India's Missing Girls

Children's Peace Prize Award - Nkosi Johnson

 Born with HIV/AIDS , Nkosi Johnson was abandoned by his desperate infected mother. After he was adopted by his stepmother Gail Johnson, at the age of two he took his firsthand experience and decided to make a difference for those mothers and children infected with Hiv/Aids. Nkosi had the desire and determination to help those less fortunate than himself.   
He was fighting to bring joy and rights to those with HIV/AIDS, Nkosi decided to take action and create a haven for those in need. As well as carrying out public speeches, educating others on treating people with HIV/AIDS equally. 

Nkosi noticed how many children with Hiv/Aids are not welcome in schools and aren’t the given the same education rights as those with HIV/AIDS. When his mum went to Melpark Primary to register Nkosi at the school she had to fill in a form noting if Nkosi suffered from anything she wrote yes, AIDS.  #3 “My mommy Gail and I have always been open about me having AIDS. And then my mommy Gail was waiting to hear if I was admitted to school. Then she phoned the school, who said we will call you and then they had a meeting about me.” They thought of Nkosi having aids as something so big that Nkosi believes that just because you are born with HIV/AIDS should not make you any different. Nkosi spreads the word through speeches sharing and telling his story and many others to those people who need to hear it.  #2 ‘"Hi, my name is Nkosi Johnson. I live in Melville, Johannesburg, South Africa. I am 11 years old and I have full-blown AIDS. I was born HIV-positive.”’He believes that the rights of those with and without HIV/AIDS should be the same and that everyone should have the right to an education. Nkosi also believes there is more than just education to fight for, people with HIV/AIDS also need hope and joy.

Nkosi doesn't just want children to have the right to an education but wants to bring hope and joy to those with HIV/AIDS. This is why Nkosi with the help from his stepmother wants to and has set up Haven for mothers and their children with HIV/AIDS. He believes by starting this others will join in too until everyone with HIV/AIDS has somewhere to live and have hope and joy. HIV/AIDS is not contagious through touching or being in the same room as somebody with HIV/AIDS. It is transmitted through blood and sexual transmission. Nkosi explains that if he is cut he has to be careful not to let others with opens wounds touch it incase it gets into theirs. Nkosi explains this is the only way he can give anyone HIV/AIDS at his age and there is nothing to be afraid of. Once the blood is cleared up and he has a plaster on he is perfectly fine. 

Nkosi passed away on #1 June the 1st, 2001 after battling death for 5 months. He was the face of HIV/AIDS for kids all around the world. Having helped so many people by creating havens and fighting for their education. Nkosi is a symbol for children all over the world showing you can always have hope no matter what is happening in your life.

1"Nkosi Johnson- The face of Aids." 2009. 1 Nov. 2012
<http://www.beholders.org/spirit/inspirationalpeople/110-nkosijohson.html>
2"Nkosi Johnson speech - Ieterna.org." 1 Nov. 2012
<http://ieterna.org/archive-pdf/nonfiction/autobiography/Nkosi%20speech.pdf>
3 "Nkosi Johnson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." 2004. 1 Nov. 2012 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nkosi_Johnson>

Harrison Berguson - A Message

In this quirky story a lot is being told, although he is sending us one message in particular. Difference and rights are important. Making everyone in the world equal is not necessarily a good thing.  By the end of the story Harrison had freedom and rights but in the a flash he regressed and was killed by the handicap general. In our world today I believe equality is impossible. It is so important that we have people both higher than us and below us. We need someone to guide us and we can help guide the people below us. I don't believe the world woud still go round without different levels in society. In this short story they try to make everybody equal by taking away the good things in people. The handicaps people were given didn't give them any freedom or rights and just seemed to make everything a lot worse. For example George couldn't think about a thing for more than 20 seconds as his handicaps disabled him to do this. Do we really want to live in a world like this? I believe the answer for most of us would be no. The way we shape our identity is through the things we are both good and bad at. This is the message I believe he is trying to send us in this story.

Poems. Whats worth fighting for?

My new white puma socks.
My most comfy worn in levis plimsolls - more yellow than white.
A pair of my old navy blue school shorts from Grade 7.
My new ISKL blue school shirt I bought for the new school year.
A pair of red or dead glasses covering my yellow, blue and green coloured eyes.
My ears pierced but naked!
There is a sweaty mess of hair tied in a ponytail.
A friendship bracelet on my right wrist.
Followed by a pandora themed bracelet.
On my left wrist a turquoise ice watch is sitting.
A tiny horseshoe hanging from my neck full of luck.
Some chipped poppy red nail polish on my fingernails.
Me.

I’m from the indoor play parks. and the warm public swimming pools, I am from the ski slope beside Asda. From making beds out of leaves, I’m from the great deep snow on christmas day. From my mums song she made up for brushing teeth. The lovely winter outfit my Nanny gave me. The theme tune of the tweenies and the teletubbies. From the cold classrooms, and the old drafty house. My mum calling me sweetheart and honey. I’m what my friends called me, A plonker! I’m the  laugh when my Dad calls my sister squirrel nutkin! I’m the curiosity when my Mum calls my Dad ‘Victor Meldrew’! I’m from the freezing lakes I’ve jumped into. I’m from camping with friends. I’m from the beaches of Corfu, from the mud pie making competitions with my cousins. I’m an Aberdonian abroad! From the old pictures of relatives. I’m from the memory box under my bed. I come from my adoring ancestors of generations. I’m the new in the old.

