This month I graduated my teacher training program in yoga! Directly after our program was over, my teacher, Terri Cooper, headed to Uganda with a group of activists to help build a school and a birthing center.  Terri doesn't just "do" yoga, she lives it! Some people think that yoga is just an excercise, when in fact it is so much more.  Yoga is about living in harmony with, and in service to humanity.  Terri's organization, the 305 spiritual gangsters, brings yoga to underprivileged kids who are most in need of some center & balance.

Through the yoga studio & the 305 Spiritual Gangsters, she raised $20,000 to go to Uganda with Off the Mat Into the World, which is an L.A. based organization that "uses the power of yoga to inspire conscious, sustainable activism and to ignite grass roots social change."  This trip was part of the 2009 Global Seva Challenge, which raised $577,000  to support 4 NGOs in Uganda;  Shanti Uganda, Building Tomorrow, PSI/Youth Aids, and the New Hope School.  "The war in Northern Uganda has been called the most neglected humanitarian emergency in the world today."  (from offthematintotheworld.org)


Terri reading to the kids at the New Hope School

From reading her blog, I cannot imagine what her experience must be like.  It is heartbreaking and devastating to know how some people in the world are living, yet also uplifting to hear from people that are taking steps towards the solution and inspiring others to follow suit.

Below are a few exerpts from her blog, but I encourage you to read it for yourself and get inspired!

Shanti Uganda's mission is to "improve the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of communities impacted by war, poverty and HIV/AIDS."  The group came here to help build a safe, comfortable, and clean place for women to give birth.
from the blog:
(About the birthing process in Uganda) "The women walk for miles to get to the hospital, often alone but hopefully another woman from the family can come to aid.....The woman must bring her own plastic to lay on the table, rubber gloves and such. They don’t even have water for the mother to drink during the labor process. The hospitals often don’t have the ability or desire to clean up after a birth so the women are sometimes strapped down to the table. Clearly there are no epidural, catheters & the equipment is outdated and not sterile. And, ALMOST EVERY PERSON here is HIV positive.....The center (that they are helping build) will consist of a small compound that will have 2 buildings. One will be for pre-natal & post natal care including yoga, life skills, health, HIV prevention/education and a place for new moms to rest and relax with their newborns. The other is specifically for birthing itself and will also have a birthing tub."

The New Hope School, orphanage for HIV+ kids in Entebbe.   The group bought mattresses, seeds for the garden, water filtration systems, and school books and they spent the day with the kids. ...  
from the blog:
"Our mission for the day was to present them with these gifts but more so to play with them, to shower them with the love and affection they so desperately want and need, but never do they get. We brought so many fun activities including jump ropes, 20 some soccer balls, a huge parachute, we did yoga, and danced and read books...While all of that was going on we also painted a beautiful mural on the wall of their “library” (I use that word generously as they dont have many books), applied a fluoride treatment to their teeth, that have never seen a dentist (we also left toothbrushes & toothpaste) and we took a picture of each child. This was really cool, as these kids dont have mirrors let along pictures and many have NEVER seen themselves. So we printed out a headshot of each beautiful child and put it in a plastic frame for them. It was a delicious experience. Each little face wore a unique expression. Some were ecstatic, others more reserved yet some of them wore bright smiles for the moment but you could see the loneliness in their eyes...I made a point to touch them all, to rub their backs, to look them deep into the eyes, and to tell them how smart and wonderful they are. Typically this is what ones parents do, but unfortunately for these kids they dont have parents..."

Read more about it at terricooper305yoga.wordpress.com/
and check out offthematintotheworld.org

Conscious rapper K'Naan comes from Somalia, a country which has had no effective government since 1991. The resulting anarchy has reduced what used to be a country known for its culture to a pile of rubble ruled by warlords. (To find out more about K'Naan, check out Link TV's interview with him, in our "Music for Human Rights" Project.)
 
As usual we ask that you watch the video and then give us some feedback. In this case, what do YOU think this video is about? What is K'Naan doing throughout the video? He told us when we interviewed him but we had never really picked up on it until then! Now for another brain teaser.

Check out this article about Africa.(You may need a map for this one; we did.) And tell us what you think!

