**************************************** KIDCLUB IRC Saturday October 30, 1993 UNICEF Topic: "Street Kids" **************************************** Participants: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ United Kingdom: Ben Walter (Cambridge) Will Parks (Durham) Slovenija: Alenka Makuc United States: Illinois: John and his dad from Urbana Champaign (snowing!) Tim Irish (Champaign) Maryland: Patti Weeg, Karen, Kelli, Kristi, Maggie, Keith, Mickey (and mom, Wanda), Nada (Salisbury) Mike Brunetto and Kevin (Rockville) Michigan: Bob Sturtz and Rachel (Traverse City) New Jersey: Sr. Dianne, Janine, Colleen, Peter (Somerville) South Carolina: Jamie Wilkerson (Rock Hill) Texas: Seth Itzkan * Mike Burleigh in London (Dawn, Luke and Jane) and Pedro in Brazil had technical problems and never could reach IRC but had a wonderful e-mail exchange. Ben captured one of their messages and uploaded it here during IRC! Their full e-mail exchange is included in this edited version of the IRC log. While waiting for Will to logon (confusion over time changes) the kids chatted about an hour before getting on topic. Much of that 'pre-topic' visiting has been shortened to keep the logfile from being too big. Patti Weeg ---------------------------------------------------------------------- *** A-AlenkaM (irc@kids.ccit.duq.edu) has joined channel #KIDCLUB hi alenka where are you? I am comming from slovenija great!!!! hugs!!!! Tope is going to switch to another computer for the chat to free up this computer for other activities. See you in a few minutes. *** Signoff: Tope (Leaving) *** PattiW is now known as Keith *** BobS (bsturtz@leo.nmc.edu) has joined channel #kidclub Hi! Everybody *** BobS is now known as Rachel Hi Keith! I am sorry that I have no kids with me Hi Rachel! Do you know that today is Halloween Keith, can you tell me what is Halloween? Halloween is a holiday we celebrate every year *** Signoff: Ben (Leaving) I am sorry, but what kind of celebration is this? ==============Discussion of Halloween followed========================= *** Signoff: A-AlenkaM (Bad link?) Where are you Racheal In Traverse City, Michigan *** Sis (irc@kids.ccit.duq.edu) has joined channel #kidclub Sis where are you from Howdy, Rachel! We are Janine (13) Colleen (11) and Peter (9) and Sis(??) We're from Somerville, New Jersey, USA. How about you? Howdy, to you! I'm Rachel (12) HI! SIS Peter and girls *** A-roy (irc@kids.ccit.duq.edu) has joined channel #kidclub I am from Traverse City, in Michigan, dialing in from home. I'm login from Salisbury Its snowing here whats it like up north A-roy, who are you please? and what State/country are you in? We've got Pedro on Email Keith, What state is Salisbury in? Maryland I am john's dad and we live down in Illinois at Urbana Champaign. *** A-roy is now known as john Pedro says ask him some questions Howdy, John! How are things in Illinois? It's raining here in NJ. *** Mike (irc@kids.ccit.duq.edu) has joined channel #kidclub Mike, where are you hailing from please? I am hailing from Rockville Maryland *** Keith is now known as karen *** Ben (bjw@wombat.gnu.ai.mit.edu) has joined channel #kidclub hi yall Hey, Ben, are you the Ben from England? Welcome! I'm back! (with an ample supply of popcorn ;-> ( ) send us some please Yep, I'm the English Ben! Hey, sis! *** Signoff: john (Leaving) Karen..I think i've seen your photo..does Mike Burleigh have one ofyou? yes *** a_wanda is now known as Keith Hello every body! (Pete) We just had a Halloween party and Halloween parade on Thusday! *** Signoff: Mike (Bad link?) *** karen is now known as mickey Howdy, Mickey! Welcome to Hyperspace! by the way i'm a girl *** Mike (irc@kids.ccit.duq.edu) has joined channel #kidclub these is my first time Ours too, Mickey! We talked to Patti this AM, and that's why we're here. glad you came Hey can we get on to our topic? Wheres Bill *** Rachel is now known as BobS *** Keith is now known as Kelli Mickey, how old are you? I'm 12 Okay, we joined Kidsphere last month, and thoroughly enjoyed Well.....Maybe our topic could be SAFTEY ON HALLOWEEN---OR STREET KIDS? hi everybody a "Virtual Vacation" with Ben and many others! Sis, I have some digitized photos of Cambridge, if you'd like them? *** Kelli is now known as Patti Mickey, Colleen's 11 and Janine is 13. Yes, Ben, I left you an Email(I think) Bill Parks and Mike Burleigh will be here soon and then we can start the chat... (Colleen) I just found out that Street Kids is about homeless kids. our topic is 'Street Kids' ... The UK changed time last weekend so maybe they have the time wrong! This will give everybody time to chit-chat for a while... *** SethI (irc@kids.ccit.duq.edu) has joined channel #kidclub hi SethI *** Patti is now known as Kelli HELLLLLOOOO where are you seth Texas * Mike waves hello to SethI Well, howdy, Partner! Glad to see" a Texan! *** Signoff: Kelli (Leaving) ne1 here from Greece? There was a posting from someone there who was going to try to be here today. Did you kknow that people are PAID TO KILL STREET CHILDREN in Rio De Jan aniero *** Wilkerson (WILKERSON@PACS01.SUNBELT.NET) has joined channel #kidclub hi Jamie Hi everyone. Welcome, Jamie! I met you on Travel "Virtual Vacation" I am Jamie Wilkerson in South Carolina *** A-AlenkaM (irc@kids.ccit.duq.edu) has joined channel #KIDCLUB Hi Jamie, remember me (Seth)? I teach fifth graders. hi A-AlenkaM Seth...is this Seth Itzkan? Hi everybody! Hello Alenka! So good to see you again! Alenka, where are you Emailing from? I am from slovenija and have no kids with me. wheres slobenija Wow, all the way from Russia! Welcome! Our students loved talking to yours. Slovenija is in Europe near Italy and Austria *** Mike is now known as Kevin Hi, Kevin, and welcome (Janine and Colleen and Pete) how are you? Hi Kevin. (colleen -11) Hi, everyone, how's the weather in Europe? They are 14 - 18 years old, but only the young ones are in Kidlink (Janine- 13) Do you get out of school for Christmas holidays / Hannihak! I think mike might be stuck ... that happend when I was down in London... (mike burleigh, that is) *** mickey is now known as Keith A-Alenka: my students are of that age as well. Traverse City East Junior High, in Michigan It is nice to make contact with teachers of 'older' students Bob, are you in North Dakota? I am in Traverse City, in N. Michigan NMC=Northwestern Michigan College Thanks! That's great. We're from Somerville,NJ. Hey....Maybe Will won't be able to make it...Should we start? *** Signoff: Kevin (Bad link?) A-AlenkaM: I coordinate many activities for people here in MI through our freenet My biggest problem working and talking here is, that you are all from computer branch, except me. Everyone, we need to say "Goodbye" Thanks very much for a great chat! Adios, all! bye Sis *** Signoff: Sis (Leaving) Bob, have you done any other networking before this? ah, yes.....for many years One of the original Academy One members I thought that I had seen your name before this time...Oh yes, Academy One!!! *** Keith is now known as Patti News update Let me tell you, that I work in A-1 projects. We have just spoken to Mike Burleigh by voice phone... Slovenia has been a great participator in the TeleOlympics! they canot get in because there are so many users here... Yes, do you remember? maybe Bill Parks has the same problem.... Patti, can I help Mike? oh, yes. TeleO is one of the best activities.. Mike's kids and my kids will do a semi-synch via e-mail. Patti, tell me mike's number and i'll let him loginas me ...so newcomers can stay here and maybe Bill can get in. Mike is calling Bill in Durham *** Signoff: SethI (Ping timeout) Well it was nice talking to you! I will go and let someone else come in. By!! *** Signoff: A-AlenkaM (Leaving) *** Signoff: Ben (Bad link?) *** Patti is now known as kristi hi Kristi! hi Bob! Where are you from? I am in Michigan....How are you today, Kristi? how old are you Jamie? Jamie is the adult teacher in South Carolina and does not divulge age anymore...suffice it to say...over 21 i'm ok my knee is sore because ijust had surgery but other then that i'm fine well, glad to hear u r recovering! we are going to start the lesson with out Will mrs.patti said *** willp (irc@kids.ccit.duq.edu) has joined channel #kidclub hi will! Welcome Will hi Will! we are ready to start We have been looking for you. Hi everyone, it's Will from UNICEF *** MB (irc@kids.ccit.duq.edu) has joined channel #kidclub Hi Mike! Hi Mike....! My mom demanded the phone we are glad you are back Where did everyone go? anyways will mrs.patti says we should get on todays topic and start Yehhh I agree brb..... Ok shall we start our discussion? *** MB has left channel #kidclub Will yeah we should start *** MB (irc@kids.ccit.duq.edu) has joined channel #kidclub I NEED ANOTHER PHONE LINE!!!! Have any of you managed to find out about local services which help... help what? children in your countries? Which ones ? What do they do? What are their names? *** Signoff: MB (Bad link?) Children without homes or in difficulties. In our area, we have a local organization called Pilgrim's Inn. we have the Salvation Army and The Joseph House which gives food and clothes to the needy who need them. Here, the Women's Resource Center and Child Protective Services help. Oh Kristi, you have just reminded me of something my daughter and I have to do today! We are taking clothes to the Salvation Army today to help this very cause. Do