DRYVE
DRYVE (distributing resources to youth through volunteer efforts) is an organization that WILL make a difference within today's society. This organization is composed of college students each with the ambition of educating, inspiring, and enriching the lives of underprivileged youth worldwide. DRYVE hopes that by blogging about our experiences, accomplishments, and future aspirations we will attract people who also support the cause of making a difference in this world.
Ask me anything
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“Volunteers don’t just do the work ~ they make it work.”
Carol Pettit
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In honor of the one year anniversary of the earthquake and it’s results in Northeastern Japan, we’ll be posting a series of photographs from MSF’s work during the crisis in 2011.
” A month after the earthquake and tsunamis struck, MSF teams in Japan had performed around 1,700 consultations.”
Photo:© Giulio Di Sturco VII Mentor
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Last week DRYVE traveled to the Dominican Republic where we lived and worked in a very impoverished community. This group of 15 Northeastern undergraduate students constructed a library and taught kids about the importance of remaining in school, ways of how to become positive role models and leaders within their community, and live a healthy lifestyle. Our group was able to successfully make an impact within the community of La Yuca and I am certain that the lives of many children (and adults) were impacted from our hard work!
Photo credit: Tyrene Soler
February292012
Pre-departure meeting: DRYVE will land in the Dominican Republic this Saturday morning and immediately begin working on our project! We look forward to meeting students, parents, and community leaders that will gain a new perspective from our work.
February152012
CHANGE IS NECESSARY. CHANGE IS POSSIBLE.
One day when I was in high school, our part of town lost power.
They cancelled school.
One day when I was in high school, our part of town lost power.
Fast forward six years, and I find myself in a dim first grade classroom in rural western Honduras. It’s day two of no power, and it’s not looking good for the week. We teach anyway.
There are no windows in the classroom.
I’m trying to teach the colors, but the only light is a glare on the whiteboard from the open door, and the fidgety kids in the back can’t really see whether I’m pointing to blue or purple. A cacophony of voices from other classrooms filters in; they have their doors open, too.
It’s loud, but if we shut the door, we’d have no light at all.
So we just make do.
I try not to let my frustration get the best of me, but as my kids’ attention fades almost as quickly as my dying dry erase marker, it’s hard not feel like “making do” is all we do.
I know how hard it is on me, as a teacher, to have no electricity. I end up writing out entire worksheets, stories, tests on the board because I can’t print them out; I sweat through all my clothes on a daily basis because even in the classrooms that do have rickety old fans, there’s no electricity to power them; I debate between holding class inside in the dark or outside under the scorching sun.
And when I choose the latter option, well—have you ever tried to get an entire class of kids to pay attention during a lesson when they’re in the middle of the playground?
But the stress on me as a teacher is nothing compared to the lost opportunities for a high-quality education for the children. How many productive classroom hours are lost each year due to lack of electricity and resources? Looking back at my own education now, I marvel at all the resources we had at my school, and get nearly giddy with excitement about what the possibilities for my kids would be if we had all of that here.
But the point of all this isn’t to send you on a five-minute guilt trip about your own privilege—trust me, I’ve been around that block too many times to count. The point isn’t to focus on the negatives.
The point is that we have the power to change all this.
What I’d rather you do, instead of spending a few minutes feeling bad about that hot shower with running water you took this morning, spend a few minutes researching different organizations who are working to change the status quo. Read up, ask around, find out what’s being done.
And maybe, eventually, what’s still left to be done.
Change is necessary. And it starts with you.
Join up with others, start something yourself, or just keep following the progress. Contribute your time, your skills, some money, or your mom’s famous cookie recipe, or get your rich uncle to invest $5 million—everyone can get involved in different ways, the important part is that we do.
February92012
Strong Women, Strong Girls is a nationally recognized mentoring program dedicated to raising the aspirations and self-esteem of elementary school girls.
February82012
“
What Counts
____________
What Counts is not the color of your skin
But the color of your character
What Counts is not the language that you speak
But the words that you use
What Counts is not where you live
But how you live
What Counts is not how much you earn
But what you do to earn it
What Counts is not where you are
But how you got here
What Counts is not that you are a human being
But the kind of human being you are…
February72012
“Love cannot remain by itself — it has no meaning.
Love has to be put into action, and that action is service.” Mother Teresa
Love has to be put into action, and that action is service.” Mother Teresa
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