Amaru Residents Protect Their Land: The Film

The film crew captures an interview with activist, Oyaka Makmot, in Kampala.

Films are made every year about smaller topics than what the major movie companies produce. Sometimes those are shorter films, small-budget movies with fictional themes, and even documentaries about issues which are not usually publicized by major news media. If not for these smaller films, also known as independent films, some themes would never even find an audience.

Krista Imbesi is a filmmaker with two films already to her credit. She has worked in pre-production on American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs and worked in post-production on the Jennifer Arnold film, A Small Act. For the past few years, she has been diligently raising funds for the film, OUR FEET ARE ROOTED.



The film is to present the story of the families who live in the Amaru District and their battle against the large corporations which are trying to grab the 100,000 acres on which they live and farm. The land-grabbing companies have been so intent on having their way that they have become violent. The ones suffering are the Amaru residents, who have often found themselves hungry, homeless, and dead. One of the companies, Madhvani Sugar Corporation, has teamed with the government to force the residents off their land. The film will tell the stories of both sides, while allowing members of the community to participate and contribute to the filming of their story.

Krista stated, "Ugandans know that land is a contentious issue all around the country, though popular models for dealing with land disputes have largely failed the most marginalized demographics (women, children, rural poor, the disabled, and the unemployed). This film will help us spread the message of nonviolence, detailing how one community has achieved success by defending their land through dialogue and nonviolent methods (such as strategic noncooperation). It will help inspire similar movements and strategic planning for social and environmental justice throughout the nation."

Acayo Everlyn discusses how she was affected by the land grab.

The residents of Amaru District have paid a heavy price in their battle. SOLIDARITY UGANDA, an organization which has provided needed assistance to the residents, has cataloged 40 illegal arrests, more than 500 village livestock killed by military forces, more than 1000 homes burned to the ground, hundreds of forced evictions of residents, and at least 4 deaths related to land-grab issues. Despite this ravaging, the residents have refused to leave. They are still striving to prevent the theft of their lands and to protect the human rights of the residents.

On the edge of a village with one of the farmers.

Thanks for information from this article on Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/krista-imbesi-our-feet-are-rooted-a-documentary-film/; this article explaining the project on Indiegogo: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/our-feet-are-rooted-a-documentary-film#/; and the above links.

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Compassion Comes To Belfast

This is the goal of Compassionate Belfast.

Think back a few decades. Remember how divided Belfast and Northern Ireland was? Organizations representing two different visions were fighting each other and people were dying in the conflict. Compassion was not a word that would even be in the same sentence as Belfast.

Fast forward to this year, the month of May, and there is a whole new vision, a vision so different that Belfast has held a series of meetings to make Belfast a City of Compassion. Essentially, these meetings drew up an action plan to make compassionate action a core component of the city and the surrounding area.



Frank Liddy, the Chairperson of Compassion City of Belfast and also Co-Founding Director of Belfast Mindfulness Centre, explained, "Here in Belfast we have four quarters to our city and due to our troubled past, each quarter more or less remains separate in a once divided city. The sad news is that these sometimes quarters were separated by what [are] called the peace walls or lines...the West was predominantly aligned to Green/Republicanism and Nationalist/Catholic, the East would be seen as Orange/Protestant/Loyalist, the North would have been described as a patchwork area of both Protestant/Catholic and other (the North of the city also experienced the most loss through the troubles), and the South of the city was a neutral area and a more affluent area."

One board member was designated as host and another was support for each event in each section of the city. First, there was a video that explained the Compassionate Charter for the city, then broke up into smaller groups that discussed the meaning of compassion and what Belfast would look like as a compassionate city. Then the group came back together and was shown a video on The Golden Rule to end the workshop sessions on a positive note.

Mr. Liddy discussed what happened in the workshops, "Compassion was put on the agenda for folk to look at in a new way; with new eyes and ears, hearts and minds." He was impressed with the openness with which people were able to discuss the meaning of compassion, and there was an atmosphere of safety. He was impressed with"[t]he diversity and many lenses of perception that enable and allow folk to explore Compassion."