Watch more music videos at LinkTV.org/worldmusic.

Consider applying to be a Freeplay Foundation Ambassador for Clean Energy (ACE).

Our Ambassadors for Clean Energy (ACE) Initiative shines a bright light on the need for clean-energy solutions in Africa.  American high school students who show initiative and care about the environment are invited to apply to be Ambassadors for Clean Energy (ACEs). 

As ACEs, students will learn about environmental issues in Africa, rural development, and sustainable technology’s role in improving the quality of people’s lives.  Ambassadors will be actively involved in fundraising and advocating for the Freeplay Foundation’s lighting projects in their schools and local communities, and will participate in our annual Holiday Campaign to light up the lives of orphans in Rwanda. 

This experience will allow ACEs to develop valuable life and organizational skills and learn first-hand about the realities of life in sub-Saharan Africa, all the while supporting the Freeplay Foundation.

Check out www.freeplayfoundation.org for more information and the application.  It is under the Support Us section of the website.  Applications are due September 25.

On and off I'm reading Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen and about two weeks ago I got to the chapter where it says that human beings were not made to be selfish. I agree. Every time I help someone, whether it be with homework or clothing advice or standing up to a bully, I feel better about myself and I hope I've made a little bit of an impact on the person I've helped.

 I believe that my mission is to help people. I like to be the shoulder that people lean on and I can listen and remain objective. I'm a good talker, too. Sometimes I get to chattering and I can't stop. A friend of mine recently listened to me talk from 11 PM to 3 AM about religion, suicide, friendship, and depression. At the end of it she was crying and telling me how much I helped her by just talking. I was surprised, because I've told those stories millions of times to people and it's never made an impact, but it just makes me realize that there are people that can really relate to what I've gone through and by talking it out I'm helping them. (that was a really long sentence) Besides the talking and listening, I also like to gets hands-on. My community doesn't offer much besides reading to children and delivering food to the elderly, but I really want to get involved with people and learn. One of the things I've wanted to do the most for the past few years is go to Africa. I want to build houses and schools and teach the people there and, most importantly, learn from them.

One of my favorite bands is A Cursive Memory (haven't heard of them? Seriously, check them out) and their guitarist went to Africa on a mission trip with his brother. He taught art and music and he said that he learned so much from being there for the short period that he was. The stories and the pictures from his trip were so incredibly inspiring and only made me want to go more. Eva Amurri, Susan Sarandon's daughter, also went over to Africa and built a school. Built a school. How many people can say that they built a school in Namibia?

Recently now I've been seeing these commercials on TV asking 'What's your mission?' and each time I think about that chapter in Joel Osteen's book about people being made to give. I can't help but think that my mission is to go to Africa and help the people there.

But what's YOUR mission? What are you made to do? No matter your cause, you're made to do something. Maybe you haven't found it yet or maybe it's sitting right in front of you, but you just can't put your finger on it. Whatever it is or whatever you think it may be build on it. Work towards it and accomplish your goal. Remember, people weren't made to be selfish. You'll feel good if you lend a helping hand.

What's Your Mission?

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Gordon Brown has made a promise to deliver twenty million life nets to Africa but not just any nets, these specially designed nets are designed to protect against malaria by keeping the mosquitos out while the inhabitants sleep.

David Beckham, Andy Murray and Denise Lewis are all Olympic gold medalist but that isn't the only thing that they have in common because they have now been named members of the leadership council of Malaria no more UK. Two days ago they visited Downing st. to speak with Gordon Brown about making good on his promise of 20 million nets to Africa by next year.

90% of the 1 million deaths caused by malaria a year are in Africa and if that statistic wasn't scary enough the disease kills a child every 30 seconds. This is a serious issue and it is only one of Africa's serious issues. The goal is 100 million nets to Africa by next year from the world's 8 richest states. If this task is accomplished it will save countless lives for the next five years and I must say it is good to see sports figures using their influence to help push this movement along. This is such a good example not only for other athletes but for the everyday man as well because it sends a really strong message, that reads loud and clear: WE CARE!

Find out how you can donate to the Nothing But Nets campaign. Just $10 sends a net and saves a life.

 

photo sources: Photobucket

story source: google