December 2021_The Ambassador - Issue 16 : simplebooklet.com

The Ambassador (GGAF) monthly publication of Global Goodwill Ambassadors'Foundation publishes during the first week of every month. Publisher: Lisa JonesExecutive Editor: Richard DiPillaOnline circulation: 1,144,178+ Advertising rates: Full page (8x 10) $125*Donation to GGAF initiatives, Half Page (8x5)$75.00 * Same inclusions. Ad Deadline is the 20th of each month.Contact through:info@globalgoodwillambassadors.org(includes placement and production of your add plus live link to your website orsocial media profile. GGAF has made constant care to make sure the content is accurate on the date of thepublication. The views expressed in the articles reflect the author(s) opinions and are notnecessarily the views of the publisher and editor. The published material,advertisements, editorials, and all other content is published in good faith. GGAF cannotguarantee and accepts no liability for any loss or damage of any kind caused by thiswebsite, publication, and errors or the accuracy of claims made by the advertisers.Allcontent in THE AMBASSADOR may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form withoutthe written consent of GGAF. Its contributors cannot accept any liability for readerdiscontent arising from the editorial features. GGAF reserves the right to accept or rejectany article or material supplied for publication or to edit this material before publishing.GGAF cannot be held responsible for loss or damage to the provided materials. We acceptno liability for misprints or mistakes and no responsibility can be taken for the contentsof these pages. In this publication, you might find links to the website, third-partycontent, and advertising. By using our website, you acknowledge and agree that GGAFcannot be held responsible and shall not be liable for the content of other websites,advertisements, and other resources. By using this site, you agree to all terms andconditions listed above. If you have any questions about this policy, please contact us atinfo@globalgoodwillambassadors.org Cover Story: Dee Russell Thomaswww.globalgoodwillambassadors.org/donateDonate today and give someone abrighter future AMBASSADORAMBASSADORTHEHope Ambassadors and Childcare OrganizationJB Dondolo Announces Winning ArtiistsRona Foundation: 16 Days of ActivismLa Roche FoundationShowing GratituteGift Global Initiative:Sports for SolarImpact Sierra LeoneSave The. Young Girls Foundation:GGA Sends Aid :Thanks to our donorsGGAF Team USA12 Months of Kindness: Sharing GratituteGGAF Team UK12 Months of Kindess: ReflectionBecome a MBIMB ProgrameSupporter

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"Come Learn With US"New Classes Are Being Added Each WeekThe GGAF Learning Institute is designed with working students andprofessionals in mind. That's why our classes are 'on-demand"meaning you can take these as they fit your own schedule. Each class has an instructor who will interact with you and answerany questions you may have. We've also created a student-centriclearning environment giving students a way to discuss the coursematerials and learn different insights by interacting on thediscussion board. We realize that everyone learns differently and with our a multi-modal set-up, you will be offered reading material, videos,assignments, discussions, live Zoom meetings and much more. Our instructors are made up of industry professionals, long-timeteachers and professors, and SME's in their area.

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Women In LeadershipTestimonial“The Women In Leadership course was informative, thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable. I have always had a strong commitment to equality of opportunity, awarenessof gender traits and the commitment to addressing imbalances. This courseallowed me to explore a range of avenues, expand my awareness andconsider subtle nuances. I would highly recommend this course to others and,may I say, not just women but to men also. If we wish to make this world amore equitable one then we need to educate men and empower women.Thank you Chrissy for the leadership, the Learning Institute for theopportunity and the GGA for the amazing platform of kindness, developmentand shared activities. I have gained so much in knowledge and application of ideas.I would highly recommend this course and am very grateful tohave been supported throughout. “by dee russell-thomas

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Marie-Josée SamnehBorn and raised in Lebanon, Marie-Josée Samnehis a Lebanese legal compliance HR officer with aniche in banking and financial matters. Samneh’s10-year career in the Lebanese banking andfinancial industry equipped her to take on theposition of Head of Legal Compliance and HR atArab Bank (Switzerland) Lebanon (ABSL). Sheholds numerous titles, some of which are Secretaryof the Board of Directors, the Audit Committee, theRisk Committee, the Remuneration Committee andAnti Money Laundering Committee at ABSL.Samneh is deeply devoted for continues learningand education. In 2009, she graduated with adegree in law, before continuing to pursue aMaster’s in Banking and Finance from SagesseUniversity in Beirut. Through her education,Samneh experienced a period of significantgrowth and industry recognition, which propelledher to pursue a second Master’s in Managementfrom the Ecole Superieure des Affaire Beirut. Samneh recently began her executive Education, “Program for Leadership Development” at HarvardBusiness School. She’s officially recognized as a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist. Hermother tongue is in Arabic and French, and she is also fluent in English and Spanish. n October 2021,Samneh began pursuing her second executive education, this time diving deep into the fascinatingworld of digital marketing. Recently, Samneh launched her own venture, establishing her company as “Corporate Code.”Corporate code’s premise revolves around sharing videos related to legal compliance, HR andcorporate governance topics, all under the name “In a Nutshell by MJ”, which eventually becameSamneh’s brand.