Belfast's children pick up on the meaning of compassion.

This series of events was just the beginning; they laid the groundwork upon which further connections and progress can be made. As Mr. Libby said, "As a city in post conflict, I believe that compassion is the flower of our city's suffering." And that means that beauty can come from these new alliances and create a whole new atmosphere of fellowship.

Arts and film support the message of compassion in Belfast.

Thanks for information from this article by Julie Travers on Charter For Compassion: http://www.charterforcompassion.org/index.php/conversations-exploring-compassion.

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Summer For Notre Dame Preparatory School

The middle school area is in the midst of construction.

Here we are near the end of July and looking forward to entering August. Generally parents, along with their children who attend school, start planning for the new school year. After all, it's only a few more weeks to the start of the school year.

Let's take a little bit of time to check on one of our local Catholic schools, NOTRE DAME PREPARATORY SCHOOL. Located in Towson, the school serves girls in grades 6 through 12. Today is the last day of the Blazer Summer Sports Camps. These camps were designed to help enrollees improve skills in their particular sports and also have fun with their peers. On this last day, the programs for the soccer, tennis, and volleyball camps are coming to an end. Other camps for basketball, field hockey, and lacrosse were held soon after the close of the school year.



Middle level school sports begin on Sept. 6 in field hockey, cross country, soccer, and volleyball. Students have to have a current and up to date medical profile with the school nurse in order to try out for these sports and all students in the middle grades are eligible.

Music fills the air at Notre Dame Prep and that includes the summer. There are several ways students can participate. The Liturgy Band has an all-day retreat (9 AM to 3 PM) on August 18 in the Choir Room. The Chamber Choir meets for rehearsals August 22, 23, and 24 at 4 to 6 PM in the Choir Room for back-to-school programming. Then the Concert Band is rehearsing August 22, 23, and 24 at 7 to 9 PM in the Band Room, also for back-to-school programming. And the Orchestra rehearses on the same dates for the same programming from 7 to 9 PM in the Orchestra Room.

Some 6th graders are already purchasing school shoes.

Like many schools, Notre Dame Prep has had a summer reading program for upper level (high school students), some of which is still running. The reading program provides an online menu with selected books placed in blocks, which can be selected. Each book has a specific book discussion date and time. Some are online; some are face-to-face, with students responsible for their own transportation. Each student has to select one book and its accompanying discussion session, with students required to read the entire book. No cheating with the Cliff Notes version, either. This is certainly an interesting way for students to complete their summer reading assignment and is much more interactive than the book reports of old.

A group of students, in collaboration with Calvert Hall students, working for Habitat for Humanity, VA, this month.

Thanks for information from this article on the summer sports camps from Notre Dame Prep: https://www.notredameprep.com/calendars/events.aspx?action=ShowEventRegistrationForm&EventId=1ec523f9-cd23-497c-b8d0-64629e3ba0c4&CurrentModuleId=335&CurrentParentModuleId=265; this article on middle level sports on the same site: http://www.notredameprep.com/news/item/index.aspx?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=11683&ModuleID=306&NEWSPID=1; this article on music at Notre Dame Prep: http://www.notredameprep.com/news/item/index.aspx?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=11693&ModuleID=306&NEWSPID=1; and this article on summer reading from Notre Dame Prep: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c4da8ae29a3f94-summer.

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Enticing People To Try Veganism

On a mission to get more people to try veganism.

Sometimes it takes a little bit of a push, a little bit of guidance, maybe even some amount of commitment to try, can work to change some habits. That was something that Brandon Gittleman was considering when he was urging people to try veganism.

So, he came up with a few supportive ideas to get people to try this lifestyle. Feeling that veganism is a healthier lifestyle and also more sustainable environmentally and compassionate towards animals, he developed a vegan pledge, which people can sign when they visit the PEACE ADVOCACY NETWORK (PAN) event table and discuss the idea with those staffing the table. In return, they are given mentoring, cooking classes, group grocery trips, and a vegan goody bag to take with them.



