I am writing to you as a representative of the Irish Charity Self Help Africa to ask you to consider running a small fundraising event, perhaps a coffee morning or something along those lines for Self Help Africa around Friday the 25th of May which is World Africa Day or whenever the opportunity might arise over the next few months or during 2012, but if you can World Africa Day is the 25th of May.
I realise these are challenging times for us all and that everyone is finding things difficult, but the poverty in Africa is devastating millions of families and if you were in a position to host something small for Self Help Africa I would be most appreciative.
As you may know I was formerly of RTE’s Operation Transformation and now I am working for Self Help Africa—an international organisation founded and head quartered in Ireland who are tackling poverty in rural Africa at grass roots level. They invest in agricultural communities and focus their efforts on farming and food production, because 80% of Africans rely directly on small-scale farming for their survival, and because most land has the potential to grow much much more.
Self Help Africa help rural households to grow more food, to diversify farming activities, and to access markets for their produce. They also focus on women- who do the bulk of the work on most small farms. Any funds raised via their activities around Africa Day will go to support women via the provision of small business loans, access to training, tools and good quality seeds which will enable them to feed their families on a long term basis. The ethos of Self Help Africa is to give a hand up and not a hand out—and this along with realinvestment in agricultural and rural communities makes sense and it works.
If you would please consider doing something for Self Help Africa this May or anytime over the next few months your contribution would make a real and lasting difference to the lives of many. I can provide you with any assistance or advice you would need in relation to running a small event or if you need posters please contact me at the numbers or emails below.
Kind regards,
Ronan Scully
Above is a photo of Ronan and his adopted daughter Mia from Ethiopia launching the Africa Day fundraiser for Self Help Africa which takes place on Friday the 25th of May or at a date that suits you during the year. Thanks for everything.
