Charity Spotlight: Mind

Country
United Kingdom

Category
Health/Medical

Charity Mission Statement

_______________________________________________________________

To promote and protect good mental health for all, and to treat people with experience of mental distress fairly, positively, and with respect.

To donate and read the full charity profile, click here

EARTH HOUR: Global switch-off

WWF reminder to get ready for Earth Hour…

Set your alarm clock for global lights out says the WWF…

The countdown is on as Earth Hour rapidly approaches, a global energy saving and awareness event in which hundreds of millions of people are expected to participate.

The Earth Hour event promoted by international wildlife and environmental conservation charity WWF involves a global switch off of electricity consumption. The fun international community event takes place 8.30pm local time on Saturday March 31 with all individuals and organisations invited to take part.

Earth Hour involves homes, schools, businesses and iconic landmarks across the globe turning off their lights for one hour and making a commitment to reducing carbon emissions...

The event now in its sixth year, having been launched in 2007, has become the world’s largest environmental movement with countries all over the world taking part in support of conservation, but there is still an opportunity for even more people to get involved in this year’s event.

Earth Hour began in Sydney when two million people switched off their lights. In 2011 1.8 billion people in 135 countries participated across all seven continents. Iconic landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, the Forbidden City, Buckingham Palace and Golden Gate Bridge have previously switched off in support of environmentally sustainable action.

As well as being a fun event there is a serious side too… When we turn on a light switch or an electronic device we rarely think about the effects of that energy use…

The fact is though that electricity use is powered substantially by fossil fuels and so is one of the main causes of greenhouse gas emissions, which is linked with climate change and its myriad attendant problems.

As such reducing household and business consumption of electricity is a major and very significant way that anyone concerned about protecting the environment can make a positive difference. Of course it also saves you money on your energy bills…

Like starting many good habits, that’s sometimes all you need to do - is just make a start…
That’s why the WWF’s Earth Hour big lights switch off initiative is such a good one and proving so popular, introducing more people every year to the satisfaction that comes with sharing in a communal international event involving energy saving.

The Earth Hour movement reflects a growing appetite for reducing waste and energy use that is proving more popular as more is known about the benefits of energy conservation.

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Charity Spotlight: Children's HeartLink

Country
United States

Category
Health/Medical

Charity Mission Statement

_______________________________________________________________

To build sustainable programs to prevent, treat and cure heart disease among children in developing countries by mobilizing extraordinary hearts, minds and resources around the world.

To donate and read the full charity profile, click here

ZAMBIA: Support Zambia

After their African Nations Cup victory why not start supporting Zambia?

The African Nations Cup final has drawn the attention of the world on to this small country in Southern Africa...

Why not continue your support for Zambia by supporting this beleaguered country off the pitch... and helping some of the organisations at work there?

Zambia's first football trophy on Sunday beating favourites Ivory Coast is ever the more remarkable when you consider its history. 

A terrible plane disaster led to the loss of 18 players in 1993 when the team's plane crashed into the sea.

However, since then the team has been rebuilt and now this desperately poor nation’s football team has gone on to achieve major tournament success in the African Cup of Nations... Following their nations cup penalties victory on Sunday Zambia coach Herve Renard has since dedicated the outcome to the victims of the plane disaster.

For football fans in England and many across the world it will recall the achievement of Manchester United who went on to achieve European Cup success in 1968 following the Munich air disaster in 1958.

In any case, it is an amazing sporting achievement. But as news sinks in of Zambia's greatest sporting achievement it begs the question why not continue your support for Zambia by helping this poor and trouble-torn country?

According to health and humanitarian agencies the landlocked country of Zambia suffers from high levels of deprivation with the majority of the population struggling to rise above the poverty line... The country is also suffering from an HIV/AIDS epidemic with estimates at around 920,000 Zambians living with HIV and AIDS, almost one in 12 of the population. The country also has a high percentage of orphans related to the HIV/AIDS situation, estimated at about 600,000 children and rising...

As such Zambia desperately needs more support and we are not talking about the football terraces. In terms of sustainable development, especially investment in education and health resources, as well as vital food and water supplies.

Some of the charities working in Zambia include Oxfam whose priority is to reduce HIV/AIDS and help sufferers, as well as providing other development aid including essential services such as food, water and sanitation.

Other charities working in Zambia include Beautiful Gate, a charity that provides care and support to children in need and their families via school and community outreach programmes and foster care programmes... The Butterfly Tree charity is another small charity providing orphan sponsorship programmes and vital health services... International charity SOS Children's Villages is also based in Zambia supporting Aids orphans as well as providing its traditional children's villages which create family-centred care communities...

The combination of issues highlighted by charities operating in Zambia suggests this is a country that deserves some breaks and not just in football penalty shootout terms... Whilst enjoying the razzmatazz of a wonderful sporting occasion and an inspirational victory, let's hope the attention given to Zambia this week on the world stage translates to a continuing underlining of these important humanitarian matters at stake.


Read more Xperedon Chartiy News at: http://www.xperedon.com/charity_news

Charity Spotlight: Dog Chance

Country
Thailand

Category
Animals/Wildlife

Charity Mission Statement

_______________________________________________________________

Offering Thailand's street dogs a second chance, through immunzation, neutering and adoption programs.

To donate and read the full charity profile, click here

WILD WEST: Rodeo for Rwanda

Charity puts on Wild West show in London to raise funds for Rwanda

Grab your partner by the hand...

A small charity is running a rooting tooting rodeo event...

The evening of fun will raise funds for a sustainable educational project in Rwanda.

MAD4Africa which is run by volunteers invites supporters and Wild West fans out there to have a good time by dressing up with Stetson and boots, and perhaps trying out some line dancing, or even for the bravest budding Buffalo Bill or Cattle Kate, riding on the mechanical bull…

The charity event takes place on the evening of Saturday February 11, 8pm until late at The George Shillibeer, N7 - with proceeds going to MAD4Africa's educational training centre in Rwanda.

The rodeo hoedown promises plenty of laughs and games, including a prize for the longest rodeo rider on the bull and all in a good cause. The event will support the Kiyonza Professional Training Centre in the Ngoma Sector of Rwanda, a training facility which helps young people build sustainable futures for themselves and their communities.

The Kiyonza Professional Training Centre is in a very poor region of Rwanda and trains young people who are not enrolled within the education system, are unemployed or without any recognisable skills.

This training for young men and women includes life training like language skills and traditional trades like tailoring, carpentry and construction.

The centre is based in Kiyonza, a small village, close to the Burundian border which holds about 20,000 inhabitants but has meagre facilities, including no access to running water.

MAD4Africa says attendance at the centre is free and although the centre is equipped and up and running it needs ongoing support, and the charity also hopes to maintain and extend its services.

MAD4Africa was formed in March 2008 and is a UK and Rwandan registered charity. The charity runs regular fundraising events and hopes to ensure the long-term sustainability of its training centre and also develop future development projects…

Read more Xperedon Charity News at: http://www.xperedon.com/charity_news