With August comes a few inevitabilities: hot weather, crowded malls, and another back to school season. For many children around the world, though, the last one isn’t so inevitable. According to a 2016 report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), approximately 263 million children and youth are out of school around the world. This is especially prevalent in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, where almost 60% of youth aged 15-17 are not in school. Armed conflict also plays a large part in this statistic: 35% of primary aged children, 25% of lower secondary aged children, and 18% of upper secondary aged children who are not in school live in conflict-affected areas. Gender also still remains an issue when it comes to equal education for children. Girls are more likely than boys to never step foot in a classroom: 15 million girls will never get the chance to learn to read and write in primary school compared to 10 million boys. These gaps are even wider in the poorest regions of the world. These education deficits have wide-reaching implications for women, from lower employment wages to higher child mortality rates. This issue is even prevalent in our own nation. Children Beyond Our Borders is committed to the belief that every child deserves to have an education, regardless of social status, race or gender. This back to school season, remember that education = empowerment. Add yourself to the equation with our organization.
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"Education = Empowerment. Add Yourself to the Equation." At Children Beyond Our Borders, we see this over and over again. But have you ever stopped to think about what it truly means? Ever since our conception in 2003, we have been dedicated to fight the social injustices around the world with the best tool we can offer: education. Malcolm X, an American human rights activist during the Civil Rights Movements, says that education is “the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” It’s an incredible tool, recognized globally by organizations such as the United Nations, to end trends of violence and displacement. However, it isn’t easily accessible for many children, both inside and outside the United States. Some simply can’t find a way to get to school; they walk miles upon miles to get to school and come back home, constantly exhausted from what they have to do. Others may not have the time and need to help support their family to barely meet the bare necessities for them to survive. A lot of children also may not even know how important education is to them. There are so many difficult situations that lead to education not becoming a priority to children around the world, which only adds to the continuous social injustice throughout the word. That’s where we try to step in. We highlight these issues, bringing awareness to international problems through our social media and workshops. We venture out, traveling under our Bound For Peace service trip to interact directly with those in need of our help and support. We inspire others, becoming role models to those who need someone to look up to. We provide hope, giving a brighter future for those who deserve it. Education = Empowerment. But it isn’t as easy as writing down an equation. We need to add ourselves to the equation so we all can look forward to a better, empowered world. Children Beyond Our Borders wishes everyone a happy and safe 4th of July. Independence can be defined as being strong and able to survive alone, not having to depend on anyone or anything else. As we celebrate the declaration of independence of the United States, CBOB also celebrates the lives we have changed by giving the youth an education, in order to become empowered and independent. One of the greatest feelings is helping people who sometimes can’t help themselves. Whether that be through providing education, creating awareness, and even establishing relationships. We love getting messages from those who have been impacted through the work we’ve done, even in the slightest way. We received a message from someone in Cartagena and this is what he said, “good evening, I belonged to CBOB Cartagena some time ago, and thank you for existing, what great work you do thanks to CBOB and the group of volunteers you have helped me grow as a person.” At CBOB, we will continue to make it our mission to provide the tools and resources to those who need it most, because everyone deserves the same opportunity for a bright future. Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Only by giving are you able to receive more than you already have. At Children Beyond Our Borders, fighting against social injustices and providing opportunities for children and youth affected by armed conflict is what we’re all about. Ever wondered how you can help? There are many ways to support and get involved.
Our interns have already been hard at work this Summer to keep Children Beyond Our Borders running smoothly. Along with this internship, though, many of our bright young minds are pursuing other opportunities as well. Here is a showcase of some of the Summer plans for our new and returning interns!
Our interns will continue to work hard this Summer to ensure that we are successful in the mission of Children Beyond Our Borders, but we hope that all of them enjoy their Summers as well! CBOB also wishes all of our wonderful supporters and readers an amazing Summer, and we hope that you have some exciting plans as well!