you think that these local organizations are needed? Most Definitely... These organizations are definitely needed in our area! yes they are neede so we have a place to take clothes to give the needy I worked in a school in a poor part of our well-to-do town, and we were constantly keeping a supply of winter garments for those children who needed them. Without them, many of the children would not have warm clothes in the winter. Excellent.. much needed my friends and i sometimes work at the Soup Kitchen Pilgrim's Inn also provides food and shelter on a temporary basis... there they give a dollar for soup and the money goes to the homelesss why is it that people become homeless? Give your thoughts In a resort area like ours the plight of the poor is seldom mentioned, it seems. It is especially dedicated to helping women and children displaced for many reasons. what reasons? many people are jobless, they have family problems at home *** kristi is now known as nada hi everybody hi Nada Hi Nada. How important to you is having a home and somewhere comfortable to live? there is afamily in our town that lives under a bridge *** MB (irc@kids.ccit.duq.edu) has joined channel #kidclub :( Hello-----again Welcome back... How important is having a home and somewhere comfortable to live? its very important to me because i know many people dont have those things How would you cope without a home and family? How would you feel? Very......I know that many other people don't have a place to live, but some times a take it for granted we also have aradoi station that you can call in and give information about yourself and they will help you find ajob I don't know....I would fell upset I will have to leave for a little while. We are going to load the things for the Salvation Army into the car and take them over this afternoon. I think I had better help my daughter with it at this point. Send my regards to the Salvation Army !! :) do you know someone thats homeless? good question Nada. I don't think she can carry everything. This is a Girl Scout project to help the very cause we are discussing. I don't thinkI could sit here and discuss it without doing this first... I must go as well....(feel bad no students today..) no (Kevin) Yes, but not the name *** Signoff: BobS (Bad link?) bye bob I will try to return later, if any of you are still on-line. But it will probably be about an hour and a half from now...If I don't see any of you then, please know that I have enjoyed it! bye ;-) bye *** Signoff: Wilkerson (Leaving) bye jamie who is left? me--Kevin i'm still here & Kevin I mean where are you both? We are in Rockvill Maryland e Nada? at the end of Rockville i'm in salisbury,md who else is with you? *** Ben (bjw@wombat.gnu.ai.mit.edu) has joined channel #kidclub where are you will Mike should be here shortly, if all goes well Hi Ben Mike? hi ben yes you made it? I'm in a very cold and damp UK!! Hi Ben Hi Will *** MB is now known as Kevin p Oh... different Mike :-> hi kevin Ben are you in Cambridge? whoops! finger slipped Mike Burleigh should be here shortly... fingers corssed... I'm about to call him again... yes, Will I am I'm going off-line to call him... bye! *** Signoff: Ben (Leaving) bye Ben! i'm leaving for now talk to you later w q *** nada is now known as Mickey Hi Mickey Hi everybody lets get back on the TOPIC!!!!! hi Will what are you doing to help What do you all do when you've finished your homework etc.? Back on the topic of Street Kids... I watch tv (MB) I talk on ViBES I do nothing Do you sometimes have to make choices between work and leisure? I read yes yes for both of us *** Kevin is now known as MB such as staying in to do school work or playing sport? hi MB how do you feel when work takes too much time? over worked Dissapointed Frustrated me too!!!! axiesous report from Pedro But some kids HAVE to work for most of their daily activities. go on Mickey hold I'll find out Braxil street kids are in big cities do you think it's right that children should be without homes in these cities? why do you think they have no homes? there is money for the kids 'but the politicans make it disappear like magic how would you change this Mickey? soical workers can only do so much No.....I think they have no homes because 1;their parents don't make enough money or 2;they are orphans get rid of them ..Or their parents got fired or lost their jobs the Government Mickey? I agree *** MB is now known as kevin yes Pedro blames the politics if you were in charge of the money, what would you do with it to help the Street Kids? the goverment keeps the money But most of the time people would donate some of it if the had an abundance of money give them basics basics? Unless they were really