America Ferrera Set To Volunteer in AfricaDecember 18, 2009 by Tom
While Ugly Betty is finishing up its break during the holidays, don’t expect a whole lot of paparazzi photos of America Ferrera partying in NYC or glamming it up back in LA.
The Betty star will instead spend a Christmas with family, then travel to Mali with Save The Children. Ferrera has been the organization’s Education Ambassador, and she will be traveling to Africa in that capacity. She will be handing out books to children and families and visiting schools that the charity is currently building.
"It’s strange to be an ‘Education Ambassador’ when these children lack such basic need like food and shelter," says Ferrera. "The line gets blurred between providing education and helping provide for these needs. Really, my goal is to help promote a healthier environment for these children where they can get education and have better lives."
America maintains, as she has in the past, that her own background inspired her to be an education advocate. "As the youngest of 6 kids with a single mother, I was taught that school and education was our way out," she says.
About her involvement with Save The Children: "The reason I care so much about this is that I’ve witnessed for myself the concrete difference that their [Save the Children's] work makes between the child that has been helped and the one next door who hasn’t," says Ferrera. "They hold their head higher, make eye contact and have more confidence in themselves. It’s incredible to see the difference that education makes."
Ferrera has more information about the trip and Save The Children at her Facebook page.
Ferrera deserves much praise for this. She puts her effort where her mouth is, and inspires many of the rest of us to do the same!
SourceFB Page:
http://www.facebook.com/AmericaFerrera?v=wall 
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