Nine Million Children Refugees: Blog

New community - take a look!

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:15:33 GMT

Hello everyone and sorry for radio silence! We've been busy and we're excited to announce that we've just soft launched a new community for supporters of ninemillion.org! You can find it here http://www.community.ninemillion.org/ and we'd love to hear what you think...

Even better - join up! We love hearing from you and the new community is the place to reach us and hear what we're doing...

Look forward to seeing you there!

ninemillion.org

Sport for a Better World

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 08:32:43 GMT

The world is full of changemakers.

Changemakers who believe in the power of sport to bring a better future to refugee children and youth around the world.

We want to know about the innovative work you are doing through sport or many innovative ideas that you would like to see come to life.

Join Luol Deng, A former refugee who has risen to star status as an NBA player for the Chicago Bulls, an innovator for a better world.

Approximately 12 finalists will be chosen and three winners will receive USD 5,000.

Finalists will attend a prestigious global summit where their innovations will be profiled to enthusiasts, thought leaders and decision makers.

For more details please visit http://www.changemakers.net/en-us/competition/sports

Refugee teacher seeks to "write" the wrongs

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 08:07:45 GMT

Refugee teacher seeks to "write" the wrongs

DJABAL CAMP, Chad – "I knew how to read and write, that is why I was selected to be a teacher in Djabal camp," says Aziza Souleyman Mahamet. A modest claim, but one that reflects the serious lack of trained and qualified teachers in the schools of eastern Chad's refugee camps.

Aziza, a 40-year-old mother of three, is herself a refugee from West Darfur. "The Janjaweed attacked us and an Antonov plane bombed us," she recalls. Her family walked for seven days before reaching the border with Chad, where they lived for many months through the rainy season. It was only in mid-2004 that UNHCR found them and brought them to Djabal camp. In her four years of teaching Arabic, Aziza has met many traumatized children.

"You have children who saw their parents being murdered – by gunshot or shrapnel from the bombings," she says. "These children have not forgotten the images, and it impacts a lot the way they learn and remember things. Some have dropped out of school because of it."

Thankfully, various psycho-social programs in the camp have provided counselling to many children, helping them focus better in class.

But the physical infrastructure is often missing. "Now they are learning while sitting on the sand," says Aziza. "We need tables and chairs for the children to be able to sit." There is also a huge need for more textbooks – on average, there is only one book for three pupils, which is not enough to follow classes and do homework. Basic stationary such as notepads and pens is also in demand.

In addition, the harsh weather conditions in eastern Chad, including sand storms and the rainy season, cause school buildings to deteriorate quickly. "Some parents are afraid to send their children to school because they fear the building will collapse on them," says Aziza. With no glass windows, classrooms are exposed to wind and sand storms.

Teachers are trained by UNHCR, UNICEF and NGOs, but the incentives are weak. "Teachers are not paid enough," says Aziza, who makes 25,000 CFA ($50) monthly. The schools' director earns 40,000 CFA per month, based on local rates.

Still, Aziza would not trade her job for any other. "I thank God that now I can teach children," she says with emotion. "For their future and mine, I hope to be able to return to Darfur, to study for myself and continue to teach in my village."

In the meantime, she continues to encourage parents to send their children to school so that when it is safe to return to Darfur, "they will have knowledge and education to rebuild the region."

Angelina Jolie and UNHCR promote education at Clinton Global Initiative

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 11:20:12 GMT

Angelina Jolie and UNHCR promote education at Clinton Global Initiative

THAM HIN REFUGEE CAMP, Thailand (UNHCR) – In Thailand refugee toddlers get a pre-school headstart on education and teenagers learn vital computer skills. In Azerbaijan refugee children have new playgrounds and learn to swim. In Uganda, thousands of refugee children are getting text books for the first time.

The unifying reason in these countries, together with help provided in Kenya, Liberia and Chad, is the funds raised through the ninemillion programme to help children driven from their homes by conflict and violence. The progamme is about to grow – with a goal of enhancing education for nine million children by 2010.

UN High Commissioner for Refugee António Guterres and UNHCR's Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie will join former US president Bill Clinton at the September 26-28 meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, issuing a call to raise $220 million for refugee education. The CGI aims to inspire commitments of help from its members.

