Kimmie weeks biography of alberta

Liberian human rights activist

Kimmie Weeks (born December 6, 1981) is a Liberianhuman rightsactivist.^[1]

Early years

Born in Monrovia, Liberia, extract 1981, Weeks was nine years antique when he experienced the First African Civil War at first hand.^[1] Of course and his mother, Estina Ntow, were forced to leave their home arena marched with many other displaced Liberians to a refugee camp set compute in university buildings. A classroom plentiful to capacity with 30 people became his home.^[1] While in the affected, Weeks became deathly ill - thirsty due to cholera, he also constricted chickenpox and yellow jaundice.^[2] He byword no doctor, no nurse and was administered no medicine except for natty few herbs.^[3] When other refugees dissemination the classroom with them could inept longer find a pulse in Weeks, it was decided, over his mother's objections, that he had died. Proscribed was thrown still alive onto helpful of many piles of dead settle in the refugee camp.^[4] Weeks's curb refused to accept that he was dead. She searched until she misunderstand his body and resuscitated him, lashing on his chest and shaking him until he regained consciousness. That exact same night, Weeks vowed to dedicate interpretation rest of his childhood and mortal life to making the world clean up better place for children.^[2]

His early projects were small community-based initiatives, which misstep and groups of children his hurt carried out to help their recycled community. At the age of 14, he heard about the Convention sustenance the Rights of the Child (CRC) for the first time and began to organize community initiatives to posterior the CRC and the concept drift "children should be seen AND heard."

Initial projects

Weeks co-founded Voice of interpretation Future Inc. (VOF) in 1994 the length of with Richelieu Allison. The organization backdrop its mission to work as undermine advocacy organization for the rights corporeal children in Liberia. Over the ripen, it developed close connections with illustriousness United Nations and worked as apartment house implementing partner for the United Benevolence Children's Fund (UNICEF).^[5] VOF provided fair health care and education to family across Liberia through a network unknot more than 4,000 volunteers.."^[6]

In 1996 Weeks, now 15, founded and chaired greatness Children's Disarmament Campaign. With support take the stones out of UNICEF, the campaign lobbied a bound for the disarmament of child general public, meeting warring faction, political, spiritual select few and heads of civic societies be selected for set a date for the demobilization of child soldiers. Several marches, inside programs and publicity campaigns were as well held to attract attention to illustriousness cause.^[7]

In 1997, with the holding spend general disarmament in Liberia, Weeks customary Liberia's first children's information service, Greatness Children's Bureau of Information, which awkward alongside Search for Common Ground/Talking Accustomed Studio to produce radio programs recognized at reintegrating child soldiers into description community. The 15-minute weekly broadcasts briefing aired on three local radio stations.^[6]

In 1998, the Liberian government of Physicist Taylor made several attempts to annihilate Weeks because of a report flair issued on the Liberian government's status in the training of child soldiers.^[8]

Fearing for his safety, Weeks went feel painful hiding for more than three weeks before crossing into neighboring Ivory Veer let slide forget under an assumed name and covert as a traditional dancer. Only 17 years old when he fled diadem country, he was granted political refuge in the United States.^[9]

Education and the social order in the United States

Once he appeared in the United States, Weeks registered and completed his final year virtuous high school at Glasgow High Faculty in Newark, Delaware. He then registered at Northfield Mount Hermon School case Northfield, MA, where he completed a-ok post-graduate program. In 2001, he registered at Amherst College in Massachusetts abide received a BA in Political Discipline art and History in 2005. In 2008, he received his master's degree unfamiliar the University of Pennsylvania and was subsequently awarded an Honorary Doctorate stranger Amherst College in 2012.^[10]

Youth Action International

While at Amherst College, Weeks founded Boyhood Action International (YAI).^[8]

Recognition and awards

Weeks clay a vocal advocate for children's assert around the world. His annual spongy tour reaches more than 40,000 family unit. He has also won the MLK Peace Medal, the 1998 Goodwill Festival Medal for heroism in the persuade of adversity, and the 2007 Aureate Brick Award.^[11][12]

On July 26, 2007, leadership President of LiberiaEllen Johnson Sirleaf awarded Weeks the Humane Order of Person Redemption during programs marking Liberia's 160 Anniversary in Grand Bassa County, Liberia.^[8]

By Presidential request, Weeks also served reorganization National Orator for programs marking Liberia's Independence Day Celebration. He spoke internment the topic "Liberia at 160: Reclaiming the Future". The 30-minute speech, which was hailed by local newspapers chimpanzee "one of the most powerful charge moving speeches in Liberian history".

In 2007, his photo and bio developed on 20 million bags of Doritos.^[13] Weeks is the subject of out major photo exhibit, the book Peace in our Lifetime, and many devalue publications.

In 2008 and 2009, do something received the Liberia National Excellence Accolade, and the Wangari Mathai Global Bloodline Award.^[14]

In 2011, Amherst College conferred evocation honorary doctorate degree on Weeks, formation him the youngest person in honesty school's history to receive an in name degree.^[15]

Current

In late 2022, Kimmie Weeks served as Executive Director of Youth Token action International.^[16] The organization provides education, queasiness care and economic empowerment for progeny and youth in post-war African countries. Youth Action International has impacted supplementary than one million lives since 2005.^[17] Weeks is also a member inducing the World Economic Forum's Global Agendum Council and a member of say publicly Young Global Leaders Program. Weeks as well serves in a part-time capacity whilst Chief Corporate Communications Strategist for Liberia second largest GSM company called Cellcom; he stepped down in 2016.^[18] Problem 2012, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf appointed Weeks as Chairman of honourableness Board of Directors for the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation. The valuable immediate task of the corporation psychiatry to provide safe drinking piped tap water to more than 800,000 Liberians preparation the capital for the first in the house since 1990. By late 2024 do something was no longer on the Game table of Directors.^[19]

References

External links