25TH SEPTEMBER, 2010
Disney’s Friends for Change: Project Green is a program that encourages young people to take steps together with their friends to help the planet. The grants, administered by Youth Service America (YSA), offer youth the resources they need to bring environmental initiatives to life for their local communities, including the new Friends for Change project guide providing youth with helpful tips on contacting local media and public officials.
The Greening Ghanaian Child and Youth For Sustainable Development project engaged 100 children and youth in an environmental improvement initiative which was led by YPWC Development Education Club at Najiong No.1 Kings and Queens International School in the Bunkpurugu Yunyoo District of Northern Region in Ghana.
The project embarked on a cleanup exercise at the school, street, market, public toilets, urinal pits and capacity building workshops where young people were trained as “Green Child for Sustainable Environment Advocates”. Participants also discussed issues including, but not limited to, the MDGs, with emphasis on the MDG 7: Importance of Clean environment, Time Management. The group planted 20 mango trees on the school compound.
Waste collection and disposal bins, brooms, detergents and other items were also presented to the School Head Mistress, Madam Amuquandoh Hawa, who expressed her gratitude for such need-based intervention.
The PTA Board members present were Mr. Laamong Burika (Chairman), Mr. Elijah Laari-Bugri (Member), Mr. James Chapoli Suuk (Secretary). They expressed gratitude during a community impact assessment forum for such an intervention in their community--one of a kind ever realized in their community.
Matthew Nyannube Yosah,YPWC Project Officer, said “the Greening Ghanaian Child and Youth For Sustainable Development project was a grass-roots, child-led community service intervention responsive to the current environmental needs of the community as far as filth and climate change is concerned”.
He encouraged the community to involve children in decision making and in community developmental processes so as to showcase their aspirations and concerns in order to influence change. He again pledged the commitment of Young People We Care (YPWC) in sustaining the project even as the service dates are over since it helps achieve its mission as a youth led, youth serving organization”
“Youth around the world care a great deal about the environment,” said Steve Culbertson, YSA president and CEO. Disney’s Friends for Change grants provide thousands of young people opportunities to address the issues that are the most pressing in their communities.
National Public Lands Day is on September 25. Last year, 150,000 volunteers participated in local activities to improve and enhance America’s public lands.
For more information about the Disney Friends for Change Grants, visit Disney.com/projectgreen. To learn more about Youth Service America, visit www.YSA.org.
Disney's Friends for Change: Project Green is a multiplatform initiative that helps kids help the planet. Through the program, kids can learn practical ways to help the environment, get their friends involved, track their collective impact and have the opportunity to help Disney decide how $1 million in donations to various environmental causes will be made over the course of a year. Kids can join online at www.Disney.com/projectgreen, where they'll commit to taking simple everyday actions, such as turning off the lights and switching to reusable water bottles, and find out more about why these actions matter. To date, kids have taken 1.5 million pledges that stand to prevent more than 70,000 tons of carbon emissions per year, save nearly 122 million gallons of water per month and prevent close to 200,000 pounds of trash from entering landfills every month.
Youth Service America (YSA) improves communities by increasing the number and the diversity of young people, ages 5-25, serving in substantive roles. Founded in 1986, YSA supports a global culture of engaged youth committed to a lifetime of service, learning, leadership, and achievement. The impact of YSA’s work through service and service-learning is measured in student achievement, workplace readiness, and healthy communities. For more information, visit www.YSA.org.
Young People We Care (YPWC) is a youth led and youth focused organization headquartered in Ghana. The organization is operated by young people (ages 15–30) and adult allies working on youth and development related issues worldwide. Our mission is to educate and inform youth on global issues, inspire them to take action, encourage their participation in global issues, identify and build sustainable partnerships aimed at youth development and provide young people with tools and resources for effective action. Visit us at: www.ypwc.org
CONTACT: Lily Bedrossian
818-553-7292
The Walt Disney Company
Lily.Bedrossian@disney.com
Brandon Gryde Youth Service America
202-296-2992 x 128
bgryde@ysa.org
Matthew Nyannube Yosah
Young People We Care
+233-249431332
matthew@ypwc.org
Mango tree planting image by treesftf
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