Well Wishes and Blessings Needs Your Help NOW!

Urgent request: 200 American youth are needed to write/draw good will messages to Kenyan youth suffering from the aftermath of ethnic violence.

Your thoughts, your words DO make a difference! Simple kindness can radically - and immediately - change a person’s life. Briefly, here’s what’s been happening and how you can join in:

Well Wishes and Blessings, a humanitarian project of Eagle Vision Initiatives, has recorded an award-winning audio CD that includes a collection of original songs, interviews, raps and poetry written by children and youth throughout the US. Originally intended for kids in Iraq, the WELL WISHES CD's universal themes of peace, love and forgiveness have now reached Kenya, where they are being used as a remarkably effective tool of reconciliation after the recent onslaught of violence.

Last week, a Kenyan youth organization submitted an urgent request for 200 more WELL WISHES CDs to be shipped immediately; each disc will be delivered to an individual Kenyan youth with a personal letter/hand-made card from an American youth.

This is where you come in! Youth in the US are invited to write messages of good will, draw friendship cards, and freely express messages of hope and peace to these Kenyan youth suffering from the aftermath of ethnic violence, internal and Displacement. 200 letters/cards are needed ASAP for these packages.

Hundreds of thousands of people are now homeless throughout Kenya. All of the schools have been burnt down. Now, more than ever, the citizens of Kenya need to know that others care for them and are sending love. This is no small thing for those who have survived the latest violence. The power of innocent kindness has actually prevented murder.

Last month, the latest package of WELL WISHES CDs (which included friendship cards and artwork from kids around the US - including New England Roots & Shoots youth leaders) was sent to Nairobi. Eagle Vision received several positive responses, including the following from Lucy Wairimu, a young woman in Nakuru who, due to the recent violence, is now homeless.

Lucy had this to say, “I had the motive of revenging for loss of loved ones and property of my tribe in the ethnic violence but after listening to the CD, my heart softened and now I will continue to pray so that peace may return to our beloved country. The cards are also like the prescriptions I got from the Doctor. May God bless the people of America for their concern.”

The spoken and written words of youth are now helping to break the cycle of retaliation and murder. That's how powerful your heart-felt expression can be! We invite you to be a part of this awesome and necessary endeavor. Simply put: if there's anything the world needs these days, it's you. Be yourself, express your heart, share the Love and GO FOR IT! A little kindness from us is a huge gift for someone is suffering. Truly, you have the power to change someone's life - just by expressing that you care.

ALL LETTERS MUST BE RECEIVED BY APRIL 7, 2008 IN ORDER TO BE INCLUDED IN THE NEXT SHIPMENT OF CDs TO KENYA.

Please send letters to:

Roots & Shoots Well Wishes Project

89 South St. LL02

Boston, MA 02111

The WELL WISHES project is a humanitarian initiative - not in affiliation with any political agenda or religious belief. The goal of this endeavor is simply to offer and express love.

Links:

Well Wishes & Blessings: www.wellwishesandblessings.com

Eagle Vision Initiatives: www.eaglevisioninc.org

Roots & Shoots: www.rootsandshoots.org

BBC Special Report on Kenya: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/africa/2008/kenya/default.stm

For more information, contact Christine Ellersick, cellersick@janegoodall.org or 617-439-9090.