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A guitar can be made from a cereal box, Drums from cans and plastic bottles.A plastic water bottle with rice can make Maracas.Cymbals from a pot lidJars with water at different levels could make a xylophoneElastic Bands stretched over a box can make a guitarSee what ideas the children can come up with to make their own instruments.When you are using the My Body is My Body Programme encourage the children to join in:The more involved the children are with the songs the more they will retain, so have fun and make some instruments without having to spend money. If you don't have any instruments, you can still get the children to join in by: Clapping,Singing along DancingSnapping Fingers One of the biggest benefits of singing is building memory muscle.MakingMusic www.mybodyismybody.com

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Ever since I joined this family of My Body is My Body and also an Ambassador, I have had the best of all teaching experiences.All the children I have spoken to speak to using the My Body Is My Body tools(songs, pictures and tracing books) have always had testimonies.Despite the COVID problem, it has not deterred us. Davina Care Foundation'schildren always keep our handouts and make reference to them.The picture tracing materials is always with me anywhere I travel to. Thepictures below were taken in Uyo Akwa Ibom state, I went there for a differentbusiness but with the help of this material, I was able to gather the children,make photocopies and teach them about BODY PROTECTION.We always ask the children to take their copies to school and teach theirteachers and other children, some of the children came back telling me theirteachers wanted more copies to use and continue the teachings of BODYPROTECTION and I was delighted to give out more.Thank you Chrissy SykesThank you My Body is My BodyThanks to all the organizersGod bless you all.www.mybodyismybody.comDavina Care Foundation Making a difference.....MBIMB Ambassador Yohanna Rachel

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India needs instant nationwide awareness and campaigns against child labour to protect andsafeguard children from the economic and social consequences which have been faced due to theCovid-19 crisis and lockdowns. Although some of us are practising social distancing and activelyworking from home in the hope of a much better tomorrow, there are still a large number ofchildren who may be victims of seemingly positive measures. One effect is the increase in thenumber of child labour. For many children, the Covid-19 crisis means little or no education due topoverty or fewer means of technology which will ultimately lead them to lag behind their peers.This will prompt a large number of children to stop learning even after we return to “normalcy”post-COVID. Many children who are not in school will embroil themselves in child labour. In the twowaves of Covid-19 in India, lakhs of men and women, many of whom did not have stable jobs anddepended on daily wages, became unemployed or faced low income which had a spiralling effecton their children. Due to lockdown, the schools are unable to run physically and only a few peoplecan access or receive online education. In the first wave of Covid19 in 2020, more than three-fourth of children did not have access to online learning facility and more than half of the childrendid not have access to any learning materials. The increasing anxiety of parents, shortage oflearning material, low income and non-access to online education, altogether has led to anincrease in child labour. The epidemic is clearly appearing to be a child rights crisis, which is increasing the risk of childlabour because more families are falling into extreme poverty. As stated by the United NationsOrganisation, 160 million child labour cases have increased to 8.4 million over the consecutive fouryears and Covid-19 has been a major contributor to this. Children from poor and disadvantagedfamilies in India are now at greater risk such as dropping out of school and being forced to work.Lakhs of families in emerging and developing countries are employed as daily workers in theinformal sector (rickshaw drivers, construction workers, street vendors, workers in small factories,etc.). In particular, they have lost revenue due to the overwhelming effects of the global lockdownand the pandemic. The sharp decline in income means that families cannot afford basic necessitiesor money for children’s health care or education. In the formal sector as well, factory closures incountless countries have led to massive layoffs and loss of income, with major consequences beingfaced by lakhs of workers and their families. As adults are at a higher risk of contracting thecoronavirus than children, the ultimate pressure is increasing upon children especially in poorfamilies, to take the whole responsibility of the family and bridge the gap of basic necessity. Sincethe production base is still looking for the cheapest labour, children are considered to be a verycheap option for such labours and work to meet their demands. Even before the epidemic, thefigures for child labour in India were dismal. According to the Census 2011 statistics, the overallnumber of child labourers in India between the ages of 5 and 14 is 4.35 million (major workers)and 5.76 million (marginal workers), for a total of 10.11 million. Furthermore, there are 22.87million teenage labourers in India, bringing the total (in the age bracket of 5-18 years) to about 33million.

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There are many children trafficked for a variety of causes, including work, begging, and sexualexploitation. Because of the nature of this crime, it is difficult to trace these children and alsoprevent their exploitation effectively due to weak law enforcement. While we have an estimate ofthe issue, understanding its exact scope, and getting ascertainable numbers is very hard. Thoughthe majority of child trafficking happens within the nation, a considerable number of children aretrafficked from Nepal and Bangladesh. Child trafficking is caused by a variety of factors, the most common of which are poverty, ineffectivelaw enforcement, and a lack of high-quality public education. The traffickers that take advantage ofchildren can be from another area in India, or could even know the child personally. Children whoreturn home after being trafficked are typically shunned by their communities rather thanwelcomed. Poverty, a lack of education, and the need to financially support their family are some ofthe core causes of child trafficking in India. India’s unemployment rate is quite high, with the UnitedNations Development Programme estimating it to be 3.5 percent. Furthermore, there aren’t a lot of income opportunities. When youngsters are given theopportunity to labour, they are more likely to be exploited. Children in poverty are frequentlycompelled to trade sex in exchange for a place to live or food to eat. Some parents have even beencompelled to sell their children to traffickers in order to get out of poverty or pay off debts. Gangsfrequently traffic children and compel them to beg on the streets. Contemporary cases of beggingcan be seen in most of the metropolises. Not only are these children being forced to beg formoney, but a significant number of those on the streets have had gang leaders forcefully removetheir limbs or even pour acid into their eyes to blind them. Those children who are injured tend tomake more money by invoking the empathy of the people, which is why they are often abused inthis way. Organ trafficking is also widespread, with traffickers tricking or forcing minors to give uptheir organs.In addition to child labour, there are myriadfacets of this problem which both result from childlabour and also contribute to it. As per theNational Crime Records Bureau, in India, onechild disappears every eight minutes. India alsohas the highest child trafficking cases. Childrenare sometimes removed from their homes to bepurchased and sold in the market. In othersituations, youngsters are duped into falling intothe hands of traffickers by being offered a job,only to be enslaved upon arrival.

