KLYES Alumna, Myriline from Liberia, remincises on her remarkable memories during her time abroad.
By Neha Sharma (YES 2005-2006, India, placed with PAX in Charlotte, NC)
I graduated with a degree in media, so social media and marketing has been my interest for the longest time, but the pressing social issues around India and the world have always hovered at the back of my mind. I have worked tirelessly with NGOs around India, but the itch to do something bigger has always been there.
Being a YES alumna means I have a global perspective on issues. I wanted to bring about a change (or at least work towards it) to have a global reach. I had come to an understanding that all the issues in the world are similar but vary in degree and magnitude—issues like poverty, water crises, public health, safety of women and gender equality, biodiversity, crime against children, war, and the biggest and the most pressing concern: climate change.
Climate change affects all of us, no matter which country or which strata of economy one belongs to. I was part of the first group of YES students from India recruited by AFS India in 2005. Thanks to the YES program, I was exposed to varying global perspectives at an early age and learned what it means to be a global citizen and work towards protecting the Earth and humanity.
Today I have used those skills and knowledge to help create a film, called Voyage for Change. Voyage for Change is a global documentary from the perspective of children around the world on the issues of sustainability, solutions, and climate change. It has taken more than 3 years to bring this film together and it has travelled to France, Japan, India and California.
The documentary explores the challenges of today's world and sustainable solutions through the eyes of 20 children aged 9 to 15 years old from three continents. The film hopes to plant seeds of change in the minds of children and parents of the world. What makes the film a compelling viewing experience is the candid conversations between the children and committed and inspiring people, including activists and Nobel laureates, such as Shilpi Chhotray, Luc Julia, Yann Arthus Bertrand, Jean Jouzel, Mohammad Yunus, Vijay Dhasmana, Gaurav Shorey, Leen Kejriwal, Kapil Mandawewala, Meenu Nageshwaran, Tritha Singna, and many more.
The film also highlights the connections and intersectionality between and among issues such as climate change, protecting forests, sustainable energy, sustainable farming, sustainable food, sustainable architecture, sustainable travel, social injustice, participative democracy, fake news, and more.
For the first time in the history of human civilization, children have had to strike and march all over the world to protect their future and the future of all life on Earth. “Voyage for Change” is part of this collective movement of children. This is not merely a film, but also a call to action and a campaign aimed at transforming the current prevailing narrative from “the world in crisis” to “solutions for a sustainable world.”
During its three-year long production journey, the documentary "Voyage For Change" has left its mark on globally recognized festivals and platforms. The film has won:
I would love for you to see the trailer and be a part of the Voyage with me. The film is set to release in 2021.
Currently a global crowdfunding campaign is under way to allow interested people and institutions to join this powerful film movement. The documentary is in the phase of editing and post-production and will be completed by December 2020, followed by a premiere that will take place as part of the Positive Cinema Week-Cannes organized by the Positive Planet Foundation in Paris, France. Subsequently, a second film is under preparation, which will bring the focus on Africa, South America, and Scandinavia.
For more information, please visit our website and follow us on social media: