| | UN envoy for malaria optimistic on reaching near-zero deaths by 201514 April 2010 – Malaria, which causes an estimated one million deaths around the world every year, will cease to be a killer by 2015 if the world can keep up its current momentum in efforts to combat the disease, the official spearheading UN efforts against malaria says. Read more
| | | Curtain Falls on Fifth World Urban ForumSome 13,718 participants from 150 countries attended the Fifth Session of the World Urban Forum in Rio de Janeiro on March 26,with speakers hailing it as the most successful ever staged. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was full of praises for the Forum, saying it was a unique venue where people from different backgrounds shared ideas on how to cope with the challenges of urbanization. Read more | | West Africa volunteers scheme launched Some 1,000 youths from across West Africa have marched through the streets of the Liberian capital, Monrovia, to launch a new regional volunteer scheme. The scheme would see youths spend time helping out in areas such as agriculture, health or education in a different country to their own. Read more | | UN and partners kick off massive anti-polio drive in West and Central Africa6 March 2010 – United Nations agencies and their partners today launched a polio immunization campaign targeting 85 million children under the age of five in 19 countries across West and Central Africa. Read more
| | | New Urban "Gardening in a Sack" Provides Food for Nairobi's PoorEnterprizing “self-help” female farmers in Nairobi's sprawling Kibera slum are growing food for their families and selling the surplus to their neighbors through an innovative approach to urban agriculture. The International Committee of the Red Cross recognized the technique as a solution to food security in urban areas during the 2007 and 2008 political crisis in the slums of Nairobi. Read more |  | Recovery Act AmeriCorps Members Assist Distressed CommunitiesThey are the 15,000 AmeriCorps members funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed into law one year ago. “With so many Americans struggling to make ends meet, and so many nonprofits facing soaring demands with shrinking resources, we need to tap the energy of citizens to help in our nation's recovery,” said Kristin McSwain, Chief of Program Operations of the Corporation for National and Community Service. | | | Multi-Millionare Sells Off Fortune and Gives Proceeds to Microfinance Charity Austrian multi-millioniare Karl Rabederbusinessman became aware of the huge chasm between his life and the lives of people in developing countries, who lack basic necessities like food and clean water. So he made a drastic decision: to sell off everything he owned, and give all of the proceeds to the microfinance charity he had launched. Read more |  | Influential Evangelicals Call for Cancellation of Haiti's Debt February 1, 2010 Prominent US Christians are calling on governments and international lending bodies to cancel the Haitian government’s foreign debt. In a statement released by the recently formed New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good, more than 60 prominent Christian leaders called upon "all nations and institutions that have made loans to the Haitian government to quickly and completely forgive these debts." Read more | | | New Life for Kibera Residents as Slum Upgrading Takes Off A new initiative by the Kenyan government in collaboration with the United Nations Centre for Human Settlement (UN-HABITAT)is set to give Kibera a new face. The slum upgrading project has already put up permanent flats with running water and electricity for the slum dwellers only a few meters from their hitherto tiny shacks. Read more |  | 
Alert- GlobalGiving Relief Fund for Haiti Earthquake A 7.0 earthquake hit southern Haiti on Tuesday causing catastrophe in the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Damage and destruction is widespread, with casualties and death toll not yet known.
SUPPORT EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS | | | Social scientists build case for 'survival of the kindest' Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, are challenging long-held beliefs that human beings are wired to be selfish. In a wide range of studies, social scientists are amassing a growing body of evidence to show we are evolving to become more compassionate and collaborative in our quest to survive and thrive. Read more | | Youth Service America Publishes Top Ten Service Stories of the DecadeTIME Magazine labeled the '00s as "The Decade From Hell," largely because of major tragedies and crises, including 9/11, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the 2004 Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, the current economic crisis, etc. The '00s could also be labeled as "The Decade of Service" because the response to each of these events was an outpouring of volunteerism and service. Read more | | Peace Beyond Politics in MindanaoMANILA, Philippines, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Eid Kabalu, a leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, urged participants at an international peace convention Saturday in the Philippines to support the peaceful settlement of the conflict in Mindanao, the Philippines' southern island. Read more |  | Peace-builders to visit Mindanao DEC 13 - MANILA More than 200 foreign delegates involved in peace-building activities around the world will visit the conflict-affected areas in Mindanao to make an assessment on the real situation there and possibly be ambassadors of goodwill for the South when they go back to their respective countries. Paul Murray, spokesperson of the Global Peace Convention, said that they will hold a fact-finding tour in Lanao del Norte where international peace advocates would see for themselves the situation in that region. Read more |  | Global Peace Convention 2009 at the Historic Landmark Manila HotelThe Global Peace Convention is an annual gathering of peace builders from around the world. The convention is an opportunity for peace advocates to exchange information and learn from best practices to improve the