selfish.. people can donate time and teach them skills good ideas. The people would at least need food, shelter , and water to survive yep and clothing of course sometimes good water is hard to find yep sometimes it's not UNICEF helps many countries build or furnish houses and centres for children to stay in thats good #$%#$@#$^^&%*%$^%$@$ in these places they receive teaching, clothes, and most importantly some care and attention - a sense of belonging m*^&$&y termina 34534 isn't workin everyone needs that true Mickey. whats wrong Kevin Nothing It's fine now But perhaps the biggest problem is the overcrowding in cities combined with the levels of poverty I was just gooftg why do people go to cities? ing aroud for jobs *** kevin is now known as MB hi MB Sometime for cheaper housing where do they come from? *** Ben (bjw@wombat.gnu.ai.mit.edu) has joined channel #kidclub Bad families NEWSFLASH! GOTA GO!! Bye seeya all next week! Mike Burleigh isn't coming on irc tonight... he has started an e-mai l dialog with... holding new mail from Pedro *** Signoff: MB (Leaving) someone in Brazil I believe, and is quite excited about that sounds great, Ben I am going to try and get you guys e involved with the e-mail dioscussion through irc and see if I can do that.. go for it ;-) you do that Ben Mickey, is it just you left? no there is about 4 of us here........... we are waiting for Pedro Did you get that? Not sure Pedor can make it to irc today *** Mickey is now known as Keith * Ben wonders if anyone saw that mail message on their screen Pedro is on email Great! Ben.. no message appeared Keith, I'm trying to get Pedros messages to IRC... He is talking to Maggie Thanks.. i'll try again *** SethI (irc@kids.ccit.duq.edu) has joined channel #kidclub hi! Seth Hello everyone. hi SethI, talking about Street Kids We have not heard from Pedro yet what problems do you all think occur when many people live in cities? they get crowded and they have a lot of crime. too many people that is and a lot of people are homeless *** Signoff: Ben (Leaving) around the edges of cities, new settlements are created shanty-towns, 'favelas' as they are known in Brazil they result in crime because they need the money is it right that kids should get involved in crime? What would you do to protect kids from crime? no they should have a proper home! have a center for kids so they don't get involved in crime That's what UNICEF and many other Non-Government groups help provide should more money be spent on providing more of these centres? by Will I have to go talk to you later1 i mean ! Bye Keith, nice speaking with you! *** Keith is now known as karen hi Karen anybody else out there? hi will i wanted to tell you that i went to a food store and saw and i saw a unicef box for change and yes i put money in there I'm here. i am here too thanks Karen, let's hope the money gets to where it's needed! i hope so Where would you like to see your money spent? and on what? on children who need a home and clothes what dangers do you think Street Kids face? it is a sad thing that sometimes people who do that end up keeping most of the money and only alittle to children in need being killed and getting into bad habits like drugs and selling themselves includind boys including{sorry} all too true Karen! Many organizations that help children in need get frustrated by the governments who 'divert' aid away from children and towards 'other' things such as weapons hello is anyone out there msg mark Is this conference of students? street kids are often faced many of the problems and dangers you have ... pointed out Karen. SethI where are you? what do you do? *** A-MarkH (mark@kids.ccit.duq.edu) has joined channel #kidclub I'm in Texas. I just completed graduate school. there is a family that lives under a bridge :( and also a guy who lives in a tent hi mark hows ya doin SethI - this is a weekly discussion for kids just trying to watch for a moment my mom is patti pls just ignore me although sometimes adults join in such as myself (Bill in the UK) will what dose unicef do for abused children? Unicef tries to allow abused children a chance to live and grow up in a safe environment abuse of children takes many forms... from child labour and children in wars... that seems just like a thought and not an action what do you do like group helpsstuff like that to neglect, and physical and sexual maltreatment Karen, the thought is translated into ACTION... Unicef advises and trains local people to set up centres for street children (for example) do you have people going out to differnt things for familys. o.k. i understand now:) Unicef provides the money and expertise to set these project up Yes, Unicef has people who work