We are Kevin and Emily Doyle, twins from Fairfield , Connecticut . Our parents have always tried to emphasize the importance of global awareness. As a result, we have traveled a fair amount as a family and have been fortunate enough to be exposed to different cultures. In addition, we have grown up knowing that we are very fortunate in many ways and that it is our responsibility to give back -- both in our own backyard and abroad.

Our first contact with refugees was during Christmas 2005 when we spent a few days volunteering in a homeless shelter in South Africa . The residents ranged in ages but most were HIV+. Although initially tentative to enter a dilapidated building on the outskirts of town with many faces staring at us, we eventually became part of an incredibly hopeful community. We listened to their stories, prepared and shared a Christmas dinner, and were invited to say a blessing and prayer on our last day. As we left, a few of the residents gave us bracelets and homemade necklaces as a thank-you gift. More meaningful than any other gift we would receive that season, these gifts still serve to remind us of the struggles to survive that exist throughout the world, of the need for immediate action to solve these crises, and of the difference that individuals can make, however small they may seem.

We decided to venture out on our own this past summer with volunteer trips to Africa in Senegal and Malawi . After completing our journeys, we gained a broader global perspective, a higher degree of sensitivity towards others and realized a profound need to attempt to educate others, especially our peers, on those less fortunate. When we began talking to our friends about our experiences, we noticed that it was very difficult for them to comprehend the conditions that we lived in for only one month and the extreme poverty and primitive health care that exists for so many individuals throughout the world. In addition, it was inconceivable for them to understand the large number of individuals who not only live in almost sub-human conditions, but also have nowhere to truly call home.

My Name is Kevin Doyle and I am seventeen years old. I spent a month in the summer of 2007 in Senegal on a Community Service trip. I was involved in two projects which included building a covered wall for a cemetery and teaching English in a local village school. Although we mostly slept on the floor, woke each day at 7:00 AM and worked a full day, I was always looking to do more as I was so enthralled with the fortitude of the villagers.

I learned how to create something useful from materials that were not obvious when I made bricks from cement, dirt and water, in order to protect the spirits of the dead from the animals desecrating the cemetery. I also witnessed how grateful everyone was for the help that we provided, even the young children in school who so appreciated our time and knowledge.

When I contracted Malaria, I began to understand the immediate need for an improved health care system. I was driven two hours in order to get my medicine and this was facilitated because I was American and could afford this alleged luxury - what about the villagers who were not in my position? The satisfaction I received from helping was immeasurable and the look of gratitude and hope in a young African child´s eyes is an image that will remain with me forever.

I learned how to create something useful from materials that were not obvious when I made bricks from cement, dirt and water, in order to protect the spirits of the dead from the animals desecrating the cemetery. I also witnessed how grateful everyone was for the help that we provided, even the young children in school who so appreciated our time and knowledge.

After spending the summer of 2008 in Malawi, I began to truly understand the potential power of disseminating information on important topics such as HIV/AIDS and Permaculture (a far more eco-friendly and agriculturally efficient system of farming which can enable people to more independently produce diverse crops with less reliance on toxic fertilizers). I hosted a radio show and spent as much time as possible trying to gently educate the people of Nkhotakota on these topics. I didn’t expect their behavior and way of thinking to change immediately, but I was trying to offer alternatives for a safer and more productive way of life.

My name is Emily Doyle and I am seventeen years old. I spent a month in the summer of 2007 in Malawi on a Global Action trip. I worked with an organization that targeted the illegal utilization of youth laborers and spent time in a fishing village trying to educate the villagers with alternative solutions in accomplishing their work needs.

In addition, I worked in hospitals spending time with HIV+ patients. Besides the lack of medicine and health care professionals and supplies, I realized the immediate need for education, even on seemingly simple areas as HIV testing and usage of condoms.

Young girls, often starting at the age of ten, were forced into prostitution in order to make money and have a place to live. Although a very unsettling trip in many ways, it was also a month filled with creating bonds and seeing first hand individuals with hope and dreams despite their present situation and harsh realities. It also made me realize that as a human being on this planet, I have the ability and the duty to offer my help in any way possible.

After spending the summer of 2008 in Belize obtaining my certification in Emergency Wilderness Medicine, I was offered the privilege of working in a clinic. This medical facility was only temporary and a multitude of people lined up for hours just to see the doctor who would only stay for a few days. I again saw the numerous limitations of a health care system that was so badly needed in an impoverished area. We all had to make do with the antiquated equipment and materials that were donated and therefore were not able to help many villagers who traveled for days to see a medical professional.