We received this letter and wanted to share it with you. One voice has power because one voice can speak out to the world. What will this inspire you to do?
Good Morning,
My name is Maria Jose Celis I’m thirteen, Colombian, and I am leading a campaign here in Santo Domingo, Republica Dominicana supporting the Chibok school girls. I decided to support these girls the minute I saw what had happened. I felt anger at the violation of these girls rights and I fueled it into motivation and drive to help these girls, that when you think of it are my school mates too, even if they are on the other side of the globe!
At first I felt powerless and frustrated that I couldn’t go at that instant and rescue my Nigerian mates. The first thing I did was to take my individual picture and upload it to social media showing my support. I also sent it to you guys on IG. Then that Monday I talked to my HS principal and told her I wanted to support these girls. At that moment no other school in the world had posted a picture, she said yes and right away I started taking the pictures in school. Sadly after I had taken all the pictures, the school said the pictures couldn’t be uploaded or sent to you guys. The parents had sadly taken a wrong approach to the campaign and said it was politics but it’s not politics! It’s defending human rights, it’s fighting and supporting those who can’t be heard and it’s being Human, because in my point of view being human is not only being flesh and bones it’s being sensible, aware and care about global issues. If my school had listened to me we would have been the first school in the world to have uploaded a picture…
I was very frustrated when my mom told me this. Nonetheless I couldn’t just sit there, it was already 4 in the afternoon last Wednesday when my mom told me that an option would be going to UN Women here. She said it was probably closed but I told her that it didn’t hurt to go and check. Luckily the communications officer for UN Women was still there and I was able to tell her what I wanted to do.
So, what do I want to do? I want to go to as much schools here in RD as I can and ask them to please be a part of this humanitarian, human rights promoting campaign. I want today’s youth to be humane, sensible and aware of what’s going on in the world. Also I believe that the most importantly the people that should be supporting these girls are WE the students. We have the possibility to receive a great education with no discrimination. We are the future leaders and voices, we have the power to start ending global issues. Most importantly I want these girls to be back in their homes, with their families living a peaceful life.
UN Women said that my project was wonderful and were surprised that such a young girl had such a big drive and passion to defend children’s human rights. The UN youth blog called Voices Of Youth got notified by the communications officer here and put a post about me and something I wrote on their Facebook page on May 15th here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/voicesofyouth .
What have I done so far? I have gone to 4 schools. In 3 I have appointments to expose my project. In the other one I will be taking the picture of the whole school tomorrow. When I went and spoke the principal was 100% on board and even invited me to give small talks to each class to tell them about this and why we should help as students and young people. She has also invited me to another school to take the campaign to. I have also gone to a Mall here and said what I want to do, which would be in the mall to have like a stand where I could inform people and invite them to participate. I will also go to a park where joggers go to promote this and have more people join.
I want you to know that you are not alone and I hope you can support me as much as I do to you! If there is anything else I can do to help please say so, my goal is to reach out to as many people here in the Dominican Republic.
I wasn’t able to do a march the 22nd but, I am planning and trying to organize one as soon as possible in the DR. I would also like to tell you that I’m the one managing the pages are of my campaign that I’ve already told you about.
About 20 days ago it was just me in this country with the Bring Back Our Girls Campaign, fighting towards communicating what had happened to your daughters; lots of doors where slammed in my face, because people didn’t care or their ignorance and lack of information didn’t let them see the raw reality of what’s happening in Nigeria. As the days passed I decided to be in the streets and parks of Santo Domingo telling people what was happening in Nigeria and who were the Chibok school girls. That’s what I’ve been doing with other schools, and today I can tell you guys, that lots of people in the Dominican Republic know now what is Bring Back Our Girls and who are the Chibok school girls.
Lot’s of people asked which were the social media pages of support for my campaign in the Dominican Republic supporting the girls,that’s why I created the following social media pages they’re :
www facebook.com/bringbackourgirlsamerica
@bringbackourgirlsamerica Instagram
Twitter @BBOG_America
They were called “Bring Back Our Girls America ” because there is a great diversity of foreign people living in the Dominican Republic. I would like to thank you so much for reposting the pictures from my campaign. It truly makes me extremely happy and honored and I would like to tell you that I will continue to do everything in my power to help this cause, it has truly inspired me and I will never get tired of helping. In June I will be moving to Ecuador, and from Ecuador I will continue to carry the Chibok school girls in my heart and continue spreading the word of Bring Back Our Girls.
Best wishes to all of you and your families,
- MJ