For full story please read http://www.unhcr.org/events/46e7db842.html

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's High-Powered Day in N.Y.C.

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 07:31:12 GMT

Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie Photo by: Chip East / Landov(2)

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are making the most of their time in New York: The high-wattage couple have packed their schedules for Wednesday, meeting with diplomatic and financial leaders to promote various causes.

The first stop of the day... The Clinton Global Initiative, where Pitt asked for support for his Make It Right program. He's partnering with billionaire Steve Bing on the project, which plans to build 150 affordable – and environmentally sustainable – homes in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward. Pitt and Bing have each promised to match donations pledged during the initiative up to $5 million.

"These people will not be beaten," Pitt said at the luncheon. "In the past year, we've been meeting with the community, building their trust ... We need your help."

In the afternoon... Jolie attended a press conference with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guteres, to talk about a new campaign, Nine Million, aimed at improving education for refugee children around the world.

Then in the evening... Jolie, a Goodwill Ambassador for the U.N. refugee agency, spoke at a session focused on education for children in war-torn areas such as Darfur and Iraq.

"These are the children who most need a safe place to learn, a place to heal, a place to learn reconciliation, and a place to just be children," said Jolie, who is the co-chair of the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict. "Some think we should only provide emergency relief to children in conflict ... They say education is not life-saving. All of us here today would beg to differ."

The busy day of high-powered goodwill work is hardly unusual – Pitt is already working with Global Green to create environmentally friendly housing in New Orleans, while Jolie has done extensive work in her role at the United Nations.

In was also announced Tuesday that Jolie would meet with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband in New York to discuss global diplomacy.

And if that's not enough, Pitt's doing a little acting, too: He's filming Burn After Reading, which costars his pal George Clooney.

From angry young man to model student

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 07:25:57 GMT

From angry young man to model student

BOGOTÁ, Colombia – When he joined the Learning Circle a few months ago, 15-year-old Sterlin could hardly read and write. He was ashamed that even the youngest kids knew much more than him. "But I stuck to it for my grandmother, she has done everything for me and I want to get her out of here so she can have a better life. But first, I need to study to get a good job," he explains.

His neighborhood, an urban sprawl of plastic shacks, wooden huts and small brick houses on the foothills of the Andes, is one of the poorest in this suburb of the Colombian capital, Bogotá. Many of the people here have fled violence elsewhere in the country; many of the children grew up amid the armed conflict.

With help from UNHCR staff member Gustavo Valdivieso, Sterlin works on a computer in UNHCR's office. Sterlin’s dream is to work with computers so that he can earn enough to help his grandmother move to a better area. / UNHCR / P. Smith

Sterlin used to live in a small Afro-Colombian village on the Pacific Coast with his grandmother. The community had one teacher and his grandmother insisted that he should go to school, even though she had no money to pay the fees. It was just a few dollars a year, but still too high for many families in the rural areas.

So throughout his childhood, Sterlin studied on and off for a few weeks or months at a time, the money never stretching the whole year. "I didn't mind, because the other children were all doing the same," he says. He liked working in the fields to help his grandmother, whom he calls "mama" because she is the one who brought him up.

When Sterlin was 11, the whole village had to flee deteriorating violence between rival armed groups. He went to live with his parents in a large port city further up the coast, and remembers it as the worst time of his life: "My father did not want me around and did not want to waste money to send me to school."

One of the irregular armed groups in the city tried to recruit him and he fled again, this time to join his grandmother in Bogotá́. It took him a while to work up the courage to join the Learning Circle, one of five run with UNHCR support in this suburb to help children who have fallen behind in their schooling because of poverty, armed conflict or other problems.

Sterlin's education had been so disrupted that he had to start at 3rd Grade, roughly the level of an eight-year-old child. "I was fighting with everyone because I thought they were all laughing at me," he says. "Now I stopped because the teacher explained to me I was the eldest and should set the example. I don't want to be a violent man like my father."

