Solonia's Service Projects

2011-11-25T11:05:00.001-08:00

Our Fund Raising campaign on Indiegogo.com is now LIVE. Please support us by clicking on this link and donating any amount.

I was interviewing a young girl in Atlanta last year. She was small with big black eyes and so young and fragile. Her voice was low and she kept her eyes down when she spoke. But she looked up at me when she said this: “Why do men think it’s ok to do this to us? Aren’t they supposed to protect us?” And she really wanted to know.

These young girls are resilient and most often, become peer advocates; someone who has very recently gone through rehabilitation and gives back to a young girl who just arrives. They want to give back because they understand they now have a chance at a life they’ve only dreamed about. They want the new arrival to understand this from her, not adults who have not experienced what they have experienced. They are amazing and I wish you could know them.

The reason I’m pushing for this film is because in 99% of American cities, there is no place to take a victim. There is no solution for them and they are usually put in detention and returned to their pimp (owner) when he comes to get them out. There is a solution, we’ve found it, will film it, and teach it. I’m attaching my original letter so you can dive into the story via the links if you like.

Your donations are tax deductible and if you company participates in a matching program, I’ll send our IRS Tax Determination Letter. Also - a big thank you to those of you who have donated and invited me to speak. We kicked this campaign off November 14th and we’ll keep going until December 31, 2011. Here is how you can help:

You can donate through our website here: http://www.hoperoadthemovie.org/donate.php

or through Indiegogo.com: http://igg.me/p/51457?a=319153&i=shlk and choose a perk for your donation.

Or help me get in front of a group in your community to present what we know. I want to keep talking until people understand this is happening in every city in the United States.

If you believe in me and this project, will you forward this email on to your contact list so we can spread the “virus of serving” those that cannot help themselves. I know I’m not alone in this and your support will give me strength. I love you for this!

Our movie trailer: http://www.hoperoadthemovie.org/trailer.php

Updated Trailer

2011-03-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

We added footage from Atlanta to our trailer and have added just over two minutes to the trailer. Our plan is to film in Kansas City in May and then back to Atlanta. We are currently raising funds for this next rounds.

Hope Road - the movie

2010-10-06T12:53:00.000-07:00

View the Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhoRJstMOhQ

We've changed the name of Children of a Silent World to Hope Road. The trailer is 3.5 minutes long and intended to help us raise money to complete the film. We'll film in Atlanta next month and begin the long process of editing, sound, music, etc. We hope this film will be a tool that will help many women and men fight the battle of child sexual exploitation.

YouTube Freeschools Trailer

2010-09-14T13:28:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, our 5 minute trailer is now on youtube. It is a work in progress and will be updated and tweaked. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ojsnRRvHFY. We're going to India in February for a giant film project and will then develop the one hour documentary.

New film project!

2010-08-30T17:12:00.000-07:00

Please see www.littlewolfproductions.org for our new project - Children of a Silent World.

Children of a Silent World

The Problem

Human trafficking is a planet wide epidemic. With the ease of travel, human beings are trafficked planet wide and children are the most lucrative in this multi-billion dollar business. This film focuses on children between the ages of ten and sixteen. These children have been abandoned, literally thrown out of the home of one or both parents, left behind when parents move on. Or they have fled abusive situations so intense, the unknown is risked rather than face mutilation and death.

With the collaboration of the FBI, KBI, victims, numerous law enforcement agents and lawmakers, we will weave the story concisely so as not to focus on the problem. We must make the problem clear but our intent is to focus on the need, the progress, and the solution. Not the problem.

A concerning issue is when these children escape and need help; there are few places for them to go. Added to this problem, there is a lack of law enforcement training when dealing with these children. Funds that were available for rehabilitation centers have been cut off by our government. There is a huge hole in our system that needs filling.

The Solution

These kids need a safe place for rehabilitation and education. Having been forced to develop only survival skills, they lack healthy life styles, have deep psychological wounds, and need a structure to provide direction to live a productive life. An example of a beginning solution is the model Dallas, TX has put into place.

