Religious Youth Service Annual Report

5-20 | Projects in Date Order

21-22 | RYS Financial Overview 2009

A Note from the International Director

Dear Reader,

This Annual Report gives you an oveview of our projects in 2009.

To get detailed information and find out more about RYS, please visit our website at www.rys.net.

Even though there were many hurdles this year, our project developers and educators have created amazing projects for many new RYS friends. In 2009, RYS revisited the Philippines and Jamaica and continued annual projects in Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and India. Our methodology and social service-learning experience has a lifelong impact on our participants, as we can see from our online alumni forum that has grown dramatically in the past year. Many alumni of past projects have been able to connect to new RYS participants through the worldwide Web. This has given a new dimension to RYS.

Special thanks go out to our staff for their dedication and efforts and to our advisory council for their wise counsel and encouragement.

Daniel Bessell Director, RYS International

RYS is a project of the Universal Peace Federation www.upf.org

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A Desire to Be Loved

April 26 | Chennai, India On April 26, 2009, Global Youth Service Day, RYS alumni volunteered at “Udhavum Ullan- gal,” a free home in Chennai, taking care of more than 100 orphan children. RYS volunteers spent quality time with the children, playing, reading and interacting with them. Most of the children had lost their parents or were from impoverished families. The volunteers split their time between different duties at the orphanage, providing meaningful recreational activities for the chil- dren. They shared fruits and ice cream, and sponsored a full day of meals for the chil- dren. Such things are so easily taken for grant- ed but, to these children, it was like a festi- val. When we were about to leave, our young friends clung to us, their tiny arms wrapped around our legs and their little hands pulled at the bottom of our shirts. They begged us not to go, not to leave them. Their smiles became a reminder to us that what we had given of ourselves meant the world to them. They asked us when we would return, hoping to continue the fun and love we shared during the time we spent together. Their eyes communicated their desire to be loved, to have just a few more minutes of our time, to receive one more hug or simply to hear a promise that we would return. For us, it may have been just one day out of our busy week but, for them, it was a moment of great hope. They felt valued and deeply cherished with each hug and in real- izing that someone in this world wanted to be with them and loved them. Through this wonderful experience, the RYS alumni felt a profound joy radiating from these amazing children, witnessing their hap- piness despite their extremely difficult living conditions.

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Even the Small Things dynamic was shared by participant Sanimar “San,” as follows: “If I’m not mistaken, it’s more than 24 hours since we said goodbye to each other and everyone departed from Nabunturan. But until May 1 | Portland, Jamaica now, I’m still HIGH on RYS! RYS really ‘left In Portland, Jamaica on May 1, 2009, RYS a mark on me’: a mark of hope, peace, friend- youth joined Father Francis in refurbishing his ship, fun, learning, and growth. Even consid- church, the St. Agnes Catholic Church. Young ering how short a time it was, I must say that people from the local community washed the it was really a life-changing activity. exterior of the church in preparation for paint- To all participants: Thanks for every- ing. Inside, work continued with scraping old thing. We may differ in many things (religion, wall covering, filling holes and rolling and brushing on a new coat of paint. The work culture, personality and experiences), but still materials were donated by the Archdiocese of it will not hinder us from becoming united Kingston and the members of St. Agnes Cath- and helping each other to achieve one single olic Church. goal—world peace! Thanks a lot!” This RYS project was co-organized by Muhammad Riza Dalkilic of the Risale-I Nur Institute Philippines and Raul Caballero of the Building Bridges of Municipal Council of Nabunturan. Facilitators True Love for Peace & of the program were Dr. Sherwin E. Agrav- io, M.D., an RYS alumnus from the Youth Unity Federation for World Peace and Ms. Fazida A. Razak, RYS Project Director and Educa- tor. Massimo Trombin, Executive Adviser of RYS International and Service for Peace, and May 23-26 | Compostela Valley, Philippines Charles Philipps, Ph.D., President of Service The Religious Youth Service held its project for Peace, also visited the project during the in the Philippines primarily in Nabunturan, third day. the capital town of Compostela Valley Prov- Muslims as well as Christian youth lead- ince. Muslim-Christian dialogue, visits to ers from various churches—Roman Catholic, mosque and church, leadership and peacemak- Baptist, Seventh Day Adventist and Pente- ing skills training, daily reflections, a cultural costal Church—all participated. Participating program and community outreach at Maahad groups included: Ateneo Law Student-Advo- Nabunturan Al-Islamie highlighted the four- cates for Bangsamoro Rights (AL-SABAR), day project. Ateneo de Davao Legal Advocacy Works Participants invested their hearts in ser- (AdDLAW), Sigma Legis Fraternity and vice together to renovate an old, dilapidated Sorority, Ateneo Samahan Central Board— Muslim preschool through repairing the roof, Campus Clubs Organization (SAMAHAN- painting the exterior and interior of class- CCO), University of Mindanao (UM) Student rooms, and beautifying the stage. They also Government, Ateneo Moro Youth Organiza- did a bit of gardening around the preschool. tion (AMYO), Mindanao Inter-Muslim Youth Locals residents in Nabunturan within a five- Organization (MIMYO), Inter-School Muslim kilometer radius of the site benefit through Organization (ISMO), Learn Kagan Muslim this school. Foundation, Nabunturan Christian Fellowship As always, participants created strong Youth, Central Baptist Youth, United Youth of bonds of friendship. One expression of that the Philippines, and Risale-I Nur Institute.

