Lessons from "Half the Sky"

Finished "Half the Sky" in three days! It has changed me in a lot of ways...

1. With all the wonderful stories of women and girls overcoming the hardest odds, I am inspired by their amazing courageous spirits and I myself, will not give up without a fight.

2. Some initiatives and projects, even with very good intentions and success elsewhere, will not be effective due to local culture. So, I suggest we study the African village first before we think of some lofty idea about teaching them about women's rights.

3. That even young schoolgirls can make a huge difference in the world. Encourage them to think of ideas and support them as they implement them to make them successful. Let them create clubs, fundraisers, campaigns...

4. That the United Nations, other multilateral organizations, and national government aid agencies must evaluate their strategies because some of them are proving ineffective, but a waste of money and effort.

I learned so many other things too but these are the major points I got out of the book. Thanks to Nicholas D. Kristof and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn for writing this awe-inspiring, very educating book!!! I highly recommend that you read it also....

World's AIDS Awareness Day

It's World's AIDS Awareness Day! But what is AIDS... AIDS stand for acquired immune deficiency syndrome caused by a virus that destroys the actual system in the human body that fights viruses and bacteria that are harmful to us. The virus is called human immunodeficiency virus or in short HIV. It is not easily caught like the common cold virus but without the necessary safety precautions, you can get infected too. Not too worry, there have been many cases where people actually become HIV free after several years but there are still many suffering and dying from the disease. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

Here are some things you can do:
1. Educate yourself and teach others in your family, in your neighborhood, in your community...
2. Donate to AIDS/HIV research
3. Campaign to raise awareness and in increasing prevention practices
4. PRAY!!!