The publication of the Wheelsong Poetry Anthology series remains one of the absolute first priorities of all things Wheelsong, with ALL proceeds going to Save The Children. Why Save The Children? What does Save The Children do?
Save The Children is a charitable organization dedicated to programs involving health, education, protection, emergency response, advocacy, and localization initiatives for children worldwide.
A staggering 118 million kids in 116 countries around the world felt the saving impact of these programs just last year (2022)…. 5 MILLION meals went to impoverished children in U.S. areas alone… 9 MILLION kids observed a quality education (4.5 million being girls)… 4.6 MILLION mothers and 16 MILLION children improved their nutrition.. 3.8 MILLION kids rescued from violence…107 MAJOR EMERGENCIES were averted in over 70 countries.
This is just ONE story of so many… in 2010 Save The Children began the “camel library” in Ethiopia. The program includes 21 camels, which are traditionally used by communities in the Somali region of Ethiopia to transport goods across the hot lowland areas. Camels can carry up to 200 storybooks at a time in wooden boxes strapped to their backs. The project currently reaches over 22,000 children in 33 villages.
Mahadiya, 13, is in grade seven in a remote part of the Somali region of eastern Ethiopia COVID-19 forced her school to close. She eagerly looked forward to the “camel library” to work its way through the arid desert lands to bring her the only education she could know. She says wants to be an engineer when she grows up!
Mahadiya confided, “Many children have become herders and some walk into the bush to look for firewood. When schools were closed (during Covid), I was very sad. However, the camel library continued to come to our village and supplied us with storybooks. I feel very happy and I am now able to borrow and take home the storybook that I would like to read.”
Children raised concerns around increases in child labor, early marriage, and abuse due to the outbreak and closure of schools. Even today Ethiopian children and their families are facing floods, desert locusts, cholera, measles, food insecurity, and rising poverty levels.
Save The Children assured her of protection from the dangers of child labor and exploitation… in addition to providing nutrition and education. This is only ONE child… out of 118 million. Mahadiya no doubt still waits for that camel to bring her the books she so desperately longs for.
One child. One story. One world. One cause. Wheelsong continues to support Save The Children. Wheelsong Books founder and publisher Steve Wheeler has put in the hard work, donating £2225 ($2820) so far from the Wheelsong Poetry Anthologies. His work, the editors, and the works of the poets contributing make this possible. But we have to get the books out there.
Please consider buying one today for a
Christmas gift, or otherwise. Your contribution not only provides quality poetry… it provides a child with needs she or he will never get otherwise in a world where so little… can often mean so much.
Matt Elmore
Image from:
Save The Children
References:
https://www.savethechildren.org/us/what-we-do
Together we stand together in unity. Poetry against poverty. This is such a great blog thanks Matt.
ReplyDeleteThanks!! I never want to think I didn’t do as much as I could… though even now I don’t feel like it’s enough after doing the research for this blog. Saw The Children is an superbly worthy charity to work with!
DeleteWow, you've certainly done your research on this Matt. There are facts here I didn't know, and I work with Save the Children. It's staggering the difference just a few dollars, pounds or euros can make in the lives of needy children. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAppreciate that Steve. You know I’m happy to help anyway I can. It’s incredible the depth of care this organization has… i couldn’t even include all the wonderful things it is doing all around the world. 5 million meals served last year in rural U.S. areas for one… not just third world kids but mountain kids too. Wow.. Save The Children is amazing.
ReplyDelete