Brandon explains, "We created the project because when we talk to people about going vegan, which we do at tabling events throughout the year, we hear from them that they think it will be too difficult, or they don't know where to begin. We want to remove that barrier and help make it easy for people to go vegan....It's important to us because we believe it's better for the animals, the planet, and for human health. We believe animal-based diets are not environmentally sustainable."

Although PAN is based in Philadelphia, the vegan pledge program is now available in other areas, including Charleston; Charlotte; DC/NoVA; NJ; NYC; Phoenixville, PA; and Triangle Area of NC. Each area provides its own schedule of events where the information table appears. Volunteers in various parts of the country are needed in the areas of mentorship, speaking, sponsorship, fundraising, and raising awareness are always needed.

Vegan cooking classes are hands-on.

The next event for PAN in the Philadelphia area is scheduled on August 7, at 4:30 PM at New Harmony. It's an event for Allies in Arms: Anti-Racist Inclusion In Animal Rights Activism. The cost is $22 for  nonmembers; $19 for members. The event includes a vegan dinner and Christopher-Sebastian McJetters will be speaking about how advocates can avoid oppression and offer an engaging approach to their advocacy. PAN membership is available for $20 and supports the organization's mission of education about veganism and making that lifestyle more accessible.

Christopher-Sebastian McJetters is the speaker on Aug. 7.

Thanks for information from this article on Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/brandon-gittelman-pan-vegan-pledge/; this event announcement from Peace Advocacy Network: http://www.peaceadvocacynetwork.org/events-2/; and the above link.

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Words For Reflection

Reflections from a participant in the Mindful Tech Challenge.

Let's look at a few reflections on maintaining the positive, staying on the path to making the world better. Samik Raha keeps a small article about Rev. Thomas Merton's thoughts at meeting the Dalai Lama in 1968. That meeting was shortly before Rev. Merton died at the age of 53.

Rev. Morton talked about the temptation to work too hard, get involved in too much, by any activist, or passionate person seeking change. I suppose that in this age of instant information, his words apply even more, and beyond that to those in the work world, who have trouble setting aside the devices of connectivity, to have moments or minutes to themselves, to reflect.



According to Thomas Merton, "To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything is to succumb to violence."

He added, "The frenzy of the activist neutralizes his (or her) work....It destroys the fruitfulness of his (or her) work, because it kills the root of inner wisdom which makes work fruitful." He also said that "The rush and pressure of modern life are a form, perhaps the most common form, of its innate violence."

Do you want to know about how Gandhi became known as Mahatma? On March 6, 1915, Gandhi met Rabindrinath Tagore, the 1913 Nobel Laureate. Gandhi had brought some of the boys from his school to visit Mr. Tagore's community in Santinetkan, where the poet had a school for children.

Mr. Tagore stated, "With Gandhiji's call, India blossomed forth to new greatness, just as once before, in earlier times, when Buddha proclaimed the truth, of fellow feeling and compassion among all living creatures. Gandhiji stopped at the threshold of huts of thousands of dispossessed, like one of their own. He spoke in their own language. Here was the living truth at last, not quotations from a book. For this, Mahatma - the name given to him by the people of India - is his real name." At the same time, Mr. Gandhi called Mr. Tagore Gurudev, or "The Great Sentinel".

Thoughts from the Dalai Lama.

You can sense the great respect between these two men in the words that they exchanged. But even more, when Mr. Tagore was talking about Gandhiji, the most important impression is that Mr. Gandhi acted those words. Words and actions go together, the actions lending credence to the words. To know such people must have been really inspiring!

A teacher has made a commitment to his students by being the change.

Thanks for information from this article on https://www.servicespace.org/blog/view.php?id=19673ServiceSpace: https://www.servicespace.org/blog/view.php?id=19673; and this article from My Life Is My Message: http://www.servicespace.org/about/gandhi/?nid=40.