in many different areas... well what can we do to help directlyin our home town from child health care (vaccinations) to children in wars (refugee camps) the first steps is to realise that although these 'problems' seem... insurmountable... *** Signoff: A-MarkH (off to tend to other chores... cheers) well what can we do Unicef encourages people to THINK Globally and act Locally If you have decided to try and help street children or homeless children... in your local area Are Unicef materials available online? seth what do you mean SethI .... do you have an email address? Karen...continue in a moment ;-) i am not sure we might SethI - do you have an email address? Yes, RSCH281c@cl.uh.ecu yes I mean, edu (at the end) *** karen is now known as kelli where are you SethI? Do you teach children? *** Ben (bjw@wombat.gnu.ai.mit.edu) has joined channel #kidclub hi ben we are still here hi Kelli....will continue with the question Karen asked about what you can do to help local children Hi Kelli! we have an organization in our church where we have a soup kitchen... sory will SethI, if you subscribe to KIDPROJ you can see most of the Unicef 'stuff' talking about now Unicef stuff will also appear of the KIDLINK gopher soon and this is where people come and bring a bowl and give money that they would spend form their regular dinner to the homeless. but I will send you previous stuff to your email address tomorrow ;-) by the way SethI - I work as a volunteer for UNICEF (if you hadn't guessed ======================================================================= At this point in the chat Ben uploads a message he received from Pedro via Mike Burleigh. I have removed most of the header. ======================================================================= From UBJVM6Q@aster.ccs.bbk.ac.uk Sat Oct 30 14:51:27 1993 Subject: from Pedro Date: Sat, 30 Oct 93 11:28:08 PDT From: pfalcao Hi folks! I'm glad we could improvise my participation in today's chat. Mike, my interactive connection to the Internet failed, so I'd like to participate by e-mail. Now some lines... >tell us about the street kids in Brazil Brazil is a very big country and there street kids mostly in big cities. It's a sad reality. There are national government programs to deal with this problem. These programs get huge budgets from the government, but there are many obstacles between the budgets and the street kids... What happens then? Politicians and bureaucrats, in all levels (federal, state, city, ...) act like magicians making the money disappear. Much money is spent in the name of street kids, but the kids can see nothing. Local social workers sometimes succeed to run schools and other centers for street kids, but their effort is not properly "multiplied". They are weak when they act alone. A connection between these two poles is missing... Corruption is a hard illness to heal. It's structural. Please tell me about your street kids, and also what you would like to know about ours. If I can help, I'll be here. Please drop me a line. I'm starting to feel as if I could see you. Pedro. =================== end of Pedro's letter ============================ * Ben grins evilly. That was a letter from Pedro to Mike Kelli are you still there? yes Did it work that time? thanks Ben, how's the email discussion going on with Mike? That's what he's sent me so far Ben messages appeared thick and fast!!! bit too fast! Yep, I think I can fix that though tell me more about your local centre Kelli how many times do you go? my advice to Karen and yourselves is to approach a local newspaper... and tell them about the homeless children in your area. Go and speak... well some kids in my town belong to a church group and they help earn money for the homeless with the children (if you can arrange that).... bye SethI - messages to you tomorrow ;-) Bye everyone. Keep up the good work. we have already been in the local newspaper tell everyone you know SethI that this HAPPENS!!! bye seth every Saturday at 17.00 hrs GMT O.K. *** Signoff: SethI (Leaving) *** kelli is now known as Patti will, are we the only ones left? Great Kelli! Is that Ann Lawrence's newspaper column? Yes, Will, Kelli means the same paper Hi Patti, yep I think everyone else has left already Mike should be able to get on line now??? Mike is sending mail to Pedro Well, i'm here :-> just :-> we have been sendng email I have another message fromn Pedro via Mike, will, would you like to see it slower this time!) Well, good night to both of you! night, ben bye *** Signoff: Ben (Leaving) I have mail from Pedro.... what time do you start KIDCLUB? here's England on the phone!!!! be right back... ===================================================================== >From