quality of all peace-building projects. It brings together key leaders in the realms of politics, civil society, and religion to discuss creative approaches to pressing global issues. Read the Manila Bulletin Editorial |  | Usher's New Look Takes Powered By Service Initiative to the International Stage at the Global Peace Convention MANILA, Philippines, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Grammy Award Winner and Humanitarian Usher Raymond IV, announced today that his non-profit organization, Usher's New Look, will take Powered By Service, an initiative from Usher's New Look that encourages young people to utilize their talents and resources to make a difference in their community, to the Global Peace Convention in the Philippines from December 10-14, 2009. At the Clinton Global Initiative in September 2009, Usher's New Look launched Powered by Service and a partnership with the United Nations Foundation to tackle critical issues facing the world including malaria prevention. Read more
| | | Microcredit Summit Set for Nairobi in April 2010
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus and microfinance leaders and stakeholders from Africa, the Middle East, and around the world will convene the Africa/Middle East Regional Microcredit Summit from April 7-10, 2010 in Nairobi, Kenya. Learn more | | | Football Greats Score Millennium Development Goals in UN Charity GameDecember 10 2009 – An international roster of football stars meet SL Benfica of Portugal in Lisbon next month in a United Nations "Match Against Poverty." Read more | | | Ancient Form of Governance an Asset in Post-war Peace Building
DEC 2 An ancient tradition of community governance in Southern Sudan could encourage peace-building among warring communities, say researchers. The monyomiji institution encourages young and middle-aged men to collectively assume responsibility for community and inter-community affairs. Read more | | | Results of UN World Hunger Summit Seen as DisappointingNOV 22 The United Nations held a World Summit on Food Security. But the three-day meeting in Rome produced only limited measures to fight rising hunger. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the food crisis has forced millions of families into poverty and hunger. He said six million children die of hunger every year. Read more
| | Water for African CitiesJohannesburg, 17 NOV 09 City managers from across Africa met in Johannesburg in recent days to review progress of UN-HABITAT’s Water for African Cities’ Programme. The Water for African Cities’ Programme will place greater emphasis on improving sanitation among the urban poor. Read more | | | Colombia Uses Television Ads to Convince Guerrilla Fighters to Surrender NOV 17 - An ad agency in Colombia has created pro bono TV commercials in an effort to convince guerrilla rebels to disband or defect from a guerrilla army in the Colombian jungle. Read more |  | Largest National Gathering on Volunteering and Service to be Held in New York City, June 28-30ATLANTA NOV. 10– Points of Light Institute and the Corporation for National and Community Service announced today that the 2010 National Conference on Volunteering and Service will be held in New York City, June 28-30. This event is the nation's largest convening on service and civic engagement. Read more | | | Water For People Announces Investment from Case Foundation to Expand Sustainable Safe Water Solutions in AfricaThis investment will be used to support a dramatic expansion of Water For People's programs, harnessing the power of local entrepreneurs to provide sustainable operations and maintenance support for a portfolio of community water solutions in Malawi, Rwanda, and Uganda. Read more | | | President Obama Joins President Bush in Call to ServiceCollege Station, Texas OCT 16 – Calling service an integral part of how we meet the challenges of our time, President Barack Obama renewed his appeal for all Americans to make service a part of their daily lives in an address to 2,000 service leaders gathered at the Points of Light Institute's (POL) “Presidential Forum on Service” at Texas A& M University. Read more | | | UN: Efforts in Africa to Achieve Anti-Poverty Goals in PerilBetween 2000 and 2008, Africa achieved impressive economic growth that averaged more than five per cent per year. But Africa's efforts to meet the global anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by their 2015 deadline are threatened by the impact of the global financial crisis on the continent's economies. Read more | | | Leading organizations gear up 10-year International Volunteer anniversary
Bonn, Germany Volunteer organizations, governments and international organizations from across the world are joining UN partners to plan for 2011, the tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers. Read more | | Islamic microfinance helps lift people out of poverty 16 October 2009 - At this year’s European Development Days (EDD) held between 22 and 24 October in Stockholm, Islamic Relief will be highlighting the benefits of Islamic microfinance as a means of lifting people out of poverty. One of the themes of the EDD is the global recession and the need to support the least-developed countries if the aims of the Millennium Development Goals are to be met. Read more | | | UN appeals for $74 million to help flood victims in Philippines6 October 2009 – The United Nations today launched an appeal for $74 million to help 1 million flood-stricken people in the Philippines – which has been hit by massive back-to-back storms – for the next six months. Read more
| | | Philippines Flood Disaster Recovery FundMassive rains from Tropical Storm Ketsana have caused severe flooding. As of 10/1, the death toll is 277, and hundreds of thousands of residents have lost their homes. HOW YOU CAN HELP | | | President Obama Calls for Interfaith Collaboration for DevelopmentSEPTEMBER 22, 2009. President Obama stressed the necessity for interfaith collaboration with NGOs and businesses in the development arena, stating that "this spirit of partnership is a defining feature of our foreign policy" this week at the Clinton Global Initiative. To read President Obama's full remarks at the Clinton Global Initiative, Click Here. | | | Easy Solutions Available for Clean WaterWASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Amid global concerns about the lack of clean, sustainable water supplies, easy and inexpensive solutions are readily available, panelists at an "Our Water" forum said Wednesday. Read more | | | Faith and Malaria Discussion Engages Experts
