KimmieWeeks

Kimmie Weeks

www.peaceforkids.org

Kimmie Weeks has worked to alleviate poverty and human suffering in Africa and around the world since he was fourteen. Weeks was born in Liberia, West Africa in 1981. At the young age of nine he came face to face with civil war, human suffering, and death. Weeks can still vividly recall eating roots and wild leaves when his family did not have access to food, drinking infested water when national water supply was shut off, and nearly being buried alive after epidemics had wrecked his emaciated body.

These experiences would have broken the souls of most people. However, they encouraged Weeks to follow a path where he could make a difference and ensure a world where all children had access to food, medicine and shelter. It is a vision that he has pursued ever since.

Over the years, Weeks has formed partnerships and led organizations that have provided education to over 1 million students in West Africa, lobbied the disarmament of over 20,000 child soldiers and provided health care and recreation supplies to children.

Week’s has faced many obstacles in pursuit of his dream. The biggest obstruction that he faced was when the Liberian government attempted to assassinate him for a report he had issued on its involvement in the training of child soldiers. As a result, in 1998, Weeks was forced to flee Liberia when he was seventeen and has since been granted political asylum in the United States.

Today after graduating from Amherst College, Weeks continues on a mission to protect children from war. One of his organizations, Youth Action International, is building a center for war-affected women in Sierra Leone and rebuilding playgrounds destroyed by the Liberian civil war. He also serves as the Director of Planning for the International Coalition for Children and the Environment, and is on the board of several non-profit organizations.

Kimmie wants to know!

Kimmie Weeks has posed a question to be answered by the One World Youth Project participants on the Forum page! All participants are encouraged to give a thoughtful answer.

click here to go to the question

Kimmie answers students questions!

One World Youth Project participants submitted the following questions.

As we know you have experienced the poverty issues. Can you please tell us what you would define as the poverty in the world? -Perfect Youth Group of Dr. Herman Wrice Community Center (Tanzania)

Kimmie: I believe there are different levels of poverty with some being more extreme and life threatening than others. For example, some people might consider themselves to be living in poverty because they cannot afford to purchase a car or go away on vacation. I identify poverty as a situation where people are deprived of even the most basic necessities of life including access to food, safe drinking water and medicine.

What did you study while at Amherst? -Maddy Niles (USA)

Kimmie: I graduated from Amherst College in June 2005 with a double major in political science and history. During my time at Amherst, I also completed a thesis on the participation of children in militarized groups The specific countries I focused on were Liberia, Iran, Hitler's Germany and gangs in the United States.

I am so impressed about the marvelous work you are doing. I want to know what work you do currently and how you go about this project ( I mean your finances)?

-Claudia Koppo, Ave Maria School (Ghana)

Kimmie: My organization is currently supporting the creation of a center for women in Sierra Leone, rebuilding playgrounds in Liberia, and providing scholarships for war affected children. We fund these programs though a series of fundraising efforts.

Do you still have a lot of family you've left behind in Liberia? -Irene Bloomer (USA)

Kimmie: My mother is still in Liberia. I am looking forward to seeing her when I return to Liberia sometime in 2006.

Kudos to the work you doing. It seems to me that your concentration is focused on refugees in W.Africa, Any particular reasons to that? - Elizabeth, Ave Maria (Ghana)

Kimmie: Yes, our work has been focused a lot on West Africa. Mostly because it is a region I am familiar with. Now that we have established in West Africa, Youth Action will be expanding to Southern Africa, South America and Asia by the end of 2006. My goal is to ultimately build my organization into a very extensive youth movement working in every war torn/post war country to help children living in those areas.

Do you think what you are doing is helping? -Alex Cook (USA)

Kimmie: I honestly believe that the work I am doing is not only making a difference for children living in difficult circumstances but also empowers people living in industrialized nations to become pioneers of change. It also reinforces my belief in the power of young people to make positive change happen.

My question is just simple. How did you survive Liberia in those times, and who and what inspired you to start this wonderful project? - Albert Wontumi, Ave Maria School (Ghana)

Kimmie: Whenever I'm asked that question, I respond that I have no idea how I survived the suffering and pain of the Liberian civil war. The years of the war were by far the most difficult times of my life. Sometimes when I look back on the experiences I had, I pray that I'll never have to go through those circumstances again. Living with an ever present fear of death and experiencing starvation and epidemics is a truly harrowing experience. I know the extent of the pain and that's why I'm motivated to spend all of my time trying to alleviate the suffering of children currently living in war.

Do you like living in the US or do you miss your home? -Irene Bloomer (USA)

Kimmie: The U.S. has been a refuge for me over the last six years, but I still miss home a lot! I miss my mom, the food, the people, my friends and the culture. I long for the day when I can return and live in Liberia permanently. As poor as it is, Liberia is a place I'll always desire to return to. Its too easy to take our home for granted until we lose it.

I thank you all for the very thoughtful questions and hope to be in touch with you as time passes!

