I am the mom of an amazing 12-year-old son. Seeing my own son grow and learn so many new things has been another incredible experience. I am so proud and happy when he is able to do things that I never learned! My son and the kids I work with at school are the reasons I work with the ONE to help provide opportunities for children all over the world. I know the incredible capability of ALL children, and I want all of them to have the opportunity to develop their gifts and talents. I know that somewhere there is another mom of a twelve-year-old who wants the same good things for her son or daughter that I want for mine, and I want to do what I can to try and help. ONE makes it easy to help even if you are busy, and I love the idea that ordinary people like me can make such a big difference.

Last week, I read an incredible book by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn called Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. It is a compelling and inspiring book and it motivated me to take action. I decided that I would like to volunteer for a Twin Cities organization called Books for Africa. Imagine my surprise when I got an e-mail saying that local members of the ONE Campaign were meeting the very next day to volunteer at Books for Africa! Talk about synchronicity! Since I was free, I quickly signed up. On Saturday morning I drove over to St. Paul and met with two local ONE members Rochelle and Halima and spent the next two hours chatting and getting to know one another and packing textbooks to be sent to schools in Africa. We packed 28 boxes of books and had a lot of fun in the process. I deeply respect both women’s commitment to ONE, and I hope we get to work and visit together again soon.

–Sherry Faubion