‘One Person can Make a Difference’ Top Ten List for 2011

There is no true order in this list. How can one categorize the philanthropic, philosophical, and heroic nature of these individuals and groups? Compiled are a group of dedicated men and women, giving of themselves to enrich their lives and offer hope to the world. Whether you agree with them or not; their contributions to 2011 is incalculable. One person can make a difference, will you?

10. Patrice Millet; Founder of “FONDAPS: Foundation of Our Lady of Perpetual Help”

Millet received a stem cell transplant in the United States after being diagnosed with an advanced stage of bone cancer. When Millet returned to his home in Haiti, he was determined to live life to the fullest and give back to the poor of his country.

Millet sold his construction supply business and founded FONDAPS; a foundation utilizing soccer to help the children of Haiti stay out of gangs. Focusing on the children from Solino, a dangerous slum in Port-au-Prince; Millet encouraged the youth to participate in the national sport.

Giving hope to the war torn, hurricane thrashed, and cholera infested nation was difficult at best. To Millet it has become a passion. "When you live in the ghetto, you don't see the world outside," he said. "I try to bring hope for them, ... to show them that (their) life is not only the reality."

9. Geoffrey CanadaCanada; Founder of the “Harlem Children’s Zone Project”

When asked “what is the best way to get out of poverty;” Canada emphatically states, “education.” Canada, 59, has chaired the foundation he created fourteen years ago. The “Harlem Children’s Zone Project” is a “cradle-to-career” support system for disadvantaged children.

Canada states “you cannot divorce where kids live from where they learn.” His philosophy and foundation became a model for President Obama’s “Promise Neighborhoods” program. Starting as a one block prototype, the HCZ Project has grown to over 100 city blocks, serving over 8000 children. Amongst the program’s offerings are: early childhood education, after-school services, guidance for teachers and parents, and educating parents to teach their children.

8. Taryn Davis: Creator of the “American Widow Project”

Taryn Davis lost her husband, 22-year-old Army corporal Michael Davis in 2007. Davis was killed while serving his country in Iraq. Fighting depression and isolation, Taryn found that her situation was not unique, yet quite misunderstood. At the time, there was little formal support for military wives. Most of the women were left with children, bills, and the inability to cope with the loss of their spouse.

While the military did provide several support groups, Taryn felt that most were too large and distant in comprehensive understanding to the blight of the widows. Being so young, 22, she felt disconnected and despondent. In her search for companionship, camaraderie, and tears to share, Taryn began traveling the country in search of other military widows. “The American Widow Project” began with a documentary relaying testimonial of six widows. The reaction to the documentary was more than favorable. It brought to light the guilt of survival, the struggle to move forward, and the pain of losing their “lifetime” partner.

Davis began a nonprofit organization, named after the documentary. The project now connects over 800 military wives, offering support, tears, laughter and hope.

7. Amy Stokes: “Infinite Family” – Connecting South African Teens with World-wide Mentors:

Stokes, of Yonkers, New York, began with a computer and a desire to help. Her passion with orphans of HIV/AIDs parents began in 2003, when she and her husband visited South Africa, and adopted their son, Calder.

Witnessing the number of orphans created by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Stokes and her husband not only adopted, but began an outreach program to the more than 15 million children in sub-Saharan Africa that have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS.

Since 2006, “Infinite Family,” developed by Stokes has built and operated five computer labs at partner organization sites across South Africa. The purpose is to cyber-connect children with mentors from all over the globe. Utilizing Ezomndeni-net, the program develops studies and tutorials in their language. The goal: self-reliance, motivation, education, and preparing the youngsters to compete in the global marketplace.

One of the students of the “Infinite Family,” Buthelezi, has started his first job as an IT professional. He is working on the Gautrain Project, South Africa’s first inner-city high speed rail. There are countless other “Buthelezis” waiting for their chance to rise from poverty and learn from mentors they may never meet.

6. Sean Monagle: Inventor of the Prenatal Screening Kit

Monagle along with engineering classmates Maxim Budyansky, Sherri Hall, Matthew Means, Shishira Nagesh, Mary O’Grady, Peter Truskey and James Waring; have invented a device to detect early neo-natal complications at home. The 50 cent dipstick can alert women to pre-eclampsia within minutes.

Ninety-nine percent of maternal deaths occur in developing countries where pre-natal care is almost nonexistent. Monagle, now a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University, designed the stick to monitor complications prior to giving birth. The cost effectiveness of the stick will enable those who could not receive prenatal care a chance to monitor their progress.

The prenatal stick should not be used in lieu of professional medical care. The intention of the stick was to offer global hope to women and children and to prevent needless complications and possible death in the course of delivery.

5. Leymah Gbowee; Co-Nobel Peace Prize Winner, 2011; Founder of “Women Peace and Security Network Africa”

Gbowee shared the Nobel Peace Prize this year with Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Tawakkul Karman for “their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work.”

