Original Air Date:
Monday, May 26, 2008
O Ambassadors - Introduction:
The Oprah show audience was filled with over 300 students who are part of the new O Ambassadors program. Oprah's latest philanthropic adventure partners the Angel Network with Free the Children, an organization started by Craig Kielburger who first visited the Oprah show at 16 in 1999. The joint effort has already produced more than 60 schools in developing countries around the world, and hopes to make more changes with O Ambassadors. O Ambassadors consists of clubs around the country with thousands of students participating. Students or teachers apply and are given materials to start fundraising and volunteering.
O Ambassadors - The First 12 Students:
The first group of O Ambassadors, 12 students, began their work by fundraising more than $8000 to build a school in Kenya - that they would be traveling to build. Jeremie, Mary, Shannon, Ola, Lia, Robert, Haley, Ryan, Kortnei, Katie, Andrew and Kenneth worked hard to raise money to have the opportunity to spend 3 weeks of their summer in Kenya building the new school.
O Ambassadors - Getting Started:
While O Ambassadors started with just 12 students, there are now thousands across the country involved in this effort. After a club is formed, the students receive curriculum about issues including the environment, health, education, sustainability and more to learn about the area that they will be helping. While much of the work is fundraising in the states, select students get the chance to travel overseas to volunteer. While only high school students can travel, all age groups can apply and participate.
O Ambassadors - Students in Kenya:
When the first 12 students traveled to Kenya, they arrived in Nairobi and had to travel by bus 8 hours to a village in the outskirts of the country. When the students arrived, they were greeted by the entire community welcoming them with a song. To start their work, the students watched a goat sacrifice to bless the land on which they were to build the school - it was difficult for many of the teens to see. Part of the ritual was to pass around the goat's milk and drink, which only Ryan actually did - he commented that it was warm, chunky and made him want to vomit.
O Ambassadors - Kenya Experience:
The students were in Kenya to build a school in just 3 weeks - by hand. The teens were given 30 minutes of instruction on how to build the school and then sent to work with no modern machinery. Digging a trench was the first step, followed by wood and stone work with the villagers help - seeing what they had in store, they didn't think they would be able to finish in time.
On one of the days, Nbala a village resident took the students on a hike to see how the villagers live. The hike took them to the top of a hill where a family lived and farmed. The teens helped the family with their harvest.
Another experience allowed the students to go on a water run with the girls. The walk to the river was an hour from the school and the girls had to carry the jugs back with them. When they arrived at the river, the students were shocked to see that it was so muddy it looked like chocolate. The villagers bathed, took care of their animals and drank from the same river. While the students were visibly upset watching the Kenyan students drink the water, they knew that they had no other choice. While the villagers have little food and dirty water, they were still full of hope, smiles and appreciation.
O Ambassadors - Taking Action:
O Ambassadors isn't just about seeing what needs to be done, but about taking action. Once the 12 students arrived back home, they raised an additional $5,000 to build a well in the Kenyan village. The students were so proud to have finished the school in the 3 weeks they were given and felt that it was one of the best experiences that changed their lives forever. It was hard for them to leave, but many said that they would be back.
Building the schools in developing countries makes such a difference because education is the key to change. Education helps reduce poverty, young marriage and more.
