Friday, October 15, 2010

A Servant's Heart: Equipping the Blind

By: Nasir Al-Amin
Adam is a blind student studying Law at Addis Ababa University. He maintains that he wants to use his degree to enhance the lives of the blind and visually impaired in Ethiopia. He has been one of our beneficiaries for few years. One of the things he has requested was a computer and the accompanying programs for the blind and visually impaired. Through the generous support of a Kuwaiti Women's organization, that seeks to empower vulnerable men, women and children, they provided us with the funds to purchase the computer.

I thank them for their commitment to serving those who are marginalize and underserved. Together we were able to assist Adam in accomplishing his goal to become a Lawyer and servant of others in need.

To see more of these photos click here!

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf on supporting orphans

Sunday, May 30, 2010

‎"The purpose of life..."

‎"The purpose of life is not to be happy but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make a difference that you lived at all." -Leo Rosten

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

A Servant's Heart-Nuha

By: Nasir Al-Amin
Nuha, not her real name, lives with her 2 daughters in a shack that is high off of the ground that can only be reach by climbing a latter. The room was not long enough for 3 people to lay down/sleep in, nor tall enough to stand up.

Nuha's pain was tangible, but I'll let the pictures tell the story.

To view more photos from Nuha's home click here!

United: Donated Clothes

By: Nasir Al-Amin
During my last trip to Ethiopia I went to some of the homes of the women and children we serve to deliver donated clothing. I knew the kids would love the clothing and it shows in the pictures.I'm thankful to the donor as these items are a subtle reminder to the children that someone is thinking of them. That they are important and not forgotten.

During my last trip to Ethiopia I went to some of the homes of the women and children we serve to deliver donated clothing. I knew the kids would love the clothing and it shows in the pictures. I'm thankful to the donor as these items are a subtle reminder to the children that someone is thinking of them. That they are important and not forgotten.

Click here to view this photo album.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

A Servant's Heart-The Importance of Housing

By: Nasir Al-Amin
This impoverished family consist of a mother and her two daughters. The husband has passed away and the family is affected by severe health concern.

Their major concerns are housing, generating consistent income, and access to education; all of which are interrelated. One of the ways to address the family's concerns is to assist the mother with starting a small income generating business selling vegetables and other foods within her community. This would provide the family with consistent income for rent. This would allow them to secure permanent housing, rather than moving monthly, which adversely affects the daughter's education. For instance, one of the daughters is 15 and in the 4th grade. She failed the 3rd and 4th grade due to the family's constant moving. Presently, the family's income is generated from begging and collecting plastic from the trash and streets and selling them.

This impoverished family consist of a mother and her two daughters. The husband has passed away and the family is affected by severe health concern. Their major concerns are housing, generating consistent income, and access to education; all of which are interrelated. One of the ways to address the family's concerns is to assist the mother with starting a small income generating business selling vegetables and other foods within her community. This would provide the family with consistent income for rent. This would allow them to secure permanent housing, rather than moving monthly, which adversely affects the daughter's education. For instance, one of the daughters is 15 and in the 4th grade. She failed the 3rd and 4th grade due to the family's constant moving. Presently, the family's income is generated from begging and collecting plastic from the trash and streets and selling them.

Click here to view this photo album.

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

"You are someone's miracle..."

"You are someone's miracle. So many people are praying for miracles, we have to realize we can become their miracle." -Anonymous

Purpose of Influence

"The purpose of influence is to speak up for those who have no influence."
-Anonymous

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Hana has become an orphan...

By: Nasir Al-Amin

I'll give you all an update when I return. However, I just wanted to forward this information on to you. Hana's mother is the woman we visited on thanksgiving--she was the one that was bedridden.

E-mail below:

Selam Nasir,
How are you doing? Today I have bad news. That is Hana mother (HIV Woman) died last Friday. It is hard for you to hear. But we couldn’t do any thing because everything is done by GOD. The only thing we can do is to care Hana.