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As per UNICEF, over 300,000 children under the age of 18 are presently being exploited in morethan 30 violent situations throughout the world. While the bulk of child soldiers are aged 15 to 18,some are as young as 7 or 8 years old. A huge number of youngsters are kidnapped and forced toserve as soldiers. Others work as porters, chefs, guards, servants, messengers, and spies. Many ofthese young soldiers have been sexually assaulted, which frequently results in unplannedpregnancies and sexually transmitted illnesses. Some youngsters have been coerced into carryingout crimes against their families and communities. A lot of children are also made to steal, snatch,kill with a mindset that it is essential for their living. Currently, 152 million youngsters, 64 million girls and 88 million boys, labour across the world. Thisrepresents nearly one-tenth of all children worldwide. There are about 10 million youngsters inIndia who are actively engaged in or pursuing employment. Despite considerable attempts done inrecent years by the UN, ILO, and individual nations like India, this remains the case. Failure tominimize the number of minors exploited in job circumstances is due to the socio-cultural fabricthat allows it to happen and condones the offence, as well as the enormous demand forinexpensive child labour in agricultural, mining, carpet-weaving, garment, brick kiln, and othersectors, as well as the pervasive poverty that continues to be both a cause and a function of childlabour.

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The selling of minor girls for prostitution is a big subject of concern. These minor girls aresyndicated to enormous abuses one cannot even imagine. They are molested, harassed, raped,exploited, stalked, beaten and many more injuries are caused to those small teeny bodies whichare sabotaged with cigars, burns, wounds and blood through their legs. While they feel the pain inthe earlier years, in later years, girls come to accept it as their fate. They perceive it as a way of living and consider sexual abuse as a necessary exchange for drugs,food, shelter, protection and other basics of life. Children who are exploited for commercial sex aresubjected to child pornography and child prostitution transactions. Commercial sexual exploitation(CSE) of women and children earns around $400 million USD each year in Mumbai alone.According to the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), there are around threemillion prostitutes in the nation, with an estimated 40% of them being youngsters, since there is anincreasing desire for extremely young girls to be initiated into prostitution according to customerpreferences. Sexual exploitation has many serious implications for these youngsters. Now the main question which comes up every now and then is – Will the government and generalpublic take strong steps to prevent the abuse of children and stop child labour and childtrafficking? On a national level, human trafficking is expressly prohibited in Article 23 of the Indian Constitution.To combat the issue of child trafficking, the Indian government has also passed further legislationand modified the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act of 1986 (ITPA)amends the Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and Girls Act of 1956. (SITA). Humantrafficking for prostitution was deemed illegal by SITA, and legal action was detailed for anybodyparticipating in human trafficking in any capacity. ITPA made laws friendlier towards the victim. ITPAalso created a system to rehabilitate victims of trafficking and prevent them from being traffickedagain. In 2013, IPC was amended to create new provisions to address Trafficking in India that ismore in accordance with the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Traffickingin Persons, Particularly Women and Children. State governments have also been observed takingsteps to combat child trafficking by attempting to create systems and regulations at the state level.Non-governmental organisations that strive to solve various parts of this issue fill up any gaps inthe execution of plans and regulations.Although India is regarded as a centre for human trafficking, the Indian government places littleemphasis on the issue. Hence the way in which the current legal system operates to address childlabour in India can be considered as coming into direct conflict with the trend of independent childmigration that is seen across the country. Therefore, legal measures are not enough. Every personneeds to understand the gravity of this issue, make themselves aware, and keep their eyes andminds open, to help the government where ever possible in tracking the causes of child labour andpreventing it.

