Genocide of Female Children in India

There is an outcry in India, calling for the government to stop female genocide. It is horrendous to wrap our heads around the fact that about 50 million women and children have been taken out of India’s population, simply for being female.  In many rural areas, infanticide and genocide of females is still practiced in India going far back into its historical roots. Female children born to women are strangled, drowned, poisoned and thrown out.  The most outrageous part is that it is ongoing today and as young, educated Indian females in our global world, we simply cannot fathom this taking place. It is the silent tears of mothers that leave an imprint, as they feel that they have no choice but to succumb to pressure of bearing more than one female child, labeled as a burden to its society. It is the worst genocide in human history.

Famine Relief to Malnourished Children

Millions of children are suffering from malnutrition and are being buried by their loved ones daily. It is with a single layer of leaves and branches that serves as a symbol of goodbye. The fight against hunger has finally become too much of a burden to bear in East Africa and impoverished nations . There is a product that is being used for famine relief called Plumpy’nut. It was formulated in 1997 by a French pediatric nutritionist and a French company called Nutriset. This is now being used for famine relief distributed to malnourished children that are suffering and dying on a daily basis. The product is comprised of peanut–based paste and holds enough nutritional value that is essential to treat a malnourished child. 92 grams of the paste can be given to remove the need for hospitalization and can be administered to children in their communities, allowing more children to be treated immediately as a result. Plumpy’nut is used for that of humanitarian aid relief and RUTF, ready to use therapeutic food for severe acute malnutrition of children.

CNN Hero of the Year Making a Lasting Impact

Anuradha Koirala is the 2010 CNN Hero of the Year honored for her 
selfless social work with the women and children in Nepal.  Koirala founded an 
organization, Maiti Nepal, whereby women and girls from Nepal are 
rescued and rehabiliated in order to end sex trafficking. More than 
12,000 women and girls have been rescued by the group and with a rehabilitation home in Kathmandu, as well as rescue groups and transit homes set up at Indo-Nepal border towns. Actress Demi Moore,  traveled to Nepal to meet the founder to interview those rescued and to be shown for the film. The documentary is called  "Nepal's Stolen Children: A CNN Freedom Project Documentary." Check it out. It is amazing, disheartening and inspiring all at the same time.

http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/17/nepals-stolen-children/

Ifest 2011

The Houston International Festival 2011, spotlighting The Silk Road, Journey Across Asia was one that was lined with many different highlights, as visitors made their exciting journey throughout East Asia.
Exotic pashminas, saris, wraps and dresses were on display hailing from the faraway land of rich silk, spices and delicious food from restaurants such as Chinese Yao, while Indian food was represented by restaurants such as Mayuri, Holy Cow and Udupi Cafe with samosas, chaat and tangy cuisine. 

 
Everyone enjoyed the festival as adults and children could be seen swaying to and enjoying the music, cold drinks and food while people watching and viewing the fashions shown. Indian classical dancers and Chinese acrobatic dancers embodied the culture perfectly and enthralled the crowd with their beauty, pride and grace. Face painting and activities kept the kids busy, while henna was applied by artists to the hands of those inspired by the fashions and culture of the East. There were many lessons learned, as well as a sprinkling of imparting knowledge and wisdom bestowed upon visitors and locals.  Community booths helped to offer information and educate the community of great leaders such as Gandhi and what his background and mission in life was. Ifest is a great event and contribution to the community in representing different parts of the world every year. The festival runs this year from the weekends of April 30th- May1st and May 7th-May 8th. Please go to www.Ifest.org for more information.

1000 Lights For Peace-Oct. 1, 2006
Houston paid homage to the life of Mahatma Gandhi with a candle light vigil in the heart of
Downtown Houston. Thousands showed, including dignitaries such as Mayor Bill White and
Sheila Jackson Lee.  It was a true testament to the life and message that he conveyed.
"In the midst of darkness, light persists"---Gandhi




AADA- Masquerade Ball
S2Productions Mission DVD
This event is AADA's annual fundraiser to support Asian women in the community that are victims
of domestic violence.  We were there for the presentation of a DVD that S2 developed, produced in outlining the organization, its mission and services provided.


International Festival in Houston, TX  April 2006
Even though this year's festival was focused on Jamaica, the Indian vibe continued from last year.  
An Indian cultural zone consisted of food, dances, fashion shows, and local organizations
representing the Indian community.


Daya "Hope Through Harmony"--February 25th, 2006
Celebrating Daya's 10 year anniversary, the organization hosted their annual fund raiser featuring
music by Penn Masala.  It was a packed house, as people enjoyed the evening and helped to raise funds and awareness for the cause.

