Michael Ogunnusi

Nationality: British

GYV Participant: 1996 (staff)

Education: PhD research student at the Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK. The research aims to get a fresh look at the mind of State governance and deepen the moral debate about the provision of targeted and support services for young people in the UK.

Most Interesting Countries Visited: Japan, Basque Country and the US.

Favorite GYV Memory: My memories of GYV include cultural sharing nights, (very) early morning Ti Chi, playing football in the hot sun, reciting poetry, slap stick comedy with custard pies, drumming, and the wonders of tofu (before and after consumption!) GYV introduced me to a type of education that values individual worth and builds inclusive relationships rather than generate resistance or rejection. My experiences at GYV still influence my passion for youth work as I remember the stories that the young people brought with them and the optimism and joy of the potential futures they took away – transcending culture, language, opportunity, and the even the politics of war. It left my spirit with a global footprint and the knowledge that changing beliefs can change behaviour.

Biography: My background includes youth work, social work, research, civil rights & police monitoring. I remain particularly interested in helping young people in times of challenge, often based in settings that are characterised by conflict. From the Caen Peace Museum to integenerational projects in Funibashi my work has taken me to the Netherlands, Basque Country, Japan and France to meet with cabinet ministers, colleagues, and young people.

In 2006 I published an article entitled ‘Keep It Together, Keep It Safe: Violence, Peace and Young People’ (Development Education Journal, October 2006) and the following year I set up ‘Peace Techniques’ a self-founded company that offers training and projects to promote youth perspectives and actively challenge the acceptance of aggression and violence.

I now also lecture part-time at De Montfort University at the Faculty of Health & Life Sciences and the Youth affairs Unit, where I am studying for my PhD. This year I am really excited about the potential of a new project called ‘XL’ that plans to create safe communal spaces as part of an international network to holistically integrate age, culture and ability.

For all my friends of 1996 Alumni, please get in touch and send me pics and your memories at my email mikeo_2007@yahoo.co.uk.   Peace.

Make 2010 a Year of Service

Community service projects are the foundation of bridging social barriers. This year we each have the opportunity to serve our neighboring communities by becoming involved in a community project. It is amazing the difference one person can make! National holidays, such as the Martin Luther King Day of Service, provide the perfect venue to get started. Just a few ways you could help out:

• Collecting items for charity such as clothes, food, or furniture.
• Cleaning roadside verges.
• Helping the elderly in nursing homes.
• Helping the local fire or police service.
• Helping out at a local library.
• Tutoring children with learning disabilities.
• Participating in school activities that benefit the wider community.

Help Haiti

A massive, 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti near the capital of Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, January 12th.  There are several GYV alumni with family suffering in Haiti.  Find a relief organization and donate now. 

•   Haitian-born music star Wyclef Jean  has a charitable organization www.yele.org.  Via twitter he recommends donating $5. You can text a $5 donation to 501501
• Donate to Unicef
• Help Habitat for Humanity respond  
• Donate or volunteer through Red Cross  

 Go to PBS to learn more from people working on the ground.

Saving Lives in Africa

On January 11, 2010, as part of our 30th anniversary, Legacy awarded Dr. Harold Robles, Chairman of Our International Board of Directors, with our 30th Anniversary Service to Humanity Award. More than 25 years ago, Dr. Robles founded the Albert Schweitzer Institute for the Humanities.  After meeting Dr. Albert Schweitzer,  Robles realized his responsibility to the Global Community. He says his inspiration for all his past, current and future work stems from his first meeting with Albert Schweitzer at the age of 11.

In 1999, Dr. Robles co-founded the Medical Knowledge Institute. MKI is a non-profit organization that believes and treats health care as a human right rather than a privilege. Dr. Robles believes that the future of medicine around the world is prevention thru education. An astounding fact is that 10 million children under the age of 5 die every single year from CURABLE diseases. According to the World Health Organization, for each General Practitioner there are 194,000 patients. MKI’s trainers give vital skills to people to treat and prevent diseases. For example diarrhea the number one causes of death to small children in impoverished regions. 13% of the children die from diarrhea. By empowering the people with knowledge today, you are saving the lives of tomorrow. Now that is peace worth building.

Dr. Robles endorses the Global Youth Village as a place where young people can concieve of themselves as social innovators.  All social innovation starts with a goal or dream. GYV is place where you can start to discover your vision and find out how one person can make a difference.

Come to GYV and you can meet people like Dr. Harold Robles.

Support women living with HIV/AIDS by purchasing YOELL exclusive jewelry hand crafted by HIV-infected women in South Africa.  With the money earned they are able to become economically independent and to support their own family.