Food Crisis

As many of you will probably already know at this point, there is a global food crisis currently taking place. While you may not have yet felt its effects, make no mistake, it is a major problem with global consequences. All over the world riots are taking place as people are starving to death. Basic necessities such as, rice, flour, corn, maze, have doubled or tripled in price over the last year. For people living on less than $2, or in many cases less than $1, a day it means more than just a few extra cents a week. It means pulling your child out of school so the rest of the family can eat for another week, it means another child may have to work, it means that what little possessions a family has will be sold to get the extra money. It means that eventually they will be unable to afford the basics to life.

We, here in the developed world, take for granted the fact that we can purchase a bag of flour or rice without much consequence. It is readily available on the shelves, in comparison to a box of Captain Crunch it costs very little, and even as the price rises we hardly notice when the grocery bill exceeds $100 a week for the family. However, the rest of the world does notice. If you can manage it, I encourage you to visit the World Food Programs website and make a donation to the Fill the Cup campaign. $15 will feed 10 children for a week. If you want to learn more about the food crises I have added a number of links that a classmate of mine gathered. There is also a series of pictures below that illustrate some of the glaring differences between the haves and have-nots.

Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide
Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07



United States: The Revis family of North Carolina
Food expenditure for one week $341.98



Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily
Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11



Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca
Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09



Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna
Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27



Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo
Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53



Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo
Food expenditure for one week: $31.55



Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village
Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03



Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp
Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23




Some more reading if you want to learn more:
1. How to stop the global food crisis - BBC
2. The New Economics of Hunger - Washington Post
3.Rising Food Prices to top UN Agenda - Reuters
4. Rising Food Prices - Chatham House Report
5. UN Scientific report on fixing the world food system
6. Credit Crunch? The real crisis is global hunger - The Guardian

Spilled Paint

I received this picture from a friend. The world is such a beautiful place, so colorful and extraordinary. This picture comes with the caption "The day God spilled the paint"

End of the Semester

So I have been noticeably absent lately and I do apologize. My time has been consumed by end of semester assignments and tests and I haven't had much time to sleep let alone write anything insightful. I am glad to say that it is now over and I can again breath. I missed two big days this past week and I hope you had a chance to read about them elsewhere, or more importantly to celebrate them. Earth day was April 22 (Tuesday) and African Malaria Day was April 25 (Friday).

I would also like to announce that Million Dollar Youth, the organization I was formerly working for, is hosting a concert on May 31 here in Toronto at the Opera House. Doors will open at 7pm and there are some really popular acts on the bill. I attached a poster below with more details and hopefully you can make it out.

Life On Hold

As a young adult still doing post-secondary education I am often reminded that "real life" starts after graduation. While I have always liked to think that this is a faulty premise I recently figured out, through some introspection, that I have indeed been treating my life like it is on hold. Waiting for the real part to start, treating life like I have time to practice. I don't know why I did, but am sure it has to do with protecting myself. I stopped dating, put projects on hold, postponed doing things that I wanted to, all because I think I might be scared to actually do them. Doesn't seem like me but it makes sense.

I told myself a couple of years ago that I wanted to see the world. Live in some odd locations, see the tourist spots and go down the unbeaten path. For this reason I also told myself I didn't want to get involved with someone. I didn't want someone to hold me back, and I knew that if I was dating someone at the time I left then my heart would be torn between achieving my dreams and living with one. I didn't want to hurt someone else and I didn't want to hurt myself. I wanted to avoid the risk so I preemtively stopped myself from even considering it. I put my heart on hold.

I wanted to start a couple of online projects, all of which I have stalled on. I pick away at them as I can but have not put any considerable energy into making them happen. I have done this because I know if I do that they will either be a nice success, requiring further energy and time, or be an utter failure and a huge disappointment to me. I don't put in the time because either way the result will be hard to take in. I do it for self defense because the dream of them is so grand to me and I am acutely aware that the reality might not be quite so grand.

I share these examples because my attention of them was brought into view recently. I realized that the world I was creating around me was in fact not the world I wanted and yet it was of my own doing. I set myself up in a box that I could make sense of, a world I felt in control of; but the box was holding me back. With these constraints in my life I was failing at the game. I told myself it was practice, and that it could wait, but I felt fragmented. Sometimes it takes an event or a person to come in your life to help you realize that right now is the only time we have to live. Tomorrow is just a figment of the imagination. It doesn't exist until it happens and if you live thinking - believing - that it will lead or bring the life you want, then you are setting yourself up for failure. You are depriving the world of an integral part; YOU.

Life can't be broken into tiny, divisible parts. It isn't neat and tidy, and by trying to make it so you separate yourself from the possibility of life. By putting up these barriers, by setting up controls, you cut yourself off from chance. Tomorrow may never come, but right here and now is for sure. It is the only sure thing in life. It is the only thing that wont let you down. Here and now will always be here until it isn't anymore and then it wont matter. There is no practice round, you get one shot at it. One opportunity to the make the most of. Set yourself free.

We Campaign

The Alliance for Climate Protection is set to launch a new campaign called the We Campaign. Al Gore is part of the organization and they have some major people taking part in the campaign, in/on all forms of mass media. I have attached one of the ads below but there will be several others joining it on television, radio, print, and on the web. I think it is another great example of how traditional marketing methods can be harnessed for the use of something more. Check it out and let me know what you think.

The Last Lecture

This video was posted on YouTube about a year ago and if you haven't yet seen it you should take some time and check it out. Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and given about 6 months to live. As a result he decided to present his last lecture as if it really would be his last. It is an inspiring talk and worth the time it takes to watch.



Let me ask you this: What would you say to a group of people if you had one last chance to do so? if you knew today was your last day on earth? We are all guilty of taking time for granted but take the time to think about it what you would say, even take the time to write it down in a letter to the person you would say it to. Time is precious so take advantage of it.

Disappointment

We have all at times become disappointed in life. With someone, over something, we can't escape a let down here and there. It is a part of life, unfortunately, that not everything goes our way. However, take a second to think about that. The mere notion that we could become so wrapped up in our own lives that we forget that our disappointment could infact be another persons proudest moment, is cause for concern. The world does not revolve around us, which is a good thing. The world is not ours, which is a good thing.

You should take disappointment and flip it around. Take a new perspective on life, take a step back and examine the possibilities that can come from disappointment. The old saying of when "one door closes another opens" is a comment on how we should look at the world. Take applying for a new job, what looks to be a perfect job and one that you would die for might not be right for you. If you don't get the job then the person who did get it may have been perfect for it, maybe it was their big break, maybe they needed it more. We live in a world where we think about "me" first, but not only could we be much happier, but we could allow those around us to be happier as well.

Disappointment rubs off on others. Our bad mood is projected out on the world and we propagate the I/Me way of thinking. People see that we are wrapped up in our own problems and our own negativity that they react by doing the same. Others will look at us and see how self-centered our thoughts are and they will do likewise. Try the opposite sometime. The next disappointment you have turn it around. Propagate the feeling of a "We" world, one where your disappointment is another persons moment. See what kind of a reaction those around you give. See how that in turn makes you feel. The positive will come back, the people around us will think about "us". The world will be a better place.

Disappointment can seem like an insurmountable mountain. It will plant itself in the middle of our lives and take them over. The solution is to think about things as if we are already at the top. Life can be a magical success or an utter failure - it is a choice you can make.

Global Day For Darfur

Today, April 13, is Global Day for Darfur. All around the world events will be held to bring to focus what is happening in Darfur. To learn more about the day and to see if there is an event in your area visit www.savedarfur.org

Here in Toronto at Nathan Philips Square, there will be a gathering with a few bands and a couple of notable speakers. Check it out here at Day 4 Darfur. It should be an enlightening experience.

If you don't have the chance to attend I still urge you to show your support by logging onto SaveDarfur.org and signing the petition. Every little bit helps. After attending the Rwandan Genocide Memorial on Friday it saddens me to think that 10 years from now I will also be attending one for Darfur. We said "Never Again" and I think it is about time we stand by our words.

Rwandan Genocide Memorial

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending a special event coordinated by one of my classmates. Herself a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, she wanted to create a venue for other survivors to come and mourn and express themselves to help one another heal. This period of time 14 years ago was when the violence and systematic killing of the Tutsi population of Rwanda began.

The entire commemoration was a surreal experience. Several survivors gave testimonies of their ordeal and it was absolutely heart wrenching. Songs were sung in the remembrance of friends and family lost, poems were read which were a reaction to the world and its failure, and silence was given to all those who are no longer with us. Through it all there were prayers of hope.

The Rwandan Ambassador to Canada was in attendance and gave a brief speech about the importance of remembering and about healing. The Communications and PR advisor to the President Of Rwanda was also in attendance and he spoke about some of the controversy that surrounds some of the more Hollywood aspects of the genocide. It was a welcome show of support for both my classmate and the rest of the Rwandan community in attendance that they were able to join us.

After having attended I am more confused than ever about how we remain so distant from the front lines. The face of genocide is an ugly one, and I realize it is far easier to turn away then to stand up and look it in the eyes. However, we can't. We may have the ability but we should not have the option. "Never Again" are words that have been associated with the end of the Rwandan Genocide. What I didn't know until last night was that those same words were the spokes-words for after the Holocaust. They are also the words we are trying to inject into the Darfur dialogue. These words are only words until we give them meaning. They represent our inaction until we choose to make them about action.

The memorial was about never forgetting Rwanda and its lost mothers, fathers, children, grandchildren, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. Never Forget. Never Again. That is a conscious decision you have to make. I hope you make it because the stories I heard are not stories you would wish to hear from your friends or family. It hasn't been on your front lines, but it doesn't mean it won't be. If we fail to stand up for others they either wont be there to stand up for you or they will turn away just as you did. Never Forget.

Al Gores New Presentation

Al Gore recently updated his climate change presentation on TED.com. It lasts about a half hour and is viewable through this link. New Thinking on Climate Crisis or you can view it in its entirety below.

Alicia in Africa

Alicia Keys recently made a small documentary about her trip to Africa. She is offering it free for download at Alicia In Africa. You can also view a preview of it below.

Clean Water Africa with Jennifer Connelly

This PSA aired tonight on Idol Gives Back.

Zimbabwe Election

As some of you may already know there was a recent Presidential election in Zimbabwe that has led to a lot of controversy. The embattled President, Robert Mugabe, has been at the helm of a once promising state, which now has the highest rate of inflation from all over the world at 100 000%. Unemployment is at an estimated 80%, and at current the country sees very little hope of things getting better. It would be unfair of me to presume I know that President Mugabe is to blame for the mess - there is just too much political joisting and rhetoric involved, for someone with no practical knowledge of the area or its people. However, change for the sake of change would appear to be the best course of action.

Mugabe has had a long run of leading the country, seeing it through both good times (independence from white rule) to the bad times they currently sit. For nearly 30 years now he has been the voice of the country - bad or not is not my call. Take the opportunity to read some of the very many news reports available, in lieu of the election, and you can see that the country is at a crossroads. What could swiftly turn into an all out violent civil conflict, could even more easily be diverted if the chance is given for a new voice. It is at a point where the country needs to pull together not separate further.

I don't care much for who runs the country, I only care that whoever does does so to help save and provide better lives for his fellow countrymen/women. Positions of power, such as being a President, are too often seen as being a leader. Position does not equal leader. In times such as these true leaders rise to the occasion to help others, not themselves. Zimbabwe clearly needs leadership to step forward - leadership FOR the people not OF the people.

Timeraiser - after thoughts

I attend the 5th annual Timeraiser here in Toronto last night. If you are wondering what the Timeraiser is, refer to a couple of posts ago. Basically, the evening is an art auction where people use their volunteer hours as currency to bid on the art. About 40 organizations from across the city who are in need of help in various capacities set up booths and help volunteers understand what it is they can help with. At the end of a couple of hours of meeting and speaking with the organizations the auction begins. You put your bid of a certain amount of hours on any of the art and the individual that bids the most hours is promised the painting. If you win with say 150 hours then you are committed to fulfilling that over the next year. If you don't live up to your commitment then the next person in line gets the art.

It was reported that Timeraiser has generated over 35000 hour of volunteer work, and $160 000 towards 120 local artists over the past 5 years. Those are some major numbers, obviously showing that the concept is a good one. I enjoyed the night, got to meet a few interesting organizations and get some leads on some interesting things I would like to help out with (in small part), and I got an inside look at a successful event. All in all I would highly recommend it in the future for anyone, whether you have a 150 hours to give, or just 20. There is clearly a need for more possibilities like this to show what is available out there for people to become involved in. The volunteer world is very fractured and if you can find ways to connect the dots then you will clearly have a success on your hands.

Carbon Footprint

There was a great article in the New Yorker online magazine (not sure if it was also in print) about the complications of reducing our carbon footprint. It lays out the most basic parts of our reliance on carbon, and some of what businesses are doing (or at least saying) to reduce their carbon footprint and make it easier for individuals to do the same. Check out the the article: Big Foot

Boys of Baraka

I just finished watching an extraordinary documentary. The Boys of Baraka by Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing is an intimate look at a group of young men from inner city Baltimore who are accepted to attend a special school in Kenya. The boys all share the strife of living in abject poverty, on streets that suck kids into a life of drugs and crime. They also share a dream of being more than just another number, more than another young man in an orange jump suit, more than a man in a box six feet under. They all want to graduate and escape the life they are seeming destined to live.

When the young men leave home to attend the Baraka school for boys, they are given a fresh chance. Removed from their surroundings they are given the opportunity to succeed, to dream, to grow. They evolve, not just because they age, but because their heart and soul are allowed to breathe. Shot over 3 years, the film gives us an inside look at what opportunity and dreams can create. Some of the boys make it, some of them fall back on their return home. It is both inspiring and hurtful. I say this because only a handful are given the chance. The world they live in, one I can never truly understand, never lets go. The chance is what they need. The environment is their salvation.

This story exists all over the world. Poverty is not limited to Baltimore. We have the ability to alleviate the suffering, to promote a better surrounding, but we lack the will. We can change, we choose not to. The Baraka School is an opportunity to catch a glimpse of something simple and profound taking place with just a change of scenery. We can make that happen anywhere, anytime. Dreams are powerful things, when you take them away you are left with a yearning. Give people a chance to dream again and they will grow. Inspire yourself by inspiring others. Baraka School can only manage a small group of young men, but we have the ability to help an entire world.

Timeraiser

This Saturday here in Toronto I am headed to a really interesting event. It is called Timeraiser and the basic premise is an art auction that you bid on with volunteer hours. Art pieces by local artisans are bought through donations, and then auctioned off for several not-for-profits that require volunteers in various capacities. It is a really interesting concept and should be worth the $20 entry. Take a second to check out their website at www.timeraiser.ca

CGI U: Closing Remarks

I love hearing President Clinton speak, and this occasion was no different. His remarks were poignant and, as always, articulate. If you want to see a master public speaker at work then make sure you hear him speak in person at least once in your lifetime.

I can do little justice to his speech by trying to pull out some of the things that I connected with, but I will remark on a couple of things. It would be best, however, to watch it for yourselves at the link I provided in my last post. It lasts about 30-35 minutes but is well worth it.

He started the address by talking about a recent scientific finding about the human genome. It is now under question that instead of humans being 99.9% alike, they are more like 99.5% alike. All the differences in the world - our skin colour, eye, hair, nose, teeth, gender, moles, birthmarks - all separated by .4%. It is that .4% that we focus on, sometimes exclusively, it is what divides us, and it is in some respects tearing us apart. However, it is also that .4% that makes the world so interesting to us. It is in our differences that we find meaning and how we relate. It is that .4% that we can either choose for interconnectedness - to bring us together - or we can chose for it to destroy us - to tear us apart. That .4% difference is more important than the other 99.5% that is alike. This is the choice that confronts us. We either come together to to solve what is wrong in the world - to find peace and happiness - or we use it to divide and conquer us. It is a choice he sees that must be made because if we refrain from choosing then we automatically allow apathy and division to find a home. We must stand one on one side or the other.

