syria and how you can help

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The onset of the Syrian conflict over 21 months ago has been utterly devastating. Thousands of Syrians have been displaced and over 540,000 Syrians are registered refuges in the neighboring countries of Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Egypt. Unfortunately the refuge crisis is only getting worse. Bordering countries have seen a huge sudden increase of over 140,000 refuges in just the last six weeks. Furthermore, on Wednesday The UN predicted that if things don’t calm down in Syria and the ugly Civil War does not end soon, the number of Syrian refuges could explode to over 1.1 million by early summer.

As winter blankets Syria and her neighbors, the conditions at the refuge camps are grim. In some camps, women and children represent over 75% of the refugees such as in Zaatari, Jordan, which has 30,000 refugees at the moment. Families are struggling to survive and feed their families, living in tents under the freezing cold conditions with sadly no end of their desperate situation in sight.

Fortunately NGO’s such as World Food Programme (WFP) is there to help. The WFP has worked alongside the UNHCR (The United Nation’s Refugee Arm) to provide a regular supply of food to the families. While UNHCR is distributing such necessary supplies as blankets for fuel and cooking, the WFP has been supplying “dry rations” over the winter months that refugees can cook themselves. The Dry rations include rice, bulgur, wheat, yellow split peas, sugar and salt, which are provided along with a daily allotment of bread.

In the Zaatari refugee camp alone, over 100 communal kitchens have been built that services 30,000 people. The UNHCR is working to build more in order to ensure everyone has access. But the cold, cruel wind of winter is making situations miserable for many.

Meanwhile inside Syria, food insecurity is on the rise due to bread shortages and higher food prices, leaving millions of Syrians in desperate conditions and may lead to more people leaving the country and entering the already over-crowded refuge camps.

It is not a good situation, but you can help. Simply share this video to raise awareness or make a small donation to the World Food Programme that can help feed a family and save a life.

This post was written on behalf of the Global Team of 200. Information above is provided by the WFP as well as research on the web. To learn more about the World Food Programme’s work, click here.

Food Security Global Issues Global Non-Profit Organizations and Social Good Enterprises Humanitarian SOCIAL GOOD
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Rebuilding homes and hope in Haiti

This post is the second piece of a two-part series on the recent Carter Work Project and Habitat for Humanity’s work in Haiti. To read the first post “The Story of How 600 Volunteers Built 100 Homes in a Week” click here. 

In lieu of pictures, this video says it all. The commitment, the teamwork, the compassion and the hope that these volunteers have given to people who have lost it all.

Above: “Our Carter Work Project closing ceremonies video celebrates the impact of 100 new homes built in Haiti by more than 600 volunteers alongside families affected by the 2010 earthquake.”

Global Issues Global Non-Profit Organizations and Social Good Enterprises Humanitarian SOCIAL GOOD
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“Power A Bright Future” for kids

Clorox may be mostly know for its fabulous bleach however I bet many people don’t know that this global company is also trying to brighten up the future of America’s children through Clorox’s Power A Bright Future K-12 school grant program.

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Lovely Bella Thorne, a teen celebrity and star of  Disney’s “Shake it Up” is working with Clorox to help spread the word and encourage votes from parents and teens in the Power A Bright Future program.  Bella is working closely with Clorox to make sure that K-12 schools can receive funds for programs that encourage students to be creative, active and tech and science savvy.

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Bella Thorne. Photo Credit: Cloxox Power Bright

That’s why for the program’s fourth year, Clorox will award seven grants totaling $200,000 to help fund new or existing school programs.

Global Non-Profit Organizations and Social Good Enterprises SOCIAL GOOD
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On the ground in Ethiopia

This week, Jennifer James, the founder of Global Team of 200, who I’m honored to write for, is on the ground in Ethiopia learning all about the issues Frontline Health Care Workers face in one of the poorest countries of the world. Jennifer is in Ethiopia along with three distinguished US nurses on behalf of Save the Children. Back in September, I had written a post about Save the Children’s campaign “Every Beat Matters” (to read post, click here). I was extremely touched by this campaign and what Save the Children is doing to help save lives. Jennifer published her first account of day one in Ethiopia today on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s blog “Impatient Optimists“. I asked Jennifer if I could share her story here as well and she was thrilled. 