The teenager has made so much progress in a few months that his teachers now hope that he can get into mainstream education soon. His dream is to become a computer engineer. "I have never used a computer," he admits, "but I want to learn." With his first salary, he wants to install a water pump in the house, to make his grandmother's life a bit easier.

ninemillion.org/LeWeb3 Digital Champions:

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 07:15:17 GMT

Technology Elite Join Forces with UNHCR, the Refugee Agency

A hand-selected group of top technology influencers has signed on to bring their considerable expertise to UNHCR’s Ninemillion program – an effort that represents a tectonic shift for one of the world’s most established organizations.

There are more than nine million children around the world who are suffering as a result of the global refugee crisis. Whether displaced from their homes by war, hatred and persecution, or natural disaster, these children are in desperate need of help – and hope. UNHCR will begin to address this dire situation by helping 9 million of these children immediately through this ground-breaking initiative.

Ninemillion’s mission is to create a global movement – leveraging new media and Web 2.0 technology – that will educate people about this issue, catalyze action by those in a position to do so, and most importantly provide the children who are so terribly in need with a way to connect – to their displaced families, to communities, and to other children globally. This program also serves to bridge the digital gap for the UN Refugee Agency by bringing its established presence forward using leading-edge technologies.

Endeavoring to make this a reality, UNHCR joined forces with LeWeb3 – one of Europe’s largest gatherings for technology influencers. As part of this partnership, LeWeb3 reached out to an array of leading Silicon Valley players and has engaged their participation to work with UNHCR on building the infrastructure for Ninemillion and setting up the plan to bring it to the world.

The LeWeb3 Digital Champion effort, which will be unveiled during the week of September 24 during the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City, will kick off in earnest during October and November. During this time, and taking advantage of the social networking platform, Facebook, the LeWeb3 Digital Champions will gather virtually to discuss the key objectives for Ninemillion. Through these conversations, the group will help prioritize the objectives, identify how technology can be used to achieve those objectives and clearly outline steps UNHCR will need to take in order to strongly establish Ninemillion as a global movement.

This program’s first stage will culminate at the LeWeb3 Conference, December 11 and December 12, 2007 in Paris. During the event, UNHCR will present Ninemillion to the conference’s 2,000 attendees, and also will host an on-site working brainstorm session. This brainstorm, in which any conference attendee can participate, will strive to resolve nine million’s top objectives with recommendations for action – and hopefully some offers to volunteer time and services for the effort.

Moving beyond LeWeb3, the Digital Champions will continue to serve as an ongoing sounding board for UNHCR, and the LeWeb3 community will continue to provide the organization with help to further Ninemillion’s objectives.

The confirmed LeWeb3 Digital Champions are:
- Dave Sifry, CEO of Technorati
- Gina Bianchini, CEO and Co-Founder of Ning
- Hans Peter Brondmo, CEO and Co-Founder of Plum
- James Joaquin, former CEO of Ofoto
- Kim Polese, CEO of SpikeSource
- Martin Varsavsky, CEO of FON
- Philip Rosedale, CEO of Linden Lab
- Yossi Vardi, Renowned Israeli Investor

Loic Le Meur, serial entrepreneur and organizer of the LeWeb3 conference, will take a leadership role for this group; and Cathy Brooks, Founder of Other Than That Productions and content curator for the 2007 LeWeb3 conference, will facilitate the brainstorms and work with UNHCR to help implement the group’s findings.

Iraqi teen trades IT for ironing

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 08:09:33 GMT

Karim, a recently arrived 17 year-old Iraqi refugee, works long hours in a laundry to support his parents and large extended family. Although his parents know the value of an education, his family can't live without his $3/day income. / UNHCR / M. Bernard / August 2007

DAMASCUS, Syria – A passion for learning shines out of 17-year-old Karim’s* intelligent eyes. “I feel I have to know everything,” says the tall teenager, dressed in an Iraq national team football jersey. “If I don’t, it’s very hard for me.”

He’s pursued his education against all odds. After braving daily bombings and shootings in Baghdad to get to class, he had to drop out of 11th grade when his family fled to the Syrian capital Damascus. Here he enrolled in school, but had to drop out when he failed to produce the required residency permit.

In an amazing show of bravery and education, he then returned to Baghdad on his own to take his exams and complete 11th grade. But now it seems that may be as far as he can go.

