December 1 is World AIDS Day. The WHO and UNAIDS estimate 39.5 million people are living with HIV/AIDS at this very moment. Please please please remember to wear a condom and keep yourselves safe :)
It is that time of year again where i'm feeling slightly charitable. This is horrible as i know people are in need year round, not just during the holidays, however this is when i choose to give. Last year i supplied a school kit to a child in Laos through Ten Thousand Villages. I struggled with choosing a gift as the live animals (think goats, chickens) could really really help a family in need, provide milk, eggs, protein...you get the idea. I just couldn't get myself to send such an item and decided that education was the way to go and hence sent the school kit.
This year the choices are:
Trees for restoration efforts
Learning materials for preschoolers affected by AIDS
Livestock for hardworking families
Training for inspired artisans
Fill a farm with a four legged charm
Just to give a bit of a background on Ten Thousand Villages they provide vital, fair income to Third World people by marketing their handicrafts and telling their stories in North America.
Ten Thousand Villages works with artisans who would otherwise be unemployed or underemployed, providing sustainable income through fair trade. This income helps pay for food, education, health care and housing. Thousands of volunteers in Canada and the United States work with Ten Thousand Villages in their home communities.
As well i was made aware of World Vision and their gift ideas which are quite vast. They range from Mosquito Nets, Bee Keeping Kits, Child Immunizations to Clean Water, Mother to Child HIV Prevention and Building Homes and Schools. Phew!!! That link will take you to the catalogue which is quite large and very very cool. I think a lot of us take our lives and our privilege if you will for granted. This is one very small way each and every one of us can touch anothers soul and show that we care.
9 comments:
Very cool. I spoke to my family about this last night. We are all going in on something. I will let you know what we are doing.
Scott
Scott, that's great do let me know what your family decides. I was thinking of going in with some friends and getting a bigger gift as well.
Yrautca...you're ridiculous...but i am laughing AND shaking my head.
Thanks for the link & I think that a definite bonus this time of year is the ability to do things like this to help. Not that you get to take off the rest of the year, but . . .
Ooooooh, beekeeping kit, that sounds like fun! I love bee keeping.
http://www2.worldvision.ca/gifts/app?service=external/Gift&sp=l1792
Bee keeping! Love it, and it's only 50$, that's a steal. If anyone planning on giving me a Chistmas gift reads this....
2DP, it is a great link. I think my family and i are going to help immunize children.
Jennifer, I thought of you when i saw the beekeeping kit.
YAY...im headed this weekend to make a donation. Did you go already? I cant remember where it is.
PP it's in NOTL across from the Japanese store. I think i'm going to do the World Vision one and immunize some kidlets.
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