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A Beacon Of Hope For Marginalized Children In Kisumu

Some of the Akili girls participating in Sustainability Club.

It is easy enough if you live in the slums of Obunga or even in Obambo Village in Kisumu, Kenya, to slip into hopelessness. Because if you live in these areas, you are among those with the lowest incomes and HIV is rampant. At one time, if you were a girl, the lack of opportunities, the inability to escape from poverty would have slammed right into you.

But there has been a beacon of hope, a high-quality place, a place where a girl between the ages of 9 and 15 can receive a quality holistic education. It's a place of dignity that teaches self-reliance and provides emotional and physical support and it only accepts girls from these impoverished areas. That place of hope and education is the AKILI PREPARATORY SCHOOL.



David Omondi Otieno has lived in Obunga since 1998. Armed with a Medical Biochemistry degree from the University of Nairobi, completed in 2010, he has been key in establishing Akili Library, part of Akili Preparatory School, and is using his IT skills to develop an IT and preventive health center in the larger community.

David talks about his drive, "I believe that young people can change their communities and solve the many social problems, including unemployment, in our country which is now at 40 percent. I am driven by an innate desire to create sustainable change in my community and see girls and women empowered."

The Akili library and information center, which David was a major force in developing, is the only library in Obunga and serves more than 500 youth in the community.The library is a safe haven from the ills of the slums, provides textbooks for users, teaches children to read, offers homework assistance, has spaces for reading, and teaches computer skills.

The library also offers a penpal program, in partnership with Freedom Christian Academy. First graders at Akili Preparatory School also participate. By being able to correspond with children in another part of the world, children can come to understand that they are part of a larger community, beyond the slum area in which they live.

The girls from Akili Preparatory School are also given computer training. The girls learn through developing stories, games, and models, through the use of etoys. These skills bring the girls into a more competitive position with other students throughout Kenya.

Some children reading, while others work on computers at Akili library.

These are only some of the opportunities provided through Mr. Omondi Otieno's experience and skill. The amount of hope engendered in these youngsters is an immeasurable plus.

Some of the school staff; David Omondi Otieno is at right.

Thanks for information from this article by Pollination Project: http://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/david-omondii-girls-for-girls-digital-skills-project/; this article on the Akili library: http://akilischool.weebly.com/library--it-center.html; and the above link.

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A Focus On Health Team Visits To Haiti

A nurse checks a woman's blood pressure during a medical team visit.

A connection between the Boston Metro area and Haiti has developed through the work of BREAD OF COMPASSION. Medical professionals and other volunteers make trips to Haiti to help those in need.

In March of last year, the organization sent a medical team to Jeremie, Haiti, where they conducted five clinics. This little city sits on the coast of Haiti, on a peninsula that leaves it relatively isolated from the rest of the country. It is known as the "City of Poets" because of its literary and artistic community.


Preparations included packing up donations of medications and medical equipment to be available for distribution to patients. To give you an idea of how many individuals receive support, in just the first two clinics conducted by volunteers, they were able to see approximately 500 people. By the time the trip ended, 2200 people were given health care services.

These trips to hold clinics are among the basic services provided through Bread of Compassion. Without these trips, people in these areas of Haiti would not have any access to health care. That is why the average daily number of people seen per day ranges between 300 to 500 people. Besides the direct care health professionals, a number of pharmacists make the trip, so prescriptions and vitamins can be provided to patients. Some of the conditions seen at the clinics include scabies, parasites, malnutrition, and vision problems.

Sometimes, the organization hears from Americans, who are working as missionaries in Haiti. Nigel and Madeline Hundy were working with Life Impact Missions in the area of Hinche, when they paused to thank Bread of Compassion. This organization had provided a $3000 gift for the mission's medical work in Haiti. That enabled Life Impact Missions to see more than 2400 individuals through five makeshift clinics in different locations. The Hundys had noticed that many children were malnourished and a number of adults had infections; this assistance enabled their mission to treat these problems.

Supplies are all set to go with the medical team to Haiti.

