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III. By Kids, For Kids, And About Kids

A. THE POWER OF YOUTH ($3,756.05)
We told you last year of the work being done by a group of students and former students at the Broad Meadows Middle School in Quincy, MA. When they met a young Pakistani child, Iqbal Masih, who was about their age, and heard his story of escaping from slavery, they were stunned. Iqbal told them how he had been sold into bonded labor at the age of four by his parents who owed a moneylender a mere $12.00. For six years Iqbal was chained to a rug loom for long hours, his tiny fingers weaving the intricate designs that so many people desire in the expensive rugs they buy for their homes. At the age of 10 he escaped and started to speak out against child slavery. His work became known to an international human rights organization and he was invited to the United States to accept an award. It was on this trip that Iqbal visited the classes at Broad Meadows and told his story. The story did not end there. Some time after his visit, the kids at the school learned that Iqbal, upon returning to his native Pakistan, was murdered. He was 12 years old. And so, a School for Iqbal was born. Inspired by his story, the Quincy kids began a campaign to raise money to build a school in Iqbal's village. Remembering Iqbal's belief in the power of education, they went on a letter-writing campaign, reaching kids and adults all over the country and touching them with Iqbal's story. As adults, we would have probably discouraged them from this seemingly impossible task - they were only kids! Undaunted, they asked each of their potential benefactors for $12.00 to help build this school - the exact amount that Iqbal was sold for. Their two-room schoolhouse, built for $150,000, is now a reality. They have a principal, teachers and, recently, a nurse on staff to insure the kids' health. They have expanded their work to also provide microloans ($50 or less) to Pakistani mothers, hoping to empower them to start a small business on the condition that they enroll their children in Iqbal's school. By breaking the cycle of poverty, it is possible to end a family's desperate need to sell their child's labor. (See under Grameen Bank, section XIV:B, for more about microloans.)

On another front, the students at Broad Meadows have continued their "Kids Online March Against Child Labor." This campaign asks young people across America to send an e-mail message urging the U.S. Senate to vote YES to a proposed new and tougher international child labor law.

We urge you to visit the students' website. It describes one of the most inspiring stories we have ever heard. Our hope is that both kids and adults who learn of their work will be moved to action themselves.

[A School for Iqbal, c/o Ron Adams, Broad Meadows Middle School, 50 Calvin Rd., Quincy, MA 02169, phone: 617-984-8723, e-mail: ronadams2@aol.com, Website: www.digitalrag.com/iqbal/. Contributions made out to "School for Iqbal Campaigns" and sent to Mr. Adams at the Broad Meadows School.]

B. AN ANGEL IN DISGUISE - JANET MARCHESE ($1,500)
A recent issue of McCall's magazine describes Janet Marchese as an "angel." For thousands of families she is just that. For the past 22 years, Janet has devoted herself to finding loving homes for infants with Down Syndrome. (She is NOT an adoption agency.) Her experience in this field is all first-hand. T.J., her adopted son, now 22 years old, is living proof of how successful these adoptions can be. Since T.J.'s arrival in the Marchese family, Janet's work, A KIDS Exchange, has facilitated the placement of more than 4,000 children. She is the first person a couple may call when a baby with Down syndrome is born, or when they learn that their yet unborn child has this chromosomal disorder. Janet offers hope, support, and love as well as personal experience to these distraught parents. Oh yes, we must add that she does this all as a volunteer. An amazing woman!

[Janet Marchese, A KIDS Exchange (= Adoption, Knowledge, and Information on Down Syndrome), 27 Eagle Court, White Plains, NY 10605, phone: 914-428-1236, fax: 761-3694, e-mail: angel2u123@aol.com.]

C. SHALVA ($7,000)
Our annual trip to Israel each summer always brings us to Shalva, Kalman and Malky Samuels' magical space in Jerusalem that provides respite care for severely disabled kids. The Samuels' started Shalva out of a promise that they made to themselves many years ago when their son, Yossi, now a young adult, became deaf and blind after a tainted childhood vaccination. The demands of such a child are tremendous. Parents never have a "time-out." They must be available for the child 24 hours a day, week after week. Kalman and Malky vowed that if they were able, they would provide such respite care for others in this situation. Shalva was the result.

For years, we visited the cramped quarters where kids were brought after the conclusion of their regular school day. Despite the tight space, you always felt the love and devotion being directed to these kids.

It was the Samuels' dream to move Shalva to a new place where light and space were predominant. With much perseverance and incredible faith, their dream has come true. This past summer we visited their nearly completed new facility. It was overwhelming! Perched on a hillside overlooking one of Jerusalem's "million dollar" views, the new Shalva is a child's dream-come-true. The walls are covered with colorful cartoon characters. Curtains and bedspreads repeat the fanciful patterns. And, light just pours in from all directions. By this past Sukkot, Shalva had made its move. Everyone is now living in the new home filled with love and warmth.

