Iraqi Participants make Dolma

Each year we have participants try their hand in the kitchen by making a dish for everyone during dinner.  This year our Iraqi participants made Dolma, a favorite Iraqi dish.  It is a very traditional dish mader with squash, onions, green peppers, tomatos and rice.

DOLMA

3 cups uncooked white rice
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
1 (16 ounce) jar grape leaves, drained and rinsed
3 Large Onions
4 Large Green Peppers
4 Large green squash
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 potato, sliced into rounds
1 cup canned tomato sauce
2 cups water, or as needed

Directions
1.In a medium bowl, mix together the uncooked rice, parsley, allspice, pepper and curry powder until well blended.
2.Pour oil into the bottom of a large pot, and spread to cover. Make a layer of potato slices to cover the bottom of the pan. The dolmas should not be able to touch the bottom of the pan.
3.Lay the grape leaves out flat on a cutting board. Place about a tablespoon of the rice mixture in the center of one leaf. Fold sides in towards the center, then roll up from the bottom loosely. Set in the pot seam side down. Repeat with the remaining mixture and leaves. For large leaves, you may cut them in half at the center vein. Place a heavy dinner plate on top of the dolma to keep them from unraveling. The cooking pot should be about 2/3 full.

4. Carve out the squash, green peppers and onions.  Stuff all three of these with the rice mixture as well and add into the pot with the grape leaves.

5.Pour tomato sauce and water over the dolma. The liquid should cover them by at least one inch. Adjust the amount of water if necessary. Bring to a boil, then cover, and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until all liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender.

The Domino Effect of Community Service

Recognizing the importance of the “domino effect” on civic engagement within your community is vital to its growth and preservation.  You rarely ever see just one person involved in a “community” project, instead several members are compelled to become involved and make a difference. With this concept in mind, working with youth in particular can change a generation. We need our youth to recognize the value of preserving our communities and encouraging growth in a constructive way. 

Here at the Global Youth Village , we try to instill the importance of this concepts in our participants as we provide the tools necessary for them to become community leaders. We show our participants the importance of giving back, while encouraging their peers to do the same. Our hope is by encourage a small group of youth, we will create a global domino effect amongst youth around the world.

 Become part of our “domino effect” and attend GYV this summer!   APPLY TODAY! E-mail Suhad Rasoul at gyv@legacyintl.org for more information.

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.