Youth and Service
Chennai, India - Religious Youth Service's 2008 project in India, “I Can Change,” targeted renovation to a hostel which houses young underprivileged girls. The building, which is more than 100 years old, was in bad condition. The 30 enthusiastic participants did a great job renovating the building, giving it a much needed facelift.
Manila, Philippines - The City of Manila and National Service Training Program educators launched an "Adopt-a-Park" project on March 2, 2008, at the historical Bonifacio Shrine.
Kathmandu, Nepal - The Universal Peace Federation and its affiliate organization, the Youth Federation for World Peace (YFWP) acknowledged Santosh Shah, the publisher and editor of Today’s Youth Asia magazine as Youth Ambassador for Peace on March 1, 2008 in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Jerusalem - A joint project between Religious Youth Service and Faith Link in Jerusalem Feb. 12-24, 2008, had a good mix of youth representing Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism, Unificationism and atheism.
IRFF-Brazil, Clearing a Soccer Field
Perth, Australia – Fazida Razak, a member of the Religious Youth Service Global Management Team, spoke to teachers and students at St John XXIII School in Perth, Australia, on Feb. 8, 2008 about her work with Religious Youth Service and the Interreligious Peace Sports Festival.
Young participants in a leadership seminar in Sao Paulo, Brazil, went to a town nearby to help out in whatever way they were needed and ended up clearing weeds from a soccer field and renovating a children’s playground. The 35 people from 11 nations were in San Lorenzo de la Sierra from January 14 to 18, 2008, and during that time they made friends with youth from local Catholic and evangelical churches.
Ghana – Four years after a Religious Youth Service project at the Wieja Leprosarium and Pantang psychiatric hospital in Ghana, RYS received reports that other religious bodies and NGOs are continuing the tradition of service by visiting and interacting with the patients there.
Chincha, Peru - Ambassadors for Peace in Peru were very busy in December 2007, taking the opportunity of this season of goodwill to visit some of the most deprived areas of Peru to bring them support and hope for the future
RYS Annual Report 2008—Through the work of our dedicated project developers and educators, the RYS social service learning experience was shared with many new people around the world. This year we have given special attention to expand our project developer and “Train the Trainers” seminars aiming at educating more people in the RYS methodology.
Participants in a Religious Youth Service project at the Qamaruddin Al-Islamiyan School in Siem Reap, Cambodia, Dec. 23-27, 2007, built an additional classroom, repainted the inside and outside of classrooms, and installed new toilets as well as visiting places of worship.
Jerusalem – Religious Youth Service helped carry out a five-day experiential service-learning project, Dec. 7-14, 2007 that included a commemoration of International Volunteer Day.