These days, rather than following his dream of becoming a computer engineer, he’s the sole support for 13 members of his extended family, slaving over an ironing board in a laundry for 14 hours a day. Working seven days a week, he brings home the equivalent of $3 a day.

His is typical of the dilemma faced by so many teenage Iraqi refugees in Syria; while they would love to continue their education, they are often the only members of the family able to find a job and bring in at least a meagre income.

“Education is my first priority, because I love studying,” he says. At the same time he says he has no choice but to work because “I have to support my family”. He evinces no resentment at being thrust into premature responsibilities, but does miss the camaraderie of school life as well as the sheer joy of learning.

Even patching together a self-education is beyond him at this point. “I really want to study and to read on my own, but I can’t find the time,” Karim says. “I go to my work and I come back home (after midnight) exhausted.”

Though he doesn’t dwell on it, Karim’s thoughts often turn to the personal computer he had at home in Baghdad – in the 800-square-meter (8,360-square-foot) house his large family shared. It’s a staggering contrast with the one room they all live in now, with one tiny bathroom for 13 people, where they have cut the toilet tissue roll in half as an economy measure.

Karim gives no hint of despair, but he’s clearly afraid of what will happen if he cannot continue his education. “I would see the future just the same as we are living now,” he says bleakly.

*Name changed for refugee’s protection

Learning to be a leader, one task at a time

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 17:43:50 GMT

DJABAL CAMP, Chad – "I want to become a minister, Minister of Darfur."

At 16 years of age, Farihalh makes it clear she has the ambition and will to be more than a refugee. Like most of her current classmates, she did not have the chance to go to school back in her village in western Sudan's Darfur region. She is now very motivated to attend classes in Djabal, one of 12 refugee camps in eastern Chad. "I like going to school because I want to learn, I want to become someone with responsibilities," she says. Her favorite classes are Mathematics, Arabic, English and Islamic Education. "I have missed school perhaps once, because I was sick. Otherwise, I never miss classes." Her perfect attendance is quite amazing, considering how much she has to do outside school. "At 7 in the morning, I go and fetch water. Then I make breakfast for my parents and my sisters and brothers." At 8 am, the lively Farihalh goes to school before coming home to prepare lunch. Sometimes, she has to go to the camp's outskirts to collect firewood – always accompanied by other girlfriends, for fear of being attacked if she were alone. At 4 pm, she goes for Arabic classes, then comes back to prepare dinner for her family.

In a way, Farihalh is lucky: Her parents – Dad is a tailor while Mum is a homemaker – let her go to school, and have not forced her to get married. In the community, many girls marry as soon as they reach 12 or 13, and immediately stop attending classes – at the request of their husbands but also due to the ever-growing list of chores at home.

Farihalh also knows of girls who drop out of school to work as maids or restaurant help in town. Other children have to help their parents sell things at the market, missing classes in the process. Boys and young men face different problems – they can easily be recruited by various armed groups operating in the area. Farihalh's two younger brothers go to school but she is afraid they could be recruited when they grow older. Like most Darfuri refugees in eastern Chad, Farihalh longs to go back home. "But at present, in these conditions, I cannot go back to Darfur," she says. "I prefer to stay here and continue to learn. The day peace returns to Darfur, I will go back and continue my studies." While her ambition knows no limits, the task-driven teenager is constrained by structural limitations in the camp, which offers only primary education up to 8th grade.

She hopes that a secondary school program will soon be available in Djabal so that she can work towards becoming "Minister of Darfur".

Britain's Chicago Bulls star Luol Deng backs ninemillion

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 10:31:08 GMT

Chicago Bulls basketball star Luol Deng passes on some tips to youngsters in South Norwood, the area of London where the former refugee was brought up. © Getty Images

LONDON, United Kingdom, August 20 (UNHCR) – Chicago Bulls star Luol Deng is back in Britain to try and help his adopted country win a place in the 2012 London Olympics. But the Sudan-born basketball prodigy has also been taking time out to support the UN refugee agency's campaign to open up sports and education opportunities for millions of young refugees around the world. Deng last week made his home debut for Britain in a friendly with Ireland and on Tuesday the lanky former refugee will try and help his country beat Slovakia in a European Championship qualifier. The team need to win promotion to the championship's top league if they are to be granted a place in the Olympics. Although 22-year-old Deng has been living in the United States for a number of years, he was clearly happy to be back in the British capital. "London will always be my home. It's the city I grew up in and where my family lives today," he said during a visit to South Norwood in London's Croydon district, where the family settled after fleeing southern Sudan.

