Day 8 Update : Clay Aiken's Appeal for Afghanistan

UNICEF Ambassador Clay Aiken visits Afghanistan

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Our new total is $161,798.82 as of 9 a.m. this morning. This total, in US Dollars, now reflects the donations made in the U.S. and in Canada.
Speaking of Canada, I had a conference call with my colleagues from UNICEF Canada this morning. They heard from UNICEF Canada Ambassador Ben Mulroney, host of Canadian Idol, and asked me to pass along this message:
"We were excited to see Clay’s Canadian fans join this campaign with such enthusiasm and generosity," said Ben Mulroney. "Thank you so much to Clay and all his fans for your support!"

http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/mt/mt-tb.cgi/60

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Day 7 of Clay Aiken's 10 Day Appeal

Fieldnotes Update

Here's our afternoon update. As of an hour ago (1:34 p.m.), we've raised $150,802.31 for UNICEF's work in Afghanistan. Thank you!

Today's Day 7 and we're already more than $50,000 ahead of the goal. Three more days to go . . .

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Update on Clay Aiken's Appeal for Afghanistan

Clay giving a baby a polio vaccine

From fieldnotes

Clay Aiken in Afghanistan:
$139,778 for kids in just one week!

Hello, we have some big news and a big number to share this morning. Together we've raised $139,778.60 (as of 11:04 a.m. this morning) for Clay Aiken's 10 Day Challenge for the Children of Afghanistan. Congratulations and thank you for your amazing support of this program!

Clay Aiken's Fieldnotes post from Monday told us about the great need he saw first-hand in Afghanistan. Schools are struggling to provide school supplies to every boy and girl who wants to learn. Your gifts will make a tremendous difference in the lives of these kids.

Today is Day 7 of the challenge. We've got three more days left and we've already exceeded Clay's $100,000 goal.

Clay's goal was $100,000 but the need far exceeds the goal. If you haven't donated yet please consider donating today.

Link to donate.

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$100,000 in 10 Days

Clay Aiken is making an appeal for $100,000 in 10 days for Afghanistan.

UPDATE: Clay Aiken's Appeal for Afghanistan





Let's aim high and work together to raise $100,000 in 10 days
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For original hi-res images of the pictures above visit: flickr.com
Flickr 1
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For more information visit:

US Fund for UNICEF

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Clay Aiken, Unicef Ambassador in Afghanistan

This picture was taken at a BAF Gala on 3/31/07. I imagine he grew the beard for his trip with UNICEF.

UN News Center

‘American Idol’ star and UNICEF ambassador Clay Aiken spotlights Afghanistan

11 April 2007 – United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassador and singer Clay Aiken is currently on his first visit to Afghanistan, aiming to raise awareness about the hope and promise he has seen in the young people of the war-torn country.

“The people here are very strong and they are very proud of their country,” Mr. Aiken told reporters in Kabul today, (UNAMA Press Briefing) praising the “strength and conviction of the Afghan people and their ability to make sure that this country returns to its glory after such a long darkness.”

The singer, who gained a name on the televised talent competition ‘American Idol,’ has been a Goodwill Ambassador since 2004, has been in Afghanistan for the past week to see first-hand the grassroots health and education projects being delivered by UNICEF.

“It has been a long winter for Afghanistan and it is Spring time finally,” he said, adding that he is “thrilled” to be associated with UNICEF’s support for the country’s rebuilding efforts.

Traveling with UNICEF country representative for Afghanistan Catherine Mbengue and his high school teacher Mary Props, Mr. Aiken has visited schools in Kabul and in Bamiyan.

In Kabul, he met young women at Macfee High School who “have an amazing positive outlook on their future now,” he said.

Mr. Aiken called Bamiyan one of the most beautiful places he has ever seen, and mentioned one school he visited there in particular where boys and girls were being educated together. He also visited clinics where he had the opportunity to administer polio vaccine to a newborn baby.

“I have never in my life seen such a thirst and an excitement for learning,” he said, joking that his former teacher, Ms. Props, was very jealous of how eager students in Afghanistan are to attend school.

Calling the people of Afghanistan the country’s “greatest natural resource,” Mr. Aiken said that he also hopes to inform people in the United States, who he said too often associate Afghanistan with conflicts, troops and military activities, of the genuine desire on the part of children to learn.

“If we did see more about the kids [in the media], we will see more positive support and help,” noted Mr. Aiken.



If you follow the link you find this statement from Clay

I just want to go back to your question about comparisons of the countries I have visited. Afghanistan’s terrain is very tough and is also full of so much promise. It has been such a key part of travel, dating centuries back. It is such a valuable country in so many ways. As you fly in or as we flew into Bamiyan and when we were flying to Kabul it is dark, rough and dusty. And as we were approaching Bamiyan on the plane I was told of the promise of the grass and the promise of green. When the summer comes there would be grass over the hills and that it is so beautiful and lush in the summer yet I didn’t see that and some were skeptical that any grass grew in Bamiyan. When we flew out today and I looked out of the window and I saw a little grass peeking through. And I think that has been a kind of capstone experience for me here in Afghanistan that there is so much promise and it has been a long winter for Afghanistan and it is spring time finally. I think that is what UNICEF is excited about doing and being a part of the rebirth and re-growth and part of the spring time here in the country and I am thrilled to be associated with them for that reason.

Clay Aiken Appeal for Afghanistan

"I've just returned from Afghanistan and see that the need is urgent. Let's aim high and work together to raise $100,000 in 10 days. Join me in standing with UNICEF to help these kids."

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