Program Focus: Foreign Affairs and Business Empowerment (LIFE)/Linking with Haiti

The International Trends and Services Facet (ITS) of the South Suburban Chicago (IL) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated enthusiastically partners with a Chicago Southland high school and its cohort of International Baccalaureate students to implement the Links International Foreign Affairs and Business Empowerment for Youth (LIFE) Program. The LIFE program is designed to expose minority high school students, grades 9-10, to career possibilities in foreign affairs and international business in an effort to close the race and gender divide in corporate and state department jobs and Foreign Service appointments. The curriculum includes workshops, site visits and guest speakers with backgrounds and experience in business and foreign service. The South Suburban Chicago Chapter has enhanced its local curriculum with presentations focused on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens.

Through the national Linking With Haiti Initiative, ITS provides survival supplies to citizens of Haiti. Each month, the committee collects much-needed hygiene supplies for women and children. And, in collaboration with American Airlines, personally delivers them to Haitian families. To date, several hundred survival kits have been donated. In addition, school supplies and 10 suitcases of clothing and shoes were also donated to the Children’s Orphanage and School in Haiti.