UNICEF FieldNotes » U.S. Fund People

A New Perspective on Kids with Disabilities

UNICEF USA — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 19:34:14 +0000

I recently had the opportunity to attend a very special presentation by Cara E. Yar Khan, who is UNICEF Haiti’s Resource Mobilization Specialist and a disability advocate. At the age of 30 and in the prime of her professional life, Cara was diagnosed with a very rare progressive muscle-wasting disease, Hereditary Inclusion Body Myopathy. But instead of staying home and preparing for a life of inability, she drew from her new perspective to become a powerful advocate for the world’s most vulnerable children—those with disabilities.

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Sound of Change Concert with Beyoncé

Bridget Gibson, UNICEF USA — Fri, 31 May 2013 18:39:54 +0000

I’m so excited to be attending the Sound of Change Live concert tomorrow. I can’t wait to see Beyoncé perform, along with a star-studded line-up that includes Florence + the Machine, Jennifer Lopez, John Legend, Timbaland and many others. The Sound of Change concert is part of CHIME FOR CHANGE, a new global campaign founded by UNICEF partner Gucci to promote education, health and justice for girls and women everywhere. You can join in by watching, donating and spreading the word.

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Rallying Together at the Annual Meeting

Emily Distel, UNICEF USA — Tue, 28 May 2013 20:24:02 +0000

We recently had a whirlwind week here at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, as we hosted our biggest line-up of Annual Meeting activities ever. Almost 400 members of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF family—volunteers, donors, partners, celebrities, and media and government representatives—came together for a three-day summit to help create a better, safer world for children.

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Artists for Clean Water

UNICEF USA — Fri, 03 May 2013 16:01:25 +0000

As a Global Citizenship Fellow, I am always looking for ways to connect the community with UNICEF. I’ve also learned that there’s nothing quite like art to get people's attention. And since San Francisco is surrounded by water—and full of artists—I decided to hold a city-wide call for submissions for a water-inspired art show.

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Tyson Chandler’s Big Assist

UNICEF USA — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:01:45 +0000

If you are a regular reader of this blog, by now you know that NBA All-Star Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks is a huge UNICEF supporter. We’ve worked closely with Tyson and the NBA this year on a number of initiatives that support UNICEF’s mission of creating a world where ZERO children are [...]

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Thank You to Our UNICEF Volunteers!

Rachael Swanson, UNICEF USA — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:10:16 +0000

The Volunteer and Community Partnerships Department is honored to wish you and our over 45,000 UNICEF Volunteers a happy Volunteer Week, April 21-27. Each year during this week, we select a handful of volunteers to receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award. These volunteers represent the tens of thousands of people across the country who help us extend the UNICEF mission to others. Join us and visit the UNICEF Action Center to learn more about our volunteers and activities!

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Global Citizenship: A Day at the UN

UNICEF USA — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:40:57 +0000

I am so fortunate to be able to do the work I do. Inspiring others, engaging my community, empowering youth, and educating citizens about children’s issues is not just a job for me, it is my passion! As a UNICEF Global Citizenship Fellow, I did all these things and more. I gave presentations on issues ranging from water and sanitation to the importance of girls’ education, hosted events with UNICEF Campus Initiative members, and promoted Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF and TeachUNICEF. But I will never forget the day I spoke in front of an audience of 600 Rotarians at the United Nations.

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Global Citizenship: End Trafficking in L.A.

UNICEF USA — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 20:51:11 +0000

Two years ago I found myself standing at an epicenter of drug trafficking — the infamous Golden Triangle in Southeast Asia — home to the hugely lucrative illicit opium trade. But I was waiting to assist the victims of a different kind of trafficking, a group of North Korean refugees. Many of the women and children I was waiting for had been trafficked into marriage or for adoption. As the refugees’ protection officer, it was my responsibility to win their trust and safely escort them to a shelter where they would await processing to go to another country. This experience had a profound effect on me and inspired me to join the U.S. Fund for UNICEF’s End Trafficking campaign.

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World Thinking Day Got Me Thinking!

UNICEF USA — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:00:01 +0000

Did you know there is a World Thinking Day? Well — neither did I! World Thinking Day is a day when Girl Scouts all around the world honor each other and give thanks for their international friendships. This year’s themes for World Thinking Day aligned perfectly with UNICEF’s mission to end preventable child deaths. I was honored to be invited to speak about UNICEF’s work at a World Thinking Day event.

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The Tap Project at the Franklin Park Zoo

UNICEF USA — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:18:00 +0000

Last month, I had the unique opportunity to be a part of the Franklin Park Zoo’s special programming for school vacation week. As a U.S. Fund for UNICEF Global Citizenship Fellow, I can’t think of a better way to teach young and old about the importance of water, and how to get involved with the UNICEF Tap Project. Every day, nearly 4,000 children die from water-related illnesses. Today is World Water Day—please join the UNICEF Tap Project.

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