Burundi (pronounced /bəˈɹʊndɨ/), officially the Republic of Burundi (Kirundi: Republika y'Uburundi, [buˈɾundi]; French: République du Burundi, [byˈʁyndi]), is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa, bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura. Although the country is landlocked, much of the southwestern border is adjacent to Lake Tanganyika. The Twa, Tutsi and … [Read more...]
Mother’s Day, A Strawberry Malt and 3 Squeezes, Please!
NOTE: This story was written to honor Larry's mother's memory and was featured in the New York Times best-selling book, "A Second Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul." The story appears on page sixteen of the book. My mother used to love strawberry malts. It was a thrill for me to drop in to see her and surprise her with her favorite refreshment. In her later years, both my mom and dad lived in a life-care retirement center. Partially due to the stress of my mom's Alzheimer's condition, … [Read more...]
Syrian Women Giving Birth in Exile
ZA'ATARI, Jordan — In a tent hospital bed, a Syrian woman who was four months pregnant when she fled her country's civil war cradles one of the newest residents of this dust-swept refugee camp: Her newborn son, just delivered by Caesarean. Around a dozen babies are born every day in Za'atari camp, which is home to 120,000 Syrians and counting – and there's only one, overworked Moroccan doctor performing C-sections. Still, the clinic where he operates and several other field hospitals here … [Read more...]
The Women I Love, Zain Bhikha – المراة التي أحب زين بيكا مترجم (Video)
Zain, a man with the PASSION to CARE Zain Bhikha (Hindi: ज़ैन भिखा, Urdu: زین بھکھا; born 9 August 1974) is a South African singer-songwriter, who has achieved success as a performer of Islam nasheed songs. Associated with other Muslim musicians, including Yusuf Islam and Dawud Wharnsby, Bhikha has collaborated on albums and also released several solo albums. He has written several religious albums concerning Islam. Bhikha's music almost exclusively follows Islamic … [Read more...]
Women Abused as Girls more likely to birth Children With Autism
APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH The study, published in the Journal JAMA Psychiatry, is the first to examine the potential legacy that a mother’s experience with childhood abuse could have on the health of her own children. The findings are especially sobering given the latest statistics released from the Centers for Disease Control, which found a significantly higher rate of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) — 1 in 50 compared to one in 88 from a report released in 2012 — among school-aged … [Read more...]
Global Mom Relay is passing the baton to Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves
Thank you for joining us in the first part of the Global Mom Relay! It’s been filled with true wisdom, that has inspired tangible action. Stories from Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan, Melinda Gates, and others have highlighted the urgent need to improve the health of women and children around the globe. Every time you shared one of these stories through Facebook, Twitter or email, Johnson & Johnson and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation donated $5 to Girl … [Read more...]
Happy Mother’s Day!, Mums celebrated in U.K., March 10
Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in March, April or May. It complements Father's Day, a celebration honoring fathers. Mother's Day is an American invention, and it is not directly descended from the many celebrations of mothers and motherhood that have occurred throughout the world over thousands of years, such as the Greek cult to … [Read more...]
Relationships, 21 Blogs Sharing ‘Date Night’ Ideas
Keeping the spark alive in your marriage is no easy task, but it’s an integral one for maintaining a happy marriage. It’s all too easy for people to get wrapped up in their busy lives and forget to make time for their spouse or loved one. To avoid being one of those couples who drift apart after the kids are born, try adding a date night to your schedule. It can be once a week or once a month, just make sure you pencil time in for one. These 21 blog entries will give you some enjoyable … [Read more...]
Erma Bombeck, ‘When God Created Mothers’
“When God Created Mothers" When the Good Lord was creating mothers, He was into His sixth day of "overtime" when the angel appeared and said. "You're doing a lot of fiddling around on this one." And God said, "Have you read the specs on this order?" She has to be completely washable, but not plastic. Have 180 moveable parts...all replaceable. Run on black coffee and leftovers. Have a lap that disappears when she stands up. A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed … [Read more...]
Celebrate Abolishing Sang Chatti (compensation marriage): Pakistan
Abolishing Sang Chatti: Pakistan works to prevent compensation marriage and other forms of Violence Against Women Seven-year-old Izzo Bibi* lives in a small village in the province of Sindh in southern Pakistan. Her father cannot afford to send her to school but her mother has taught her traditional Sindhi embroidery. Izzo’s older cousin Sheeno* used to help her learn new embroidery motifs. When Izzo’s paternal uncle murdered his neighbour, the faislo (also called Jirga, the … [Read more...]