Safe havens have been developed for the kids to go to with rehabilitation offered. When these kids are ready, a solution is there for them.

The Purpose

Little Wolf Productions was approached by women of law enforcement expressing the need for help. “Help us help these children,” was their plea. They explained that funding disappeared for any forward movement to help victims of trafficking. The crux of the problem is: if a child is found during a drug bust or a sting, there is no place to take her for rehabilitation. Rehabilitation does not exist for minors. The training for law enforcement in this area is so scarce that oftentimes during a bust, if a young girl is present, she is told to go home. There is no home for her to go to.

This film is a tool to educate, raise awareness, and train task force agencies and law enforcement. They, at the grassroots, will use this film for the purpose of raising funds for the necessary rehabilitation centers that will provide medical treatment, counseling, social rehabilitation, education, and a safe place for these children and youth to learn how to live life as close to normal as possible.

She can’t speak for herself

The film trailer is in our hands!!

2010-07-09T19:07:00.000-07:00

Risa sent us the film trailer yesterday and Peter and I began edits right away. There are changes being made to make this trailer the most compelling as possible. Send me a note if you would like to be in our focus group. We need peole who will watch it and give feedback. Back to you soon :o)

August 28 - we're getting close

2010-06-28T21:30:00.000-07:00

I have a passion for giving young children a chance at life. In this film, the crew has gone into the furthest reaches of India where no government exists, no toilets are to be found, nor electricity. This is a place on our planet where little girls are sold, married off at 12 or 13 because their parents cannot afford to feed their daughters, and violence towards women is unimaginable.

Our goal is to show the positive side of education. We're proving, along with so many others, that education changes the lives of women and girls. They marry later, have fewer children, and are far less likely to be sold into slavery. Real slavery!

Learning brings laughter to the lives of these children. Where artistic expression was void, children are dancing and singing. Giving these children an opportunity for learning opens them up to a beauty they deserve.

Thank you for reading this blog and passing it on.

We're getting close on the Trailer!

2010-06-24T13:38:00.000-07:00

We've had issues with the Hindi translation for the subtitles but are working them out now. We'll have the rough cut ready for edits next week. I'll be posting the trailer soon for you to see. Thanks to everyone who is watching :o)

In New York

2010-04-28T17:56:00.000-07:00

We've spent the day rewriting the script and Risa (our director) has worked magic on the video. She's awesome and the film is better than I had hoped it would be. We should have something to show by the end of May. If you want to be on the list to view the film, post a comment!!

Facts about Women

2010-04-20T09:29:00.001-07:00

"Women + Girls" at the Aspen Ideas Festival: So What?

"In the holy Koran, when a young man goes on a jihad, he first has to get permission and blessing from his mother. If a woman has an education, she is much less likely to condone her son to get into violence or to terrorism." -- Greg Mortenson, Central Asia Institute

What's so important about half of the world's population? Well, consider some realities:

What do women contribute to corporate financial performance? On average, Fortune 500 companies with more women on their boards of directors turned in better financial performances than those with fewer women. (Ernst & Young, "Groundbreakers: Using the Strength of Women to Rebuild the World Economy," 2009.)

What happens when women are employed in the third world? When women and girls earn income, they reinvest 90 percent of it into their families, as compared with only 30 to 40 percent for a man. (Phil Borges, Women Empowered: Inspiring Change in the Emerging World, 2007.)

What happens when girls receive an education? A one-percentage-point (ppt) increase in female education raises the average level of GDP by 0.37 ppt and raises annual GDP growth rates by 0.2 ppt on average. (United Nations, "Investing in Women and Girls," 2008.) Despite steady progress, two-thirds of the 759 million adults lacking literacy skills today are women. (UNESCO, "Education for all," 2010.)

What happens when women across the globe have little to no access to health resources? Each year, half a million mothers lose their lives in the process of giving birth. Millions more suffer complications that produce lifelong disability. (USAID, "USAID Global Health: Improving Global Health Improves the World," October 2009.)