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Marriage before the age of 18 is a fundamental violation of human rights. Many factors interactto place a child at risk of marriage, including poverty, the perception that marriage will provide‘protection’, family honour, social norms, customary or religious laws that condone the practice, aninadequate legislative framework and the state of a country’s civil registration system. While thepractice is more common among girls than boys, it is a violation of rights regardless of sex. The term “forced marriage” promotes consideration for the reasons a girl marries early, importantlyproviding additional context for not only who is affected but why. While acknowledging the variabilityof legal and social constructs, we propose the language of girl child marriage, or child or earlymarriage among girls and women synonymously, to focus on marriages where the girl-child spouseis below the age of 18. The issue of child marriage is addressed in a number of international conventions andagreements. The United Nations and other international agencies have declared that child marriageviolates human rights and children’s rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states thatindividuals must enter marriage freely with full consent and must be at full age. In 1979, theConvention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women stated that childmarriage is illegal. In 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child defined children as personsunder the age of 18 years. Many countries passed laws changing the legal age of marriage to 18years, but enforcement of these laws, and of laws requiring marriages to be registered is less. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, forexample, covers the right to protection from child marriage in article 16, which states: “The betrothaland the marriage of a child shall have no legal effect, and all necessary action, including legislation,shall be taken to specify a minimum age for marriage”. The right to ‘free and full’ consent to marriageis recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which says that consent cannot be ‘freeand full’ when one of the parties involved is not sufficiently mature to make an informed decisionabout a life partner. Effects of child marriage: Girls who get married at an early age are often more susceptible to thehealth risks associated with early sexual initiation and childbearing, including HIV and obstetricfistula, Young girls who lack status, power and maturity are often subjected to domestic violence,sexual abuse and social isolation, Early marriage almost always deprives girls of their education ormeaningful work, which contributes to persistent poverty, Child Marriage perpetuates an unrelentingcycle of gender inequality, sickness and poverty and Getting the girls married at an early age whenthey are not physically mature, leads to highest rates of maternal and child mortality. CHILDREN NOTBRIDES

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CHILDREN NOTBRIDES Reasons for early / child marriages: Poverty, Low level of education of girls, a Lower status givento the girls and considering them as a financial burden and Social customs and traditions Directions in which the government and NGO’s have initiated efforts: Framing laws against childmarriages, Increasing access to girls education, Changing harmful cultural norms, Supportingcommunity programs, Maximizing foreign assistance, Providing young women with economicopportunities, Addressing the unique needs of child brides and Evaluating programs to determinewhat works. Health consequences of child marriage are both physically and mentally like; Isolation anddepression, Risk of Sexually Transmitted Infection and Cervical Cancer, premature births, risks ofearly age pregnancy, risks during delivery and labour and risk for the infants. While boys and girls who marry in childhood do not face the same risks and consequences due tobiological and social differences, the practice is nonetheless a rights violation for children of bothsexes. Similar to child brides, child grooms are forced to take on adult responsibilities for which theymay not be prepared. Marriage can lead to early parenthood, economic pressure and careerpressure at an early stage of life. While child grooms are less numerous than child brides, they similarly have experienced a rights violation that cuts short their childhood.

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The Book Worm Library for Children invited us back todo another awareness workshop for parents and educatechildren with the MBIMB Programme. Our ProgrammePresenter Omnia Emad with assistance of MonibMohmed Abdallah presented the session.Education influence has created a social network designed for teachers who want tomake a difference in the world. It is a company spanning the length and breadth of theglobe to link teachers and educators who are influencing change in the way we deliverand monitor our education system. The Influence is designed to acknowledge those who are making innovations in theclassroom and beyond in order to provide a network of highly accomplished teacherswho can pave the way for others. JOIN US to be included or added to the Education Influence network where you will berecognized as a teacher and a person who is willing to share your pedagogy with otherscreating a solid foundation from which we can reform the education system across theworld. If you would like to nominate an education influencer please do not hesitate to getin touch.IBy: Gavin McCormack

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The Book Worm Library for Children invited us back todo another awareness workshop for parents and educatechildren with the MBIMB Programme. Our ProgrammePresenter Omnia Emad with assistance of MonibMohmed Abdallah presented the session.Teachers are amazing people. Trustworthy, hardworking and deeply connected to themission of making the world a better place. If this sounds like you, then I urge you to joinour global education network for free, by clicking below. You’ll immediately have accessto a network of schools and teachers around the world who want to share, collaborateand work towards making the world a better place through education. Amongst manyother things we: • Run monthly workshops for free • Give away free resources • Help you connect with other schools globally • Help you create projects • Assist you when promoting seminars • Connect you to global schools • Allow you to post blogs • Find new teaching jobs • Allow you to create your own events with a global audience And it’s all for free! Join for free below and click ‘Become an Influencer’ and let’s change the world, one child,at a time! www.educationinfluence.com

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Become a MBIMB Supporter and:* Share our programme with children in your family* Share our programme information with people in your community (available in 25 languages)* Share our programme with teachers in your community* Offer to translate our programme into more languages* Offer to sing our programme songs in different languages (we already have songs in 13 Languages)* Raise awareness of our important issues of child abuse, child labour, child marriage, gender violence* Help-out with our campaigns in any way you can * If you are a blogger, please blog about our programme* If you are a translator - please help us translate into more languages* If you are on Social Media please help us share our message Everyone can help us make a difference by sharing our messageand songs to keep children safe.Thank youThe MBIMB programme is FREE to everyone and you can download, share anddistribute any of the programme information from the website. As a supporteryou will also be sent a digital package to download and share in your community Click Here to sign upwww.mybodyismybody.comAre you passionate about making adifference in today's world?The My Body is My Body Programme needs you !!Become a MBIMBProgramme Supporter

