Welcome Back Readers

I have not been blogging for a while now. However, I will be continuing to speak about issues of my interest and speak my opinions regarding these issues.

Feel free to view my post from one year ago and comment on any of my posts. Your opinions are welcomed as are my opinions.

Happy Reading,
Donald Slaney

You too Can Help African Children

Nicoloas  Boileau once said, “ With poverty everything becomes frightful”. Children in Africa have to deal with this fear everyday. Monie, is an African girl, who lived through the war of 1994 in Uganda. Prior to Monie losing both her parents in the horrible genocide, she herself was thrown for dead into a pit of bodies. She remained there until nightfall. She crawled up through the dead bodies and made her way to Kigali. For weeks, Monie was alone, cooking and cleaning for herself. Monie is one of the millions of people in Africa who find themselves in these situations on a daily basis. African people need our help for their future to be bright.

       Helping innocent people should be a part of the mandate of governments  in wealthy countries such as Canada and the US. The Canadian government should spend more time and money helping innocent African’s rather than Afghany people who do not want the help and their mindset is only to destroy whatever gets in their way. Helping in Afghanistan is serving no purpose. However helping the innocent people in Africa with rebuilding communities, in my opinion will serve more purpose. Even average Canadians can find a way to help the people in Africa. Standing up to the government to help to donating to a local charity are ways average Canadians can help African’s. Myself and 8 others are trying to make a difference in the education sector in Africa by raising money for school supplies to send to the children of Africa. “ Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” according to Nelson Mandela, former South African President. By helping with the children’s ability to succeed in education, I think this will help them take charge of their home country in the future, and reduce the poverty. Along with starting a committee, organization or donating to a local charity, sponsoring a child is another simple way to help out.

          

         Sponsoring an African child is an amazing feeling and experience. World Vision is a Christian relief development  and organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Sponsoring a child with World Vision can be done online or over the phone. Sponsoring  only costs $35 per month. However, the help is significant. With your money World Vision partners with local staff and families to develop long-term solutions and strengthens the community in which your sponsored child lives. Areas in which your support will help your sponsored child are education, skills training, improved nutrition, agricultural assistance, health care and safe water. These are a few simple steps you can take to change a child’s life.

        Mother Teresa once said,  “If you can not feed a hundred  people, then feed just one”. This is what every Canadian can try to do, Help at least one African person. 184 million people in Africa, which is 33% of Africa’s population  suffer from malnutrition. This rate does not show any signs of slowing down. Malnutrition and starvation has caused the majority of deaths in African children and their parents.  Malnutrition is not the only cause of death in Africa. African children are drinking dirty water everyday. This water causes malaria which can eventually lead to death.  These innocent African people need our help.

      If we do not soon step up and help, Africa will continue to suffer from poverty, starvation and lack of education. That is why each and everyone of us needs to help African’s by providing  them with food, clean drinking water and a chance at succeeding in education. So sponsor a child, donate to a charity. JUST  HELP OUT! 

Remembering the Veterans

Remembrance Day is to honour the amazing sacrifices of the veterans that fought for our freedom. Canada would not be the safest and best country in the world without their great work. Special thanks to those paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country, Rest in Peace. May god bless the families affect by the soldiers that were killed in their duty.


Myself, I celebrated Remembrance Day at the Echoes and Valour site in St.Lawrence. Tremendous event and we remembered our local hero Private Kevin Kennedy - Killed in Afghanistan by roadside bomb.


Hope everyone celebrated Remembrance Day in someway. LEST WE FORGET





Pvt. Kevin Kennedy



Youth Representation on Municipal Councils

Recently, I have come up with a proposal for Municipal Councils. Right now, youth are the only age group which does not have the opportunity to voice their opinion for decisions in their communities. Young adults, middle aged adults and seniors all have the opportunity to be elected on council, youth does not. In my opinion, youth are a huge part of a community and are the leaders of the future. Adults cannot think for youth and the best way to make decisions that could affect youth , let the youth have their say.

My Proposal:
- Hold separate vote to elect Youth Representative. (Allow youth to vote for only Youth Representative)
- Any youth ages 16-18 are eligible to become a candidate.
- Youth Representative elected must attend Council meetings for a two year term.
- Youth Representative elected must have equal power and be counted in a vote.

This could be great leadership opportunity for youth and great to engage in Politics.

Bullying in Schools - Eastern School District

Bullying has been a growing epidemic in schools in Newfoundland and more specifically the  Eastern School District. Being a high school student I have witnessed numerous amounts of bullying the past few years. From physically bullying  (like punching and throwing objects) to emotional bullying (like name calling and threatening), I have seen examples of all throughout my time in Junior High and High School. Usually, only certain people which seems to have a quiet personality ends up being the targets of the bullies and tortures the students everyday.

At Holy Name of Mary Academy in Lawn, a junior high student was being bullied for the better part of the school year in 2009. The degree of the bullying was so terrible that the student left this school (HNMA) and nows attends school at St.Lawrence Academy (10 mins away from his home). This student has been participating in numerous sports and student council for the past two years in his new school.

At John Burke High in Grand Bank, a student has been dealing with bulling since Grade 4. She has been verbally abused and physically abused. Nothing has been done to stop this bullying.

Eastern School Districts states "By 2011, the Eastern School District will have enhanced achievement and success for all students within a healthy, active, safe, caring, and socially-just learning environment". This statement is not happening or even close to being true. There is not enough being done towards the bullies, there needs to be more action taken. For example, Instead of just telling the bully to stop bullying ... Suspend them.

Every student deserves to learn but some students does not have the comfort to do so.