CBOB would like to introduce some of our new and returning interns this Summer 2019! With a lengthy application process, including an interview led by members of our leadership team, we are happy to welcome some of the brightest, talented, and dedicated people to our family! These selected individuals will be giving their time throughout this summer to bring their best to CBOB and transform our organization into something better! Here is an inside look at five of our VIPs this summer! Arianna Arcenas, Public Relations and Social Media Intern Arianna is a second-year Sociology major under a pre-med track. Being trilingual and having the ability to play multiple instruments, she can’t wait to meet and work with everyone in the CBOB family while being able to help and volunteer in the Gainesville community by spreading the message with social media! Chantal Alvarez, Public Relations and Social Media Intern Chantal is a fourth-year Telecommunications major. She is extremely excited to gain experience in the public relations and social media field while meeting new people at the same time! Not only is she passionate about the field of communications, but she also carries a passion in cooking and hiking! Kenna Rudominer, Public Relations and Social Media Intern Kenna is a fourth-year Criminology and Psychology double-major. Having already earned her AA degree in high school, she is actually able to finish her undergrad at UF in only two years; however, her education doesn’t stop there because she plans to attend graduate school for Forensic Psychology! She looks forward to spreading the message of empowerment through education and expanding outreach using social media. Shreya Chapyala, Mentor Coordinator Shreya is third-year microbiology major with a minor in Economics under the pre-med track. She is one of our younger interns this summer, being only nineteen years old, and has actually done most of her education in India! She’s looking forward to working my hardest to get these children one step closer to the life and happiness they desire and deserve. “It is each and every one of our responsibilities as a member of the global community to lend a helping hand in any way we can and I hope to do that this summer!” Elana Sieck, Training Coordinator Elana is a third-year International Studies major, which is fittingly so because she is actually learning Russian! She is actually one of our returning interns and is looking forward to continuing her work as a Training Coordinator and being a part of CBOB. Our interns have already been working incredibly hard to make sure we have a successful summer together and we are so glad to have them on our team! Let us have an amazing summer! Our Bound For Peace trips every year to Colombia have so much to offer for a variety of reasons. Being in an unfamiliar place may be scary, but many of our past interns and volunteers who have gone in years past are so grateful that they participated in our Bound For Peace program and would encourage anyone who is dedicated, interested in giving back, and giving a brighter future to kids to go for more reasons than not. Here are just a few reasons why:
Many potential volunteers and interns have never been to Colombia before, so this is a perfect opportunity to visit a new place! Our Bound For Peace programs explore famous landmarks of the country and participate in many outdoor activities. Throughout this trip, you’re able to make some of the most amazing friendships! Not only are you able to bond with the children in these programs, but you’re able to make lasting friendships with other volunteers. Meeting the people within the city become like family as well! When visiting Colombia through our trips, you’re able to experience the culture. This includes new foods, local celebrations and the language! Among all of these amazing reasons, the most rewarding reason why anyone and dedicated students should come on one of our Bound for Peace trips is because of the incredible impact you’ll have on the lives of others. Being able to make a difference in so many young girls lives alongside others with similar passions, makes our trips one of the best trips you’ll be able to experience! So many of our past members who have gone on the trips recommend them to anyone and were so sad to leave! Maria Aguila, a past intern from 2017, rejoined us again this semester. Find out why. My name is Maria Aguila, a public relations intern, and I am here to tell you that VIP is one of the best internships I could ever have imagined being part of. Aside from numerous opportunities for self-growth, this nonprofit allows you to help others through hands-on experiences. When I interned with this nonprofit back in Fall 2017, my heart was touched by all the amazing children I had the opportunity of helping. Some of my favorite memories include tutoring children in math, english and science, and raising money for impoverished children.
I recently came back to the program this semester. The two semesters I spent away from the program made me realize how much I missed it. CBOB became a part of me, and that is why I am back. It has inspired me to be a better person and I carry that inspiration with me throughout my daily life. VIP has opened my eyes to the nonprofit field. With positions available in grant writing, finance, public relations and more, interns are able to gain a comprehensive view of the ins and outs of this industry. It can as virtual or as hands on as you would like to be. From workshops, weekly tutoring and mobile clinics, there is always a way to get involved. As an intern, you work primarily with the director and other interns in your department. The overall goal of CBOB’s internship program is to encourage and empower our interns by providing life skills that can prepare them for a successful future. With strict weekly meetings and a team of directors to oversee the interns, I was treated like an employee and given real responsibilities. If you are for a position where you are not just doing busy work to add a meaningless line to your resume, this is the organization for you. We focus on teaching our interns to be the best they can be by assigning them responsibilities that aren’t just easy, but make you step out of your comfort zone. At CBOB, it is our mission to educate and empower youth, and our interns are a vital part of making this goal happen. Apply today. Applications close April 16 at midnight. CBOB is so excited to welcome our new and returning interns to our team this Spring! As we celebrate our sixteenth year of service, we are thrilled to have our interns join us. We hope our interns