Besides trips to Haiti, Bread of Compassion medical teams have traveled to Hyderabad, India. On their radar was Agape International Orphanage, which provides a home for HIV+ children. Besides providing treatment and dental care to the children, the group also built a permanent dental clinic.

There are even crutches for those who need them.

Another trip was to Okeechobee, Florida, destination Real Life Children's Ranch, where children who have been abused and neglected, can receive long term foster care. This particular trip was made up of teen volunteers, who spent time with the children, repaired housing, and improved landscaping.

Thanks to information provided on the Bread of Compassion homepage, along with the above link.

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Supporting Local Pollinators

One of the programs presented to children, this one for Earth Day.

Remember that issue with beehive colonies dying in various parts of the country? A few years ago, that issue was being covered by news media. That issue hasn't faded, but the coverage has. Most research studies have pointed to particular chemicals in insecticides as the culprit.

No matter the cause, though, it is vital to maintain populations of bees, for without them, there would be no plants. Pollination would not occur, since other pollinators have their own preferences about the pollen they touch, and, even if they do survive, plant life would become limited.



Gretchen Heine grew up on a farm in Oregon, where her life was close to the land. She developed an appreciation of pollinators. After she moved to Colorado, she founded POLLINATION PLANET, an organization dedicated to supporting the variety of pollinators found in nature. One of the largest portions of the organization's activities is providing education and awareness.

According to Gretchen, "I am passionate about educating people about the importance of pollinators and their connection to our food supply while also providing them with tools to protect this valuable species. I truly believe that creating that hands-on connection for kids will have a lasting impact on our entire ecosystem."

Pollination Planet has created several different types of presentations on the connection between pollinators and the food supply, and how to make a difference in maintaining their numbers. These are available to various organizations, like neighborhood associations, companies, and clubs. The talks can be targeted to backyards or the entire community.

In addition, there are programs created specifically for children. The presentations are hands-on and presented in a fun way. These are available for classes, after-school programs, camp sessions, scout troops, and 4H groups. At the end, children are given their own pollinator habitats, which they can place in their yards.

Oregon beehives.

One of the biggest pieces of advice that is given to gardeners who want pollinators in their home gardens is to avoid using pesticides with neonicotinoids, which is toxic to pollinators That's the class of ingredient which was found to be so deadly in bee colony destruction. The ingredients to avoid are imidacloprid, acetamiprid, dinotefuran, clothianidin, and thizmethoxam. Unfortunately, the US has not yet decided to ban these chemicals, so it's vitally important for gardeners to avoid using them.

A May project making wildflower seed baskets and giving them to neighbors.

Thanks for information from this article on Pollination Project: http://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/gretchen-heine-pollination-planet/; this article from Pollination Planet: http://pollinationplanet.org/educate/; and the above links.

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Training And Fun With Charm City Run

It's important to have the right equipment like the 880v6, available at Charm City Run.

One of the newer businesses in the Baltimore area is CHARM CITY RUN. It's a store filled with running supplies, including specialized fittings for running shoes; it's a training program, for anyone getting in some training before a community run, an event, or a meet; it's a scheduler of running events and provider of running events; it's even a billboard where the next event can be added to the local running calendar.

Charm City Run opened its first store in 2002 in Timonium, at the site of a former bank. Really! If you visit that particular store, you can still see the drive-up transaction window and the bank vault. But don't try depositing any money there; it's not a bank anymore.



Baltimoreans, you have only a few days to get in on this program. THE RUN TO REMEMBER/SUMMER 11K TRAINING program starts on July 23, and costs $85 to participate. The program is held at all store locations, but check the above link for each store's schedule. This program is preparation for the Annual Run To Remember 5K on Sunday, Sept. 11. All money raised there will be given to the Baltimore City Police and Fire Foundation, which provides support to families of first responders who have died in performing their duties.

