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HEARTWARMING STORIES AND INSPIRING
IDEAS TO HELP YOU HELP OTHERS!
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Foreword
When UNICEF asked me in 1987 to represent them as an International Goodwill Ambassador, I saw it as a way to respond to a moral imperative. In the role of Ambassador, I would be given the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children and offer my voice and unwavering commitment to them. At the time of my appointment I had no idea where the journey would take me, but I well understood the importance of my decision. Beyond worldwide concert halls and movie theaters, my experiences could help make the world a safer place for children.
I remember my first mission for UNICEF, to Dakar, Senegal. As chairman of the International Symposium of Artists and Intellectuals for African Children, I helped organize the largest fundraising concert ever held in Sub-Saharan Africa. Alongside more than 20 other artists, we garnered the collective power of culture and celebrity to spread a message of hope to millions of African children suffering from hunger and poverty. In 1985, I was part of a similar group of artists. You may remember the "We Are the World" global mobilization? Two years later, in the capital city of Dakar, I looked back on what I'd learned from that life-changing experience to guide us toward another successful event.
The next 17 years proved to be a dynamic and industrious time for me as I travelled the world, supporting UNICEF's efforts by participating in fundraising and advocacy events, and by speaking on behalf of children whenever the opportunity presented itself. My passion for children's rights has carried me far and wide, crisscrossing the globe and meeting children the world over. Their wish to see change in the world, and their unflinching faith in its promise, has been an inspiration to me.
In 1994, as civil strife erupted on a massive scale in Rwanda, ending in the deaths of an estimated 500,000-800,000 people, I travelled there on a mission for UNICEF. During my stay in Rwanda, I met the newly named president Pasteur Bizimungo, and visited UNICEF-supported centers for unaccompanied children. Upon my return to the United States, UNICEF used me to launch a full-scale media campaign to bring awareness to the needs of Rwandan children.
In the summer of 2001, as the latest terror of our century continued to kill our young leaving thousands orphaned, I travelled to South Africa. There, I witnessed first-hand the impact of HIV/AIDS, and the efforts being made to combat this deadly scourge. When I returned to New York City, I publicized the mission and promoted UNICEF's efforts via the media and other venues.
On a recent trip to Kenya, I witnessed once again the difference one person can make in the lives of others. As I visited a local school one afternoon, to my delight, two children approached me. Bending my knees to meet their eyes, weary with confusion and sadness, I listened closely as they explained to me that their school was in the process of being sold. Assuming they would continue their education at another school, I asked them where its new location would be. Their reply stunned me. These little girls explained that once the school closed there would be no replacement facility. I understood it was my duty to ensure them a better future, one where education would become a fundamental right.
The next day, I was scheduled to meet with the head of state, President Kibaki. I shared with him what I had learned from the children. By the end of the meeting I had the assurance of the President and government officials that funding would be available to ensure the children's education would continue without interruption.
I am happy to report that in 2003, Kenya made the bold decision to abolish school fees, further advancing the rights of all children to receive an education. As a result, families who had once been unable to afford the old levies of $133, began sending their children to school. Almost overnight, more than 1.3 million children entered school.
The year 2004 marks fifty years since UNICEF appointed its first Goodwill Ambassador, comedian and entertainer Danny Kaye. I am proud to follow in his footsteps, and grateful to the children I've met along the way-each of whom has deepened and enriched my own life.
Almost two decades after my official appointment as a Goodwill Ambassador, what I know for certain is that each of us has the power to make a difference in the world. The challenge is to envision the kind of world we'd like to live in, and commit our hearts and souls to bringing about that change. Once we do that, there's no telling what we can do and where we can go.
Harry Belafonte, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
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