City Year Corps Members and Morgan Stanley Volunteers Teach One Hen Microfinance Lessons to Brooklyn students

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) April 13, 2010 -- (April 13, 2010) Volunteers from Morgan Stanley will join City Year Corps member to lead microfinance lessons from Africa for students in Brooklyn, New York on Thursday, April 15th from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. Approximately 100 fourth and fifth graders at PS 13 and PS 213 will attend the “Microfinance Role Play” workshop as part of a larger curriculum launched by the education non-profit One Hen, Inc and City Year.

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City Year Corps Members and Morgan Stanley Volunteers Teach One Hen Microfinance Lessons to Brooklyn students

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Launched this Spring, One Hen and City Year’s Starfish program partnered to introduce microfinance and entrepreneurship to over 800 elementary students in about 10 NYC public schools. These lessons are based on the story of Kojo, from the book One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference, by Katie Smith Milway. Kojo is a boy from Ghana of elementary-school age, who took a small loan and used it to grow a business that eventually supported himself, his family and his community. One Hen lesson plans will be part of the Needs and Wants program being taught to inner city New York youth.

One Hen’s program in New York is sponsored by Morgan Stanley, a leader in the microfinance sector. “Morgan Stanley is deeply committed to furthering the growth and development of the microfinance industry through strategic transactions, research and thought leadership,” said Audrey Choi, Managing Director and Head of Morgan Stanley’s Environment, Social Finance & Community Reinvestment Group. “Educating children about the impact microloans can have on communities helps to foster a greater appreciation for micro entrepreneurship in our society.”

Starfish After School Program’s name derives from one of City Year’s “founding stories” in which a little girl makes a difference by throwing back into the ocean a starfish that has washed up on the shore. City Year’s starfish are children in the 3rd through 5th grades who receive not only a safe space and extra homework help during critical after-school hours, but also a chance to engage in service at a young age. “In Starfish, one of our units focuses on Needs versus Wants. Working with the One Hen curriculum helps our students better understand the concepts of Needs and Wants. By reading about Kojo, students are able to make a connection with youth in other parts of the world.” said Amanda Bruce, Service Director, City Year.

Through various service-learning curricula, children learn to use their energy and excitement for community service. “In Starfish, I learned not to take things for granted because there are different people around the world that don’t have what I have. I think I can help by donating my time, clothing, food, and water,” said 6th grader, Treina. City Year’s corps members plan and implement educational lessons on topics such as health living, government, environment, and diversity. This year, City Year’s 1,500 young leaders, who are 17 to 24 years old, will complete more than 2.5 million hours of service in schools across US and abroad.

One Hen equips teachers with the resources to teach pertinent world issues, such as microfinance, food security and poverty alleviation in ways that inspire urban kids to personal initiative and financial responsibility. One Hen provides multiple curriculum formats that can be used with students. “One Hen’s niche in the spectrum of educational offerings rests in combining the teaching of social issues with entrepreneurship and youth philanthropy to instill values of global citizenship,” said Amma Sefa-Dedeh, One Hen Executive Director. “The Starfish program is a perfect example of bringing service learning full circle and helping children become global citizens who understand the value of giving back. We are excited about the City Year partnership, supported by Morgan Stanley, and the impact it will make with children”.

About One Hen, Inc.

One Hen, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that grew out of the 2008 children’s book on microfinance: One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference, and the educator movement it inspired. One Hen’s mission is to help children become global citizens that succeed in school and beyond and marry that success to helping others. One Hen’s family of enrichment books and web-based resources teaches elementary school children about world issues where they can make a difference. One Hen materials cultivate values of financial responsibility, personal initiative, global awareness and giving back. The website, www.onehen.org, offers students a chance to learn through participating in interactive activities that simulate real loans to real micro-entrepreneurs from One Hen, Inc. field partner Opportunity International.

About City Year
City Year unites young people of all backgrounds for a year of full-time service, giving them the skills and opportunities to change the world. As tutors, mentors and role models, these diverse young leaders help children stay in school and on track, and transform schools and communities across the United States, as well as through international affiliates in Johannesburg, South Africa and London, England.

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, investment management and wealth management services. The Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals from more than 1,200 offices in 37 countries. For further information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.

More information can be found online at http://www.onehen.org