HUMANITARIAN PROJECTS
Rachael Paulson’s - Hands On The World Global
We are the World Honoring
the world of Michael Jackson
By: Rachael Paulson
Michael Jackson was known worldwide for his music but,
many people are not aware of his humanitarian efforts.
Michael was the voice of the forgotten and suffering children in this world.
Maybe, because Michael himself felt lost at times, it gave him this special sensitivity enabling him to reach out to those who
needed love.
Since I was a young girl, I always knew that I wanted to be surrounded by children who were in need of love. I remember
watching movies like The Singing Nun and Lilies in the Field and picturing myself in a developing country holding in my arms
children who were suffering.
I am about the same age as Michael Jackson so I grew up with him.
Yes, I loved his music and his amazing dance moves, but what stood out the most to me were the photos I saw of him helping
children who were sick and those who were suffering from poverty. In those photos, I remember how his face was glowing
with happiness. I think besides the sharing of his music on stage, this is when he was the most fulfilled.
That same look appears on his face when you see him with his own children. It is just pure love.
When the song We are the World was released, I remember so well how much I connected to that song. The energy of that
masterpiece swept right through me and I felt like it was written for me. I wanted to climb into this song and live there forever.
So when my dreams of starting a non-profit organization to give voice to women and children that were forgotten came true,
this song became my theme song. Then, with the help of an artist I produced the We are the World mural.
This was a huge piece of canvas that held a center theme that held the United Nations goals and promise to end world poverty; and to take care of women and children worldwide.
My idea was to collect handprints from people around the world that would hear the story of the suffering women and children
that had no voice. I wanted the handprints of the needy, but also I wanted the handprints of those who wanted to help me
make a difference in the world. Millions of women and children live each day without running water or food to eat.
I wanted those who listened to me to feel something. I wanted them to feel connected just like I did to that song We are the
World.
I carried this mural around the globe with me, always packing it up in my suitcase to fold out during my presentations. I got a
few shocked stares when I was asked to speak at the United Nations in NYC to talk about my work of bringing water and agriculture to orphan villages.
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