“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead

The renowned American anthropologist may not have been speaking specifically about young people when she said those words, but one 6th grade class in California believes their involvement CAN change the lives of children in Africa for the better. Read, in their own words, the account of two children who had compassion on children on the other side of the world.

RYAN’S STORY

Our 6th grade class had the amazing honor to host Katy Leakey in our very own room. While she was there, she told us all about a normal day for a child living in the Kenyan bush.

We learned that they use scraps of plastic as their soccer balls. They use string to tie the plastic together in a round shape.

Another difference is that the Maasai parents decide which of their kids go to school and which children become herders. This decision can really affect the outcome of a kid’s life. The herder in the family is respected because he protects the animals, which are a family’s wealth.  I feel really lucky that that I get to go to school.

One more interesting fact is that one person makes lunch for the whole school, which can be up to 1000 kids!  I wouldn’t want to have that job!

After Katy left, my class had the outstanding idea to buy kids in Africa real soccer balls. We decided to sell Friendship Bracelets and raise money for the African kids.   The timing was perfect because it was just at Christmas time. So they are going to get a great present from some students in California that are ready to make a difference in this great world of ours.

Now I bet you are wondering how much money we made. The grand total was, drum role please, dadadadadadadadada, 650 dollars which is over 30 soccer balls. When my mom gave me the grand total I was so amazed I started dancing.

Click here to watch the children playing with their homemade soccer balls of plastic or old torn socks and bits of cloth tied into a tight ball.

SOPHIE’S STORY

My class is very into community service and helping other people by using random acts of kindness and such.  One project my class and I became extremely interested in was the story of the Maasai women in Africa.  A woman by the name of Katy Leakey and her husband founded the Leakey Collection in 2002 and ever since then have devoted their lives to helping the Maasai women in Africa earn their livings by making these beads for the bracelets out of Zulugrass in Africa.  Katy was in San Diego a few months ago and told us what it would be like to be a child living in Africa.

For example, the woman of the family would have to walk 3-10 kilometers to bring water back for her family.  Also, being a child there would include getting up every morning and walking to a classroom which is nothing more than a dirt floor and maybe a tarp overhead to shield them from the hot blazing sun.  When she was done, my class and I felt like we wanted to help the kids in Africa improve their way of living.  Finally we thought of a way to do just that.  During Katy’s talk she told that one of the kids’ favorite things to do was play soccer whenever they got the chance (which was very often).  Sadly, their soccer balls were nothing but pieces of old plastic wound together with string, so we decided to sell bracelets to earn money to buy them soccer balls. It makes me feel very special knowing that each of us will be wearing these bracelets and be connected through a random act of kindness.

We are SO PROUD that this class of 6th graders realizes their generation has the power and responsibility to transform lives, to make a difference, to provide hope, to make a better world.  Could this be the beginning of a new movement? Who knows where it could lead?