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Mainly committed to stopping violence against women, girls &child abuse, which Start from 25 Nov, the day of Stop violenceagainst women & girls till 10 December, the day's of HumanRights.It calls for global action to increase awareness, advocacy,share knowledge, prevention, funding ideas & services to stopviolence against women & girls. Why orange ?? Orange is a bright and optimistic colour, whichrepresents hope and the future free from violence againstwomen and girls.I started by covering several important points that need to beaddressed in the lecture, the most important of which is The "My Body Is My Body" Programme falls under the goals ofsustainable development No. 5 which is called to empower allwomen, girls and children to end abuse , and protection. The"My Body Is My Body" Programme is an ally of the UnitedNations in the sustainable development program inparagraphs a4, 5, 16. Which calls for an end to any form ofviolence through empowerment through education, justiceand equality.. Defining the GBV , cause factors of violence against women,girls and children according to our society; societal norms andculture, poverty, no strong law and policies, high tolerance toviolence and crime, male support, lack of education andawareness, a high percentage of neglect. All these forms areconsidered as cause factors that lead to violence which areapplicable in many underdeveloped countries. GBV is considered a violation of Human Rights, Article 2Rights to life by threatening life, health, and protection, and asmentioned in course 1 of "My Body Is My Body"; Every childhave the Right to health, and a life free from violence, and tofeel safe.Sudan16 days Orange the world My body is my body empowering women , girls, & children to end GBV in Sudan .. This was the title of mypresentation to the United Nation Development Program/UN Women Sudan 29 Nov2021 Let me give a short description of what orange the world, GBV stand for! 16 days Orange the world is aninternational activists campaign that is held annually for gender base violence GBV to end GBV by 2030 by UNWomen. By: Ghada Saleh MBIMB Ambassador Sudan

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I also mentioned that child abuse is the social problem of today according to the statistics from ISPCAN that ismentioned in the pdf of the MBIMB course. There are also cost factors as well as social factors (as you can seeon the pie chart.MBIMB in Sudan. I gave short description of what the MBIMB programme is, when is started , the creator,and I mentioned that it is the core education programme of GAAF. I also explained the goals of the educationalmusical program, moreover, showing the work that it has been done in Sudan with the chart of estimation thenumber people reached in different states and villages during last period in Sudan. I also discussed how wedo the empowering and the break the silence ( body safety rules ) .. the positive impact on the children usingthe musical program to prevent abuse, and creating awareness for the community and parents.. At the end of the presentation and as recommendations mentioned that we need to invest on children andshould be adapt by all organisations, institutions, and governments, because the girls of the today are womenof tomorrow, the boys of today are men of tomorrow, we need to teach them how to respect, support, andprevent themselves from violence and abuse to end any form of abuse today for a better and healthy futurecommunity.The president of GBV department of UNDP agreed with me in the point of child investment , which will lead toend GBV in near future..16 days Orange the world My body is my body empowering women , girls, & children to end GBV in Sudan ..SudanPeople reached in Sudan during recent MBIMB Presentations

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Today, I removed final traces of modern make-up from furtive face of fear and foreboding Replacing once chosen image with alternative, unwanted covering demonstrating Darker side of Islamic moon. Today, I hurriedly gathered together qualifications and books once so proudly displayed And with a final, reflective sigh, I burned them all, as did my sisters, on a flaming pyre ofpiety Attempting to assuage predicted punishment. Today, with manicured nails bitten to the quick, I removed garments and gowns, jewels andgems I stripped my wardrobe bare whilst anticipating how it might feel to be thatwardrobe Stripped and bare. Today, I bade final farewells to precious sons and daughters as they stealthily departed Through unguarded, broken-latched back door, heading for an already heaving airportof horror My silent prayers are unheard, unhelpful and void of hope. Today, as I hear rifles firing to the beat of victorious marching men stepping over coveredcorpses, Abandoned children screaming amidst streets of bloody rubble; song birdsmuted in disbelief. I despondently turn the ticking clock back two decades. Today becomes yesteryear as I must re-programme, deleting and replacing short-livedfreedom Re-booting my memory, re- learning how to tread between phoenix-risen rulesreminding me I am nothing. I am no-one. I am not what I was

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Across the world, there are people of all ages, races, faiths and cultures who havebeen forced to leave their own countries. The situation is not improving and the need toreach out is more important than ever. Let us first look at the difference between an asylum seeker and a refugee. The formeris searching for international protection but their claim for refugee status has not yetbeen determined. However, a refugee has been recognised under the 1951 Conventionrelating to refugee status. Other important facts: - Global displacement is at a recordhigh with increased conflicts Over70 million have been forciblydisplaced as a result of conflict,violence and human rightsviolations (double the amountcompared to 20 years ago.) 80% ofrefugees are hosted in theirneighbouring countries, includingsome of the world’s poorestcountries. Only 16% are hosted inricher more developed parts ofthe world. While 26 million people have fledtheir own countries there are also42 million who are displacedwithin their own borders. Theirneeds are just as complex.More than two thirds of allrefugees come from just 5countries: - Syria (the largestnumber), Afghanistan, SouthSudan, Myanmar and Somalia. Thenumber of vulnerable refugees isgrowing. 1.5 million refugees arein need of resettlement but only92,400 resettlement places wereprovided by 25 states in recentyears. Half of the refugee populationworld -wide are children under theage of 18 years. More than110,000 are separated from theirfamilies. Currently 3.7 millionchildren are out of school. Many refugees spend decades intemporary shelters around theworld due to lack of alternativesolutions. I first began working with AsylumSeekers and Refugees whensupporting young people fromVietnam at the end of theVietnamese war in 1975. Thestories were heart-breaking andyet their resilience was inspiring.During the Balkan War we openedour home to Croatian children inneed of respite. At the time I wasworking in a predominantlyMuslim school. This waspotentially a worrying situationbut it turned into an opportunityto share experiences, findcommonalities and break downbarriers. Education provided a door-way topeace and understanding. THE PLIGHT OF THOSESEEKING ASYLUM ANDREFUGEES by dee russell-thomas Working in Middle East school with 2,500 orphans and refugees

