Rochester star (Jordan Parkinson) records song for World Orphan Week

Official Song for World Orphan Week 2009!

‘For Once in My Life’ recorded by Jordan Parkinson, has been chosen as official World Orphan Week song 2009. Rochester teenager Jordan Parkinson is using his singing talent to spread the word about WOW!

We were delighted when Jordan, of The Hundred of Hoo Media Arts School in Rochester, agreed to be an official Ambassador for World Orphan Week, which will take place in February 2009. The fifteen year old singer has recorded the official campaign song, a cover of Stevie Wonder’s ‘For Once in My Life’ following his visit to the SOS Children’s Village in Bucharest, Romania.

Jordan, who has been signing since he was nine years old, is set to have a huge career ahead of him - he has already been signed-up by a high-profile music management company and recently made it though to the regional semi-finals of a singing competition called Live and Unsigned.

Jordan says: “When I was asked to become an Ambassador for SOS Children, I was really excited and felt very privileged. I got the opportunity to visit an SOS project for myself and want to do as much as I can help for many, many years. I’m so glad I went and have witnessed the great work that SOS do for all these children.”

As part of his Ambassadorial role, Jordan will be encouraging more children to get involved by visiting schools to talk about his experience. It’s fantastic that Jordan has given up so much of his time to help other children who are less fortunate. For SOS Children, Jordan is the perfect Ambassador because he is able to use his incredible talent to inspire his peers. You can read about Jordan’s trip to Romania below.

Watch Jordan’s WOW music video on YouTube! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GuZPZLSeDE)

My trip to SOS Children’s Villages in Romania by Jordan Parkinson:

“When I was asked to become a young ambassador for the WOW campaign for SOS Children, I was really excited and felt very privileged to be asked. I knew that I would be going to visit one of the projects to see for myself the work the charity does for orphaned and abandoned children. I did feel a little nervous about going especially when I found out it was Romania, especially after the recent T.V documentary highlighting the countries children’s homes.

However, I was given lots of information and my initial concerns were put to one side when I realised the work that was being done in Romania in the SOS Children’s Village.

When we arrived at the Village it was late at night, we stayed in the Village guest accommodation and early the next day we were met by Alin the Village Director. We had a lot to do that day and we started our visit in the nursery. We met some lovely children and wonderful staff, the building was lovely and warm and all the children were busy in their class rooms. Some of them sang a song for us in their English lesson which was great.

We then went to meet some of the teenagers in their flats who have a member of staff with them all the time. They really learn to become more independent and focus on finishing their education, learning life skills and looking for work. What was brilliant is that they can keep on getting help well into their 20’s. I really want to help with this part of the work that the charity is doing because I could identify with the teenagers and I wondered what it would be like to have to get support from other people instead of my family. It made me realise how important family is, I’m so lucky. Alin showed us round a few of the flats and I met some of the teenagers who were just going off to school and college. One of the flats was in real need of repairs and furnishings to enable some more teenagers to move in. I want to help raise money for this project and hopefully go back and visit next year.

When we returned to the Village we went to meet a family with a social mother and six children. The children were from three separate families. I immediately clicked with the two oldest brothers they were 14 and 15 and we talked about football and sport and they challenged me to a basketball game which I gladly accepted. We all went over and met some other teenagers and had a great game. They really love their sports and the girls and boys have regular football and basketball coaching.

Later I talked to the brothers about their family and they said they had a mother they visited now and again, they said they had lived in the village for nine years and soon they would talk to Alin and their social mother about moving into one of the flats together to prepare them for independence. I asked them what they wanted to do when they leave school and they both want to become car mechanics because they will get paid lots of money. They asked me if I was clever at school and how many exams I was taking. I was blown away by how well they could speak English. I’m so glad I went to see the Village myself and I have witnessed the great work that SOS Children do for all these children and how important the children are.

The brothers asked me to go back next year and stay with them again, I really want to go back and see how they are doing, especially as they may be in the flats by the time I return. I think SOS Children is amazing and I want to do as much as I can to help for many, many years. Thank you for giving me such a wonderful opportunity in becoming a young ambassador and I am really looking forward to sharing with other young people my experience in the hope that they will find ways of helping SOS Children too".