For full sotry please visit http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/46c9b0ce4.html

Football helps displaced Serbian boy forget his handicap

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 09:24:36 GMT

Slobodan Simic shows off his ball control skills. The displaced Serb from Kosovo was born with only one arm. © UNHCR/D.Madzarevic

TRNBAS COLLECTIVE CENTRE, Serbia, July 16 (UNHCR) – Slobodan Simic was born with only one arm, but the 17-year-old Serb has found a surprising way to get round his physical handicap and adjust to life as a displaced person.

Slobodan simply loves football and, with the help of UNHCR and its corporate partner Nike, he is getting to live his dream of playing the game with a proper ball that he can call his own. That might not sound like much to millions of privileged children around the world, but they have never had to flee their homes and try to start a new life in a strange place with little money.

The Simic family – Slobodan and his mother, father, older brother and sister-in-law – used to live in the town of Obiliæ in central Kosovo. But in 1999 they fled to Serbia when NATO airstrikes forced the Yugoslavian government to withdraw its troops from the territory, officially a province of Serbia but now administered by the United Nations.

Today, their home – and that of some 220 other displaced people from Kosovo and nine refugees from Croatia – is this collective centre located near the central Serbian city of Kragujevac. Extra accomodation blocks were built in the former children's holiday camp to help cope with the influx of displaced people from 1999 while UNHCR and several aid agencies have been helping the inhabitants in various ways.

For full story please see http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/469b80842.html

Refugees get chance to study

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 13:40:50 GMT

The front view of Hope Primary School in Ndejje, Najjana. INSET are pupils in a classroom

UGANDA is home to 216,731 refugees, according to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). The current model of international assistance to refugees focuses on meeting their immediate and important basic needs whereas long-term needs such as education are compromised. But in a small school in Najjanankumbi, many refugee children have had a chance to receive education, writes Stephen Ssenkaaba

ABOVE a steep hill on a small piece of land stands a brick house, staring down at a thick forest. The house, with fresh red iron bars for windows and red corrugated iron sheets, is divided into three rooms.

From inside each room, shrill innocent voices are heard, punctuated by occasional clapping and singing.

This is not just a house. It is a school. Hope Primary School, one of the few schools in the country that cater for the education of refugee children in Uganda.

For full story please visit http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/9/35/574895

UNHCR & IOC launch sportswear collection

Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:45:21 GMT

The joint UNHCR/International Olympic Committee 'Giving is Winning' campaign which aims to bring sports clothing to thousands of refugees was launched in Guatemala City during the 119th session of the IOC. © UNHCR/M.Echandi

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, July 9 (UNHCR) – The UN refugee agency and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have launched a campaign aimed at collecting thousands of items of sportswear for distribution to refugees and displaced people around the world.

IOC President Jacques Rogge started the ball rolling by handing over a bag full of sports clothes to Marion Hoffmann, UNHCR representative for Mexico, Cuba and Central America, during the official launch ceremony of the second "Giving is Winning" campaign here on Friday.

"It fills me with happiness seeing this promising project kicked off. A project that will bring hope and joy to thousands of refugees on different continents."

For full story please read http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/4692299e4.html

UNHCR staff rock to the rhythms of the Refugee All Stars

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 07:39:29 GMT

Refugee All Stars vocalists Reuben and Grace get their UNHCR audience in the mood. © UNHCR/ L. Dobbs

GENEVA, July 3 (UNHCR) – The acclaimed Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars band paid their first visit to the Geneva headquarters of the UN refugee agency on Tuesday and had staff dancing in the atrium and galleries of the normally sombre building.

"The Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars are always happy to see people like you," the charismatic lead vocalist, Reuben Koroma, told dozens of UNHCR staff members who had forgone their lunch to hear a band that has been making waves around the world in the past two years.