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Subsequent years were spent supporting a wholeraft of asylum seekers and refugees from thehorrors of Rwanda, Burundi, D R Congo. Tonga toAfghanistan, Iraq, Iran and many more areas. Eachhad suffered unbearable loss, fear and despair butthey found hope, kindness and opportunity. Wecompiled a booklet “True Stories” of all theirvarious experiences and these are still sharedtoday in school assemblies, PSHE lessons andCitizenship discussions. Many of these youngstersare now pillars of the community and have givenback far more than they ever took. Years later, and I have returned to the plight of thedisplaced person. With the onset of the conflict inAfghanistan I have offered my services to“Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees”. Each Monday Imeet up with young people from a variety ofcountries and I help them to develop their Englishacquisition as well as social interaction, life skillsand shelter. There is also a pop-in centre forwomen and children. Recently we took part in The Literature Festivaland I was privileged to be able to work alongsiderefugees who presented their own poetry. I readthe English translations and then performed myown poems based on the women left inAfghanistan. THE PLIGHT OF THOSESEEKING ASYLUM ANDREFUGEES by dee russell-thomas UPDATE NOVEMBER 2021 I HAVE RECENTLY RETURNED FROM THE MIDDLE EAST WHERE I WAS PRIVILEGED TO WORK IN A SCHOOL WITH OVER 2,500 ORPHANS ANDREFUGEE CHILDREN FROM AFGHANISTAN, SYRIA, LIBYA AND THE YEMEN. THE EXPERIENCE WAS POIGNANT, HUMBLING AND INSPIRING. It has also been my pleasure to be invited to the opening of a recently completed sculpture, “DisplacedChild” by artist Natasha Houseago who has been commissioned by The Everyman Theatre to raise theawareness of displaced people. Gloucester Cathedral is hosting the occasion and the statue willremain in The Lady’s Chapel. “A child is a child, no matter why s/he leaves home, where s/he comesfrom, where s/he is, or how s/he got there. Every child deserves protection, care and all the supportand services s/he needs to thrive.” It is with great sadness that, after a career of over 40 years working to support the disadvantaged,assist the most vulnerable and celebrate the diversity that I still see the huge need to continue helpingdisplaced families. I wish with all my heart that this necessity was diminishing but sadly, it is thereverse. I am, however, heartened to see the wonderful voluntary work carried out across the world byour many Global Goodwill Ambassadors. Our efforts are so important. Spreading awareness, providingpractical assistance and making changes through education are our channels and together we WILLmake a significant difference...we really will because “We love; we care; we share

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A LIFE OF LEARNING…AND WHAT I WOULDLIKE TO SHARE WITHOTHERSby dee russell-thomasWhen I was a young child, I lacked confidence and usedmy humour to cover fear and rejection. As I progressedthrough schooling, my wit kept me and those around meon their wits. A quick retort, a funny facial expression wasmy salvation. If I could encourage people to laugh WITHme then I would minimise the fear of them laughing ATme. It served me well but it was also at a cost. I had notbeen the most studious and as a middle child of five I wasenveloped with high achieving siblings. I focussed ongaining qualifications in friendships but, my façade meanttrust was not at a premium.Later, I obtained the examinations and university degreesthat, to some, looked impressive on paper. I had a steadycareer and travelled to many countries. Each year I wouldtake additional qualifications, I discovered a love oflearning … on MY terms. I chose the courses, I workedhard and I gained certificates. At school my learning hadbeen a means to an end, but now the end of the course isnever important… the whole process of gainingknowledge with a view to applying it is what really mattersto me. My travels have taken me to almost 70 countriesand each has taught me something different. I haveabsorbed as a sponge through academic learning but alsothrough living, working and visiting amazing cultures.I discovered that whilst I might often feel inadequate and afirst-class graduate of the imposter syndrome, around methere are always many more who are far less fortunate. Myearly career pathway took a swerve and I have spent a life-time supporting the disadvantaged, the unheard, thevulnerable and those facing any form of prejudice andoppression. Don’t get me wrong, I am neither a hero nor asaint. I have chosen this work, this life-style because it suits mymoral-compass, it gives me pleasure to know someone hasbenefitted and it actually makes me a happier, healthier,more balanced person. My voluntary work has includedmany areas such as Director of the African CaribbeanAssociation, Justice of the Peace, Chair of the ParishCouncil, Samaritan, Trustee of The British Association ofCounselling and Psychotherapy, school governor, andFriend of Haven Refuge Centre. My career in educationhas taken me across the UK as a consultant andOfsted/international Inspector and also across the worldworking and residing in Europe, The Middle East and asfar afield as Australia where my first of three children wasborn.I have been blessed and rewarded through my interactionwith people who have taught me more than I was everable to impart to them. As a counsellor, an educationalist, amentor and a consultant I have worked with children whohave been whisked away from their homeland, familieswho have suffered untold traumas, boys who have beenforced to kill their own family members and women whohave suffered degradation, rape and physical violence. Inthe safe-houses and refuges, victims hid in fear anddespair; in Cambodia I walked over the bones of thosewho had died during the reign of Pol Pot and in Africa Iwitnessed the injustices of apartheid and the brutal FGMceremonies.