In a special twist to our programming this summer, virtually every program track will engage in a subject relevant to women and/or girls-- a 13th area of emphasis, if you will, woven into every content theme, from World Affairs to Global Health. An impressive list of leaders and experts will weigh in across a variety of issues, among them: Ann Veneman, Executive Director of UNICEF; Maria Eitel, President of the Nike Foundation; Helene Gayle, CEO of CARE USA; Kim Bottomly, President of Wellesley College; Mary Robinson, President of Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative; Melanne Verveer, US State Department Global Ambassador-at-Large for Women's Issues; Nicholas Kristof, Columnist for The New York Times and author of Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.

Responsibility

2010-04-16T08:01:00.000-07:00

"It is the Western women who will change the world"
The Dalai Lama

I was on a conference call yesterday with women of different faiths. They had met at the Parliament of World's religions. We started off with a brief mediation and then the above reading. The title of our discussion was, "What does it mean to be an expression of the feminine, a woman of faith and spirit?" My immediate thought was that it's a responsibility to serve. We who are driven by Spirit and are fortunate enough to live outside a developing nation with education and plenty, have a responsibilitly to take action and serve. To those who have much, much is expected. I believe this with everything I am.

We are working in three areas now: Free Schools World Literacy is just one. Our mission is help others serve by documenting what they do and giving them the film we create for funding raising and education. Our skills are stretched, we learn new ones, and feel gifted to provide this service. We're moving - I still need groups of people to speak to in order to raise funds. It's a great talk - and at the end I ask for a check! It doesn't hurt a bit :o)

Speech to raise Funds

2010-03-29T14:15:00.001-07:00

I want to make a bold statement: the purpose of our project is to join many others who are working to educate girls and women in developing nations thereby changing the world. In India where we work, women are less valued, have fewer rights and are literally, property. The level of violence they experience is unconscionable and there is no means of escape. In the most remote areas of India where no ultra sound options exist, there are one million newborn girls that are murdered every year. At birth their backs are broken, they are smothered, or drowned in a bucket of water. These girls are murdered for many reasons but primarily because parents don’t know how they will feed one more child and because girls don’t have the value boys do in these cultures. It is the girls who die.

In India, there are 700 million people who live on less than $2/day and over 200 million girls and women cannot read or write. Women who are illiterate are more likely to be forced into sex trafficking, have poorer health, be married off as teenagers, bear children at a young age, be victims of violence and remain in poverty. We want to change that. My name is Susan Cook and I’m with Free Schools World Literacy.

Free Schools is a grassroots initiative in Asia to promote literacy and to empower women and children with a free education. The illiteracy in the world is around one billion adults and two-thirds of them are women, and the worst illiteracy is in India. And so, in a state like Bihar where Free Schools is focused, is one of the highest rates of illiteracy.

There is huge gender discrimination in India. India has a patriarchal system of land ownership and when girls marry, they go to other families and actually become their property. This is a breeding ground for a lot of unhappy women. They aren’t much unlike you or me. Imagine yourself in this situation, what would it do to you? Seventy percent of women in India experience domestic cruelty, and once domestic cruelty is experienced, forty percent attempt suicide. The girls and women we are interviewing seem dead inside – they can’t afford emotion.

That’s the unpleasant reality today. Now for the hope and action: Free Schools began with one school in 2005 and we now have 80 schools in India and Thailand. Have you read the books Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools? Greg Mortenson and his team have about 130 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. They go into the most remote villages and build physical structures. FSWL is doing exactly the same thing in India and Thailand but because of the climate difference (no winter) we can open a school using donated space, often under tarps.

There are two unique characteristics of FSWL. The first is our costs are hard costs in communications like telephone and Internet and banking and are able to keep costs very low. The second is our model. We don't incur infrastructure costs. We don't go in and build schools. We go in and borrow space and involve the community as much as they’ll allow. What is happening now is the villagers, seeing the value of education, which they never understood before because the villagers have been illiterate for generations, are donating land, materials, labor and building their own schools. We're fostering initiative on their part -- initiative to become stakeholders in the whole culture of school in their village.