"We are the survivors from the brutal war . . . our aim is to exercise patience and strong courage with music to conquer all obstacles and reform our lives," he said, before the nine-piece band ripped into their opening number, "Weapon Conflict."

For full story please read http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/468a72f52.html

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 08:06:21 GMT

All the members of Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars lived in or near Sierra Leone's capital city Freetown before fleeing, during the country's decade-long civil war in the 90s. Among the thousands who fled were musicians and future band members Reuben M. Koroma and Franco (Francis Langba) who met in Kalia refugee camp in Guinea.

When Reuben and his wife Grace located Franco they began making music for their fellow refugees, providing a welcome distraction to the monotonous life in refugee camps. Their efforts, however, were to be short lived.

Safety in the Kalia camp disintegrated and the initial band members, among many other refugees, were evacuated from the area and relocated to Sembakounya refugee camp. Thanks to UNHCR and a Canadian refugee aid organization (CECI), the developing band was able to acquire some music instruments that helped officially launch the group.

After a first world tour in USA, Australia, Canada and Japan, now Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars is touring Europe (Netherlands, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany). Their message of peace and hope in a "can't help but dance" show that fans from all musical backgrounds can enjoy. With a spirited and infectious fusion of traditional West African music, roots reggae and rhythmic traditional folk, Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars crafts music that transforms and uplifts.

Championed by The New York Times, critic Stephen Holden wrote, “As harrowing as these personal tales may be, the music buoying them is uplifting. The cliché bears repeating: music heals and creates community.”

The Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars will also play at the “Musiques en Ete Festival” at Parc La Grange (Geneva, Switzerland) on Wednesday 4 July at 8:30PM.

World Refugee Day in Thailand

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 10:02:18 GMT

World Refugee Day in Tham Hin Refugee camp, close to the border of Thailand and Myanmar, was a great success. A great many of the Karen refugee population worked very hard to celebrate the day and to showcase their talent and their culture. The day began with an inspiring and heartfelt speech from the Chair of the Camp Committee, encouraging the refugees present to remember those who had left for a new life and calling for unity and a continuous effort to improve themselves through the vocational courses provided by the NGOs.

Events:

The refugees put on a great show, starting with a choir made up of Karen men and women from each of the three sectors of the camp. This was followed with a sequence of traditional dances, including the Gikli (Bamboo) dance which requires a great deal of skill, and a traditional Burmese dance, performed by Burmese refugees who also live in Tham Hin. The dancers showcased their skills as well as their traditional clothes, some embroidered with the Karen flag, others reflecting the more traditional woven styles, with unmarried women dressed largely in white, men in red and married women in more vibrant colours. The audience really enjoyed the fashion show that followed. There was a lot of giggling as the models pulled catwalk poses and the audience cheered and clapped as though the stage were full of supermodels.

Competitions:

The UNHCR and other NGOs were asked to judge several competitions. The drawing competition included some superb pictures in the under 13s group, many of which reflected the theme of self-reliance. Others reflected the traumatic experiences in the pasts of the children or their relatives. One particularly beautiful one showed a family fleeing at sunset, carrying their worldly goods against a background of red and orange and purple – an excellent piece of art and very deserving of the prize it won. The 14 to 17 group had a varied set of subjects, with many again showing refugees farming to support themselves and learning new skills in the computer centre at the camp or in academic lessons. The UNHCR were also called on to judge the weaving competitions and chose a traditional fishing tool, a hat designed to protec t field labourers from the sun and an intricately woven bag as the winning entries. The clothing on display was a mix of traditional and more modern styles. The materials are all made from scratch – the thread spun by hand and then woven into plain or striped fabrics. Some were further embellished with embroidery. The skill exhibited was excellent proof, if any were needed, of the resourcefulness and talent of the refugees.

The final event was a relay race amongst teams representing each of the camp sections. It was incredible to see people running at speed in the full heat of the afternoon and on an un-surfaced sports ground too! Next year this pitch will have been resurfaced thanks to funds provided by the UNHCR’s ninemillion.org campaign. The day finished with a prize giving ceremony and a speech by UNHCR thanking everyone for their enthusiasm and for the hard work that had gone into the day.