The answer seems clear to me - but in reality we have thus far made a very different choice. The challenge is before us to find a way to overcome the monumental .4%. To come together for our collective betterment. The choice is yours, but I hope you do indeed make it. It is not one you can make flat footed, or subconsciously, it must be acted. Silence and inaction are the wedge.

CGI U: Working Session #2

A More Employable Future: Educating our Global Youth

Panelists: Ruth Simmons, President, Brown University - Moderator; Steven Muray, Chancellor, Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas; Emeka Okafor, Partner, Caranda Fine Foods; Joanna Ramos-Romero, Latin American Reigional Manager, entra 21, International Youth Foundation; and, Ethan Veneklasen, Regional Director - West Coast, American Indian Federation.

Key Facts from the session:
* A single year of primary education correlates to a 10-20% increase in women's wages later in life. The salary correlation to a year of secondary education for girls is even higher between 15-25%

*In FY2007 the U.S. appropriated $460 million for basic education in the developing world. The best estimate for the cost of putting every child in school by 2010 is $10 billion annually, a sum equivalent to the annual operating budget for New York City public schools.

* In 2005, Ghana abolished user fees across the country, and primary school enrollment rose by 14%

*In the U.S. persistent childhood poverty's estimated cost to the nation each year is $500 billion because of lost adult productivity and wages, increased crime, and higher health expenditures. Just as alarmingly, 42% of children born into the poorest quintile in the U.S. will remain in the quintile their whole life.

*Global youth (aged 15-24) unemployment increased from 11.7% in 1993 to an all-time high of 14.4% (88 million) in 2003

*In 2003-2004, of the approximately 20 million youth in Latin America and the Caribbean 15.9% were unemployed, which is more than double the adult unemployment rate of 6.6%. Conversely, young people in Latin America are more educated than their parents.

*Over 30% of the Middle East's population - or 100 million individuals- is between the ages of 15-29. Youth unemployment rates are at 25%, which is among the highest for any global region.

These key facts paint a real problem in the world today. Youth, my own age demographic, are finding it increasingly difficult to get an education, and get work. It is unfortunately a situation that if not rectified will have serious repercussions for generations to come.

The panelists each outlined what they were up to in ways of solutions. I must admit that at this point in the day I was starting to get lost in my own thoughts and much of what was said was lost on me, unfortunately. I did, however, zone in for a couple of interesting points that seemed to fit what my mind had at this point focused in on. Ethan Veneklasen brought up the point of youth being a key asset, and in particular their inexperience being a real asset to help come up with solutions. When he said that I instantly zoned in. After the session I approached him about his comments because I figured he would have some real insight into the mentorship idea. I am happy to say that we have continued/started discussion recently and I think he is as keen as I am to see what we can come up with.

The other panelist who caught my attention was Emeka Okafor. He was one of the most elegant speakers I have heard in a long time. He is involved quite extensively with TED in Africa, and has a blog that might be of real interest to you at Africa Unchained. His perspective on education in Africa and the need to solutions to be home grown was in real contrast to some other comments, but also in my opinion more viable.

At this point in the day I was cooked. I was saturated with new information, and like my mind tends to do in these circumstances, I started to mind wander. I piece things together in my mind and find paths to other things I already know (or at least think I know!) Sometimes it can be a bummer because I miss out on more valuable information, but I suppose I am only wired to take in so much at once.

I should mention that the delegates seated at my table were all quite fascinating. While my enthusiasm had somewhat wained due to exhaustion, they were all rather chipper. When I explained my commitment our table moderator made quite an interesting comment about me. In describing me he referred to me as a Pragmatic Idealist - I quite like that title! As well, the other delegates had interesting commitments that were of real interest to me. One girl is creating a Political/World Issues Revue Magazine for her college at Vanderbilt to inform people about what is going on around them - her sense was that informed people are more participant in making things better and less apathetic. I would have to agree - to a point. I am interested to see how it goes and what sort of results occur.

