Break Down Barriers by PIF

You sent me some bracelets a couple months ago.  I used them in a 7th grade class I was assisting in an inner city school as part of a kind of "break down the barriers" exercise. I broke the students into two groups and then paired them off randomly. Their assignment was to think about their partner over lunch and come up with at least one quality in their partner that they appreciated.  At the end of class, they exchanged bracelets and kind statements with each other.  I told them they could use the bracelets to either remind them to be kind to others, or they could pass the bracelets on and "pay it forward."  While the students were initially somewhat anxious about the exercise, once we got rolling after lunch and started the bracelet exchange, the enthusiasm really picked up and the energy in the classroom changed dramatically for the better.  Thank you so much for helping me get the students to connect a little!

Gwyn 

Sierra Leone, Africa "PIF"

You will be pleased to hear your bracelets are now in Sierra Leone, Africa and the talk of the town, they had never seen the movie or heard of the concept.  In September I intend to get the president of Sierra Leone to wear his, which I have saved for him. I will send you some photos when I get them.  Your kindness will mean some children in Africa will no longer have to suffer.

We are working on a national project with the president all about attitudinal change, I will hopefully convince him to introduce the subject in to the school curriculum for the whole country.  When I do, pay it forward will be one of the main messages.  Keep up the good work Charley, the world is a better place for you being in it.!!!!!!

Steve Hennessy UK

New Zealand Paying it Forward

Hi

I’m a 39yr old single mother of two (11 & 14yrs). I have been paying it forward since I saw the movie many years ago. I remember being at my son’s rugby practice a few years back and a friend, Maxine, asked what I was making for dinner. I was really struggling financially at the time and said it would probably be something very cheap. As we were leaving, she handed me $20 and told me to get the kids something really nice for dinner. As I went to protest, she told me to ‘pay it forward’. I got pizza for dinner that night and had two very happy kids. I got myself out of financial straits by putting myself through University and getting a nursing degree. I recently got the opportunity to pay it forward to one of my colleagues (also a single mum). I had the good fortune to be able to buy a new computer that came with a really whizzy printer. My colleague mentioned that she needed a new printer, and as my old one was only bought last year, I took it in to work and gave it to her. She started to explain that payday was not for a couple of days, but I told her to just pay it forward. What a good feeling!

As our family practice paying it forward, I would really like some bracelets to also pass on. I don’t know if you could send them all the way to New Zealand but I want to make sure that paying it forward reaches every corner of the world.
 
Thanks, and keep up the good work!
 
Audrey.

Auckland, New Zealand