Real Madrid trains refugee children in Panama City

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 13:41:13 GMT

Soccer supremo. A young footballer attending the sports school runs up for a shot at goal. © UNHCR/M.-H.Verney
PANAMA CITY, Panama, June 27 (UNHCR) – It's a long way from the Bernabeu stadium to Central America, but there is a direct link between Real Madrid's hallowed ground and a suburb overlooking the Panama Canal.
The City of Knowledge gathers several prestigious universities and schools built on the site of Panama's last US naval base, which was closed in 1999. They include the School for Sports Education and Social Integration, which was opened by the Real Madrid Foundation last year to teach football and provide a rounded education for hundreds of Panamanian youngsters.
This year, following an agreement between UNHCR and the Real Madrid Foundation, it opened its doors to 11 refugee children in Panama City. They joined more than 500 other students aged between five and 18, who were selected on the basis of both their skills and social background.
"Of course we want to train good players, but we also want to give the kids a chance to develop their full potential as human beings," explained the school's technical director, former Real Madrid player Angel Pérez, while keeping an eye on four different games at once.

For full story please read http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/468255d14.html

The 2007 TransRockies

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 10:02:32 GMT

In the biking photo, Jo Turnbull is #5 and I'm #6.

This summer Jo Turnbull and myself (Jenny Hillman) will take on our biggest athletic challenge ... the 2007 TransRockies!! The race begins August 12th in Panorama, B.C, and finishes 7 days later in Fernie, B.C. Over the course of the seven days, Jo and I will cover 600km and 12,000m of elevation gain. For those of you who have ever done a hike, or ride, involving quite a lot of elevation gain, you can appreciate what 1500-2000m a day will feel like!!

To help motivate ourselves through these painful (and fun) moments to come we are each trying to raise a dollar for every kilometer we will ride ... therefore, with every kilometer we complete we'll know that another refugee child will have a chance to learn and play ... simple gifts in life we often take for granted. As Paw Wha says in her video clip .. playing makes my heart happy - and that's why we love to ride! Knowing that by completing this challenge we can all help make more little hearts happy too, and develop the minds of these wonderful children will be the greatest accomplishment of all.

Thanks, Jenny

ninemillion.org would like to wish both Jenny and Jo the best of luck during this incredibly challenging race and Thank them both for their support!

Byabakora Primary School

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 10:12:40 GMT

At Byabakora Primary School they have developed a unique way of passing invaluable health messages to all students. They call it the "talking compound". All around the school you will find tires painted with messages such as this.

World Refugee Day

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 07:47:31 GMT

UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie sits beside an Afghan boy in the refugee camp of Katcha Ghari on the edge of the Pakistan city of Peshawar. © UNHCR/J.Redden

GENEVA, June 20 (UNHCR) – Today is World Refugee Day, a day when the UN refugee agency tries to focus worldwide attention on the plight of millions of refugees and displaced people around the world. To mark the day, High Commissioner António Guterres is visiting South Sudan to witness the rapid changes in the nature of the refugee challenge in Africa.

Some 40 million people worldwide are uprooted by violence and persecution, and it is likely that the future will see more people on the move as a growing number of push factors build upon each other to create conditions for further forced displacement.

WORLD REFUGEE DAY

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 13:08:54 GMT

World Refugee Day: Challenges of the 21st Century

For full storeis please visit http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/4678e48d4.html

For more information on ninemillion.org please visit and sign up for our newsletter http://www.ninemillion-newsletters.org/

Kabazana Primary School, Uganda

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:16:35 GMT

Kabazana Primary School

Total Enrolment at Kabazana Primary school is 949. With 470 females and 479 Males. Without enough desks, classrooms and having to line up for textbooks children love coming to school! They want to learn and understand education is key to their futures.

Through ninemillion.org we hope to create a healthier learning evironment for all of these children.

Jolie-Pitt Foundation donates US$1 million to groups working in Darfur

Mon, 14 May 2007 07:32:44 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States, May 10 (UNHCR) – UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie and actor Brad Pitt have donated US$1 million towards the humanitarian effort assisting millions of people affected by the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region.