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Patchwork After a short period of reflection, our group was entertained by a famous multicul- tural choir. The choir offered songs from Hol- land, Germany, Russia, Suriname, Portugal, and Indonesia. The project closed with a in- July 3-5 | Netherlands ternational meal prepared by all of us togeth- RYS Netherlands 2009 participants both made er. This concluding meal was French, Dutch, a patchwork as well as became a patchwork. Japanese, American, Marshall Islander, Suri- Project volunteers partnered with Thuis Op namese, Jamaican and Italian, and it was the Straat (TOS), a local organization which of- best meal of our project! fers after-school programs for children. Par- ticipants set up a tent and some tables in a playground where they assisted the children in decorating pieces of cloth. The children were Creating World very imaginative and enjoyed painting, turn- ing each small square of cloth into an original Peace for the Next creation. For two days, the participants then Generations helped piece together the squares into a larger cloth, adding as well their own creative sec- tions. All the smaller patches were then sewn together into a beautiful tablecloth, which July 11-18 | Bali, Indonesia was given as a gift to the Stichting Marme, Under the theme of “Creating World Peace where it would be used in regularly feeding for the Next Generations,” RYS Indonesia the homeless. held an annual, international project in Bali, In addition to working with the children in conjunction with Youth in Action for the on the playground, RYS members also had Next Generations as part of a worldwide joint an opportunity to hear a lecturer speak on project with eight other Asian, African, and the Hindu faith, who then took us through a European countries. guided meditation. On Saturday, we visited an This project focused on activities within Islamic mosque which was built in the Turk- the SOS Desa Taruna, a nongovernmental, so- cial development organization for orphaned ish style, and opened in 2001. We toured the children. Given the organization’s social facilities and used this opportunity first, to of- commitment, emphasis is always placed on fer prayers together, and then to ask questions family-based, long-term care for orphaned about the Islamic faith while sharing Turkish and abandoned children, and integrated, com- tea. Later that day, we had dinner in a Turkish munity-based relief programs for families in restaurant in downtown Rotterdam. need. On Sunday, the group viewed the RYS Altogether, 35 participants joined in this video and listened to a summary of RYS his- project. A Hindu-Muslim-Christian dialogue tory, which was given by Georgia, RYS inter- in the RYS style, a visitation to a Hindu tem- national representative. In the afternoon, par- ple, leadership and peacemaking skills train- ticipants visited the Sikh Gudwara, where a ing, daily reflections, a cultural program, and representative explained the tenets of the Sikh community outreach were the core activities religion and also led a meditation session. implemented at both the SOS children’s vil- This was followed by their Sunday Ceremony, lage at Tabanan and the SOS boys’ dormitory snack, and lunch. Finally, the group traveled at Denpasar. to the shopping area to purchase food for our Highlights of the eight-day project, held intercultural closing banquet meal. July 11-18, included a welcome by the SOS