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A woman has her child vaccinated by a Health Extension Work at the Germana Health Post in Ethiopia. Photo credit: Impatient Optimists

 

Global Non-Profit Organizations and Social Good Enterprises SOCIAL GOOD
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International Volunteer Day: December 5

“There is no better exercise for your heart than reaching down and helping to lift someone up”

– Bernard Meltzer

Today is International Volunteer Day. However, in my book every day should be a day to volunteer. I am a strong advocate for giving back and believe strongly that everyone who is able should help others in need.

Volunteering does not have to be complicated. In fact, there are little things you can do right in your own backyard to help make the world a better place. For instance, every community has a school which needs volunteers to help out. I volunteer often at my children’s school on fun events and also on day to day tasks such as helping kids learn to read, write and do arithmetic. With the graying population, there is also a lot of need assisting seniors either at care centers, hospitals or just in every day life. With the economy in decline, many people need help just trying to survive. There are many places you can volunteer to give back to the poor such as helping at a food shelf, a donation center or a job/skill retraining center. The list of opportunities to give back and volunteer are endless. All you need is a little bit of time.

“If you wait until you can do everything for everybody, instead of something for somebody, you’ll end up not doing nothing for nobody.” ~ Malcom Bane

For today’s post, I would like to showcase a few memories of my favorite volunteer experiences over the last few years. With my next volunteer trip approaching in exactly one month (I leave for Honduras on January 5th) I am looking forward to having another opportunity to give back and see the world through new eyes.

SOCIAL GOOD Volunteering Abroad
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Presents with purpose: Gifts that give back

With the holiday season approaching, most of us are thinking and maybe even dreading shopping for the perfect gift for our family and friends. In a world with so many different things to buy, why not buy something that also gives back in return?

Together with some fellow bloggers from the Global Team of 200, we have composed a list of presents with a purpose. Every item below gives back to either the community who makes the product or to an important cause. There are gifts for men, women and children and lots of fantastic “gifts that give” to choose from.

Here are some of our favorites for this holiday season:

Headbands of Hope:

Story behind it:

“I’ve always loved headbands. It’s a simple way to add a little style to any outfit. But after my internship at the Make-A-Wish Foundation, I realized that headbands could be more than just a way to keep your hair back. For girls and women everywhere, their hair is a part of their feminine identity. Wigs can be uncomfortable and unappealing, especially to younger girls.

Many girls fighting childhood cancer lose their hair during their rigorous chemotherapy treatments. Headbands are the perfect way for these girls to keep their feminine identity and have a constant reminder that they’re not alone.

However, throughout this journey, I’ve learned that these headbands are just as important to girls with hair than girls with hair loss as well.

I’ve distributed headbands to girls who are about to start their treatment and haven’t experienced hair loss yet and I’ve also given headbands to girls who are starting to get their hair back after treatment.

With or without hair, Headbands of Hope provides a movement to spread hope in all girls and fight in the battle against childhood cancer, one headband at a time.
” – Jessica Ekstrom

For every headband purchased, one is given to a girl with cancer and $1 is donated to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation to fund life-saving childhood cancer research.

Headbands range from about $15-18 and the website also offers bracelets and t-shirts.

The headbands come in all sorts of beautiful colors, ornamentation and design. This one is called Carnation and sells for $15.85

fashionABLE scarves

The story:

“Your purchase of a fashionABLE scarf creates sustainable business for women in Africa.  Our commitment as a non-profit is to the development of people — fashionABLE works with women who have been exploited due to the effects of poverty.  So, when you purchase a scarf you are providing jobs, and then we send the net profits back to holistically rehabilitate more women. This is the beauty of non-profit….”
Scarves provide jobs, profits provide restoration

Each scarf is hand-made by an Ethiopian woman who has been given a chance at a new, sustainable, dignified life. Her name, photo and story will be included on a tag attached to the scarf, bringing more meaning to the product.

Scarves can be customized and cost between $32-44.

MADE BY SURVIVORS

Made By Survivors is an international nonprofit organization which employs and educates survivors of slavery and other human rights abuses, including many women and children living in extreme poverty. Products include jewelry, bags, gifts and cards and prices range. 100% of profits go back to the survivors who made them.

Here is a sample of one of their new bags:  Sweet Life Carryall for $48.00

What I like so much is the fact that 100% of profits goes back to the survivors who made them by programs to support rescue, aftercare, education and employment.

