“Eye on Cambodia”

 

On Saturday, April 2, 2005, while most areas of New Jersey had to deal with heavy rain and flooded areas, it did not stop approximately 60 people included students from grade 5 – 12, college students and parents to come out and attend People to People International (PTPI) – Go International For Tomorrow (GIFT) Student Chapter 2nd Annual Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) Event “ Eye on Cambodia “ in Secaucus, NJ.

 

Aurora Lopez, a GIFT member and a student at Secaucus Middle School, the master of ceremony opened the event by addressing that Millions of young people in countries everywhere highlighted and carried out thousands of community improvement projects locally, nationally, and internationally to support GYSD mission: BUILD the capacity of an international network of organizations that promotes youth participation, service, and learning; EDUCATE the public, the media, and policy-makers about the year-round contributions of young people as community leaders around the world; MOBILIZE youth and adults to meet the needs of their communities through volunteering; and LEARN and share effective practices in youth service, youth voice, and civic engagement in the world today.

 

GIFT Student Chapter Founder & President, Kevin Williams who is a freshman at Secaucus High School Science Academy, in his opening remark addressed the great need of opportunity in youth leadership programs where youth from different groups can meet and work together to achieve a bigger and better thing. He was pleased to acknowledge that there were 24 different schools and youth organizations represented at the event, such as: West Windsor- Plainboro High School (NJ), Lawrenceville High School (NJ) Hopewell Valley Central High School (NJ), Homewood-Flossmoor High School (IL) WM Tennent High School (PA),Adlai E. Stevenson High School (IL), Northern Valley Regional High School (NJ), Raritan High School (NJ), Secaucus High School (NJ), Secaucus Middle School (NJ), St. Peters Prep (NJ), Huber Street Elementary School (NJ) West New York Middle School (NJ), St. Elizabeth College (NJ), Girls Scout Troop 806 Clark/Winfield (NJ), Frank K Hehnly Elementary School, Giving Beads (NJ), ICC Youth Group (NJ), PTPI - Go International For Tomorrow (GIFT) Student Chapter (NJ), PTPI - Greater Princeton Student Chapter (NJ), PTPI - Sommerset County Student Chapter (NJ), PTPI - Chicagoland Student Chapter (IL), PTPI - PCIP Student Chapter (PA), and Wrap4Asmile Foundation Inc. (NJ). Kevin Williams also gave a brief overview of the GIFT student chapter accomplishments since the chartered date, September 12, 2003 and finally shared the testimonial words from Mr. Sar Sambath – UN Deputy Permanent Representative, quote: “On behalf of the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United Nation, I would like to commend the hard work and diligence that your organization has conducted to achieve the noble goal of reducing the devastating impacts of landmines that over the years has claimed too many lives of Cambodian people.”…unquote.

 

The event was filled with positive notes about “ Youth is our Future Leaders”, which added with a brief remark from Secaucus Mayor, Dennis Elwell, who encouraged young people to be involved and work together to improve their community and build a better understanding with the rest of the world. Mayor Elwell also acknowledged the effort of reading book drive that GIFT chapter is organizing will enhance the understanding of American culture and provide opportunity for other youth to learn English where children can communicate with each other. Perhaps, if we were to do this sooner, there would be less conflicts in the world today.

 

GIFT chapter also celebrated International Children Book Day which is to support International Boards of Books for Young People (IBBY). On International Children Book Day, we are to promote international understanding through children's books, said; Jonathan Mui. Jonathan Mui, recently elected as GIFT chapter Vice President and a freshman at Secaucus High School Science Academy who also read a short story that was sponsored by IBBY India, titled: Books Are My Magic Eyes " by Manorama Jafa.

 

How did the Cambodian Humanitarian project started? GIFT Student Chapter has been learning about global landmine issues through HALO TRUST. Early March 2004, GIFT chapter joined the youth coalition program focusing on Cambodia, in partner with, Global Care unlimited. GIFT Student Chapter since then has developed many learning programs such as

  • Thousands Dinner and GIFT chapter 1st anniversary dinner on September 10, 2004. Featuring guest speakers such as, PTPI CEO/President – Mary Jean Eisenhower, International Human Right Leader and Cambodian Genocide survivor - Arn Chorn-Pond and Halo Trust – Kurt Chesko.
  • Workshop at Tenafly Middle School in October 2004
  • Book Drive started in November 2004 for Cambodian Youth to support Cambodian Volunteers for Communities Development (CVCD) organization where Arn Chorn-Pond is the co-founder.
  • April 2, 2005 GYSD event “Eye on Cambodia” workshop and humanitarian project, featuring guest speakers: Mark Hyman, a teacher at Tenafly Middle School and a Founder & President of Global Care Unlimited, who recently returned from a 2 weeks trip in Cambodia with selected student ambassadors, Jennifer Kloes, Program Director of Global Youth Connect and Susan Hou & Jennifer Hou, Volunteer Representatives of Heifer International. These organizations have done many programs to help Cambodian people that are in great need.

The workshop was wrapped up with a team building activity “TREE of HOPE”, where the students were divided into 6 groups. Each group was assigned to discuss and present an improvement plan in 3 different topics, such as: Education, International Friendship, Family, Children Welfare, Peace, Healthcare, etc.

 

The event became livelier toward late afternoon, where all participants had to walk about 2 blocks to First Reformed Church of Secaucus where over 5,300 reading books have been collected and stored since November 2004. First Reformed Church and US Postal Service in Secaucus extended their assistance as the main drop off sites. GIFT chapter received an overwhelming responds from students and friends in Secaucus community, Secaucus Middle/High School library, Staffs at APL/APL Logistics Kearny, NJ office, Immaculate Conception Church Youth Group, Secaucus High School – Literacy Explorer, Clarendon School Library, Benjamin Franklin Middle School Media Center, Kid for Kids Club of Hopewell Valley Central HS, St. Peters Prep, Ridgewood Middle School Media Center, Academies @ Englewood Student, Secaucus Indian Temple (Shree Swaminarayan Siddhant Sajian Mandal USA Inc), GIFT Student Chapter members, Women’s Club of Danville, Staffs at NYK Line, Giving Beads and staffs at Western World Insurance Co, etc. Everyone, regardless which school they attend, which organization they represent or town they live in, they were gathered with a helping hand spirit to place labels, sorted books in 3 different category: Primary, Intermediate and College, and finally packed and carton marked each box.

 

The 99 boxes of reading books will be loaded into a container and shipped by sea to Cambodia as soon as proper export & clearance documents are complete. The event was closed with each student receiving 8 hours community service certificate of recognition and gift away items from US Postal Service and Wrap4Asmile Foundation, Inc.

 

This event was sponsored by People to People International, Headquartered in Kansas City, MO, Go International For Tomorrow Student Chapter and Mukta Developer.

 

GIFT chapter is still looking for sponsorships to defray the cost to complete the Cambodian Humanitarian Project, anyone that can help, please contact us at 201-223-4405 or via email: giftsecaucusptpi@aol.com. PTPI-GIFT is a not for profit 501 ( C ) organization, any donation is tax deductible to the extend of the law.

 

For more information about our organization, please visit our homepage:
www.gointernationalfortomorrow.org and www.ptpi.org