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leader and performances by the children. The had gone through in this orphanage, including Orientation Program began with enthusiastic basic education and life skills learning. introductions, ice breakers, sharing of fears The RYS work project finished with a and expectations regarding the project, united Cultural Night, which included great perfor- visioning, and team-building to bond partici- mances by every group in contributing their pants in the project. One participant referred unique songs and dances. to the orientation as a “Wow opening.” As the Though the youth participants hailed orientation ended, the service project was in- from different cultures, they concluded the troduced. The central service component of this RYS project was the renovation of two project in sharing common experiences and fishponds, expected to provide a food source common emotions of appreciation for one an- for SOS. The initial work on the fishponds other, gratitude for their own lives, compas- was to transfer the sand and bricks nearer to sion for the SOS students, and a strong hope the work area, then close the holes in the fish- to bring a better future. pond with bricks, and then begin the process During the reflection time, the group also for a new dam foundation. All the participants shared in the scenic beauty of Bali, and had formed a human chain to carry tons of sand opportunities to visit different religious sites and bricks to their designated work places. and to experience different faith traditions— An introduction was offered to Pistes culturally eye-opening experiences for all. Solidaires, the main coordinating group for This activity included a visit to Tanah Lot, a the worldwide project “Sustainable Youth Hindu Temple perched precariously on a rock Development for the Next Generations,” fol- lowed by a stimulating interactive “Dream by the sea, where everyone took part in a Ba- Workshop.” linese-Hindu ritual. Later, the group offered In the days that followed, the service prayers in a big mosque in Tabanan town. work consisted of clearing the fishponds of These were new and amazing experiences for cans and plastic trash, digging the soil near everyone that will not easily be forgotten. the dam area, and preparing and pouring the At the closing ceremony, the SOS leader cement into the ditches to build the dam for R.B. Haryono offered a beautiful and colorful, the fishponds. It took only two days for the framed painting of a Balinese garden, created united participants to achieve the first project by a SOS third-grade elementary student, as a goal—renovation of the fishponds. It was very thank-you gift from SOS to RYS Indonesia. satisfying to see the final results of our hours of hard work and cooperation! Participants also invested their hearts and souls into renovating the garden around the SOS boys’ dorm, where they planned to plant vegetables as a source contributing to the SOS boys’ healthy diet. Additionally, the SOS boys attended a series of educational programs taught by the RYS trainer from Ma- laysia, Shanta Veno Gopal. Simultaneous with the RYS project in SOS Bali, some quality time was allocated for the Pistes Solidaires project to do research via interviews with the orphan youths, in or- der to evaluate how their outlook had been transformed as a result of the changes they

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Rustic, Spacious and “Light of Hope in the Quiet Dark”

August 7-19 | Trinidad & Tobago August 9-15 | Sri Lanka This was a project targeted to work with the Minority communities in Sri Lanka have often not-for-profit Wildlife Orphanage and Reha- felt that they have been left in the dark, but our bilitation Center in Petit Valley. The Center RYS project sparked new hope and dreams in was in urgent need of maintenance and repair their lives, as well as in ours! of its grounds and animal cages. The project location, Badulla, is situated While in Trinidad, participants also in the hill country of Sri Lanka, about 275 ki- worked with the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s lometers from the capital city Colombo. Ac- Home for the Aged where volunteers helped cording to Buddhist folk stories, Lord Buddha feed and care for the elderly residents. visited this city. Our main theme for the project was “One The Blackwood Village in Beragala, Ba- Can Change the World.” The project received dulla did not have pipe-borne water. Religious interested youth participants from the United Youth Service volunteers helped renovate States, St. Lucia, and Guyana, as well as from the existing mini-reservoir which had been various parts of Trinidad and Tobago. abandoned in recent times, thus restoring the Prunella Mungroo from Trinidad, our pipe-borne waterway. RYS also supported the main Educator/Trainer, inspired participants road repair, including the reconstruction of with her lecturettes. Guest educators included a bridge, which was badly damaged, on the Project Director Georgia Pearson and Project roadway that led to the Hindu Kovil, which Coordinator Maurice Burke. was also in a very dilapidated state. The youth volunteers did an excellent job The service component of this project, at the Wildlife Center, clearing the grounds themed “Light of Hope in the Dark,” directly and performing general repairs on the Center. benefitted the villages of Haldamulla in Ba- The founder of the Wildlife Center was elated dulla district, but the education component with the service that the participants volun- and cooperative work experience benefitted teered and looked forward to future projects. the participants, helping them to change their RYS Trinidad included visits to religious attitudes positively toward fomenting inter- sites such as Mt. St. Benedict Roman Catho- cultural and interreligious harmony and to lic Cathedral and the Spiritual Baptist Church, embrace a wider concept of world peace. and other places of cultural interest and sig- nificance, including the Port of Spain Water- front, Fort George, Las Cuevas beach, and the Emperor Valley Zoo. The Annual Gorkha Quiet reflection took place at Guayagua- Project yare, a village in South East Trinidad. During morning reflection, the participants walked along the beach and the reflection period ended with a sunrise journaling session. What August 9-15 | Nepal made this trip special is that the participants The RYS 2009 Gorkha Project was held in had the opportunity to enjoy the rustic, spa- the Democratic Republic of Nepal last month cious, and quiet settings of Trinidad. during the visit to Nepal by Shri Maharaja of

