New Stars Shine

Good morning, It has been a while since my last post, I have been rushed off my feet with university and extra projects- as well as a full time job! As you know from my previous post, I am raising money for Biwati's Children Home: 'Established to protect children displaced by Kenyan post-election violence in 2007, the Biwati Community School was founded in Cham gi Wadu in 2010 by a group of 10 local women led by Jayne Awuor Owino. Their goal was to provide children with a safe educational environment as well as hope for a secure future because many of these children were being exploited through forced child labour and sexual abuse. The school comprises 100 children, 15 of whom suffer from maternal HIV infection. Whilst a large number of the children are orphans, many stay with elderly grandmothers. Some have been abandoned by their relatives and are homeless and these are accommodated group members in their own homes. There are two retired teachers, one of whom is th...

Hello! It has come to that point again, where I feel the inner urge to splurge. Rather than high street shops I much prefer to set up a good JustGiving page, and start raising money. This month my focus is on Kenya. I want to work with Youth Stop Aids in Brighton to raise money for a small childrens' home called Biwati. In Kenya there are 1.5 million people living with HIV (UNAIDS Gap Report 2016), with over 35,000 AIDs related deaths, making HIV/AIDS joint fourth in the largest HIV epidemic. More specifically, over 190,000 children in 2013 died of AIDS related illnesses. Children are more commonly infected through mother-to-child transmission, either during childbirth, breastfeeding, or during pregnancy. Youth Stop Aids aim to end the statistics, and put an end to HIV/AIDS by 2030. They are youth-led and speak out to ensure governments, global institutions and corporations are doing their bit. They work on empowering young people across the globe. By ending the stigmas ...

On March 16th 2017, a collective of intelligent, passionate young people came together in support of Youth Stop Aids. Youth Stop Aids is a movement campaigning to end AIDS by 2030. As a brilliant man once put: 'In the face of the grave threat posed by HIV/AIDS, we have to rise above our differences and combine our efforts to save our people. History will judge us harshly if we fail to do so now, and right now' - Nelson Mandela (International AIDS conference, 2000) With DFID Minister. 17 years on, and we are still campaigning, still raising awareness and still reducing the stigmas around HIV/AIDS. New infections fell by 38% and we are no longer referring to HIV/AIDS as a death sentence.   I ventured to London on the 16th March, arriving fairly early on a sunny London morning I was greeted by a sea of volunteers, we each shared our stories on why we were here and why we think it was important. The campaign this particular day was called, 'It Ai...

Second to last day here, at one of the greatest places in the world. Every morning I am greeted by a sea of incredible people. I have been here such a short time, but the people here have shown me what I needed. They showed me there is a possibility to change this world. ' The world is fucked, but it doesn't mean we have to be' (Chanelle Manton, first time volunteer, lifetime of change) Last night got pretty emotional for my collegue and I. We hit that pivotical moment of realisation, that the work we do helps, and little by little, step by step, volunteer by volunteer, we can create a following of people that believe in change, believe in better, and together we can achieve so much. Without belief we are just another man in a bucket of millions, working, eating, dying. Organising the kitchen distribution. Today was another day of work, we organised shelves for quick access distribution, and reorganised the overflow warehouse ready for the shipment ...

Hello! Interesting karma.. Another day with another day of work, another day of helping. Volunteering has always been a huge passion of mine for years. It is something that I consider a great aspect in my life. This evening I had an opportunity to go and speak with some of the volunteers working at the warehouse, it was interesting to see others with the same determination as myself.  I was speaking to one of the 'experts' as we call it (volunteers who have been at the warehouse for over a week), and he spoke to me on issues that affected him, and why he came to volunteer. It is perceived to be that people chose to do this for a few reasons: A passionate volunteer 1) They have had a difficult past, and think this is the best way to remove the past they've had and to rectify the future. 2) They have had a very fortunate past, and this is how they are returning the favour. 3) They believe they can be the change, and are fed up of what is seen in the media...

Conspiracy theory: There was never a Jungle Alternative theory: We all live in a Jungle (Written on a port-a-loo, Calais Warehouse, anonymous) Day Two: Surreal Surroundings Twelve hours of sleep can do the world of good for an individual, a coffee can be the best pick-me-up.  Second day in and without a doubt another successful day. After spending a morning back in the sorting warehouse, we then got the opportunity to learn about the overflow. A strange realization overthrew us when we saw the piles of large clothing that isn't needed, shoved into crates awaiting to be taken. The warehouse prompted a question on where this will all go, to which this reply send a shudder down my spine; The overflow of donations. " So a while back, we had this big order for Syria,  we had a plan for the van to come and  collect tonnes of children, men and women's clothes..." "What happened?" "The place they were going...

All photos courtesy of Chanelle Manton photography Refugees. People like you and me,surviving in a world that has done them no justice.  There is no better start to the New Year than to give up your time to help those in need. And in today's media the crises is refugees. A whole area of the world is fighting on the lines on politics, humans being killed left right and centre. No wonder to yourselves why they ran, they left to survive. And over 8,000 refugees escaped to Calais. The Jungle, as it is more commonly known has closed, but this does never mean there isn't work to be done, there are people still waiting, waiting to begin their life, stuck in a purgatory of tents and donations. Just, sat in a limbo of life. My good friend and I ventured off on the 2nd of January 2017 at 6pm to Calais, leaving from Brighton. We fundraised £500.00 for this project, so utilised the funds by taking cheap transport, which took over twelve hours. From Brighton to London Victoria w...