When fourteen year old Lisa Wong raised $43 from a bake sale for Roots and Wings, she could have stopped there knowing that she was helping many students who live on less than $2 a day. But Lisa knew that she could do more, so she asked her friends and family to match her bake [...]
I am now back in the UK slowly (and reluctantly) adjusting to the damp and grey climate I know all too well after returning from 9 weeks in deserts, beaches, and tropical beauty spots of India. I didn’t see it coming, but I must admit that I have never felt more ready to return to [...]
A few weeks ago, the Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA) visited one of their US Sponsoring Communities, which support their work to promote grassroots activism for justice and human rights in Guatemala. The following article from NISGUA’s blog, written by staff member Bridget Brehen, considers how communities in the US can connect with [...]
There was a movie awhile back called, Pay It Forward. The idea was that a young boy, Trevor McKinney, was faced with a school project to change the world. He thought he would do favors, but the favor was “returned” to three new people. This kind of idea, if implemented in the real world, would [...]
On Sunday May 13th at the Museum of the City of New York, the inspirational Kate Doyle, director of the Evidence Project at the National Security Archive, will receive the prestigious Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archive (ALBA) and Puffin Foundation Award for Human Rights activism alongside Fredy Peccerelli, an innovative forensic anthropologist of the Guatemalan Forensic [...]
On Labor Day, May 1st, Occupy Wall Street renewed its wave of protests against the 1% across the country but the movement has largely dwindled in scope. It was also a year ago this month that Chilean students took to the streets and united with laborers and community groups to protest a failing education and [...]
Wondering what’s been going in your favorite Central American country for the past week? Look no further — RWI’s weekly round of the top news stories from and about Guatemala will catch you up in no time! Groups involved with the Indigenous and Campesino March that happened last month met with the Guatemalan president to formally discuss [...]
The Guatemalan Forensic Anthropology Foundation (Fundacion de Antropologia Forense de Guatemala) is a unique organization that straddles both the human rights and scientific communities. This year, FAFG and its Executive Director Fredy Peccerelli, earned a high honor for their work on behalf of Guatemalan civil war victims, as a recipient of the ALBA/Puffin Award for [...]
Last month, Global Voices introduced a new blogging platform for women throughout Latin America — Mujeres Construyendo. This week, we’re proud to share Global Voices’ article with RWI’s readers, and hopefully spark a connection with two different organizations who give a voice to those who don’t always have a seat at the table. Enjoy. “Una bloguera [...]
Human rights advocates work tirelessly to bring justice to the most vulnerable in society, often without any recognition. However, two collaborating organizations are helping to change that with the ALBA/Puffin Award for Human Rights Activism. The first ABLA/Puffin Award in 2011 was given to Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzón for his accomplishments in bringing Chilean dictator [...]
As National Volunteer Week comes to an end, Roots and Wings International would like to thank all of it’s volunteers for their hard work and dedication over the last year. RWI’s United States office is run entirely by volunteers, which allows us to dedicate more resources to the programs and scholarships for the Guatemalan community. [...]
I’m writing this post from Goa as I take a break from the ‘real’ India and take advantage of some beach time to collect my thoughts about my experience so far. I’ve had some real ups and downs since my last post, but as always when you’re travelling, you can never be too sure how [...]
This past weekend, heads of state, business people, and social actors from across North and South America gathered in Cartagena, Colombia for the 6th Summit of the Americas. The summit is an opportunity for leaders to discuss issues of national and regional importance and this year made significant strides in including activists, indigenous groups, youth, [...]
“All people and things are interdependent. The world has become so small that no nation can solve its problems alone, in isolation from others. That is why I believe we must all cultivate a sense of responsibility based on love and compassion for each other.” These words from the Dalai Lama have always inspired me [...]
Many of us in the United States are taking advantage of the warm spring weather over the long weekend. Yet, in Guatemala, during Semana Santa, or Holy Week, a huge celebration is going on all across the country and it is a popular week for tourists. According to the newspaper El Periodico, 1.5 million Guatemalans [...]