Check out the video of this session, and the others for that matter, on the CGI U website to get a better idea of what I was sitting in on.

CGI: Rebuilding a Sustainable New Orleans

After lunch we all came back to the main auditorium to hear a special session on the status and future of the New Orleans rebuilding project. It was a panel discussion lead by President Clinton once again. The other panelists were Ed Blakely - Executive Director, Office of Recovery and Development Administration, The City of New Orleans; Russel L. Honore - Lieutenant General (Ret.), US Army; Bethany Housman - Program Manager, New Orleans, City Year Louisiana; and Bill McDonough - Chairman of William McDonough and Partners.

This session gave an overview of the progress that has and hasn't been made in New Orleans as the city tries to rebuild. The underlying theme of the session was that it wasn't about bringing back the old New Orleans - with its many systemic issues - but rebuilding a better New Orleans including all its historical history. As the panelists each shared their role in the rebuilding effort, it became apparent - for reason - that they were advocating for the realization that New Orleans is a real opportunity - from its ashes a city can be rebuilt that will be a landmark around the world for sustainability.

There was a lot of acknowledgment of how slow the process has been, and the many issues that have arisen along the way. However, they tried to stress that patience must be heed as rushing things was sure to only create more problems in the future. Now more than 2 years since the flooding, New Orleans is still in piecemeal. It is certainly not an area of my expertise, and while I believe that progress is coming as fast as feasible, after having the chance to speak with local residents on both my trips to the area, I must question whether it is all just politics and rhetoric. People are suffering. Sustainable or not, they need hope and they need action. It takes time, and takes even longer to do things right, I just hope that when it comes to a conclusion that the toll it has taken on the people does not leave the new, and theoretically better city, in shambles.

I enjoyed the session for the frank dialogue by the participants, and also because as an outsider to both the area and the country I was able to learn a lot. It is not a situation I have the capacity to fully understand, but I was happy to receive some insight.

CGI U: Lunch Session

Still working away at these debriefs. School, and some other complications have kept me busy but I promise I will start posting more regularly again.

The working lunch at CGI U was a real highlight of the weekend (amongst many others). The lunches were broken down into regions to give delegates a chance to mingle with people from their area and make some connections. Lunch for me was amongst all the international delegates, as well as a few others who snuck in for curiosity. We were given a series of questions to get the dialogue going, but it became very organic and we were able to explore a lot of different ideas. Just to share the questions we were given here they are:

1. How can student's, professors, and university administrators work together to make their projects sustainable - and their commitments a reality - despite high annual turnover on campus?

2. How can we support one another's projects in our home countries and learn and partner with one another across all of these international projects?

3. As international students, how would you recommend CGI U develop a greater international presence in the future?

While these questions framed the ensuing discussions, as a group I found we had so much to say and the questions were really just a starter. The idea of a mentorship project that I have previously discussed in brief was one of the things that arose from the conversation. I am continuing to speak with people about it and with any luck I myself will find a mentor! My real hope is that a partnership between CGI U and CGI can be formed to provide a mutually beneficial relationship. There is huge potential there for fantastic things to happen, and without knowing with any detail what might be a potential snag, I have to believe it is a distinct possibility. It could very well be my propensity to believe anything is possible however.

Further discussion centered around what could happen when we all got home to our corners of the world, and how we could keep in contact with one another, and keep in contact with CGI U. As the people in my group were from B.C. Canada, Singapore, the UK, Nigeria, Arkansas, and a few other places in between, we all felt that while there are barriers, that by both keeping in touch through email, and also participating on the online CGI U community, that it would be a real advantage to put forth the effort. The varying perspectives, not just geographically, but in every other respect, was of real interest and something I have come to really cherish.

The lunch at conferences tends to be the most overlooked part of a weekend. At CGI U they took advantage of the time and we made real use of it. The funny thing is that any lunch has the possibility of ending up like that. Think about that the next time you sit down alone for a meal - you could be learning from and enjoying the company of a complete stranger with some hidden insights.