[Kalman and Malky Samuels, c/o Shalva, POB 35199, Jerusalem, (street address: Evan Denan St. 6), phone: 02-651-9555, fax: 02-653-5787, cellular phone: 050-409-617, e-mail: samuelsk@netmedia.net.il. Tax-deductible contributions: American Friends of Shalva, 1720 51st St., Brooklyn, NY 11204, 718-438-8928, fax: 972-1550, Attn: Gitty Shaffer.]

D. MORE ABOUT SHOES ($2,000)*
While lunching with a friend who was a secretary at a local school, Elodie Silva heard the story of a youngster who was sent to the office because "his feet hurt." Once his shoes were removed, it was easy to see the problem - his too-small shoes were bending his toes! Elodie was bothered by this story, and finally came up with a solution. If people were to hear the story of this little boy (and others like him), perhaps they would provide those shoes. After contacting the local school, Elodie posted 45 index cards on the bulletin board of her workplace, each giving the first name of a child, his or her shoe size and what type of shoes he or she needed. Within one day all of the cards were taken and within a week Elodie had 45 pairs of new shoes to deliver to the school! With that, Shoes That Fit was born. Today it provides youngsters not only with shoes but also with other essential clothing. There are now 64 active sites in 13 states, with 15 additional states presently getting organized. A great project for a school or office, you can contact Shoes That Fit for the details.

[Shoes That Fit, Attn: Elodie Silva, 112 Harvard, #43, Claremont, CA 91711, 909-482-0050, fax: 482-0085, e-mail: info@shoesthatfit.org, Website: www.shoesthatfit.org.]

E. THE MITZVAH CRIB ($3,000)
Our conversations with Jeannie Jaybush at St. Joseph's Baby Corner in Seattle are always incredibly enlightening. Though often very disturbing, they serve to remind us of how much of a toll poverty takes on people who are trying to raise families. The very simplest of items that we all take for granted are the very things that will make a huge difference for one of her poor families. Much of the money that Jeannie raises go for basic items - car seats, portable cribs, disposable diapers, even baby bottle brushes! She dispenses huge quantities of them and buys them by the pallet. Even cleaning supplies are critical for her as she works with the nearby clinic nurses, teaching basic hygiene to new mothers. Her original idea of setting up a crib to collect baby supplies to be distributed to social service agencies has been adopted by untold numbers of synagogues nationwide.

[Baby Corner, 900 Boylston Ave, #1, Seattle, WA 98104, Attn: Jeannie Jaybush, 206-726-1435, fax: 568-4419.]

F. PROJECT PEOPLE ($1,737)
On our last trip to Israel we carried a bundle of beautiful hand-crafted black dolls which we delivered to the little hands of recent émigrés from Ethiopia. The look on the faces of these children was wonderful! The dolls, made by black women and disabled men in South Africa, were originally manufactured for local children. The Project People Foundation is now introducing their program in a rural area of Georgia. Here, local women will be trained in this income-producing craft which will then allow them to become economically independent. The dolls cost $20 each and are a wonderful Tzedakah project for religious school classes.

[Linda Tarry, The Project People Foundation, 110 E. 59th St., 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10022, 212-415-2280, fax: 415-2049, e-mail: ltdolls@aol.com.]

G. TREVOR FERRELL: THE BOOK ($2,000)
The story of Trevor Ferrell, who, at the age of 11, saw the harsh realities of Philadelphia's homeless people, and decided to do something for them, is one of pure inspiration. For ten years, Trevor's Campaign, run by Trevor and his family, provided the basic necessities for untold numbers of poor people. Though they no longer have a connection to that program, his amazing story is still available in a recently-reprinted book. We find that it is one of the best ways to spread Trevor's story and to encourage others to follow his lead. We have purchased copies of this book that I distribute at many of my talks.

[For inquiries and to order the book: Ferrell Family Endeavors, Box 21, Gladwyne, PA 19035, Attn: Frank Ferrell, phone: 610-642-4633, Website: www.philanthroserve.org/trevor/TrevorHome.htm.]

H. B'NAI AND B'NOT MITZVAH CELEBRATIONS IN ISRAEL FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ($675)
In Israel, as well as in the United States, children with special needs are being encouraged to take part in this very moving life-cycle event. We have supported the work of Moreshet Avraham, a synagogue in Jerusalem. It was in this congregation that our friend, Rachel Alexander prayed, and it is in her name that we donate to this very special program.

[Kehilat Moreshet Avraham, POB 29072, Jerusalem, Attn: Rabbi Howard Markose, phone: 02-671-0914, e-mail: markose@netvision.net.il.]

I. FRIENDS OF MEVASSERET JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL ($25,000)*
Mevasseret Junior High School on the outskirts of Jerusalem runs a fine program called "The Center." In order to successfully integrate those students displaying emotional and behavioral problems with the general school population, Aviva Berger, the school's principal, developed this program. It offers students intensive one-on-one tutoring as well as a therapeutic relationship. "The Center" has been an effective tool in reducing drop-out and discipline problems. Our donation was a direct result of a special donation from an American foundation.

[Mevasseret Zion Junior High School, Yasmin St. 5, Mevasseret Zion, 90805, Israel, Attn: Aviva Berger, Phone: 02-533-0049, fax: 533-0947.]
 

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