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A LIFE OF LEARNING…AND WHAT I WOULDLIKE TO SHARE WITHOTHERSby dee russell-thomasSo, what have I gained from this life of learning that Imight pass on to the next generation, to my own childrenand to my grandchildren? I have learnt that we are all partof one race… the human race. That no one is superior toanother and that we all have a precious place on this landand each of us deserves a small piece of it in which tothrive. I have learnt that being kind is not always easy butbeing unkind takes even more effort. As a Samaritan, Ilearnt the art of reflective listening (we have two ears andone mouth…maybe a sign for us to listen twice as much aswe talk!). My refugee and asylum-seeking students, nowdear friends, have shown me the power of hope and beliefthat things can always improve even when faced withdreadful atrocities and bereavements. My Romany Gypsy/Traveller families have highlightedthe impact of stigma, prejudice and stereotyping which isjust as unacceptable as any form of racism in our societyand yet with far less lawful protection. The children whohave disclosed abuse have shown me the true meaning offear, isolation and bravery. My dear friends ProfessorTerrence Roberts, one of the original Arkansas Little RockNine and Leon Greenman, a survivor of Auschwitz weremy living examples of true resilience. Yes, as can be seen, Ihave learnt far more than I taught!Of course, this is only a small facet of my life but I hope Ihave shared enough to indicate the essence of my values.Our lives can be insular, comfortable and safe or, we canchoose to spread our wings, re-focus our inner doubts, ourself-absorbed fears and take a leap of faith. We can reachout to the many around us who would welcome a helpinghand, a kindly word, a positive action, an organisedinitiative or even just being in receipt of a free smile. TheGlobal Goodwill Ambassadors is such a wonderful outletfor humanitarian works and spreading kindness across theworld. The Ambassador magazine provides an excellentplatform for us to share our efforts. I am also honoured tohave been approved by HM The Queen for theappointment of Deputy Lieutenant of Gloucestershire andam able to support many wonderful charities andvoluntary organisations. As a volunteer NHS responderand vaccination steward during the COVID pandemic Ihave met so many people in need of support but, equally,I am humbled to be working alongside kind, inspiring,caring humanitarians.After years of living, experiencing and gaining knowledge,I too am learning to accept myself and am eager for othersto do the same. I am still a work in progress! Watch thisspace!

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Our grand prize winner is musical artistTheophilus Onyeke from Nigeria with thesubmission “Water Song”! Second place is won by musician ValentineNokutenda Hangazha, whose stage name isValeen X, from Zimbabwe with thesubmission “They used to Be”. Third place is won by violinist NinøChikviladze from the Republic of Georgiawith the submission “Cosmic Awakening”. We would also like to thank our donors,supporters, and friends for helping tocontribute to our cause in bringingawareness to water, sanitation, and hygieneissues and helping us deliver sanitation andhygiene products to the Skid Row, California,community. Lastly, we would like to say a bigthank you to the sponsoring distributionlabel’s Founder, G. Paolo Montagni, ofGerman-based Grand Mountain InternationalRecords.

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For many people, growing up with parents who could afford decent housing, clean clothes, goodeducation, three meals a day and several treats was what made their childhood memorable. One didn’tneed to be rich, just the basics were fine. If you never wondered where your next meal was comingfrom, you were probably among the lucky few. A great number of children are not so lucky; early deathof one or both parents, being born out of wedlock, being born with a disability or so many otherreasons can be why they end up in an orphanage. Many are just abandoned by desperate people.There are over 100 orphanages in Lagos State alone, and a staggering 17.6 million orphans in Nigeria.(Figures from Google).With the sad number of at-risk children and young people, we had no choice than to develop aprogram by which we could visit at least one orphanage a month and give them the basicconsumables to help out. When a country as rich as Nigeria has a problem as huge as this, everyonehas to help. So the best way to show gratitude for the life you have, is to give back. Give back to themost vulnerable people/person around you, you may be all they have."At La Roche Leadership Foundation, that ishow we show gratitude. "The Ambassador | Issue 16 | December 2021

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GIFT adopted A World Clean Energy Initiative that aims at providing 100,000 households access to low-cost portable solar energy. This clean energy initiative will expand access to Low-cost, Durable andPortable Solar Lights to low-income communities across 20 countries. Ms. Manna Dabholkar, CEO ofGIFT said, “We invite corporate brands and government embassies to join us on this unique journey oflighting up 100000 households in some of the roughest areas of our planet. For the embassies, thiswonderful diplomacy initiative will bridge the gap between the host country and the home country,using sports to build peace and strengthen relationships between countries. Increased capitalavailability to support social impact prevention and early interventions initiatives can reduce futurespending on government remedial programs. For corporations, there is not a better way to increaseshareholder value than through socially conscious PR and developing brand loyalty through socialimpact campaigns such as Sports for Solar.”GIFT’s unique value adds lies in its Media Wing that adds brand value, positive PR as well as High-Definition Content customized specially for their government as well as corporate partners by their 14Time Emmy Nominated GIFT Media team. They provide Socially Conscious marketing and advertisingcontent to their donors to increase their shareholder value, build customer loyalty and shine a spotlighton the company’s social cause. After all, Millennials report a greater willingness to pay more for sociallyresponsible products and services. 81% of the millennials also want their favorite companies to makepublic declarations of their corporate citizenship.The Ambassador | Issue 16 | December 2021