I am really sorry Naisr.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Girl’s Education: Investing in a more Compassionate World

By: Nasir Al-Amin

In Ethiopia, the sight of school age girls working at construction sites, is a visible reminder of the influence poverty has on the education of girls. Across Ethiopia, girls tend to be the most disadvantaged in terms of education: of the 7.8 million Ethiopian children out of school, 4 million are girls. However, this is not a problem particular to Ethiopia, as globally an estimated 62 million girls are out of school, and some 100 million girls engaged in child labor.

There are a myriad of factors that force girls into child labor. For instance, girls drop out to support ill family members and/or younger siblings, the associated cost of education (school fees and supplies), and cultural/family preference to educate male children over girls. Although, the importance of educating girls is multifold:
1) An effective strategy in tackling poverty;
2) Later in life, girls that are educated are more likely to earn more than less educated women, and tend to have more decision-making power with regards to age at which they marry;
3) Educated girls tend to have fewer children, as well as healthier children;
4) Children of educated mothers are more likely to be educated, thus decreasing the probability of entering child labor;

I have worked with young girls who split their day into a morning shift at school, and their afternoon at a construction site. They described hazardous work environments and being forced into exploitative situations. Like the millions of other girls poverty has forced into child labor, they deserve better. I firmly believe educating girls is essential to the global fight against child labor and poverty. Investing in girl’s education is a step towards a more caring and compassionate world.

Click here to view this photo album.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

"We Need Change"-School Uniforms

By: Nasir Al-Amin
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Something as simple as a school uniform can be an obstacle to impoverished children enrolling in school and obtaining an education.

Click here to view this photo album.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

"God doesn't make junk"

"You are not an assembly-line product, mass produced without thought. You are custom-designed, one-of-a-kind, original masterpiece. God deliberately shaped and formed you to serve Him," and his creation. "God doesn't make junk."

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

A Moment of Success…

By: Nasir Al-Amin
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Reflections from Ethiopia

A few months back I wrote about one of the young men ALIF sponsors that graduated from Addis Ababa University. I cannot begin to express how proud I am of him and the feeling I had when hearing of his accomplishment. On Sunday, November 29th during a celebration ALIF was hosting for the kids we serve he pulled me to the side asking if we could talk. After finding a place to sit and an exchange of warm greetings he said, “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, but I want to tell you I have a job now. And I make enough to take care of myself and my grandmother, so you can give the money to someone else who needs it.”

My aim has always been to help people get to a point where they don’t need my assistance, and this young man no longer needs it.

“To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” -Ralph Waldo Emerso

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

"I used everything You gave me."

“Life is a long lesson in humility. Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well. When I stand in front of God at the end of my life, I hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say: "I used everything You gave me."” -Anonymous

“Life is full of opportunities and choices...”

“Life is full of opportunities and choices, no matter who you are, what you do, or where you live. Starting your own journey from Me to We can be as simple as picking up the morning newspaper. When we spoke with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who received a Nobel Peace Prize for helping to bring peace and reconciliation to South Africa after the fall of apartheid, he called the morning paper “God’s prayer list delivered straight to my door.” At first, we were surprised: what with the current state of the world, the morning news can make for difficult reading! But for the Archbishop, the paper’s stories about local and global issues offer a menu of issues to choose from—and a map of possibilities for change. We have never forgotten his comment, because it helped us to truly see that opportunities all around us.”

(Kielburger, Craig. Me to We, page 227)

Friday, January 01, 2010

Personal Ethos for 2010: The Art of Giving

By: Nasir Al-Amin
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

My personal ethos for 2010 is to excel in the art of giving: to always be in the act of giving. Giving of time, wisdom, hope, compassion, knowledge, silence, forgiveness, wealth and love. I'm deeply indebted to the impoverished women and children of Ethiopia for their numerous acts of giving that have enriched my life.  

Tickle An Orphan Until Tears Appear

By: Nasir Al-Amin
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

During EID al-Adha, I spent a moment tickling an orphan until tears appeared in his eyes.

Click here to view this photo album.

Thanks Giving with an HIV Infected Mother

By: Nasir Al-Amin
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

I spent "Thanks Giving" with an impoverished, bedridden mother infected with HIV. She taught me what I need to be thankful for and what I should be giving of myself. Make a difference with your life.

"To Serve" and "To Give" are two verbs that should define your life.--Rick Warren


Click here to view this album.