uphold our mission through volunteer work. To become apart of our VIP program within CBOB, potential interns have to take part in a lengthy selection process spearheaded by our leadership team! Our leadership team looks for the best candidates to continue to uphold our organization's mission and values. After applying, applicants went through two rounds of interviews and were also asked to perform a task specific to their respective position. Throughout this process, CBOB was able to get a gauge on how applicants would work if selected to be apart of our program! Only those applicants who demonstrated work ethic, passion for our mission and eagerness to learn more about our program and giving back were selected to join our team. Our interns within our program hold various interests ranging from non-profit work to digital design to biology and more which helps us keep diversity within CBOB and allow us to view the future of our organization through different perspectives. The future of CBOB and empowering children through education couldn't be done without our interns! Here's more information on some of our interns and who they are! Aldren Collins, Community Outreach Intern I chose to join CBOB because it allowed me to giveback to the local community and make an impact on students' lives. I attend the University of Florida and I am majoring in international studies. A fun fact about me is that I once had a pet squirrel. Anna Baringer, Data & Analytics Intern I am an economics and political science student at the University of Florida. I joined CBOB because I want to work in a sector that makes an impact in my community, and CBOB seemed like a good introduction to the nonprofit sector. A fun fact about me is that I am pretty good at (and kind of addicted to) Minesweeper. Nora Kassis, Community Outreach Intern I go to the University of Florida and my major is nutritional sciences. I joined CBOB because I love working with kids and wanted to get directly involved in making a difference to the kids in my Gainesville Community. A fun fact about me is that I can speak Arabic! Tashi Heran, Community Outreach Intern I study biomedical sciences at the University of Central Florida. A fun fact about me is that I've ridden an elephant. I chose to join CBOB because I love working with kids. Logistics Intern I go to Florida State University and I am majoring in family and child sciences. I joined CBOB because I love what CBOB stands for, giving children in Latin American countries a chance at a greater future through education, an dI wanted to be a part of such an amazing organization. A fun fact about me is that three years ago for my 18th birthday, I went skydiving. Abigail Carden, Mentor Coordinator I joined CBOB because I believe in the importance of education and the power that it has, and I am excited to further CBOB's mission. I am a student at the University of Florida majoring in Biology. A fun fact about me is that my favorite animal is a honey bee. Elana Sieck, Training Coordinator My major is International Studies with a minor in Russian. A fun fact is that I have gone skydiving. I go to the University of Florida and I joined CBOB because I enjoy public service and I love how CBOB is helping children around the world. I attached a picture to this email. Jessica Diana, Mentor Coordinator My major is Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, and I attend UF. A fun fact about me is that I make really good fried rice.I joined CBOB because I believe in it’s mission—to use education to empower. Everyone, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status, should have the resources and opportunities to strive for their goals. Aimie Hok, Community Outreach I joined CBOB to learn more about myself and what I can do while also giving back to my community in a fun and a collaborative way! I go to the University of Central Florida and I'm studying biology. A fun fact about me is that I've been to most of the US states! Alexandra Gagliano, Social Media & Public Relations I am a student at the University of Florida double majoring in telecommunications and dance. I joined CBOB because of its mission statement. Education is power and I'm proud to be apart of an organization that empowers so many children through education! A fun fact about me is that I'm also a French citizen! Our interns have already been working so hard and have gotten involved in the organization and the community. We can't wait to see what each of them accomplishes within this semester!
By Madelyn Brenner I didn’t know what to think when I signed up for my Bound for Peace trip to Medellin, Colombia last summer. I was excited, but also nervous at the thought of being in an unfamiliar place. The trip was incredible, and the memories will last a lifetime, making it difficult to put it into words, but I have tried to compile just a few reasons everyone should experience a Bound for Peace Trip! 1. Experience a new place Even if you’ve been to Colombia before, our Bound for Peace trips explore famous landmarks of the country! I was so excited to visit Guatapé, a landmark of Colombia and particularly Medellin. The view from the top of the exhausting climb was incredible, and I will forever remember the rush I felt after climbing all of those stairs! 2. Try new foods Besides the amazing coffee, I was able to try many yummy foods that I had never tasted before. Some of my favorites included pandequeso and the Lulo pops I bought near where we volunteered. 3. Make amazing friendships Besides the adorable girls we worked with, the ladies I traveled with were super fun to spend my two weeks with, and we were able to build lasting relationships. We also met the scholars that the IAMCBOB program serves. 4. Experience local celebrations One of the most amazing parts of my trip was visiting the Fería de los Flores, or parade of flowers! The flower creations that city residents carried on their backs for miles were breathtaking! It was an experience I will never forget! 5. Make a difference in the lives of others The best part of my Bound for Peace trip was feeling like I had made a tangible difference in the lives of others. Planning workshops that we thought the girls would enjoy each day was such a fun experience and watching them come to fruition in person was amazing! I would recommend this trip to everyone for the joy of seeing big smiles on the girls’ faces each day! The saddest part was leaving while they cried and hugged us goodbye! Take a chance and sign up for a Bound for Peace trip today! I can guarantee you won’t regret it!
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