One Digital World joins the Vida sin Fronteras (Life without Borders) project
Founder and Executive Director, Casey Myers of One Digital World speaks at the Global Social Innovation Challenge. Photo from One Digital World
Human Rights and the Western Union Foundation partnered to create a social programming project called Vida sin Fronteras, according to a press release. The program is for asylum-seeking children and transitional-age youths aged 18-24 (TAYs). Vida sin Fronteras will provide yearlong educational, psychosocial and basic-needs to support children, TAYs, and their families in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, California.
According to a government website, the phenomenon of “global displacement” in the 21st century is particularly concerning when it comes to children. Refugee and asylum-seeking children are entitled to their rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Children (CRC), similarly to all children. A child or young person who leaves their country of origin to escape war, persecution or natural disaster, has rights to appropriate protection and provisions, such as health, housing, and education, which is stated in Article 22 of the CRC.
Diana Diaz is a social worker and Human Rights First’s project lead on the organization's Refugee Representation team.
“Vida sin Fronteras will provide asylum-seeking youth and their families with solutions that invest in their potential to heal, learn and thrive,” said Diaz in a press release. “We are thrilled to be a catalyst for long-term support for our clients throughout the life of their legal case, which often can take years and involves dramatic life changes.”
The program provides school tutoring for parents including English as a second language and digital literacy courses, workforce readiness, classes on financial literacy and coding. Individuals in Vida sin Fronteras will have access to support groups, psychological first aid training and culturally responsive wellness workshops. In addition, the program provides computers, internet access, and kits with a new mattress, blankets, and pillows to all participants to ensure they have what they need to thrive.
Participants in Vida sin Fronteras are Human Rights First clients, including:
Teenagers from Guatemala who were targeted with gang violence and prevented from going to school, church, or to visit family members for fear of death;
Honduran women who survived domestic violence in their home countries;
Members of the LGBTQ community in Cameroon harmed by family, classmates, gangs, and police because of their sexual orientation or gender identity;
Young women who challenged guardianship laws and strict gender norms imposed by the Saudi Arabian government; and
Student activists who fought oppressive regimes in Nicaragua.
Other community organizations and individuals who are working with One Digital World on this new project include:
Loyalty Foundation: Introduces and augments technology education programs in underserved communities to ensure all children have equal access to critical educational opportunities.
Youthful Savings/ The learning Marketplace: Provides innovative learning products and experiences from educators all over the world to build better human capital by reaching the brains and hearts of the youth.
human-I-T: Inspires and empowers people through technology and information to achieve their full potential. Through social entrepreneurship, opportunities are created for the world to become more inclusive, sustainable and bold.
Give Kids Art: Raises awareness to the value of creative expression and promotes its positive impact on social, emotional and cognitive wellness. The organization aims to help participants develop stronger self-awareness, self-compassion and creative self-care practices that they can carry through life.
To find more information on what One Digital World is doing to help refugees and asylum-seekers, visit our website.