The Eight Families in Our First International Project
In August, Learning Life completed its first international collaboration through our Citizen Diplomacy Initiative (CDI). That collaboration engaged eight families in three countries on three continents in answering the question “what is the nature of your community?” through photos. The families took nearly 500 photos, voted for the best photos, and their votes helped select 70 photos for a photo album that compares their three communities on five themes. The album will be released soon. In the meantime, we want to introduce you to the eight families who participated in our first, international. family-to-family project collaboration.
Note:All those featured in the photos are project participants unless otherwise noted. Not all family members participated in the CDI photo project, and thus in many cases are not featured below. For the sake of the families’ privacy, the family names are not listed.
JERASH, JORDAN
Family #1 (from left to right): Jena (daughter, 12), Taeb (son, 10), Teba (daughter, 5), Suleman (father), Tiam (son, <1), Reta (daughter, 6), Youssra (mother)
Project participants: Suleman, Jena, Taeb
DAKAR, SENEGAL
Family #2 (from left to right): Fatou (daughter, 17), Maimouna (niece, 10), Bineta (mother), Libasse (son, 29).
Family #3 (from left to right): Awa (daughter, 33), Therese (daughter, 17), Cecile (daughter, 23), Josephine (mother), Marie Michelle (granddaughter, 2), Jeannot (son, 36), Michel-Pierre (son, 14), Jean-Marie (son, 18).
Project participants: All except Marie Michelle. Other participants not in the photo: Lucie, Angelique.
METRO WASHINGTON, DC, USA
Family #4: Tracey (mother), Alexis (daughter, 12)
Family #5: Terri (mother), Sandra (daughter, 12)
Family #6: Janelle (mother), Bianca (daughter, 12), Kristin (daughter, 8)
Family #7: Marsha (grandmother), James (grandson, 11)
Family #8: Adrian (father), Samya (daughter, 14), Kaliah (daughter, 8)
Intern Spotlight: Sara Edgar
This is the first in a series of spotlights on our fall 2017 student interns. Learning Life’s students this fall are assisting with research, curriculum development, outreach, and family and youth learning activities for our Citizen Diplomacy Initiative (CDI). Sara Edgar, interviewed below, is helping with our learning activities and fundraising research, among other things.
Where were you born and raised?
I was born and raised in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, a small town in the suburbs about 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia.
What school do you attend, and what is your year and major there?
I am currently a sophomore at The George Washington University, majoring in International Affairs and Political Science with a minor in Public Health.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I love reading historical fiction and watching documentaries on Medieval European history as well as Ancient Egyptian life. When I’m not getting my nerd on, I very much enjoy traveling! I’ve wandered throughout Europe and parts of Canada, as well as traveled to Africa (Ghana) in high school. Usually in college traveling becomes more difficult, but a major benefit of living in DC is the accessibility to a diverse array of areas in the city where I can stretch my navigation muscles and feed my love of different places.
Is there a life experience you have had that has particularly shaped you thus far? If so, what is it, and how has it shaped you?
Before going to boarding school for high school, I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Chateau D’oex, Switzerland. For two months when I was twelve I was part of a French immersion program, learning the language and reaping the multicultural benefits Europe had to offer. Afterwards I traveled alone from Switzerland to Spain, stopping at hostels in France and Italy along the way. Traveling alone on a continent I knew very little about, especially at such a young age, was an incredibly eye opening experience that instilled in me a sense of adventure and independence.
What are your career plans?
As of right now I have two paths in front of me that I hope to spend the next few years deciding between. The first is graduating law school, and one day working with an international non-profit to build on women’s rights issues in Latin American countries. In combining women’s rights advocacy, individual education, and legal representation I aim to help overcome gender inequalities in a fairly overlooked area of the world. The second is (still) graduating law school and working with a nonprofit, but specializing in domestic public health law to support a commonly-abused population: those with mental disabilities.
Why did you choose to intern with Learning Life?
I chose to work with Learning Life because I believe globalization is the future and that every individual has the right to thrive. Learning Life gives children the foundational knowledge and experiences they need in order to tackle what lies in front of them, helping to even the playing field for those with fewer opportunities. I firmly believe in the values of citizen diplomacy, and am very excited to be working with Learning Life to create global citizens among lower-income families worldwide.
What is the most beautiful place you have seen on Earth, and why is it so beautiful?
The most beautiful place I’ve ever seen is probably the Swiss Alps. Chateau D’oex is a small village in the Swiss Alps, surrounded by green mountains and blue skies. The simple churches and pastures nestled in the hills are so beautiful in the summer, and waking up to see the area enveloped in morning mist is something I will never forget. It is such a peaceful area, and I look forward to going back there one day.
Number of e-News Subscribers Surpasses 1,000!
This week, we are happy to report that the number of subscribers to Learning Life’s email newsletter surpassed 1,000 for the first time.
Learning Life’s e-news includes an announcement and photos sent at the beginning of the month about the past month’s events and events upcoming. We also send occasional breaking news about milestones achieved, new partnerships, issue articles, etc. Much of our e-news reports on our flagship Citizen Diplomacy Initiative (CDI), which engages lower-income American families in live dialogues and project collaborations with lower-income families in other nations.
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