Service Programs
To cultivate the spirit of one family under God, UPF offers disaster relief and organizes service projects such as caring for public spaces, supporting access to education, promoting good health, and providing medical supplies.
- Written by: Joao Breyer, IRFF-Brazil
At the beginning of the cool season in central Brazil, the International Relief Friendship Foundation partnered with government and NGO groups to collect donations of blankets and clothing to share with low-income people in Gama, a satellite city of the capital, Brasilia.
- Written by: Thomas Schellen, UPF-Lebanon
Nabatieh, Lebanon—At a time of increased optimism for stability and peace in May 2008, UPF-Lebanon brought youth from Beirut to the southern Lebanese town of Nabatieh to work on a joint peace mural project.
- Written by: Richard Sapp, International Director of Disaster Service, IRFF
The International Relief Friendship Foundation is partnering with ABITSU (http://abitsu.org), a Burmese NGO, to get relief to the victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar.
To donate please go to the IRFF website at http://www.irff.org
- Written by: UPF-Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - Cleaning, painting and planting trees at Mongolia's principal center of Buddhist learning attracted hundreds of volunteers for a "Service Party Day" on April 27, 2008.
- Written by: UPF - UK
BBC London featured a story on UPF-UK's project, “East London Youth in support of UN Millennium Development Goals,” which took place on April 26. Twenty-five London youth took part in a day of conservation at an East London Nature Reserve, in celebration with the UN-endorsed Global Youth Service Day.
- Written by: GPF Philippines
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.
- Written by: UPF International
IRFF-Brazil, Clearing a Soccer Field
- Written by: Joao Breyer, IRFF Brazil
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.
- Written by: Trevor Jones, UPF-Peru
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
- Written by: Noel Dacanay
Manila, Philippines - Early on December 9, at 6:00 AM, around 10,000 volunteers from thirty-nine schools and universities in Metro Manila, and over 100 community groups flocked to join in the first Balikatang Kabataan para sa Kaunlaran ng Bayan Coastal Cleaning Project, a massive coastal cleanup of the Manila Bay.
- Written by: Tetsuya Amano, Director General of IRFF-Bangladesh
IRFF "Discover True Friendship Service Tour: Asia Edition 2007" was held in Bangladesh July 10 - 25, 2007. The mission of the service tour was to construct the Jaigeer Peace Center, to make a brick road from the main road to the school, and to dig a tube well at the school site.
- Written by: Mr. Mikio Yoshida
An International Relief and Friendship Foundation representative visited Zambia to check on educational projects in Lusaka and Ndola July 17-August 1, 2007.