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activism
November 2009 
Kimmie Weeks - Child Rights Activist
Jayne
I just returned from a gathering in a local church to listen to Kimmie Weeks talk about his work with Youth Action International. Very inspiring.
Kimmie Weeks has worked to alleviate poverty and human suffering in Africa and around the world since he was fourteen years old. Kimmie was born in Liberia 1981. When he was nine, Kimmie came face to face with civil war, human suffering, and death.
Over the years, Kimmie has formed partnerships and led organizations that have provided education to thousands of students in West Africa, lobbied the disarmament of over 20,000 child soldiers, and provided health care and recreation supplies to children.
In 1998, Kimmie Weeks investigated and released a groundbreaking report on the Liberian government’s involvement in the training children as soldiers. As a result, former Liberian President Charles Taylor made several attempts to assassinate him until he fled Liberia and was granted political asylum in the United States.
Once he came to the United States, Kimmie Weeks established an International organization called Youth Action International to support the needs of families living in post war countries. In 2008, Youth Action International’s programs benefited close to 150,000 people in six post war African countries.
Access: Public
excellent, thank you so much jayne!
One of the most inspiring parts of Kimmie's story was when he had been declared dead at 9 yrs. old and his body was taken out (against his Mother's will) and placed on heaps of other bodies. This was in the first month of a six month stay in this camp after the civil war broke out in Liberia. He was unconscious during this time and had been very very ill from drinking bad water - and no food, no medical care. His Mother went out looking for him through all the heaps of bodies refusing to accept he was dead. She found him and pounded on his chest and he opened his eyes. He said in that time he made a vow that should he live, he would work for the rest of his life to be sure that children didn't die from hunger. This is exactly what he's done and more.
A powerful vow. He said of course he didn't know what it would look like or how he would do it. It is what broke his heart to the core that became his life's work and greatest passion.
isn't it miraculous when these things happen! just chokes you up with joy and wonder, doesn't it?