Mike Burleigh in London.... We thought you would be interested in an exchange of e-mail messages which took place in parallel to the UNICEF discussion on 'Street Kids' led by Will Parks on Saturday 30:10:93. Pedro Falcao (Kidlink Coordinator: Brasil) Jane Inett (Youth Worker: UK) Ben Walter (KIDPROJ Helper (aged 14): UK) Patti Weeg (KIDPROJ Helper: Maryland USA) Patti's kids worked on irc and e- mail! Mike =============================================================== Dear Patti and Mike, My interactive access to the Internet failed! Can we exchange e-mail during/before/after IRC today? I'd like to "meet" you somehow. Maybe I can contribute ... Hope you get this message on time. Pedro. ================================================================= Hi Patti! Thanks for offering help to participate in the KidClub! I hope you enjoy this meeting. Have no kids! with me now, but maybe I can contribute with opinions... Please let me know what goes on... I can't see you! Pedro ================================================================= Pedro patti and I will exchange e-mail messages with you in what we call 'semi- synch' if this is OK and you cannot reach the irc server. regards Mike ================================================================ Hi folks! Is the chat going on? Pedro ================================================================ Hi folks! I'm glad we could improvise my participation in today's chat. Mike, my interactive connection to the Internet failed, so I'd like to participate by e-mail. Now some lines... >tell us about the street kids in Brazil (from Patti's kids) > Brazil is a very big country and there street kids mostly in big cities. It's a sad reality. There are national government programs to deal with this problem. These programs get huge budgets from the government, but there are many obstacles between the budgets and the street kids... What happens then? Politicians and bureaucrats, in all levels (federal, state, city, ...) act like magicians making the money disappear. Much money is spent in the name of street kids, but the kids can see nothing. Local social workers sometimes succeed to run schools and other centers for street kids, but their effort is not properly "multiplied". They are weak when they act alone. A connection between these two poles is missing... Corruption is a hard illness to heal. It's structural. Please tell me about your street kids, and also what you would like to know about ours. If I can help, I'll be here. Please drop me a line. I'm starting to feel as if I could see you. Pedro. ======================================================================== Pedro, I'm far more aware of the situation of the street kids in Brazil and other in other latin America countries. This is only because I came to Rio in July. We don't hear much about the plight of these children in our media. Like wise we don't hear about the kids that live on the streets in London! bye from Jane Inett Youth Leader at Castelnau youth club UK ================================================================ PW>We have lots of people here.. and on-line today I'm so sorry my interactive connection failed again. Let's exchange some mail for today ;-) Did you get my first note about street kids in Brazil? MB>we have two kids from the castelnay youth club here MB>would you like to talk to us here in the UK? Sure! I'd love to. Please lead the way. Pedro. ================================================================ Pedro, its me Jane Inett again I would like to talk to you about my visit to Rio in July this Year. Youth workers from Europe and Latin American Countries came together to try and encourage links between our countries. We were hosted by an NGO that work with the street kids. So we heard a lot about their situation and visited projects on the street at Copacabana and Ipanena. I realise that rural depopulation is partly to blame. The same happens here - people are attracted to big cities because of the outward show of wealth. But the steets are not paved with gold as they find out when they have to sleep on them. In England obviously the weather in winter can compound the situation. I am really keen to get my youth club members to become more aware of these issues which is why we were so interested in the UNICEF project. Bye for now. Jane Inett Youth Worker Castelnau Youth Club. ====================================================================== Subj: Is the media of any help for the street kids? Jane, I had heard you came to Rio in July. I'm sure you could see brazilian street kids there. Did you have the opportunity to talk to them? You said they hardly ever show up in the british media, even not the british street