Coming to Serve the Community...or so I thought

Hey All,
Hooray for my first post! So you may or you may not actually know, but my service learning site is at the Uptown Shepherd's Center on Carrollton Avenue and having to work, well, volunteer there has been a blast. I know that I'm placed there to assist the elders with whatever needs they may have, but this is not always the case. After a hectic week of work and school heading over to the Center is often very therapeutic. Starting with a coffee and, often enough, a cookie or slice of cake I begin my morning there assisting with the weekly 1000 piece puzzle pausing only to fetch coffee for others or, well, pausing to accept a second cup of coffee they may have brought for me. Over the coffee and puzzle all individuals present seem to engage in community-based chatter, if you will. No one is maliciously singled out and no one is left out. It's a socially riveting, caring, and enthusiastic environment that has me scoffing daily at the proclaimed "relationships" that take place on a college campus. No one is out to get the other here. No hostility. Only a genuine appreciation for the others company and lighthearted conversation. An ideal stress-free setting.
After my first three weeks I fell into Rose's Spanish class that began as a result of my supervisor, Sylvia's, future trip to Barcelona. Where, again, they've come to quite literally teach or assist me more than I can for them. Its been great.
However, my next post and my final paper will focus on how much of a contrast this is to senior citizens in Japan and how cultural influences have affected the attitudes of elders in both Western and Eastern worlds.

Service Learning: Bridgehouse, Kim ALexander

Hello Everyone,

Well, I finished my service learning hours at the Bridgehouse.  I really enjoyed interacting with the clients.  I now realize how many sick individuals that are still out there without any treatment.  A lot of the residents at the Bridgehouse were sent their as a part of their probation.  In my interviews with them, most of them admitted that if it had not been for the intervention of  the courts, they would not have sought treatment.  However, they are grateful for the opportunity and are glad God intervened. 

Eventhough my requirement for the class is over, I will continue to volunteer with the Bridgehouse.  I know that this is a part of my future and I want to stay connected.


Kim

Sold to Army for $15 US, a Sack of Rice, and a Vat of Cooking Oil

Hello everyone,

I am almost finished with my paper, "Sold to Army for $15 US, a Sack of Rice, and a Vat of Cooking Oil: Childhood in Burma" for CarmeliteNGO. I finally finished the summary and they have decided to make it the main article in their next publication. They will include a link to their website where they will publish the full paper. I hope that my paper can help raise awareness that there are over 70,000 child soldiers in Burma.

Here is a story about one these children:

At the age of 14, Maung Zaw Oo was forcibly recruited into Burma’s national army. He was separated from his family and sold to the army by a military recruiter for 20,000 kyat ($15 US), a sack of rice and a vat of cooking oil. Although managing to escape once, Maung Zaw Oo was once again enlisted by the age of 15. When his family learned of his conscription and tried to secure his release, the captain of the battalion offered his release in exchange for five new recruits. Maung Zaw Oo refused and bravely told his family, “I don’t want five others to face this, it’s very bad here. I’ll just stay and face it myself.” Robbed of his childhood, Maung Zaw Oo’s lost all hope by the age of 16. Maung Zaw Oo began to volunteer for the most dangerous combat positions, later explaining, “In the army, my life was worthless, so I chose it that way.”

Unfortunately, thousands of other children have stories similar to Maung Zaw Oo's. Children as young as 9 are routinely deprived of their human dignity and reduced to the status of a commodity; bought and sold by military recruiters for nothing more than a few dollars and some food. As Burma is not involved in any outside conflict, these children are forced to fight against their own people. The country's internal ethnic war is known as the longest continuous civil war in modern history. The child soldiers along its front lines are exposed to unimaginable war crimes and forced to perform terrible acts against civilians, including murder and rape.

The national army, the Tatmadaw, denies that these children even exist and no programs are in place to help rehabilitate those few child soldiers who are able to escape.

On March 30th, a civilian government - the Union for the Solidarity and Development Council (USDC) - officially replaced the State Peace and Development Council, the military regime that has ruled since the army took control in 1988. Unfortunately, it is really just a change in name only and it is doubtful that any real improvements will be made to the lives of millions of Burmese - it is estimated that 90% of the country lives on less than $1 a day. It is this extreme poverty coupled with a culture of militarization and impunity that has led to the systemic deterioration of human rights and child recruitment.

Unfortunately, very few people in the world know about the situation in Burma. Very few, if any, NGOs or international organizations are allowed into the country, so there are no programs to assist these children. They are continuously at risk of being forcibly recruited.

There are various organizations – such as the US Campaign for Burma and the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers – that are dedicated to bringing an end to the use of child soldiers through public education, leadership development initiatives, and advocacy campaigns. By raising awareness about the issue of child soldiers and the human rights violations committed in Burma, it ensures that the problems cannot be ignored.

Please watch the important documentary film "Burma Soldier" next month on HBO.

Burma Soldier Trailer 11/2009 from Anne Sundberg on Vimeo.

Efforts to demobilize children during conflict have been met with only limited success; thus peace remains the main hope for securing their release.

Effective strategies must address the root causes of child soldering in Burma – poverty, inequity, discrimination, and the rampant human rights abuses. The international community may not be able to resolve the current crisis in Burma, but we must at least bear witness in order to ensure that the people of Burma, especially its children, no longer suffer in silence.

There are over 300,000 child soldiers around the world. Here are some other sites for thought:

Invisible Children

Where Children Sleep

UN - Children and Armed Conflict

March 24th Earthquake in Burma:

Also, on March 24th, Burma was struck by a 6.8 earthquake and has since experienced several aftershocks. No one really knows the extent of the damage as international media access is restricted and international aid has been denied. Here are some images that made it through.

The last major natural disaster that hit the country was Cyclone Nargis in 2008. Over 130,000 died and the national government stood by and did nothing.

130,000 people died and how many of you had even heard of Cyclone Nargis before this post? How many heard about the earthquake 3 weeks ago? The government's ability to keep the country's misery hidden from the world is truly heartbreaking.

It's important to remember that without help and support from the international community, New Orleans would not have been able to come back from Hurricane Katrina and be where it is today. We must pay that forward and do what we can to promote social justice world wide, especially in nations like Burma.

The United Nation’s Declaration of the Rights of the Child, in accordance with Catholic social teaching, holds that every child has an inalienable and inviolable right to grow up free from exploitation, oppression, and violence and with access to the resources necessary to develop their full human potential.

My dream is that in some minute way, my work this semester with CarmeliteNGO will help to make these rights a reality for the children of Burma.

☮ ♥ ⚜,

Megan

Bridge House: Kim Alexander

Hello Everyone,

I am still going strong at the Bridge House.  I have been working in all capacities.  I have worked withe clients at Bridge House and Grace House.  I have also worked with the Fund Raising Department.  This weekend is the Annual Fundraising Gala.  I am very excited.  It will be held at Blaine Kerns Mardi Gras World in Algiers.  There will be over one thousand people attending at $100.00 per plate.  There are more than fifty New Orleans restarants that will donate their food and/or time for this event.  John Goodman is this year's king and, Patricia Clarkson is the Queen.  I will give you an update on the event after this weekend.