Global faith leaders, humanitarian organizations, government officials, and representatives of philanthropic organizations convened in New Haven, Connecticut to collectively explore what strategic action steps can be taken by the faith community in the fight against malaria. Faith and Malaria: Towards and Integrated Solution, hosted by Yale University and the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, was sponsored by KPMG in association with the Center for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty and Yale World Fellows. | | | Mayors from Across the Country Launch Cities of Service to Mobilize Millions More Americans in a New Era of Service Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today was joined by mayors from 16 cities across the country to launch Cities of Service, a bipartisan coalition of mayors representing more than 20 million Americans, who will work together to engage millions more volunteers in service. Read more
| | | Volunteers Help Gulf Coast Build Stronger FutureOn the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, there are strong signs of progress and renewal across the entire Gulf Coast, fueled in large part by an outpouring of volunteers and national service participants who've come from across the nation and globe to help the region rebuild stronger than before. Read more | | | International Volunteer Service: A Smart Way to Build BridgesPresident Obama has proposed expanding the Peace Corps “so that Americans work side-by-side with volunteers from other countries.” Achieving this goal will require a new combination of public and private initiatives designed to expand opportunities for volunteers to address critical global problems such as poverty, contagious diseases, climate change, and conflict. Read more (PDF) | | Lending a Hand to Nairobi's Slum Dwellers Young Ambassadors for Peace join national sports stars and media personalities to serve residents in Nairobi's Korogocho slum. Read more |
| International Volunteers Honor U.S.- China Ties at a Baltimore Service ProjectYoung volunteers from the United States, China and Africa form a model service partnership to forge closer ties between nations. Read more
|  | A Vision for African Renewal An International Young Leaders Summit in Nairobi calls for a new era of peace for the continent through mobilizing its youth, renewing the family as the normative model, and building a culture of service. Read more |
| Coming Together for Peace through SoccerIn a growing grassroots movement for peace following the disputed 2007 Kenya presidential election, YFWP-Kenya co-sponsored a soccer tournament and service initiative in the western Matunda area that brought together some 70,000 people under the banner “Come Together to Reason Together.” Read more
| | United We Serve
This summer, President Obama is calling on all of us – young and old, from every background, all across this country – to participate in our nation’s recovery and renewal by serving in our communities. "United We Serve" will begin to engage Americans in addressing community needs in education, health care, energy independence, economic renewal, and other issues. Read more |
Other news Father-Daughter Alliance joins American and Indian service organizations to support the girls' education. DELHI--Girls account for more than one half of the approximately 75 million children out of school. Their fathers are for the most part the sole decision-makers about whether girls go to school or not, in countries like India, Afghanistan, Benin, Guatemala and Yemen. Of the 774 million illiterate adults worldwide, 64% of them are women. For example, for every 100 boys out of school in Yemen there are 270 girls, in Iraq 316 girls, in India 426 girls, and in Benin 257 girls (UNESCO, 2007). The recently formed Father and Daughter Alliance (FADA), with the Delhi-based Deepalaya, has an initial plan of educating 1000 Indian girls. Pedro C. Moreno, founder, FADA, says the NGO will also go to Afghanistan, Guatemala, Yemen and Benin with the aim of educating 1000 girls in each of these countries. “FADA’s aim is to make men the agents of change. Across the world, be it politics, business or religion, it is dominated by men. So it is the men who hold the keys, and they need to play an important role in the education of their daughters,” says Moreno
Anniversary of the UN International Year of Volunteers The UN General Assembly passed a resolution in support of volunteerism in December of 2008. The resolution invites governments, media, civil society, the private sector, and the wider UN system to take action at the regional and national levels to mark the tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers in 2011. In December 2011, the General Assembly will also hold two plenary sessions devoted to marking this anniversary and following up on the International Year of Volunteers. For more information, visit World Volunteer Web. GPSA aims to mobilize partners from multiple sectors to develop and implement plans for marking this important global anniversary at both regional and national levels. US Enacts Law Providing Funds for International Volunteering Announcing a “new era of service”, U.S. President Barack Obama recently signed into law the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which enjoyed wide bipartisan support in Congress. The Act dramatically expands opportunities for Americans to volunteer in the U.S. and globally. The Act authorizes $10 million in 2010, and even more through 2014, for highly skilled professionals to serve abroad in such areas as combating extreme poverty, eradicating hunger, reducing the spread of preventable diseases, achieving universal education, and improving access to clean water.
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