Global Youth Service Day (GYSD): An annual campaign to celebrate the millions of amazing young people who are making an impact on their communities and the world through service…like all of our PTPI student members and supporters. Check out just a few of our Student Chapters’ projects:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
-U.S. Anthropologist Margaret Mead
Khmelnitsky, Ukraine (Young Leaders) Student Chapter
Since December, this chapter has carried out a series of projects designed to teach orphans and children with disabilities about the cultural and artistic heritage of European countries. They taught new skills, built friendships and had a great time through games, songs and art projects such as pysanochky (the Ukrainian art of decorating Easter eggs). They also presented gifts of coloring books, novels and pens. The chapter is excited to continue their project, visiting more orphanages throughout Ukraine and beyond!
Varna, Bulgaria Student Chapter
These students gathered approximately 50 local children in the Sea Garden City Park and provided a fun afternoon full of games designed to promote fitness and a healthy lifestyle.
Monofeia, Egypt (Sadat City Agents of Change and Sadat City Peacekeepers) Student Chapters
Students in both chapters attend Sadat City Languages School, which has held an International Day for more than nine years. This year it was held on GYSD. The entire school took part and each class presented the customs, dances and cuisine of various cultures around the world.
In addition, the Sadat City Peacekeepers Chapter organized a Fun Day at the park for a group of 15 orphans and gave the children toys and school supplies. The Sadat City Agents of Change organized a tree-planting and clean-up day.
Vaslui, Romania (Mikhail Kogalniceanu) Student Chapter
The chapter traveled to a monastery to meet 12 elderly people that had been abandoned for various reasons: a lack of money, an absence of relatives or an inability to work. The nuns and priest of the monastery took the people in and built a small shelter to house them. Chapter members arrived with blankets, sheets, games and 12 bags of food that they purchased with contributions raised from local schools.
Chapter Advisor Liliana Ciobanu-Harhas commented that “the most impressive thing was not that we managed to make them this nice surprise, but the fact that our members talked and spent some time with these people. We cried, prayed and discussed how nobody should ever be abandoned.”
Lilongwe, Malawi Student Chapter
Making a spectacular GYSD debut, 47 chapter members volunteered at Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi. The students cleaned outside the hospital and sanitized the inside, improving conditions in one of the oldest hospitals in the city.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Student Chapter
Embracing the theme of biodiversity, chapter members planned and organized a beach clean-up at Eagle Ranch Resort in Port Dickson. Read all about their efforts on their blog!
PTPI Member Mark Pennypacker
People to People Student Ambassador Delegation Leader Mark Pennypacker organized youth to assist the Winchester Exchange Child Parent Center with their “Doo Dah Day.” The event raised funds to support child abuse prevention.
East Brunswick, New Jersey (Synergy) Student Chapter
A crowd of nearly 100 enjoyed entertainment provided by students from East Brunswick and surrounding communities at the coffeehouse benefit organized by the chapter to raise funds for Haiti. Thanks to their efforts, the chapter is able to send a contribution of $500 USD to Doctors Without Borders, for medical assistance to earthquake victims.
See more photos from global GYSD projects carried out by PTPI Student Chapters on Flickr!