Since 2005 Made by Survivors has successfully:

  • Trained and employed 350 survivor artisans
  • Sent 250 children to school with our Education Fund
  • Trained 70 survivors as artisan goldsmiths – breaking gender barriers
  • Invested $165,000 in building new shelters
  • Invested $65,000  supporting our partners rescue programs
  • Invested $22,000 in aftercare programs for rescued survivors

Feed Projects

To date, FEED has been able to raise enough money through the sale of products to provide over 60 million school meals to children around the world through WFP. FEED has also partnered with the US Fund for UNICEF, raising much-needed funds for their Vitamin A and micronutrient supplements program and providing over 46,000 children with essential nutrients.

FEED offers all sorts of backpacks depending on how your want to help.

I really found the Feed Health Backpack to be amazing as it travels the distance to create change. Check out what is included in each backpack.

TOMS Shoes:

“With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One”. To date, TOMS has donated over 2 million pairs of shoes to children over the world. Pretty impressive!

TOMS shoes comes in all shapes, colors and sizes ranging from the glittery pink pair my daughter has to more casual looking shoes for women and men. Prices start around $36.00.

TOMS also offers eyeglasses:

Another site that offers great gifts that give back is iGive.com.

iGive.com makes it easy to support any cause you choose.The iGive.com Button tells stores that you want a percentage of every purchase you make donated to the cause of your choice! It’s free and it’s that easy!

Change your world one online purchase at a time.

What are your plans for #GivingTuesday this year? What are some of the gifts you like to give?

For more information on #GivingTuesday, click here.

Gifts that Give Back SOCIAL GOOD
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Save the Children, Hurricane Sandy and how you can help

Save the Children has been instrumental in helping the countless families hit by Hurricane Sandy.  Ever since this “superstorm” struck the east coast, Save the Children has been there to offer on the ground support to those impacted by the disaster. Even at a time when Save the Children’s own offices in Westport, Connecticut were struck and severely damaged and many of their Connecticut, New Jersey and New York-based staff were—and in some cases continue to be—without power.

However, this has not dampened Save the Children’s spirit to continue to help those who are most vulnerable in any emergency situation—kids. That’s why Save the Children has been deploying emergency response teams to some of the hardest hit areas in New York and New Jersey. To help establish a sense of normalcy in shelters, they are providing kid-friendly activities to create a safe and supportive place for children to play with their peers and caring adults in the midst of the turmoil that surrounds them. Save the Children’s  CEO, Carolyn Miles, recently visited a shelter in Atlantic City where she saw one of these safe play areas first-hand. At the bottom of this post is an account on Carolyn’s experience titled “Do You Think They’re Ok?”— Kids Recover from Superstorm Sandy.

Check out this YouTube Video on how Save the Children is working with families in New York and New Jersey shelters to ensure children are safe and protected.

How can you help?

Please spread the word by sharing this post with your friends and networks. If you would like to help kids affected by Sandy, you can do so by texting HURRICANE to 20222 to donate $10 to Hurricane Sandy Relief from your mobile phones*or to donate through our webpage. 

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“Do You Think They’re Ok?”— Kids Recover from Superstorm Sandy

By Carolyn | Published November 5, 2012

The shelter in the Atlantic City Convention Center shelter is a huge sprawling hall with a constant wave of people arriving and leaving in a regular ebb and flow each day.  Some families have just arrived from other shelters, some go back to devastated houses, and some come back to stay for what might be weeks.

Many of those who come to shelters in New Jersey—like this one run by the Red Cross—are families who can least afford to lose a week’s wages, a refrigerator of food, or a room full of furniture, much less a house or apartment. They are working class or poor families, usually with kids. As is the case here in Atlantic City, kids make up at least 25% of the population in shelters in affected areas.

I met many of these kids on my visit today and they all had stories to share.

Carolyn talks with 17-year-old high school student Alondra and her mom Genoueva.

Alondra is 17. She and her extended family—mom, dad, uncle, aunt, siblings and cousins—have an area with cots pushed together in one corner of the hall.  She told me how she had first gone to a shelter at Rutgers University the weekend before the storm when they heard about the threat to the area where they lived in downtown Atlantic City.  But now Rutgers needs to get students back to class and her family was bused to the Atlantic City shelter yesterday.  While they were grateful for the cots, blankets and food, Alondra, a bright high school senior, was worried about how she would get to school later in the week when classes finally started up again. 

