International Youth Day August 12, 2011: "Change Our World"

Animal World USA-International is honored to work with youth throughout the year and is pleased to turn the spotlight and celebrate International Youth Day. This year's Youth Day theme is "Change Our World."

Through the Animal World USA-International Youth Leadership program, A.S.T.R.O. educational program and global Weeks for the Animals campaign, we connect with young ones in communities around the globe. Animal World USA-International salutes and seeks to honor our future generation of leaders everyday.

On August 12th, as International Youth Day 2011 is being celebrated, we encourage everyone to reach out to a young one showing your love and respect. On this day commit to making a better and more loving world for them. They need us all to lead, mentor and guide them. They need our life experience, inspiration and protection. Let us help and empower them to "Change Our World!"

History of International Youth Day
International Youth Day is the designated time to commemorate the power and strength of the youth all around the globe. International Youth Day has been celebrated every year on 12th August since 1999. United Nations designated this annual event to build awareness for young people.

The purpose of International Youth Day:
International Youth Day purpose is to endorse social consciousness, particularly among youth. The World Program of Action for Youth attempts to focus on specific areas. The 10 areas are starvation, poverty, education, employment, health, drug exploitation, childhood felony, recreation events, Child and young women, Environment. The International Youth Day suggests that regional, countrywide and worldwide communities implement the program.

The activities of International Youth Day:
The United Nations marked out the youth, the age between 15 to 24 years. This is one sixth of the global populace. The youth will develop the countries to increase preciously in 21st century in all sides.

Many activities and events that take place around the world on International Youth Day promote the benefits that young people bring into the world. Many countries participate in this global event, which may include youth conferences on issues such as education and employment. Other activities include concerts promoting the world’s youth, as well as various sporting events, parades and mobile exhibitions that showcase young people’s achievements.

Visit Animal World USA website to see how we celebrate youth everyday:
http://www.animalworldusa.org/

Nominate a young one or classroom for our Animal World USA-International Youth Leadership award. http://www.animalworldusa.org/Youth-Leadership.html

Visit United Nations Youth Day website:
http://www.un.org/en/events/youthday/

See how Africa is celebrating International Youth Day at Africa Weeks website:
http://www.africaanimals.org/information.html

DAKTARI Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage

Passionate about wildlife and aware that education in environment preservation is a real need, and Ian and Michele Merrifield created this new initiative in conservation awareness with Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage.

The mission of Daktari is to inspire, motivate, develop and educate underprivileged children to care for the environment through the medium of a wildlife orphanage.

Firstly, Daktari is a refuge for the orphaned and injured animals from the local game reserves. These animals are examined by a specialised vet and can recover at Daktari before being rehabilitated in their natural habitat. However, if their health condition does not make it possible, they are then kept at Daktari where they will be looked after and will play an essential role in education of the local underprivileged children and many other people.

Then, Daktari is an environmental educational centre. It targets underprivileged children. Most of the local children have never seen a giraffe or a lion, and have not developed any emotion towards animal welfare. They live in rural areas where wildlife has been removed many many years ago, and although they live near the Kruger National Park and many private nature game reserves, access to these places is out of their reach.

The wildlife is their heritage too! Poaching and habitat destruction are a reality and have a far-reaching detrimental impact on the environment. It is essential for conservation that the future generations be educated in the economic and spiritual necessity for compassion, care and protection of the environment.

Every Monday Daktari welcomes a new group of 8 local underprivileged children and 1 youth for a week and give them the opportunity to discover, learn and become passionate about wildlife and conservation, their heritage. Michele says, "We also supplement their school curriculum in English, maths, sciences, geography, life skills and social issues."

Michele continues, "Our goal is to enable today’s local underprivileged children to eventually be able to secure good employment in nature reserves, thereby improving their future quality of life."

Daktari welcomes international volunteers to help with the education and the care of the animals. Their financial participation for their stay goes toward the running cost of the project and Daktari receive private and corporate donation.

If you would like to support the cause or become a volunteer, please contact Ian and Michele at info@daktaribushschool.or or visit their website www.daktaribushschool.org

The non-profit organisation is registered as such under Section 21 (incorporated the 21/06/2002, registration number 2002/015279/08). It is situated on a 700 hectare private game reserve not far from the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Animal World USA-International says, "Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to Daktari for celebrating the 1st Africa Weeks for the Animals August 2-15, 2010!"

Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage
Bona Ingwe Farm, Harmony 81 Hoedspruit 1380
South Africa
Tel: +27826562969
Email info@daktaribushschool.org
Website: daktaribushschool.org

1st Africa Weeks for the Animals August 2-15, 2010!

(Lukasa, Zambia) Animal World USA-International is pleased to announce that the 1st Africa Weeks for the Animals has kicked off Monday, August 2, 2010. It will be celebrated through Sunday, August 15th. This time will highlight the importance that African animals play in our world and help African organizations to help the animals.

The weeks are designed to celebrate and build awareness on behalf of Africa's animals, as well as recognize all who support them. 1st Africa Weeks for the Animals is bringing together educators, advocates, humane organizations, sanctuaries, students, community leaders, and caring citizens in an important week of activities. Children are a big part of the week and will be featured in many ways. Entertainers are lending their talents for the animals, as well.

Art of Conservation, Inc is creating artwork in honor of the 1st Africa Weeks for the Animals. Founder Julie Ghrist, a beautiful soul and founder, is encouraging the young ones and sharing their beautiful artwork on their website. They started on August 2nd and will be creating artwork everyday! We are so grateful and our hearts are filled with joy seeing their inspiring work. Visit http://artforgorillas.wildlifedirect.org/


The weeks will also feature festivals and events, educational activities, animal watching/walking tours, farm animal day, camel festival, blessing of the animals, low cost vaccination/spay and neuter opportunities, gorilla tours, feral cat spay initiative, young people creating art and/or essays about primates, golf day benefit for homeless animals, charity dinner for wildlife, initiative to help stop the highway propsed through the Serengheti, book sales for homeless dogs and more! The events will shine the spotlight on the amazing animals and compassionate people of Africa.

If you would like to learn more, become involved, organize an event, please call 877-454-0807 or visit the official website at http://africaanimals.org/
You may also learn more about the AWUSA-International Weeks campaign at http://www.animalworldusa.org/