I want to tell you about a charity my family supports. It is called ‘Action Aid’ In the 1990’s Action Aid launched a campaign. This was mainly a campaign for donations but the difference was that they didn’t want to impose solutions on communities, but to help, support and educate people to make changes themselves. The donations of money Action Aid receives is rigorously monitored and audited. The money is also spent effectively and efficiently for the people who need it. Action aid currently has 1,787 people working for them of which 89% are from developing countries. Action Aid has over 2,000 partner organisations around the world.

They also have around 320,000 supporters of the charity. Since the charity has set up in 1972 they have helped over 13 million of the worlds most poorest and disadvantaged people worldwide. Action Aid help the people to fight for and gain their rights to food, shelter, work, education, healthcare and a voice in the decisions that affect their lives. Their partners range from small community support groups to national alliances and international networks seeking education for all, trade justice and action against HIV/AIDS. There work has influenced government’s decisions.

On august 30th more than 600 people died and as many as 50,000 people have been displaced by severe flooding in nine of Ethiopia’s eleven regions. Action Aid helped to bring help to most of the regions that were affected I am now going to tell you about a few of the people we have helped We were sent this photograph of a young girl ‘Tsehay Tsegay’ year of birth estimated at 1992, with a brief background history. She did not go to school, worked at home, lived in a house made of stone with a mud roof and the nearest water supply was from a river or pond which were over 3 kilometres away.

Her parents are farmers growing grain and cabbages which was difficult because of drought. They also had a few animals. They had no access to a health centre and if anyone became ill they would need to walk a great distance for help or use a traditional healer in the area. Someone like a witch doctor……. spells Our donations along with others made it possible for a safe, protected water supply to be installed close to the village. The village committee themselves protected the water source. Also a health centre only 30 minutes away by foot from the village was constructed and supplied with equipment.

Tsehay also began to receive education. These are a couple of her drawings. During this time we received letters from the Field Worker, giving us up to date news. We now sponsor more people, all in Ethiopia. Our donations have helped at least three more people to receive a full education which without our help this would have never happened. This girl is called Hereguwa she was sent away by her parents because they could not afford to keep her. Even though she was sad it soon turned to excitement when she found out Action Aid were supplying materials for a school to be built along with materials and trained teachers.

We sponsor her education. It is difficult for poor children, especially girls to get an education. After school Hereguwa still has to work. She goes to school in the morning and in the afternoon sells sandwiches in the streets of Nazareth. This photograph is of lady called Senait. She now has her own business making and selling Injera, a traditional Ethiopian flatbread and a protein drink called Shameta. She has no education, was born with a crooked back and walks with a limp. No one would employ her because of all these reasons.

Senait went to look for work in Addis Abba. Everyday she looked for work but was refused. She had no money and made a home from scrap corrugated iron and bits of wood. There was no electricity or water. Senait heard of an organisation who wanted to help women in her situation. With her sister they discussed their dream and six months later were given 1500 Birr (approximately i?? 100) Before they attended courses on business planning, accounting and how to manage a business. Also how to stay healthy. A year later they have paid back the loan.

They have taken a second loan. Now she can afford food, medicine and clothes. They have also demolished their home and built a fine mud house with 5 rooms, electricity, water and a loo, together with a proper roof that does not let in the water. Action Aid is different because they work with poor communities making the most of a person’s skills and abilities. Here is a fact about Ethiopia. It has a calendar year of 13 month, which is different from the rest of the World. Their year begins in September. The year in Ethiopia now is only 2000.

This makes the saying calling developing countries backwards a reality. Pictures * Me Abeck three children sirak (16) mekdes (7) Bethlehem (3) * Oute tena When I saw the changes you made I realised there is hope for us * Mifthudine (12) Sahabit (7) Tamra (5) Saliha (4) standing outside the school that we funded * This is a lady with her daughter Fantu and her son Mamush * After our help her and Fantu have been learning to read and right You can sponsor a child for as little as 50p a month but that 50p will go a long way towards securing facilities to help the people in developing countries.