And Alondra wasn’t the only one who hoping to be back to school.  A younger boy I met gave me a tearful look when I mentioned school and told me, “I really want to go back but I just don’t know when I can.  I miss my friends and I don’t even know how they are.  Do you think they are okay?”  I told him I was sure they were and that Save the Children was working on getting kids transportation for when schools got back up and running, so hopefully he can be back with his friends soon.

There were so many stories from kids today about how they’re dealing with the after-effects of Superstorm Sandy, but one that really struck me came from 14 year-old Peter. Peter also lived in Atlantic City and described the scene when he and his family went back to see his house after the storm passed.  “The water rose almost five feet and we only have one floor so everything was ruined.  They condemned my house yesterday,” he told me stoically.  Peter and his family have nowhere else to go at this point, but Peter is spending his time working with the Save the Children team in the shelter, playing with the younger kids and keeping them busy in the Child-Friendly Space we set up on one edge of the family area.  Here, at least, kids can play games and do activities and just be kids at least for a little while.

Save the Children has mobilized to help children and families affected by Sandy. We are setting up Child-Friendly Spaces—safe play areas that allow children to play, socialize, and begin to recover from emotional distress during emergencies—in New Jersey and New York. And we’re working with national partners, including the American Red Cross and FEMA, to assess and address the needs of children in the storm’s aftermath.

We’re also asking our supporters to do what they can to help children. We’re asking them to text HURRICANE to 20222 to donate $10 to Hurricane Sandy Relief from their mobile phones*or to donate through our webpage.

Save the Children responds to emergencies in the U.S. and around the world every year—and this time, it’s in our own backyard. But whether it’s close to home or on the other side of the world, the needs of children are the same and helping them get back to normal is our top priority.

Sandy has devastated areas of the East Coast. It has displaced families, destroyed property and claimed too many lives. There’s a lot of work to do. But I meant what I said to all of the kids and parents I met today: yes, it’s going to be okay. We’re here for you, we’re here for your children and we’ll be with you every step of the way. 

 

 

SOCIAL GOOD
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World Food Programme in Bolivia

Photo credit: World Food Programme

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.

“Born in 1961, WFP pursues a vision of the world in which every man, woman and child has access at all times to the food needed for an active and healthy life. We work towards that vision with our sister UN agencies in Rome — the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) — as well as other government, UN and NGO partners.

On average, WFP aim to reach more than 90 million people with food assistance in more than 73 countries. Around 15,000 people work for the organization, most of them in remote areas, directly serving the hungry poor.”

World Hunger is an enormous yet preventable problem. Per WFP, there are 870 million undernourished people in the world today. That means one in eight people do not get enough food to be healthy and lead an active life. Hunger and malnutrition are in fact the number one risk to the health worldwide — greater than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.

The World Food Programme is working in Bolivia to provide nutritious meals for children in schools. You can ask a question for the children in Bolivia that will be translated and delivered by Ximena, WFP’s Communications Officer there.

Here is where you can direct your readers to ask a question. Simply click here and send your message.

I asked my question….will you?

Food Security Global Issues Global Non-Profit Organizations and Social Good Enterprises SOCIAL GOOD
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SUNDAY SOCIAL GOOD: Inspired by the slums and people of Khon Kaen, Thailand

This post is part of my Social Good Sunday series. It is a guest post from Alicia Rice who is living in Thailand working on a documentary film about the people living in the slum communities of Khon Kaen. This is a post about her work. 

A man from a slum community making baskets from recycled material. Photo credit: Author.

I came to Thailand as a study abroad student in 2008.  For four months, we learned about globalization and development projects in Northeastern Thailand, the poorest region of the area.  We read studies and got the chance to talk with government officials and company representatives. But the most important parts of our education were always getting the chance to talk with villagers.  We got the chance to sleep in the houses and get to know the people who’s houses were being threatened, or who’s farm was being taken away.

There was one moment in particular that really stood out to me.  As American students, we were often left with the question of what we could do, or more importantly, what we should do.

The more you learn about social justice work abroad, the more you learn the importance of people to be empowered and solve their issues themselves.  It left me feeling helpless and puzzled.

Global Issues Poverty SOCIAL GOOD