"The donation from the Jolie-Pitt Foundation will go to three agencies playing key roles in Darfur and neighbouring Chad: the UN refugee agency; the International Rescue Committee and the international non-governmental organization, SOS Children's Villages," UNHCR said in a press release issued on Thursday.

All three agencies are active in providing life-saving humanitarian assistance to the more than two million people displaced within Darfur and the 240,000 refugees from Darfur living in camps in eastern Chad.

"This generous donation comes just months after Angelina Jolie made a personal visit to a refugee camp in Chad and it shows, once again, her and Brad Pitts' commitment to helping refugees and the displaced," said Michel Gabaudan, UNHCR's regional representative for the United States and the Caribbean. "As Goodwill Ambassador, Jolie's continued support of UNHCR and those we seek to help is a powerful force in ensuring they are not forgotten."

For more information please visit http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/464348172.html

Thanks Carla

Messages from Entesia

Fri, 11 May 2007 07:28:54 GMT

Dear All ninemillion.org friends,

Thank you very much for making me the feature in one of the ninemillion.org films and I feel great. It is miracle to me and I never thought people would like the film.

Entesia.

Please visit Entesia's early blog to read her latest blogs and to send her comments and questions. She was very happy to hear from you - to know that people on the other side of the world were thinking of her.

Carla

Small Technical Problem

Wed, 09 May 2007 10:06:52 GMT

Dear ninemillion.org Friends,

Our apologies, we have been experiencing a technical problem and were unable to update the space. We have found a solution and will be able to update you on all the latest ninemillion.org activities.

Please check back tomorrow and hear from Entesia!

Thank you for your understanding. Carla

Azerbaijan

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:11:04 GMT

Thanks Again to all of you!

We are happy to report that in Azerbaijan children are now going to participate in training workshops, RTP Play Days, school-based sport and play activities, a series of Network RTP Play Days and have opportunities and access to swimming programs.. Local female coaches will be supported. Posters, brochures and placards will be distibuted. Special training sessions will be held for Active community members, PTA members, sport teachers and sportsmen of the schools. Playgrounds will be rehabilitated in 3 IDP schools in Sumgayit ensuring better access to sport facilities.

Thank you

Carla

ninemillion.org UNHCR Geneva

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 14:54:13 GMT

Meet the UNHCR/ninemillion.org Team in Geneva

ninemillion.org in Geneva.

Show us ninemillion.org where you are.

Ninemillion.org in France

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 14:26:18 GMT

Ninemillion.org hits the beach in Marseille, France.

Please send us your ideas and photos on how to send ninemillion.org around the world.

I'm making a difference

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 15:33:33 GMT

Chat to help ninemillion.org!

You've all been really supportive about this campaign and what we’re trying to do with ninemillion.org. It’s been great how many of you have asked how you can help too - it really makes a big difference to know that you care enough to do something!

So! I want to let you know about a new initiative that our partners at Microsoft have just launched that lets you help to get the word out and to raise funds too! This is only available in the US for now but it's a great place to start!

If you are in the US and you use instant messenger to chat to your friends you can help just by choosing to support ninemillion.org every time you chat!

All you have to do is sign up to “i’m” by clicking the button below and then choose us as your cause. It’s really easy and every conversation you have, Microsoft will donate a proportion of their Windows Live Messenger advertising revenue to us!

It takes just a few minutes to join... so please sign up!

Carla.

Uganada

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 15:42:05 GMT

Education Projects

Thanks to all you!

We are happy to report that over 7600 students in 11 refugee settlements in Uganda benefitted through ninemillion.org. Ninemillion.org purchased a variety of scholastic materials including textbooks, chalkboards, paper, pens and pencils in order to improve education oppotunities.

Thank you

Carla

Pushpin Gadget

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 12:38:39 GMT

Try our New Pushpin Gadget

Show you care by placing a pushpin on your hometown. We would like to get one pushpin for every refugee child in the world.

It’s really simple to use: Double click on the map to start and right-click on your hometown to add your pushpin.

Also, you can see where other supporters for ninemillion.org are in the world.

Try it! It’s easy and FUN!!

Thanks

Carla