Daya was created in 1996 to serve South Asian families in crisis.  The mission is to increase
awareness through education and outreach, as well as serve as a hub for women seeking help
through their helpline. They serve women that have been victims of domestic violence, sexual
assault, and other issues.  South Asian women feel more comfortable dealing with Daya, as there
are many cultural and language barriers involved. One of the most important goals of the
organization is to establish a shelter for those in emergency crisis situations and to make others
aware through programs and seminars.

Support of Daya will continue to make a difference in the lives of South Asian women affected and
their families. www.dayahouston.org


International Festival of Houston-April 2005
In the 32 years that Houston has hosted Ifest, this was the premier year for India to be spotlighted.
The event was one of the top ten in attendance and featured food, traditional artifacts, fashions, as
well as Bollywood dances and fashion shows

We were there to get feedback from the crowd and business owners, as well as soak up a little
India in the heart of Downtown Houston.



The Dalai Lama visits the University of Texas, Austin-September 2005
His holiness, The Dalai Lama,  visited UT Austin on September 20, 2005.   The spiritual leader of
Tibetan Buddhism spoke on "The Meaning of Compassion in Everyday Life" and on "Tolerance
and Universal Responsibility."  His visit was very much welcomed during these troubled times.


"Race for Cure"

The Susan G. Komen "Race for Cure" took place on Saturday, October 4th at Sam Houston Park Downtown. The event is held every year to bring together thousands affected by cancer. There are those that are survivors or those of us that have loved ones dealing with cancer. 

The race is also to continue to build awareness through continued research and grants. We try to make it every year.  Was a great turnout.Come and join the fun next year for an amazing cause and feel great!See ya there. Get ready, set...go..

www.Komen-Houston.org

IHOP Pancake Day 

 Shriners Hospital for Children and IHOP are planning an exciting event to celebrate National Pancake Day, Tuesday February 24th at  7:00a.m - 10 p.m at surrounding IHOP establishments.  Patrons will receive a free shortstack, in turn donating to the children's  hospital. IHOP and its patrons have raised thousands of dollars to help Shriners. They are the premier sponsor of this event.

 Eric Winston from the Texans will be on hand as the celebrity "pancake flipper" from 11:00 a.m -1:00 p.m at the IHOP off of I-59 and Kirby, 2515 SW Freeway in Houston Texas. Proceeds of this event will be donated to Shriners Hospital for Children. This will help to continue to provide state of the art specialty pediatric care to children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. The children receive care at no cost to them and their families, regardless of financial need. We are counting on your support for this important and fun event for Shriners. We truly appreciate your support of Shriners, where we are helping children defy the odds.

Cinco De Mayo at Shriners Hospital for Children

  The kids at Shriners Hospitals for Children got a rare treat for Cinco De Mayo, May 5th at Shriners Houston hospital. Lead singer of Santana, Andy Vargas stopped by the hospital to sing for the patients, parents and the staff.  A great time was had by all and it was such a nice release for the kids who were occasionally seen dancing, not to mention the staff as well. Channel 11 and the Houston Chronicle came out to cover the event.

News in Our Ever Changing World

Demise of Osama Bin Laden

Bin Laden was killed by special operative forces of the US,  Sunday May 1st 2011. President Obama quickly addressed the nation Sunday night at around 11:45, confirming that he was found and had indeed been killed.  Bin Laden was said to have been taking refuge in Pakistan for about three years. He was found occupying a mansion in a compound in Abbottabad and killed in a firefight when raided by US forces. Security is tight and people are reacting to this with raw emotion with the reminders of 9/11, as most seen in New York City by the World Trade Center and in Washington DC at the Whitehouse.  President Obama visited New York City, paying homage to the victims of 9/11, their families and the unsung heroes by laying a wreath at Ground Zero and speaking with the families.

 Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami,  in the Aftermath

In the wake of Japan's devastating earthquake that shook the earth on Friday, March 11th, 2011, there are millions of children that are unaccounted for as a result of the 9.0 magnitude tsunami that formed undersea that followed minutes after.  It is a heart wrenching scene for a once thriving society and family life,  as parents now search the rubble of a school building for remnants and reminders of their children where thousands of school children once played, laughed and attended school. Many people are having to start from scratch as their homes were washed away, loved ones lost to the powerful surge of the water and now the radiation factor affecting the health of Japan and its citizens. Please log on to the following sites to see how you can help.

www.Redcross.org

www.Savethechildren.org

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/savethechildrenusa/sets/72157626286350054/show/

 Racial Profiling: No Rose Colored Glasses

Actor Shah Rukh Khan, was detained and questioned at a New Jersey airport on August 15th, 2009. Even though the public is assuming that the publicity comes upon the heels of the actor's movie which deals with racial profiling, this is still a prevalent issue in our society today. Racial profiling is alive and well in this day and age, particularly affecting us as South Asians. Question is, what do we do to address these issues that now arise based on one's origin?