We are educating these girls in the basics of reading, writing, summing and the signs of human traffickers. I want to emphasize that we are keeping many girls out of the hands of human traffickers – we are literally saving these girls from a horrible, horrible existence and giving them an opportunity to raise themselves out of the poverty in which they’ve lived for generations. This means they can earn an income and have choices in their life. And what’s more, they are coming alive emotionally. They are beginning to sing, dance and create art.

For every year that a girl is in school, she will earn ten percent more in her adult life. If a girl is in school for five years she will earn fifty percent more in her adult life. The positive effects on the family -- empowering the family -- are very strong because girls, once they're educated, invest back into their family. They make sure their own children are educated. They look after their parents while they're still with them. They become advocates of health and hygiene, are active in civic discussions -- they become community activists. This is the girl effect that is referred to now among NGOs and it's very powerful. It's not that men don't have their own gifts. It's just that it's the girl who puts the money and education back into the family.

There are a million villages in India and where education is offered, violence is less.

We are documenting stories of 4 women and girls for the explicit purpose of raising funds for continuing our work. We are unable to move forward without funds. Our film crew recently traveled to Bihar to film a short documentary for immediate fund raising purposes. We plan to have the film for viewing in late July. We’re working on the story boards now and begin editing in late April. We begin filming the one hour documentary next February.

We need help and that is why I’m reaching out to tell this story. My goal is to meet people who will listen to our story, our goals, ask questions, and believe in us enough to open their check books. This is the story and why I’m reaching out to you.

Thought for this Sunday

2010-03-28T15:59:00.000-07:00

An object at rest tends to stay at rest until an outside force acts upon it. Those of us working with Free Schools and others working on other projects to educate girls and women in developing nations are forces outside of communities stuck in a cycle of poverty and illiteracy. There are currently groups of people, every day people just like you and me, working all over the planet. This is the wave I refer to often. It's as if there is a spiritual consciousness that is touching us to do this work. When a wave of humans gather momentum, an outside force, change occurs. Imagine the beautiful difference we will see if girls and women are educated and have an empowering voice. What would this planet look like?

Greg Mortenson, who wrote Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools, started raising funds for his schools by public speaking. I'm asking any of you out there if you know of a group I may contact and speak in order to raise funds for our project. We're writing grants, I'm speaking, and it's working but we have a goal and I have a sense of urgency. Whether it's a Chamber of Commerce, Junior League, Kiwanis, it doesn't matter - I have a voice for these girls and want to speak for them. Invite me in, listen, and then be of whatever service you can be for all of us. Thanks!

Greater enthusiam!

2010-03-24T17:54:00.000-07:00

Have you read Greg Mortenson's books or a book called Half the Sky? I'm reading this work now and the desire, desperation, and absolute need of girls and women is churning up even more passion for this work. What I need from you reading this is an opportunity to come and speak to a group, explain our project and fund raise. I appreciate the assistance we are getting. How can I get you pumped up about these girls?????

Fund Raising

2010-03-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

We have financed the first part of this film: the first trip to Bihar and the filming of schools, students and teachers is complete and we're now storying boarding. Next month we'll be editing! Because of some of you reading this post, we will be able to complete our 8 minute film in order to take it on the road and present Free Schools in action. A request from us to you: is there a venue I can come and speak about Free Schools for the purpose of raising funds? The educate a child in our model is as little as $15 a year. $1200 supports a school for one year. Bless you for considering my request,
Susan

The Importance of Action

2010-03-13T20:21:00.000-08:00

From the Economist.

The war on baby girls

Gendercide

Killed, aborted or neglected, at least 100m girls have disappeared—and the number is rising

Mar 4th 2010 - From The Economist print edition

An Article from the Economist: http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15636231

http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15606229

We're Editing!

