Global Awakening Movement Bringing Hope to Orphaned Children in Africa
December, 2011
Pilot Program Making a Difference in the Lives of 100 Children in Ghana
Pembroke Pines, Florida – Every year 15 million children die of hunger, and the UNICEF estimates that there are 1,000,000 orphans in Ghana alone. These children are not only lacking an adequate food supply, but also basic necessities such as clean water, clothing, and medical care. Glorious Being Center, with the help and generosity of volunteers, has embarked on a two-part mission of love to bring sustainable living to these children. The pilot program is called the Glorious Being Residence and Empowerment Center, and the mission is two-fold. The first part, called the Outer Building, involves building a safe and sanitary home including sustainable food supplies for 100 orphans in Ghana. The second part of the mission is called the Inner Building, which focuses on providing the children an education curriculum which includes personal development and life skills to help them shift their thinking to unlimited potential. Since the Glorious Being Residence and Empowerment Center will be self-sustainable, it will also serve to create a positive ripple effect to the surrounding communities and the country as a whole. It is a fresh and exciting concept, and one that brings real, lasting hope.
Glorious Being Center (GBC) is a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) organization founded in 2004 by Rev. Gloria Ramirez, and its main mission is to empower children and women to greatness. GBC has joined forces with other organizations to bring self-sustainable living, known as Permaculture (www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT_2VVXA7SY), to Ghana, and then to other parts of the world. GBC board members have attended Permaculture workshops to become familiar with the system they are implementing. The Glorious Being Residence and Empowerment Center project is powerful and unique. Rather than simply feeding the children for a few days, GBC will provide a self-sustainable home for the children with everything needed to grow their own food and maintain a balanced quality of life for generations to come. The residents of the village will be able to support themselves, get an education, and live healthy lives. This unique concept will ensure lifelong success in the lives of the residents, and will serve as a model for other communities.
A group of dedicated GBC volunteers and board members spent the first half of December in Ghana to find the land for the village and get the project started. Everyone involved is very excited about the limitless potential for positive change. GBC welcomes volunteers and anyone with a desire to help to join forces in creating a ripple effect of global proportion. Updates on the progress of the project will be available on the web site and in future press releases.
Miramar show to raise money for orphanage in Ghana
November 13, 2010|By Chris Guanche, Forum Publishing Group
A Miramar holiday show will raise money to help build an orphanage in Ghana.
The Dancing from the Heart show will take place at 7 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Miramar Cultural Center, 2400 Civic Center Place. The show is a coordinated effort between Meg Segreto’s Davie-based Perpetual Motion Dance Company and the nonprofit Glorious Being Center.
For Glorious Being Vice President Joy Vodofsky, the connection to Ghana is personal. Vodofsky has been raising money for various causes since losing her 12-year-old daughter, Julia, to leukemia in 1994. When her daughter-in-law suggested volunteering at an African orphanage, Vodofsky agreed and spent two weeks in Dodowa, Ghana.
The contrast between South Florida and Africa was stark — no running water, no electricity.
“The conditions they live in are horrible,” Vodofsky said. “It’s something you can’t even imagine.”
Vodofsky had raised some money for the orphanage before her trip, and it was spread out to buy as many essentials as possible, including health insurance, textbooks and corn. After returning to the U.S., Vodofsky wanted to do more and brought the issue to the attention of her friend Gloria Ramirez, founder of Glorious Being.
Vodofsky joined the nonprofit, and its main project now is to construct the orphanage for Women’s Refuge and Survival for Children in Africa. The plan is to raise enough money to build a permanent home for about 100 children, including space for offices, classrooms and playrooms.
“It’s everything they would need to live and function normally,” Vodofsky said.
The holiday show will be a mix of new and familiar songs, said Lindsey-Lee Jolly, director of education at Perpetual Motion. The nonprofit dance studio usually works on at least one major fundraising show per year, she said. The show’s 20 dancers will be performing such Christmas mainstays as “The Nutcracker” and music from “The Polar Express.”
“There’ll be the traditional carols that everyone knows, along with songs updated for kids,” Jolly said.
Although the company has performed “The Nutcracker” before, it’ll be their first time at the Miramar Cultural Center. As part of this year’s show, they’ve created new backdrops and will be adding a snow dance with young students acting as angels. Dancing with a nonprofit company, students perform throughout the year at charitable events instead of competitions.
“I think the kids get a lot more enjoyment out of doing it for the sake of the performance,” Jolly said.
Tickets range from $25 to $40. For more information, visit http://www.miramarculturalcenter.org or call 954-602-4500.
Chris Guanche can be reached at cguanche@tribune.com