kids. It's quite the same over here. "Sometimes" the media acts like a drug... numbing people with quick, superficial, and useless information. Very often they make big programs to raise funds for the street kids but they never investigate deeply where the money goes in the end, do they? Patti, I'm here. It seems your mail to me is being delayed. Did you receive my two last messages with some thoughts? Hope to see you in a while, Pedro. ========================================================================= Pedro, I feel that it is important for people to hear the truth behind the situation of our homeless.I agree that the media can be a hinderance as they don't always give the true picture. What's the answer. Ignorance of the situation of the street kids is no excuse. All to often people are only conc erned with their own immediate problems.I feel that we have created a very selfish society here in Britain. Our government's policies do not help. Too many people have benefitted from the government's policies and have forgotten about those less fortunate than ourselves. Here, people will give to a charity and that eases their social conscience. We need to get young people to think differently.They are the world's future. Bye Jane. ============================================================================ At this point Ben Walter who had been forwarding some of this dialogue into the irc chat messaged us with a suggestion: ============================================================================ Mike, I have a Mail <-> IRC manual gateway going kinda... but I can't stay around... I managed to get Pedro's letter to everyone (willp, patti + someone else) but it wizzed by a little too fast for all :-> I'm going to stay for a few more minutse and then go... If you have anything else you'd like me to share ay so, and I will send it to all... I can write a Mail <-> IRC automatic gateway if that is what people would like. I can see if being useful... for allowing people like Pedro a chance to participate in the chats more fully. What do you think? This project excites me and i'd like to work on it... --Ben ======================================================================= Subj: More from Brazil Patty, I can't hear you... Please send me some thoughts. I'm sending the messages to both your addresses: pweeg@umes.bitnet e8paweeg@sae.ssu.umd.edu Jane, What was the NGO that hosted the meeting in Rio? It's great that you care to help your youth club members more politically aware. Many people grow old and die watching TV, going to the office, to the supermarket and to the park. I believe counciousness is something we should struggle for. Are we only parts of a "machine" or do we really exist? Pedro. ======================================================================= Subj: RE: More from Brazil Pedro this is great, we are making a 'first' for KIDCLUB...yes I know its two adults doing all the talking (Dawn and Luke are writing messages for KIDPROJ) but next time I'm sure we will be having kids engaged in this discussion. The NGO was called Se essa rua fosse minha. We did talk to street kids.I couldn't get over the warm welcome the kids gave us.They were so young. One fourteen year old was living on the street with her young child - the child was so tiny. The NGO works in different ways.It endeavours to show the local community and the tourists that the kids are not problem kids who will cause trouble and exhibit anti-social behaviour.The kids are human beings and we all react to our situation and our behaviour is partly to do with how the world treats us and our needs at that time. I'm sure everyone would resort to thieving if you were so hungry and you could see the excess of food in shops and restaurants.If you've got no money what alternative do you have? The NGO also help to reintergrate the kids back into society.They have hostels were the young people can start to reintegrate into society.They encourage the kids to learn more about their own heritage,to build their self esteem and to want to learn new skills.The hope is that they'll then find work and then start to contribute to the cost of the hostel. I think that the most important thing that the workers do is that they show they care and do something about it.These workers have had threats to their own well being by people who think that the street kids should be removed by any means. Bye for now. Jane Castelnau Youth Club. ======================================================================== Dear Patti, Jane and Mark, It was great talking to you. I have to go now. Hope we are able to strengthen our links and work together more frequently. Hugs to everyone, and hope we meet again soon. Jane, thanks