2010-03-11T21:11:00.000-08:00

We've begun work on the audio transcriptions. We're typing them into a word document and then highlighting the elements we want to view in film. This is tedious work but it let's you into the minds and hearts of people working with Free Schools, the teachers and the children. The work is fulfilling we're changing lives. Every day people, us, are changing lives. You can too :o)

Film Update

2010-02-26T07:38:00.000-08:00

The film crew has just returned from India. Risa Morimoto, our director, has 18 hours of footage we'll be editing between now and May. The goal for our first round of filming is to come away with an 8 minute video we can use for a variety of reasons. I'll be posting this video for all to see hopefully by the end of July.

Letter to Philanthropic Foundations

2010-02-26T07:34:00.000-08:00

Free Schools World Literacy, Inc, is requesting a two-year grant from a variety of sources for production and distribution of a television documentary on the development of free schooling for children in rural villages in Bihar, India. Our goal is to raise public awareness of the problem and particularly on cost-effective solutions through the production of a documentary intended for airing on public television stations throughout the United States.

The documentary will assist FreeSchools World Literacy, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, to address illiteracy among the world’s poorest children by raising awareness of the impact illiteracy has on millions of children, especially girls. FSWL is a proven organization that has started 80 Free Schools in the poorest areas of India.

Widespread illiteracy and extreme poverty greatly undermine our global interdependence and communications across diversity. Literacy elevates human dignity and is the hallmark of civilization. It develops personal expression, critical thinking and problem-solving skills and is a pre-requisite to civic participation and economic productivity.

But in today’s world, almost one billion adults are illiterate, and two-thirds are women. Asia is home to half the human race with illiteracy running four times that of Africa, Europe and South America combined. The worst illiteracy is in India, where 700 million live on less than $2/day and 200 million women cannot read or write. Studies show that illiteracy works its greatest hardship on women and children.

Thousands of poor illiterate village children are trafficked every year through networks around the world, becoming helpless victims of bonded labour, slavery, forced marriage and the sex trade. Human trafficking, on a global scale, is the third largest source of profit for organized crime after weapons and drugs. Billions of dollars are generated through the victimization of women and children.

Illiteracy is a solvable problem, but governments and international NGOs have not been entirely successful in accessing the rural poor in Asia. Top-down literacy programs can be expensive and corruption is difficult to control. In traditional villages that have been illiterate for generations, there is little or no appreciation for the value of education, especially for girls. Consequently, there is resistance and suspicion by village leaders and parents – even when education is free. It takes patient and respectful leadership at the grassroots to overcome these barriers. Once trust is won and villagers see how education benefits their children, they begin to value and support school culture.

Free Schools World Literacy has enlisted the services of Edgewood Pictures, Inc. of New York to develop the documentary. Edgewood Pictures' most recent film, Wings of Defeat, on surviving Kamikaze pilots, has received international acclaim and aired on PBS' Emmy Award-winning program, Independent Lens, on May 5, 2009. Wings of Defeat was awarded the 2009 Erik Barnouw Award from the Organization of American Historians and the 2008 Above and Beyond Award for Best Documentary from the Women’s Film Critics Circle.

The primary contact person for this proposal is:
Susan Cook, Producer/Project Manager
415 Shannon Avenue
Smithville, MO 64089
Phone: (816) 716-0330
E-mail: solonia@juno.com

All Enclosers will have:

Project Description
IRS determination letter
Project Budget

Thank you so much for considering us,

Susan C. Cook

Educating a Girl, Educates a Village

2010-01-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

There is power in education. Especially when we educate girls. There is a wave of energy spreading across this planet focusing on the education of girls in 3rd world countries. Time after time we hear people confirming the importance and power of educating females. Females are the center of the family. She cares for children, spouses, parents; females are the hub of family. It's a natural tendency for women and girls to nurture and educate. When a girl is educated, in most cases, she will naturally turn around and share that education.