Is a persons identity worth fighting for? Why or why not?

A persons identity with no doubt is worth fighting for. Without your identity you are nobody. Your identity shapes who you are on both the inside and the outside. Sometimes we are forced into having identities we dont want. For example many woman  in certain religions are forced to covering up fully some only showing their eyes. They have to cover up there identities and cannot show there facial expressions or how they dress. These are two things that shape our identity.

Kristallnacht response-Olivia

Kristallnacht, "The night of Broken Glass" terrorized, manipulated, tortured and destroyed the Jews.

On November 7th of 1938 a German diplomat was assassinated in Paris by a 17 year old Jewish boy named Grynszpan. On Novemeber 10th the consequences arrived, at 3pm a Jewish synagogue and youth center were put on fire. Soon the Nazis started to destroy Jewish business's and homes. House and shop window were smashed. (Therefore getting the name "The Night of Broken Glass".) Stormtroopers demanded entry to many peoples houses allegedly looking for weapons but later on left after the house had been turned upside down and no weapons were to be found.

later a new regulation was stated saying: "Jews in Germany had to pay one billion reichmark for restitution., for the damage the Nazis caused them.

November 16th 1938, now Jews were allowed to attend public schools and universities.

December 3rd, 1938 Jews were made to stay inside from noon until eight at night and were made to carry pooh identity cards they were also not allowed drivers licenses. By January 1st. 1939 all jewish buisness's were sold at a fraction of the price to 'pure Germans'. Also Jews were required to have a Jewish first name, next the Nazis marked all Jewish passports with the letter J.

Many Jews were seeking emigration but this also became an obstacle. To leave Jews had to first register everything ha they owned the secondly they have to obtain appropriate identification and also have proof of a sponsorship county door immigration. Finally hay had to give up most of their wealth to collect a visa from the state. This was a long rigorous obstacle that many Jews could not afford.

During Kristallnacht 191 synagogues were set on fire, over 100 Jews were killed and over 30,000 others were sent to concentration camps. This was a terrible and terrorizing time in history that should be remembered for how terrible it really was.

The Boy in The Striped Pyjamas

After reading The Boy inThe Striped Pyjamas in class as well as watching the movie I have a lot to reflect on. After finishing this book I felt astonished and hot my self how has this ever happened? Is this honestly true? After watching the movie, being able not just reward about it but see it made it skink into me. This did happen, terrible things are always happening.

Something that came to my mind was the meaning of peace. have we ever come close to it? Do we even understand the meaning of peace? No. So far nobody has explained the meaning of piece who knows if peace exists.

This is one of many stories of World War 2. This book shows and different prospective of the War, a prospective of a German boy. Innocent and kind Bruno doesn't understand what is going on around him. Most books are written fromthe prospective of Jews not so many people look into the Germans side of the story.

The Boy in The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne was a great and heart touching book. That help me understand the War a lot. I would definitely recommend this book for all ages. World War 2 is such an interesting topic although can get complicated. This book sums it up simply and quickly. 5 Stars!!!

No Man is an Island

No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
- John Donne


How do these texts explore similar themes?
All of these text show that we all live as one and are connected, we are here to help each other and not to harm each other. We wouldn't be around if we didn't rely on other people it is the only way we have managed to survive and live such a wonderful life.For example in Mankind Is No Island the video shows people on the street and how others don't stop to help how we need them as much as they need us. What goes around comes around. The Island by Greder also shows something similar when a man is washed onto an island. He relied on the people of this village to help him survive but the villagers had other thoughts. All but one fishermen who had seen more then the others had traveled the sea's and knew their was good in the world. Although his voice wasn't as loud as the others and the Strange man was killed. This book metaphorically is expelling the world in one island, Just because people are d different doesn't mean they should be treated differently. In John Donne's No Man is an Island, he believes that all men are the same and should all be treated equally no matter how rich or poor you are. The pictures in the book written by Greder reflect on the poem show many men treating one man differently because of what he looks like.


How do the texts provide insights into prejudice and "otherness"?
Greder shows prejudice in his book by showing a man who is being ignored and ill-treated just because he is different to the other people on the island. They also think he is an animal and lock him up in a goat pen just like the pictures format he video of people sitting on the road not given a chance in life.

Why do people make distinctions between "us" and "them"?
A lot of the time people make distinctions between us and them as they are scared of our differences or maybe even similarities. People are judged on what they look like sometimes because other people our anxious about what they look like so put other people down or sometimes people are just biased. Sometimes people are afraid that somebody is dangerous or maybe even more powerful then themselves. For some people they make excuses about what people look like or seem like so that they don't need to spend anytime helping them. Never judge a book by it cover is one phrase I always keep in mind.