	For Participants Kimmie Weeks www.peaceforkids.org Kimmie Weeks has worked to alleviate poverty and human suffering in Africa and around the world since he was fourteen. Weeks was born in Liberia, West Africa in 1981. At the young age of nine he came face to face with civil war, human suffering, and death. Weeks can still vividly recall eating roots and wild leaves when his family did not have access to food, drinking infested water when national water supply was shut off, and nearly being buried alive after epidemics had wrecked his emaciated body. These experiences would have broken the souls of most people. However, they encouraged Weeks to follow a path where he could make a difference and ensure a world where all children had access to food, medicine and shelter. It is a vision that he has pursued ever since. Over the years, Weeks has formed partnerships and led organizations that have provided education to over 1 million students in West Africa, lobbied the disarmament of over 20,000 child soldiers and provided health care and recreation supplies to children. Week’s has faced many obstacles in pursuit of his dream. The biggest obstruction that he faced was when the Liberian government attempted to assassinate him for a report he had issued on its involvement in the training of child soldiers. As a result, in 1998, Weeks was forced to flee Liberia when he was seventeen and has since been granted political asylum in the United States. Today after graduating from Amherst College, Weeks continues on a mission to protect children from war. One of his organizations, Youth Action International, is building a center for war-affected women in Sierra Leone and rebuilding playgrounds destroyed by the Liberian civil war. He also serves as the Director of Planning for the International Coalition for Children and the Environment, and is on the board of several non-profit organizations. Kimmie wants to know! Kimmie Weeks has posed a question to be answered by the One World Youth Project participants on the Forum page! All participants are encouraged to give a thoughtful answer. click here to go to the question Kimmie answers students questions! One World Youth Project participants submitted the following questions. As we know you have experienced the poverty issues. Can you please tell us what you would define as the poverty in the world? -Perfect Youth Group of Dr. Herman Wrice Community Center (Tanzania) Kimmie: I believe there are different levels of poverty with some being more extreme and life threatening than others. For example, some people might consider themselves to be living in poverty because they cannot afford to purchase a car or go away on vacation. I identify poverty as a situation where people are deprived of even the most basic necessities of life including access to food, safe drinking water and medicine. What did you study while at Amherst? -Maddy Niles (USA) Kimmie: I graduated from Amherst College in June 2005 with a double major in political science and history. During my time at Amherst, I also completed a thesis on the participation of children in militarized groups The specific countries I focused on were Liberia, Iran, Hitler's Germany and gangs in the United States. I am so impressed about the marvelous work you are doing. I want to know what work you do currently and how you go about this project ( I mean your finances)? -Claudia Koppo, Ave Maria School (Ghana) Kimmie: My organization is currently supporting the creation of a center for women in Sierra Leone, rebuilding playgrounds in Liberia, and providing scholarships for war affected children. We fund these programs though a series of fundraising efforts. Do you still have a lot of family you've left behind in Liberia? -Irene Bloomer (USA) Kimmie: My mother is still in Liberia. I am looking forward to seeing her when I return to Liberia sometime in 2006. Kudos to the work you doing. It seems to me that your concentration is focused on refugees in W.Africa, Any particular reasons to that? - Elizabeth, Ave Maria (Ghana) Kimmie: Yes, our work has been focused a lot on West Africa. Mostly because it is a region I am familiar with. Now that we have established in West Africa, Youth Action will be expanding to Southern Africa, South America and Asia by the end of 2006. My goal is to ultimately build my organization into a very extensive youth movement working in every war torn/post war country to help children living in those areas. Do you think what you are doing is helping? -Alex Cook (USA) Kimmie: I honestly believe that the work I am doing is not only making a difference for children living in difficult circumstances but also empowers people living in industrialized nations to become pioneers of change. It also reinforces my belief in the power of young people to make positive change happen. My question is just simple. How did you survive Liberia in those times, and who and what inspired you to start this wonderful project? - Albert Wontumi, Ave Maria School (Ghana) Kimmie: Whenever I'm asked that question, I respond that I have no idea how I survived the suffering and pain of the Liberian civil war. The years of the war were by far the most difficult times of my life. Sometimes when I look back on the experiences I had, I pray that I'll never have to go through those circumstances again. Living with an ever present fear of death and experiencing starvation and epidemics is a truly harrowing experience. I know the extent of the pain and that's why I'm motivated to spend all of my time trying to alleviate the suffering of children currently living in war. Do you like living in the US or do you miss your home? -Irene Bloomer (USA) Kimmie: The U.S. has been a refuge for me over the last six years, but I still miss home a lot! I miss my mom, the food, the people, my friends and the culture. I long for the day when I can return and live in Liberia permanently. As poor as it is, Liberia is a place I'll always desire to return to. Its too easy to take our home for granted until we lose it. I thank you all for the very thoughtful questions and hope to be in touch with you as time passes!

For Participants