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03“Sports for Solar is part of our Diplomacy Initiative and a great example of a successful PrivatePublic Partnership! GIFT puts together Sports events where children compete as a team to win.At the end of the tournament, which typically lasts an entire day, all participants go home withportable solar lights, bringing light to their household, in many places lighting up thesecommunities for the first time. Socially conscious and generous brands such as the tennis giantBabolat see a value in Sports for Solar. Together, we are not only lighting up communities butalso introducing and advancing sports such as Tennis and Soccer that could benefitimmensely from tapping into large pools of talent in poor communities. This unique programcould herald an improved outlook and increased awareness about climate change in everypart of our world.”

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The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better andmore sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face,including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation,peace and justice. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals,were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call toaction to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.Global Goodwill Ambassadors Foundation hasproudly joined forces with the UN SustainableDevelopment Goals -Partners PlatformCLICK THE LINK BELOW TO CHECK OUT OUR GGA FOUNDATION AND TOP INITIATIVE ON THE UN PAGE.

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9  |  B O O K I S H M A G A Z I N EGET A SECOND OPINION WITHOUTLEAVING YOUR HOME. Better Healthcare. We are bringing the heart back inmedicine.It is a beautiful story that I would like to share with the world. Hopefully,this will. Specifically, here, I mean the chronic, complicated, and seemunsolvable Healthcare crisis. I have witnessed a lot of devastation to bothmy patients and my fellow physicians. On one hand, patients are sufferingfrom increasingly uncontrollable out-of-pocket expenses as more ( cost isbeing shifted to consumer responsibility) Patients can not afford to eat,support their families because a big chunk of their earnings goes to payfor healthcare bills. This effort has picked up substantially after the World Economic Crisisstarting in 2008 when I knew then that the current Healthcare model isunsustainable, as healthcare cost is breaking the bank and forcing manypeople into bankruptcy.Also, the doctors got hit with denied, delayed, or ridiculous paymentsafter spending more than 38% of their time dealing with Insurancebureaucracy, and paperwork,!Thus I have developed a ( Direct Contracting for Healthcare Model) withcombined Internal Medicine and Cardiology services in incrediblyaffordable pricing with transparency, greatly trusted care andimpeccable credibility which qualified our program to be offered by theCity of Tampa for Non-Medicare Retirees for three consecutive years.

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In 2020, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the Global Goodwill Ambassadors in the UKheld a meeting. Chair, Gemma, had asked us to bring some ideas for project work to the zoomdiscussion. I presented 10 possibilities and, interestingly, my colleagues said they wanted to dothem all! After the meeting I had a thought...what if I added two more initiatives and we couldtransform the concept into “Twelve Months of Kindness” whereby each month would be dedicatedto a chosen kindly act rather than just one initiative? Following on from this, I then produced a list of twelve different initiatives for us to focus onthroughout the year. I volunteered to produce a poster each month detailing the particular focusand encouraging others to partake. Along with the monthly flyer, I wrote a relevant poem toaccompany the initiative and encourage others to join. These were then posted on various socialmedia platforms at the start of every month. As I began to collect and collate the contributions toshare with others, I thought it would be lovely if I could put everything together each month anddesign a book. Thus, the list of twelve initiatives then became individual chapters for each monthand the end result has been a booklet depicting all activities. In January we shared acts of kindness executed by others and in February we looked at puttingtogether a selection of bags, boxes and packages of items to bring a smile to the faces of others.These were filled with toys, toiletries, crayons, anything to cheer someone up. Some of us then leftthem anonymously on the doorsteps of neighbours, hostels and other appropriate places. In March we collected our favourite recipes and produced a mini booklet to share with others. Aseach chapter can be used separately, the March recipes were printed off and delivered to houses.April brought about inspirational quotes, poems and sayings. In May and June, we collectedwonderful quotes from children and elders in the community. July was the month for sharing our ten favourite things...walks, music, poetry, artwork... anythingthat gave us joy. August produced a range of inspirational stories...all about our very own GlobalGoodwill Ambassadors. Whilst we often look to the rich and famous it was a privilege to turn tounsung heroes and hear our own colleagues’ life stories and visions. In September we designed postcards of hope and encouragement leaving them indoors, on notice-boards, park benches... wherever they might be found and enjoyed. November was “Books ofEscape” whereby we left supportive, positive books of encouragement in a public place withbookmarks containing a message of hope. In November we painted pebbles of hope and inDecember we applied ourselves to reverse advent calendar boxes. When the boxes were full ofprovisions, we took them to food banks and centres for the homeless. It has been a very special experience and I am so very grateful to my UK team for their continuedsupport and contributions. Also, the Global Goodwill Ambassadors Foundation, to Richard de Pilaand Lisa A Jones (Founder and President respectively.) There have also been contributions fromfriends, neighbours, colleagues and GGA Ambassadors across the world. It is hoped that this bookmight be, not only an interesting read but also serve to encourage other small groups,communities, neighbourhoods to do something similar. In this world of fear and confusion, it is so important to share kindness and spread a little joy andhope across the world. "12 Months of Kindness" and how it all beganby dee russell-thomas

December 2021_The Ambassador - Issue 16

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