Monday, July 19, 2010

Miracle Child of the Day - Akot Evelyn

Akot Evelyn - 12 years

Akot Evelyn is a 12 year old girl. She was born in a Kampala suburb called Soweto. Her father died of an epidemic disease called Cholera when she was only five years old. Her mother struggled to send her to school and provide her with the absolute necessities, but failed. Akot, at her tender age, started living on the streets and due to the poor conditions, the Miracle Kids church decided to adopt her and support her. She likes singing, dancing, watching movies, reading the bible and story books. She is a very happy and jolly girl. Due to a lack of resources, Aid the Nations has not been able to provide Akot with the necessary school fees to pay for her education. She is a very curious and open minded girl, with a quest and yearning for knowledge. With your help, we can give the gift of education to little Akot!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Help us fight malaria!

Imagine being able to save a child's life for only $10! Did you know that malaria is one of the leading causes of death for children living in Uganda? Malaria is an infectious disease caused by a parasite, transmitted by mosquitos. Malaria causes flu-like symptoms, liver/kidney failure, seizures, problems with the nervous system, shock and in the most severe cases, death. Every year, 750,000 children die from malaria. That's one child every 30 seconds.

FACT: Malaria CAN be easily prevented with anti-malarial drugs, and long lasting insecticide-treated bed nets. Up to four children can sleep under one net for up to five years! These incredible life saving bed nets cost $10. We need YOUR help!

Please donate today to save a life! Visit www.aidthenations.org
to help make the difference between life and death!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Voices of Young Soldiers

Uganda

“Early on when my brothers and I were captured, the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) explained to us that all five brothers couldn’t serve in the LRA because we would not perform well. So they tied up my two younger brothers and invited us to watch. Then they beat them with sticks until both of them died. They told us it would give us strength to fight. My youngest brother was nine years old.” – Former child soldier, age 13 (Source: Human Rights Education Associates)

Zimbabwe

“There was no one in charge of the dormitories and on a nightly basis we were raped. The men and youths would come into our dormitory in the dark, and they would just rape us- you would just have a man on top of you, and you would not even see who it was. If we cried aftewords, we were beaten with pipes. We were so scared that we did not report the rapes. The youngest girl in our group was eleven and was raped repeatedly. – 19 year old girl (Source: Coalition to stop the use of Child Soldiers)

Central Africa

“I feel so bad about the things that I did. It disturbs me so much that I inflicted death on other people. When I go home I must do some traditional rites because I have killed. I must perform these rites and cleanse myself. I still dream about the boy from my village that I killed. I see him in my dreams, and he is talking to me, saying I killed him for nothing, and I am crying.” – a 16 year old girl after demobilization from an armed group (Source: US. State Dept. TIP Report 2005)

Democratic Republic of Congo

“When they came to my village, they asked my older brother whether he was ready to join the militia. He was just 17 and he said no. They shot him in the head. Then they asked me if I was ready to sign, so what could I do? I didn’t want to die.” – a former child soldier taken when he was 13 (Source: BBC report)

“They gave me a uniform and told me that now I was in the army. They even gave me a new name: “Pisco”. They said they would come back and kill my parents if I did not do as they said. – 17 year old former child soldier in 2006 (Source: Coalition to stop the use of Child Soldiers)

“Being new, I could not perform the very difficult exercises properly and so I was beaten every morning. Two of my friends in the camp died because of the beatings. The soldiers buried them in the latrines. I am still thinking of them.” – Former child soldier, interviewed in 2002 (Source: Coalition to stop the use of Child Soldiers)

Sudan

“I joined the SPLA when I was 13. I am from Bahr Al Ghazal. They demobilized me in 2001 and took me to Rumbek, but I was given no documents. Now, I am stuck here because my family was killed in a government attack and because the SPLA would re-recruit me. At times, I wonder why I am not going back to SPLA. Half of my friends have and they seem to better off than me.” – Former child soldier interviewed in 2004 (Source: Coalition to stop the use of Child Soldiers)

Cambodia

“They give you a gun and you have to kill the only best friend you have. They do it to see if they can trust you. If you don’t kill him, your friend will be ordered to kill you. I had to do it because otherwise I would be killed. That’s why I got out. I could not stand it any longer.” – 17 year old boy, joined a paramilitary group at age 7, when he was a street child (Source: Coalition to stop the use of Child Soldiers)

Calling all Artists!!!

Aid the Nations is currently putting together an art exhibit and gala night to support the Miracle Kids Primary School!

We are looking for several talented and ambitious artists to exhibit at a fundraising event. This is a great way for artists to get exposure while performing a good deed!

Themes: Human Rights of Orphans AND Life in Africa
Media: Any media is welcome
Location: Art gallery, Chicago
When: Events start in July, 2010

If interested in participating, please fill out the
Artist Application located under the "Events" tab on our website, and send it back to info@aidthenations.org . Please note that there is $25 non-refundable donation required for participation, which gives you access to the event whether or not you are chosen as an exhibitor.

We will begin contact and interview immediately!

Along with the application and examples of your art work, please submit the $25 non-refundable participation fee safely and securely on our website, www.aidthenations.org !

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

We are Proud to Announce the Opening of Miracle Kids Primary School in Kampala!



To celebrate receiving 501c3 tax exempt status, Aid the Nations decided to start off the year 2010 with a wonderful, new endeavor. In the beginning of March, Aid the Nations opened up the Miracle Kids Nursery and Primary School in Kampala, Uganda!

This is a huge achievement because it gives orphans, who are living in local churches, a chance to get an education!

At Aid the Nations, we believe that children are the future. The children of Uganda are a generation with an intense yearning for education and cultural awareness. Ugandan children grew up in the midst of a 23-year civil war which uprooted their families and, after its completion, has left them with inadequate shelter, broken homes and limited resources. Many of these children were formerly kidnapped by rebel groups and forced to be child soldiers. They now live in Internally Displaced Persons Camps (IDP Camps) or in nearby churches.

Currently, Aid the Nations was able to provide materials enough for 83 orphans. Many more children are waiting to attend the school, but we are in dire need of school supplies, food and milk to sustain the children, and wages to hire more teachers and caretakers.

From the bottom of our hearts, we welcome all of your support, no matter how large or small the amount may be! We know that you can truly make a difference!

501c3 Status Received!

Aid the Nations Team was extremely delighted to finally receive 501c3 Tax Exemption Status on March 9, 2010!!!

What this means for you: Every single penny you donate to Aid the Nations is now tax deductible!

Videos from Uganda!

Check out the Gallery page for new videos and photos from Uganda. You can take a look at the children there, the villages they live in, and listen to the tunes of the local song and dance.

These are just small examples of how you are helping us transform Uganda!