Ms. Gbowee’s biography and contributions to women’s rights in Liberia reads as though it were an army of contributors. Winning the Nobel Peace Prize was just the tip of the iceberg. Gbowee organized peace-building initiatives for hundreds of women in nine of Liberia’s fifteen counties. Serving on several panels, including UIFEM’s “Women and the Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration and Repatriation Process, ” Gbowee has consistently emphasized the role of women in peacemaking endeavors.

Founder of the “Women in Peacebuilding Program/West Africa” and the founder/executive director of the “Women Peace and Security Network Africa;" Gbowee’s mission is to strengthen and empower African women and enrich the world with peace. Among her many goals and ongoing achievements, Gbowee strives to mobilize women across ethnic and religious divides to end the Liberian civil war. Her vision extends beyond Libya, as she has become a catalyst in empowering women in peacemaking endeavors across the globe.

4. Andy Czerkas: The River Food Pantry

Czerkas and wife, Jenny, have volunteered at low-income housing developments on the north side of Madison, Wisconsin for years. The AARP has recognized their foundation, “The River Food Pantry,” as the winner of the AARP Foundation’s “Hunger Hero” contest.

“The River” serves more than 25,000 pounds of food to the elderly and the poor. Every Friday night a special dinner is held, banquet style. Those in need are offered a sumptuous dinner on linen table cloths, fine dishes and silverware. It is not just food the Czerkas family serves, it is dignity. The pantry visitors are able to choose donated clothing, household items and food to take with them.

Czekas works more than 30 hours a week at “The River.” He also maintains his day job, teaching information technology at a nearby technical college. “The River” has expanded in the past two years due to increased unemployment. Volunteers sort clothes, gains supplies and distribute amongst the counties poor and hungry.

3. Wael Ghonim: The Man the Sparked a Revolution – The Fall of the Egyptian Government

Can one person start a revolution? Ask Wael Ghonim. On January 25, 2010, the unthinkable happened. Twelve million Egyptians began a revolution and overthrew the government of Hosni Mubarak.

Google executive, Ghonim became the internet voice of the revolt. Utilizing social media, most notably Facebook, Ghonim was able to educate the youth of Egypt and encourage an uprising against tyranny. Posting his position and the practicality of formulating staged demonstrations, Ghonim globally united the people of Egypt. His mobilization via wireless capacity led not only to the destruction of the Mubarak regime, but initiated other demonstrations in the Arab world.

A lone voice in the midst of chaos, Sampson defeated Goliath with a stone or two from his mighty networking arsenal. The face of the world has been changed by the innovations of Twitter and Facebook. Utilizing the technology, one man changed a nation and sparked revolution throughout the world.

2. Kristen Christian: Bank Transfer Day

One person, Christian, changed the way Americans looked at their banking institutions and took charge. Christian, a small business owner in Los Angeles, took it upon herself to wage war against high level banks and place emphasis on local credit unions. Not affiliated with any other demonstration group, Christian utilized Facebook to get her word out to the rest of the world.

What happened was a small miracle. Christian’s philosophy, “cooperation and respect are crucial for communities to thrive,” led her to initiate November 5, 2011 as Bank Transfer Day. Four weeks prior to November 5th an estimated 700,000 Americans took their hard-earned money and put them in the hands of credit unions. At least $4,580,000,000 in funds were transferred in the movement.

The mission statement of Bank Transfer Day: “Re-invest in our local communities through the transfer of funds from banking institutions to credit unions.” One person, over $4 billion; that’s a lot of change.

1. Micah White: Senior Editor of “Adbusters” Anti-Consumerist magazine and “Occupy Wallstreet”

The world has changed, drastically, radically, and with conviction. The people are taking their power back and telling corporate greed, they are “mad as hell and they are not going to take it anymore.”

Micah White, Senior Editor of Adbusters was one of the catalysts to the movement that was to target Wall Street, but spread across the United States, Canada, and the UK. The protests have gained momentum and are seen in every major city in the U.S.

“We are the 99%” is the political slogan, originally launched as a Tumblr blog page in August, 2011. The Occupy Movement has been the cornerstone of the American people taking corporate greed to task. And it all started with one little blog.

In a July 2011 blog post, “Adbusters” a Canadian-based foundation and magazine proposed a peaceful occupation of Wall Street. The mission: target Wall Street for the part it played in the economic crisis of 2008. Risky lending practices of mortgage-backed securities caused the crisis. Wall Street “recklessly and blatantly abused the credit default swap market and the instability of that market must have been known beforehand.” The rest, as they say, is on-going history.

Sources:

CNN US

Time Magazine

Techie Buzz.com

Hunt Alertnatives.org

CNN.com

Pop Sci

CNN.Com/2011

AARP

Time.com

Allvoices

Facebook

Wikipedia