Why Save The Children?

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/about-us/media-and-news/2020-press-releases/covid-19-camel-library-takes-remote-learning-to-new-levels

https://www.savethechildren.org/us/what-we-do

Beyond Poetry - Wheelsong Anthology 3

 

The emphasis of the mission statement of Wheelsong Books is not solely about poetry. It is really about poverty.

Wheelsong is coming out next week with a brand new Anthology Three in a series of absolutely new poems to knock the socks off the poetry world! However, the purpose of these books is not  to demonstrate the immense talent that makes up the roster of the Wheelsong poets. It is about children in need. 

ALL of the proceeds to Wheelsong Anthology Three are going to Save The Children, an international organization and movement designed for the sole purpose of helping impoverished children around the entire world. 

In 2021 alone, Save The Children supported 183 million children, distributing 22.8 million meals to children living in poverty in America alone… helped 12 million children access quality education – including more than 6.2 million girls… improved the nutrition of 3.2 million mothers and 10.1 million children… responded to 103 emergencies in more than 80 countries.

It employs vastly effective health, education, and protection programs, in addition to emergency response.

Just this morning Steve Wheeler listed this statement for the Invisible Poets Group on Facebook. “I just sent in another £375 donation to Save the Children from the sales of Wheelsong Poetry Anthologies. We are making a difference. Wheelsong Poetry Anthology Books 1 and 2 are still available for purchase on Amazon and Wheelsong Poetry Anthology 3 will be published next week! Thank you to all who are supporting this amazing effort to bring aid to children in crisis around the world!”

By purchasing Wheelsong Anthology III next week with a reasonable contribution, you can make a difference in a child’s life in so many ways… and also receive a FANTASTIC  book of the most professional quality selected poems.

Wheelsong publisher Steve Wheeler also had this to say of the ongoing Anthology series….

“Money is a terrible master but a great servant. Some of the money we recently sent went to purchase food paste sachets for malnourished children. Some went to fund a camel library to reach unschooled children in Ethiopia. Some went to support orphaned children in Ukraine. Purchase a copy of one of the Anthologies and you'll be helping.”

Please consider this today. The Wheelsong Anthologies are all available on Amazon. Buy one or all three!!!

Children really are suffering now. This is a wonderful way to support them and receive an incredible gift of beyond beautiful poetry in the process…

Matt Elmore

Image By: Save The Children Foundation