for the info on the Se Essa Rua Fosse Minha NGO. Pedro =================== end of e-mail exchange =============================== Back to the IRC in progress... *** Patti is now known as kristi hey sorry Mrs.Patti is on thephone with Mr. B he just called us no problem - giving my fingertips a rest ;-) thats fine things got confusing here today because of the two lines my dad's here so here is karen bye Kristi *** Sis (irc@kids.ccit.duq.edu) has joined channel #kidclub say Howdy, Folks! *** Signoff: kristi (Leaving) hi Sis Bye, Kristi! Hi, WillP, Where are you hailing from? the UK, and you? I'm from Somerville, New Jersey, USA. What part of England are you in? Northeast, in a city called Durham cold, damp and night-time That's nice. (Durham, not the weather) We're having rain now also. Have you spoken" to many people here this afternoon? *** Matt (irc@kids.ccit.duq.edu) has joined channel #kidclub quite a few. hello Are you a teacher in the UK? What kind of computers are you using? Welcome, Matt! Hi Matt I work for UNICEF - was meant to be helping KIDCLUB discussion... *** Signoff: Matt (Leaving) Bye, Matt! earlier this evening, but got my timing wrong. are you a teacher? 3 of my students and I were on at GMT 1900, but they had to go home. Yes, I teach K-8 students here in NJ. We participated in "Virtual Vacation" recently and the students really loved "talking" to far-away students! I still find it a thrill to speak over thousands of miles! The Kidlink sponsored Virtual Vacation, mainly Mary from Connecticut. Me too! This afternoon, the students and I were leaping for joy! I'm running the Unicef project on KIDPROJ...Kidclub is also an area... A teacher from Kamchatka got on Kidclub, and we were astonished to I have been using with students speak to one so far away. What is the Unicef project you're working on? for the last five weeks kids have been... talking in KIDCLUB and writing in KIDPROJ about ... the work of Unicef and the problems that children face... throughout the world. That sounds interesting. the project is going to continue until Christmas then I'm hoping to get the kids ideas into some form of ... publication. Okay. Do I join Kidproj to "hear" what they said, or can I ftp or gopher to read their past thoughts? kids getting their voices heard about their lives as children. Congratulations, your project sounds very worthwhile. What ages are the students? the work they have done will be going onto the KIDLINK gopher soon... still sorting out a few more details kids ages are usually 10-15 years old Great! Did you get any kids from Russia or Bosnia-Hertz..? etc.? We made a number of good friends on the KidForum, and we have decided to maintain contact with them, even to exchanging Hypercard Stacks which we have had kids from Finland, Greece, Japan, UK, USA, Canada, Peru, and also from Slovenia we are working on. (Wow! Finland, Greece, etc. I think their input will be fascinating!) Slovenia was on the IRC earlier today. What time is it in the UK now? each week I send out 'lesson plans' on particular topics.. It's 4 P>M> here. 8.00 p.m. What were some of the topics? (Forgive me that I wasn't tuned in) lesson plans are sent to KIDPROJ. This week's was on 'Street Kids' I heard Patti from MD speak of "Street Kids". I haven't seen the TV and the irc this evening was supposed to be on Street Kids program yet, but I'm going to look it up. It must be showing in some of the United States (and perhaps UK) but I didn't get to KIDCLUB because of technical problems ..and so the but a game is on our TV this afternoon, so we didn't see it. I'm sorry! I hope youget to chat with these people again, perhaps tomorrow. Can you Email them a new chat time? irc was 'without a topic'!! KIDCLUB meets every Saturday 17.00 hrs GMT True, but for some of us, this was the first time we successfully did irc and spoke to real people on the other end. Perhaps I will "see you again on Saturday's IRC. Do you work for the Post Newspaper? Mr.Sherman said that perhaps Next saturday I won't be able to join KIDCLUB, I'm at a conference, but someone from there was joining us today. I'm sorry. But know that the topic should be on 'Children, Health and Education' your intentions are still in my prayers. "Children, Health, & Ed." is a good topic. I'm sorry, Will, but I have to leave you. lesson plan will be sent to KIDPROJ on Monday Good luck on your worthwhile work! Good lucksay ok see you maybe in two saturday's time say God bless you, and thanks for the "Chat" ! exit may the road always rise to meet you I love that blessing! *** Signoff: Sis (Leaving) *** Signoff: willp (Leaving) ================================================================= edited by Patti Weeg pweeg@umes.umd.edu