Slumdog Sweeps the Oscars

  The movie Slumdog Millionaire racked up the Oscars at the awards show held on Sunday, February 23rd in Los Angeles. The movie won eight awards, including best adapted screenplay, best director, best cinematography best score and song by A.R Rahman. 

Gupta Declining Surgeon General

 Barack Obama had nominated Cnn's Sanjay Gupta to be surgeon general. He was seriously considering taking the offer,but declined much to everyone's chagrin.He reportedly makes anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000 in special appearances alone and that is not counting his stint as neurosurgeon at Emory University. He reports with CNN  as their chief medical correspondant, while also being known as the "sexiest man alive," with People magazine.

Terror in Mumbai

Terror unfolded in India as armed gunmen held hotel guests and staff hostage in Mumbai. The guests were staying or dining at the Taj Hotel, Hotel Oberoi. There are at least 119 dead and the numbers will be escalating. Also, A Jewish center was bombed.

The gunmen were adamant about wanting to know which guests held US/UK passports.President Singh said that the Indian government, "will find who is responsible and condemn them for the attacks."  The attacks are definitely making for some interesting discussions and thoughts of all South Asians in the US and around the globe.

Eye of Ike

We witnessed the eye of Hurricane Ike firsthand as he hovered above the texas coast in Galveston and Houston. People loaded up on supplies like food, water, filled up their gas tanks and sheltered in place when in low-lying areas. It was a terrifying experience as we heard the howling of the wind and shaking of the windows. Galveston is hit hard, not since a century ago.  FEMA supplies have not yet been able to reach victims of the storm and Mayor White is not happy with the level of FEMA's assistance to the victims. 
 

 Massive Earthquake Strikes China

A magnitude of 7.8, a powerful earthquake struck China on monday affecting all of Southeast Asia with the tremor affecting Vietnam and Thailand. Nearly 9,000 have been killed and these numbers are expected to increase. The quake struck close to the Sichuan Province and capital of Chengdu, killing thousands of people and students and flattening schools along the way.  Many  people are buried below the rubble of the many collapsed buildings. President Bush offered his condolences to the chinese government and said that the US stands "ready to help." 

Please log on to the Red cross/Unicef sites listed below to see how you can continue to help.

Myanmar Cyclone Emergency

Cyclone Nargis created havoc as mother nature slammed into Myanmar over the weekend. Thousands were killed, the death toll may hit approximately 100,000, according to the top U.S Diplomat. UN says that these numbers will continue to rise significantly. Approximately 10,000 people are homeless. "The situation is increasingly horrendous and there is a shortage of food and water in the region", said Shari Villarosa, head of US Embassy.  Immediate needs include water purification tablets, plastic sheeting sets, emergency health kits and food.  Unicef's Myanmar office has already delivered essential suppplies including first aid kits and oral dehydration salts to Laputta township, the hardest hit. Teams are now being deployed to Yangon and Irrawaddy. Foreign aid flights and Unicef workers are still not being let in by the Myanmar Junta, as they are forbidding any entry which would consist of delivery and managing operations. However, at this time they are allowing in one single US Military cargo airplane with supplies for victims, according to the Bush administration.  There are great concerns that supplies, food and water will not reach the people that are suffering. Supplies and help are greatly needed. Children are always the most vulnerable in these times of disaster and susceptible to disease. Please log on today to see what you can continue to do to help the children and people of Myanmar.

www.unicefusa.org

www.redcross.org

AIDS crisis in India
Epidemic reaching epic proportions in India.  Estimated that between 20 to 25 million people will be infected with HIV by 2010, one in six people. The key to prevention lies in education. Get involved...this effects all of us!   
www.gerefoundation.org
www.healingthedivide.org  
www.pedaids.org

Randy Pausch:

 We lost the brilliant and inspiring professor, Randy Pausch to pancreatic cancer. He tried to live his life to the fullest. His "Last Lectures" have become famous as he often spoke at Carnegie Mellon on his outlook on life and the legacy that he would leave behind for his wife and children. His book, "The Last Lecture" was truly an inspiration, as his students and everyone were touched by his courage, diagnosis and life story."It's not about how to achieve your dreams. It's about how to lead your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself"-Randy Pausch