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India who paid a courtesy call to the President together with Hon. Ek Nath Dhakal, the CA member, and Mr. Piya Ratna Maharjan, RYS Nepal Project Director. The President was very happy to hear that such RYS interfaith projects will continue to take place in Nepal annually. This year, participants came from Ba- hai, Jain, Buddhist, Christian, Unificationist, Hindu, and Islamic traditions. The opening ceremony with beautiful dancing and cultur- al performances was aired on local FM and Avenue TV channels. Following the opening ceremony, everybody went to the project site to lay the foundation for the community hall construction. Foundation stones were set in place, with the prayers and invocations of- fered by Buddhist and Hindu leaders. Dr. Robert Kittel conducted the educa- tion programs on the “Universal Principle of Peace.” Presentations were also made on Human Rights and on Youth and Conflict Resolution. Each morning, the participants had devotional and cultural learning sessions. Meditation and prayers were taught by inter- religious representatives. These were followed by the working session in the misty, breezy weather of Nepal. The participants worked in different areas carrying bricks, cement, sand, and grav- el, plastering the roof and building, while oth- ers worked on the waterway, did garden clean- ing and planted some beautiful flowers. The school children and some of the residents of the local community came to help at the work site. With support from RYS, the Gorkha com- munity now has many treasured experiences of working together and will benefit from the project for years to come. The project also included religious site visitations, visits to cheer hospital patients, and a friendly soccer match with the (under 14) Nepal Football Association. A seminar was organized by RYS Ne- pal at the Gorkha Bisauni Hotel, and many Ambassadors for Peace of Gorkha, VIPs, re- ligious leaders, the chief attorney and RYS participants attended. The purpose of this

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seminar was to promote interfaith harmony among those living in the local community. Many people expressed their gratitude and thanks to RYS for having such a wonderful project and seminar in Gorkha.

Taking Responsibility and Developing Compassion

August 26 - September 1 | Poobong, Darjeeling, India Twenty-nine participants, representing vari- ous faiths and cultures, hailing from Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and others parts of In- dia—including Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Kerala, and West Bengal—attended this year’s RYS India. RYS India 2009 took place at Poobong, Darjeeling from August 25 to September 1, 2009. This year’s endeavor was to construct a 1,100 sq. ft. community center for the needy peoples of three villages, thereby providing a much-needed meeting place. Ongoing ef- forts are being made in the development of a global peace village, and to encourage vil- lagers to become effective decision-makers in the development of their own communities. The community center will also disseminate important information concerning health and education. Because of the difficult economic times, the diverse communities will share the Cen- ter as a place where many of their ritual, cul- tural, and traditional events can take place. The “RYS Peace Center” will be a multi- purpose center where everyone can nurture self-respect, living in freedom, cooperation, and prosperity. It will serve as a foundation for peace by encouraging the local people to come together to support the community. The shared meeting space will promote religious tolerance and cooperation by helping them to learn about each other’s traditions, religions,