Now, the training program is provided for a total of eight weeks and is designed for beginner and intermediate runners. It is designed to help build endurance and strength. Each program is led by a trainer, with whom users meet twice each week. Among the services are a training plan; email access to coaching and advice; gait analysis with footwear recommendations; supported running groups combined with a specific route, refreshments, and good company; 10% discount at Charm City Run; and nutrition advice and injury prevention techniques.

Get your run on, Baltimore! By doing this and registering at Charm City Run, you can have a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to the Nantucket Half-Marathon, scheduled on Oct. 9th. First, click on the "Register" button and fill out the form: that earns you 5 points. Here's where your social media accounts score. You earn 2 points whenever you use #racetonantucket and @charmcityrun and @ saucony on Instagram or Twitter. Next, join the Find Your Strong group on Facebook and tell your story, for 10 points. Now check the calendar for VITA and Charm City Run store events (not races, or training, or packet pick-ups - they don't count); go to the store and check-in with store personnel and Ka-ching! 10 points are yours. Beginning July 18, if you try on any Saucony styles at Charm City, you can score another 10 points.

Nakia Morgan and Tracy Hanley, last year's winner of the points contest.

Why all this emphasis on points? You get prizes when you clear a certain amount of points. 25 points gets you a free Race To Nantucket t-shirt; 35 points gives you a chance to receive a $100 Charm City Run gift card. The grand prize of the trip goes to the one with the most points. Good luck to all participants.

Some of the clothing available at Charm City Run.

Thanks for information from this article on Charm City Run: http://www.charmcityrun.com/training-groups/run-to-remembersummer11k-training-starts-8115; this article on Charm City Run: http://www.charmcityrun.com/race-to-nantucket-rules; and this article about the stores' beginning: http://www.charmcityrun.com/about/.

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Can You Have Meaningful Volunteer Experience In College?

The student team that runs Lean 0n Me at MIT.

Did you know that many colleges have volunteer projects and encourage students to volunteer? Even back when I was in college, one of my brothers and I made contact with an on-campus organization that helped students connect with volunteer opportunities. Now, though, there is a proliferation of opportunities, beyond what we had experienced.

Let's look at some opportunities for students from MIT. With the change in technology from my student days to the present, organizations have been able to communicate in a more timely way and also individualize projects and requests for help.



At MIT, LEAN ON ME uses an online platform, in which students can post a need for help, and helpers can respond. Requests can be for emotional support, academic assistance, a need for transportation, even to touch base with someone about feeling pressured. The person can then pick one of the responders to help him/her. Basically, this platform helps to make on-campus life easier.

A student-created organization, FOSSIL FREE MIT, developed in response to the Institute's release of their plan to respond to climate change. Students wanted to push administration to do more. Their first action was to sit in outside the Provost's and Dean's offices, where they could easily converse with students and administration, in an effort to improve communication.

More than 120 students have participated in the sit-in, which has been running continuously, until March 1. The Boston Globe took note after the 116th day. Nina Lytton, a 1984 graduate of MIT Sloan School of Management, noted, "When we do something at MIT, we do it thoroughly." On March 1, negotiations started over the climate plan. In order to allow greater participation in the Institute's climate goals, a climate advisory committee was formed, and Fossil Free MIT is up in front, helping to implement the new initiatives. When all is said and done, the Institute has the new goal of a 32% reduction in carbon emissions by 2040.

Fossil Free MIT has now expanded beyond campus borders to other colleges and universities around the world. At least one of the universities came from a message of support generated from a university on the other side of the globe during the long sit-in, University of Utas in Tasmania.

Students engaged in the sit-in were counting the days.

So, yes, indeed, college students can participate in volunteer projects and with volunteer organizations while they complete their degrees. While they do so, they can change a life, change a university, or change the world.

Students at McGill University support climate change action.

Thanks for information from this article by mgysun on the AltrUHelp blog: https://blog.altruhelp.com/2016/02/05/college-impact-volunteering-on-campus/; this article by mgysun on the AltrUHelp blog: https://blog.altruhelp.com/2016/04/09/college-impact-volunteering-on-campus-part-ii/; and the above links.

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