LA Teen Changing the World

In the past two years, 16 year old Rosetta Ragusa has raised almost $4,000 for SOS Children's Villages - USA. Ragusa spends many weekends outside her local grocery store in La Crescenta, California collecting donations and raising awareness for the world's orphans. In addition to weekend "awareness booths," she formed a "Save Uganda" school club and is producing a video to distribute in her community.

"I first became interested in SOS-USA when I was given an advanced history assignment and had to research a service project," says Ragusa. "Once I learned of the impact SOS-USA has around the world, I took my assignment out of the classroom and into the real world." When she learned how decades of conflict and disease left an entire generation of Ugandan children orphaned, Ragusa decided to take action. She began by educating her community and peers about the needs of orphaned and abandoned children in Uganda, and ultimately by raising funds for SOS-USA. "Rosetta Ragusa is an exceptional example of a well-intentioned young woman who knows that each one of us can make a difference. We are thrilled to have her volunteering for us, and we support and commend Rosetta for everything she is doing," states Heather Paul, CEO of SOS-USA.

Ragusa also receives support and encouragement from her family and peers. "It makes me feel blessed that young kids in my community recognize me for my passion for SOS-USA, but to myself I am just an ordinary girl in a big world trying to help Ugandan people."

Ragusa has been chosen from hundreds of applicants as a runner up for the Mudd Jeans and Seventeen Magazine's "Mudd Girls Move the World" contest for helping to make the world a better place through her volunteer work.

About SOS Children's Villages - USA

SOS Children's Villages was founded in 1949 to provide families for orphaned and abandoned children. Today there are over 450 villages in 132 countries around the world. The mission of SOS is to build families for children in need, help them shape their own futures and share in the development of their communities. To learn more, visit www.sos-usa.org.