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and cultures. year total to $20,000 of awarded scholarship The RYS project was an amalgam of funds. various activities, including education, con- struction work, meditation, trekking, yoga, and sightseeing. RYS educators and trainers inspired all the participants with motivating RYS Alumni on the lectures, service activities, educational work- shops, and morning meditations. Move At the conclusion of the project, the par- ticipants reluctantly departed from one anoth- er. The youth shared in the common language September 18-20 | Saramacca, Suriname of the heart. The participants unanimously felt Alumni partnered with “De Surinaamse Jeugd grateful to meet on a common platform and Instituut”/Youth Parliament to set up a cattle work together, experiencing the joy of know- farm at the Maria Internaat, in Saramacca, Su- ing they are part of one human family. Key riname. sponsors included UPF International, UPF The Maria Internaat is a girls’ home run Darjeeling, Sai Baba Trust, The Government by Catholic nuns in Suriname. On September Primary School, Alu Baari, The Panchayath 18-20, 2009, RYS alumni collaborated with Office—Ghoom, and The Football Club, Alu the Suriname Youth Parliament to assist the Baari. nuns in setting up a cattle farm. The land for the farm was still in its original, rustic state. The participants prepared tools for the job, “You Got Schooled” including chain saws, machetes, water boots, and insect repellant. There was a participant assigned to the job of “animal predator out- look.” As the work began, the volunteers were September 6 | Newark, NJ, USA totally unable to see the sky through the trees; On Sunday, September 6, 2009, United Initia- however, after a few hours of tree-cutting, the tives for Peace, in partnership with the City of clear blue sky finally revealed itself and the Newark Department of Recreation and Cul- big sun came shining through. The partici- tural Affairs, hosted the 2nd Annual “You Got pants worked tirelessly to clear two acres of Schooled” (YGS) tournament at Central High jungle as the foundation for the cattle farm. School in Newark, New Jersey. After two full days of work, the jungle under- For two consecutive years, Religious growth had been completely cleared away and Youth Service has been a part of the “You Got the land was ready to accommodate the farm Schooled” tournament by conducting a Peace and cows. Mosaic project on-site. The Mosaic is cre- The participants took an afternoon off ated by all YGS players, coaches, and fans. and enjoyed the evening in Groeningen by the Together everyone is encouraged to put their Surinamese River. “peace” in. The mosaic represents a vision of The farmland was then handed over by peace and community unity. RYS Alumnus/Youth Parliamentarian Raynell The event offers an alternative means to Fraser. earn college scholarship funds and promotes the importance of higher education and com- munity activism for inner-city girls. This year, $7,000 was awarded to 17 girls from the Greater Newark Area, bringing our two-

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RYS Financial Overview To complete our RYS 2009 fiscal overview, the pie charts at the bottom of this two-

2009 page spread provides an example of expense and financial patterns of an average RYS project. Detailed project records and reports are available on our website at: www.rys.net Income Overview UPF/GPFF Grant $31,219.79 In-kind Contributions $45,405.59 Expense Overview Indirect Donations $8,761.64 Project Expenses & Grants $29,609.79 Direct Donation $3,900.00 Projects In-kind $45,405.59 Total $89,287.02 Indirect Expenses $8,761.64 Administration $5,510.00 Income Details Total $89,287.02 Approx. In-kind Contributions Philippines $5,050.00 Expense Details India $8,500.00 Grants & Expenses by Nation Indonesia $298.59 Philippines $3,650.00 Trinidad and Tobago $8,650.00 India $4,400.00 Nepal $5,100.00 Indonesia $5,000.00 Sri Lanka $6,755.00 Trinidad and Tobago $4,000.00 Netherlands $7,052.00 Nepal $5,500.00 Conferences (x4) $4,000.00 Sri Lanka $4,400.00 Total $45,405.59 Netherlands $1,864.00 Meetings $43.70 Indirect Monetary Contributions Seminars $732.09 Philippines $1,236.55 Internet-related $20.00 India $515.00 Total $29,609.79 Indonesia $599.98 Trinidad and Tobago $1,437.66 Indirect Monetary Expenses $8,761.64 Nepal $38.89 Approximate In-kind Value $45,405.59 Sri Lanka $815.25 Netherlands $4,118.31 Est. Participant Travel & Expenses Total $8,761.64 (not recorded) $12,000.00

Direct Contributions Direct Contributions Spent Combined Total $3,900.00 Combined Total $3,900.00

Find out more @ www.rys.net info@religiousyouthservice.org International: +1 212-239-1421 United States: 1-800-880-2987