Shakira; a guardian angel

All of you may know well the Brazil world cup which was held lately and marked the beginning of summer.  Do you remember an angel wearing a red dress and singing the song ‘La La La’ at the closing ceremony? This angel was a global pop star Shakira (Full name: Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll) from South America.


Her family became bankrupt when she was 8 years old. After being at an orphanage with her father, she realized that there are many poorer children on the earth. Since then, she has made a resolution herself that she’ll help children around the world. When she turned 18, she got prominence in Latin America with her major-label debut “Pies Descalzos”, and founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation at 20. It is a Colombian charity with special schools for poor children all around Colombia. That name of the foundation is taken from Shakira’s third studio album called Pies Descalzos. That is, she began to work for children in earnest since then.
 
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She was also appointed as a UNICEF ambassador and carried out various child protection activities from all parts of the world including her country Columbia.  At her age 36, she had a baby shower together with UNICEF and received presents for children. Those presents were not for her baby, but for all of children to save their lives even though she was pregnant at that time. Below is her maternity photograph.
 

Besides, she donated 4 million dollars for restoration from Hurricane Katrina and has worked on photo maternity shoots to raise money for charity. Also she donated her income from record sale to the African charity. In this respect she is famous not only for activities for child, but also for her steady donation.


Shakira thinks that she should devote herself to search the method to solve and inform the conflicts occurred all around world, and she practices it indeed. People usually help other people after their life becomesw sufficient. But if you look around, some people give a helping hand to others even though their life is not that sufficient. I think Shakira might be able to also practice her activities as she got a spare time and enough money to help others. But she deserves to be respectedwith regard to her devotingattitude for solving problems. There is no doubt that she is a guardian angel of children because she has kept her good mind and has truly practiced what she thought at 8 years old.

 

While talking about her, I am reminded of a phrase ‘the results turn out just as one expects’. Recently, I had an opportunity to talk with a man about peace. He wanted peace but seemed to think peace will be never accomplished. I wonder whether he really wants peace. How many people in the world really desire peace? I think many conflicts on the earth result from the disruption of peace. There will be only sufferings from disputes and conflicts in the situation that peace is punctuated. In this regard, world peace is the only solution. We should have a mind for the peace as Shakira gives hope to many children of the world. In this way, I again think about peace today.

The happiest country in the world, Costa Rica

 

   

 

Brazil World Cup in 2014! All countries in the world are enthusiastic or feel missed about the World Cup. Among many groups, group D is said to be a ‘Group of Death’. Group D consists of Costa Rica, Uruguay, Italy, England, and Costa Rica. In this group, Costa Rica was thought to be relatively weak when it is compared to other countries. However, Costa Rica competed with the powerful soccer teams and advanced to the second round.

Furthermore, it is a hot topic that Costa Rica won over Greece and advanced to the third round for the first time.

When Costa Rica is making headlines in World Cup, do you know that Costa Rica is the happiest country in the world?

The name of Costa Rica means rich beaches in Spanish(República de Costa Rica), for it has beautiful natural views.

 

 

 

A statistician, Nic Marks established New Economics Foundation (NEF) in England and made Happy Planet Index (HPI). Costa Rica ranks 1st in HPI. The assessment items of HPI are these; how long does the each individual feel pleased?, how wide is the land polluted? These estimate how much each country has understanding and consciousness of human beings and nature. So we can know that low earning and spending money cannot be a measure of happiness.

 

 

 

Nick Marx suggested 4 kinds of code of conduct as a way to raise the HPI, as follows;

First, ‘Be active.’

Second, ‘Pay attention to surroundings.’

Third, ‘Give to others.’

Fourth, ‘Always learn.’

 

Thus, if you practice these codes to raise HPI with heart to love people and nature, rather than seeking the materials and profits in your life, you and people around you may feel more happy in their lives.

 

Dream comes true, The Dream Ball Project

 

Recently, Brazil world cup is being a hot issue throughout the world. Though Korea couldn’t advance to the round of sixteen, we saw a possibility of the children who are dreaming for being soccer players all over the world. That is "Dream ball project",

 

 

 

Children in under-developed countries can't afford to buy a ball due to some problems caused from war and hunger. Dream ball project gives aid to the children with boxes of relief goods so that this project helps them make balls by themselves.

 

 

 

Children were keeping their dreams by playing soccer with empty cans and fabric, but many of them got hurt from the sharp and hard balls. For the children, a Korean design company ‘Unplug design’ started the Dream ball project.

   

 

Organizations like UN give aid to developing countries with boxes which can be dream balls. After they use all the relief goods in a box, the box can be transformed to dream balls. And also, the balls can be recycled to make another aid boxes. This process is considerably valuable.

 

 

   

    

This box is more flexible and durable than other boxes and includes a manual in it which explains how to make a ball easily. In addition, the size of ball is adjustable, so they can be used in various kind of games like soccer, baseball and hand

ball.

 

Actually, it may not be easy to have a dream to be a soccer player for the children in developing countries. So, I'm so proud that we can give hopes to them through Korean company's idea.

 

 

Though Korea couldn't satisfy us through this Brazil World Cup, I believe Korea will show us their potential energy someday like the Dream ball project. Because a company is sowing seeds of hope to children, I hope we can harvest the dream of peace that many people all over the world have. A small, but big country, Korea, keep it up!