By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Tenth grade students in Ryan Bigelow's Niles High School English class found out how lucky they are.
This week, students were educated on life in other countries, specifically Uganda, East Africa, where rebel wars and AIDS are among the top problems.
Bigelow said students watched the movie Invisible Children, which talks about life in Uganda.
"Did you notice these children? What they were wearing? How they lived. Most of them come from nothing. They drink Coke and Pepsi because they cannot drink the water. They sleep on the ground, they are exposed to violence and wars. Imagine your life like that," Bigelow said to his students.
Despite everything, there is hope for the children of Uganda, thanks to the volunteerism of a few special individuals.
Adam Stubbs and Wade McKinney spoke with Bigelow's class Thursday afternoon about their organization, 4 Oneworld.
The mission of 4 Oneworld is to raise awareness locally and provide aid to disadvantaged children in the developing world. The organization raises funds to be able to provide educational resources to schools and computer literacy at St. Kizito School in Uganda.
"My sister, Tara (McKinney) visited Africa one year and while she was out and about, she was approached by a young boy who offered to help her back to where she was staying. When they arrived at their destination, this young boy did not ask for food, money or clothes. He asked her for her address. All he wanted was an education. He wanted her to help him get educated. That's all it took. She knew we had to do something to help" Stubbs explained to the class.
That's where 4 Oneworld was born.
"People often ask us why target schools? Why not provide food, clothes, water and other needs. Certain people like to donate and help with specific needs. Our goal is to help get these children educated," Stubbs continued. "Targeting schools will not just benefit one child, but many children. Education leads these young people to a better way of life. Being able to put food on the table and a roof over one's head is the hope for many children."
Stubbs explained that some of the students have endured great suffering in their lives and feel schooling is one of their only ways out. Some children were part of the rebel wars and were abducted at a young age and forced to become violent and carry guns. Stubbs told the story of one young boy who was forced to shoot his own father after his father was unable to walk the long distances.
"Could you imagine. That young boy is scarred for the rest of his life. And his family wanted nothing to do with him after that. He's an orphan now," Stubbs said.
Other children are AIDS orphans who have nothing and no one in their lives.
"They feel privileged to be in school. They understand the value of education. They have proven they are committed to learning and bettering themselves. They know they do not want to continue living their lives the way they do," Stubbs said.
He went on to explain that the reason countries like Africa need our help is because the developing nations can't succeed on their own. There are little, if any, resources available and very few people or organizations to offer aid.
"These countries need and want a way out. In the United States we have funds, resources and the ability to help others. It benefits the world to lend a helping hand now so that these countries can progress into the future," Stubbs said.
Students in Bigelow's class wanted to step in and help. They decided to sign up for the Pen Pal program, which will allow students to write e-mails back and forth to the students at the St. Kizito School.
"From donations we have received over the past few years, we have been able to buy these students computers. We started with very few and now have around 50 computers in the school with Internet access," Stubbs said.
"The things we take for granted in the United States are luxuries for many in Uganda and throughout the developing world. It is unfair that in a world of plenty, so many go without. We feel it is our duty not only to allow the voice of the disadvantaged to be heard, but also to help them gain valuable resources," Stubbs added.
For more information on 4 Oneworld or to see how you can help, visit www.4oneworld.org.