Dr. Judy's Global Kids Connect

Ashinaga kids at Gotham High School, Brooklyn NY

This summer is full of projects, but one of my main focuses is Dr. Judy’s Global Kids Connect organization.  Global Kids Connect and HappyDoll Inc. (run by Nozomi Terao) are collaborating on an international project to spread warmth and support between children impacted by the trauma of disaster.  After the earthquake in Haiti GKC developed a pen pal project for children in the U.S. to write letters of hope and comfort to the children of Haiti.  Similarly, Happy Dolls began after the devastating tsunami in Japan, sending soft, plush dolls to the children suffering after the disaster.  The two organizations came together to bring the U.S., Haitian and Japanese children together through the creation and trade of plush dolls between the three nations.  Events have already been held in North Carolina and in Japan, and a third gathering will be held on July 1^st in Haiti. Haitian children will come together in a day of creativity, relaxation, song and dance to celebrate each other and their peers.  During our most recent meeting Nozomi described the look on the Japanese children’s faces as they experienced this creative process: “There was happiness, a look of mystery about where the dolls were going next, the feeling of understanding that they were making something that would go across the world, to strangers.  They knew that they were helping other children – even though the earthquake in Haiti was over a year ago, the kids are still suffering, and they need help.  And they [the Japanese children] got it, they understood.”  The Haitian children will receive dolls from their new friends in Japan and America, each unique and full of love, and then they will draw and write messages of their own on dolls that will then be sent to Japan. After a day of decoration, multi-cultural songs of peace, and bestowing their love into the doll they receive and make, these messages of support and kindness will be carried to the Japanese children when they get to hold these special gifts in their arms.  Through the touch and comfort of the dolls, these children effected by disaster and trauma will be able to feel the love of the children across the ocean every time they embrace their very special doll.