We believe, along with so many others, that this planet will be best served by raising the level of education of women. Women will nurture this sick planet and our work is devoted to this goal. The following was written by our documentary team to explain our work.

"There is no toll for development more effective than
girls' education and the empowerment of women."
Kofi Annan

The problem
There are one billion people in the world who are illiterate and 2/3 of them are women. In India alone, 200 million women cannot read and write. Illiteracy causes extreme poverty and puts women and children at the risk of human trafficking. After arms and drugs, human trafficking is the most lucrative exploitation occurring in the world. Two areas of the world where this situation is at it worse are in the state of Bihar in India and among the hill tribes and Burmese refugees in Northern Thailand. Ninety percent of these illiterate people live in rural villages that are difficult to access, hampering the efforts by the governments and NGO’s.

The poverty and desperation is so extreme that parents are compelled to take the lives of newborn girls who are less valued to avoid having another mouth to feed. These parents also sell their daughters as young as 8 years old. What happens to them? They end up in brothels or as bonded laborers in homes all over the world. Entire villages can be complicit in this situation.
There are two problems: the parents do not understand education and are reluctant to lose their children to the necessary workforce for the family survival.

It is extremely difficult to find committed and dedicated teachers to work in these areas. In traditional cultures, deeply ingrained prejudices hamper the commitment of state trained teachers. These people are trapped in the cycle of ignorance and poverty and the solution begins with education -- particularly with emphasis on those who have been disenfranchised -- women and girls.

The loss of human potential is staggering. Research shows that if women were educated the result would be lower birthrates, fewer and healthier children, empowerment of women to contribute economically to their families, the breakdown of cultural and religious barriers, the encouragement of civic participation and responsibility, and a civilizing affect on society in general.

The Solution
The Free School project began in 1996 as a free evening school project in Motihari, Bihar. Free Schools World Literacy is a secular educational system involving teachers and supervisors from a variety of religious backgrounds. The mission of Free Schools is to break the cycle of ignorance and poverty by empowering women and children through free education.

In 2005, Free Schools World Literacy was incorporated and schools were expanded in Bihar, opened in Thailand and introduced to Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. From 2005 – 2008, this program went from 2 schools to over 70. Existing facilities and donated structures safe for children are used after closing hours where possible. Female teachers are trained from the same villages where the children live -- teachers who are known and trusted by the villages. In India, the quality primary curriculum involves reading, writing, arithmetic and health, civics, AIDS awareness and the perils of human trafficking as well as income producing skills. Nutritious snacks and clothing are provided.

The money raised for Free Schools pays for salaries for teachers, snacks and clothing, and educational materials. For some who pass a rigorous testing process and who excel academically, Free Schools provides scholarships to continue their education. One surprising outcome has been the emergence of the performance arts, including singing, dancing, art and oral history.
Now when a village asks for a Free School, the men must provide the land and labor and build the school structure before Free Schools provides the teacher. When complete, a teacher is carefully chosen and trained.

The criterion for success is the number of free schools students who are able to complete the program through grade 5. Some families are able to afford the modest tuition fees to go on to formal education after grade 5. Others receive partial scholarship.

The Documentary
Like the Micro Credit project where women are given small loans to start their own businesses, Free Schools are a means toward having a major positive impact with minimal expense. With the cooperation of Free Schools World Literacy we will produce an hour long documentary for airing on public television. The purpose of this documentary is to give a voice to the suffering of women and children who have no means of speaking out for themselves, and to illustrate the benefits of education for them.

The video will begin with images and the story of poverty, desperation, lack of education and the dire situations that force parents to sell their children. We will take a film crew to Bihar, India to capture the images and voices of these women and children, teachers and volunteers. Our goal is to capture the image of Free Schools and what they do so the world will be made aware, reaching out for more groups to help the women and children on our planet. Through this documentary, we also hope to raise funds to give directly to Free Schools International for more schools and scholarships. Ninety five percent of all funds raised go to the Free Schools and staff. We ask for your partnership and assistance to create possibilities for these women and children.