Comic Relief
It’s that time again – we’re gearing up for Red Nose Day 2011 (18th March if you don’t know).
“Famous, Rich And In The Slums”
I have just watched part 1 of their latest documentary ‘Famous, Rich And In The Slums’. This follows four British celebrities; Reggie Yates, Lenny Henry, Samantha Womack & Angela Rippon and their time in Kibera, a slum 4miles out of Narobi. Here 1million people live in 1.5 square miles. That’s a lot of people in not a lot of space. The Kenyan Government have deemed this settlement as illegal so they’ve shrugged off any responsibility they have to provide sanitation, water, electricity. They can pretty much ignore it.
Here people have to work long, hard often unpaletable jobs and suffer abuse, to earn tiny sums of money just to try and keep them alive. They’ll do anything for the money – from shovelling excrement to prostitution. If they don’t, they’ll starve. Sometimes they have to decide whether to feed their family or take one of them to a doctor.
It costs just £3 a month for a child to go to school, but this is still far too much for most families so often children don’t go to school very often. Despite the cost (which doesn’t sound much to us, but is a fortune for them) there seems to be a real desire amongst the parents to get their children to school, whatever the sacrifice. At the same time, the kids want to go to school and when they get there they make the most of it. This is a refreshing change compared to a lot (though by no means the majority) of children and even parents in the priviledge developed world. I’d love to see more of our children as keen and as determined as these kids are.
The people in Kibera are just like us. They want the best for their children, they want them to be safe and healthy, they want to be able to afford enough food and medicine, they want respect, they have pride in their appearance and they are house proud, they love football and they eat chips. They are human beings with the same drives, dreams, hopes and wishes as us. They also have the same fears and worries as us – except they have to live far more of them than we do.
Here in the UK we have a National Health Service providing free medical help for those who need it. We have nurseries, primary and secondary schools that our children can attend – free of charge. If we don’t find work, we don’t starve, we’re entitled to benefits. There are so many people complaining at the moment that the NHS isn’t that good, that the education isn’t brilliant and that they’re cutting the benefits. This may be true – things could be better, but they could be so much worse. Just seeing those people in Kibera, living the way they have to, it certainly put my issues into perspective. For them there’s no escape, they can’t go back to a gorgeous hotel at the end of the week there – it’s never ending. We should be more grateful for what we have, make the most of it, recognise ourselves as lucky. We waste so much of our money and time on unimportant things. Ask yourselves these questions:
- Is it the end of the world if my mobile phone isn’t the very latest model?
- Is it such a terrible thing if I don’t have the newest x-box or wii game?
- Is it a disaster if we can’t have a holiday in the sun?
- What impact will there be on my life if I don’t buy a take away coffee everyday this week?
For many of us, these are the kinds of issues we face. Now what about these:
- Is it a problem if my children don’t eat today?
- Should I feed my family or take one of my eight children to see a doctor and get medicine?
- Will I accept work & abuse just to earn £1.60 a day?
- Can we afford the £3/month to send one of our children to school?
The seriousness of the dilemmas are worlds apart. I know in this time of recession that things are getting tougher. There is poverty in this country and large numbers of families are having to make difficult decisions about what they can and can’t afford. But somehow, I don’t see them being in the same league and I don’t see our Government (whichever party it is and however much you like/dislike them) ever allowing a slum like Kibera to form in this country.
So, I urge you to look into your hearts. If you have a child then look into their eyes. What would you do for them? There are parents in Kibera who feel exactly how you do about your child about their own. They are doing all they can do help their families but life just isn’t letting them. If your child was in need and someone in the world had the power to help them, wouldn’t you want them to? What would you say to them? The residents of Kibera can’t talk directly to you, but I can. Please, please, please, donate something to Red Nose Day this year. 50p, £5, £10, anything will make a difference. Comic Relief is working right now in Kibera helping these people. You have the power to change a life, to save a life. Will you take it? I promise you won’t notice the difference in your wallet or your lives. But the person you help will.
Thank you.
About Comic Relief / Red Nose Day
Every 2 years we’re all encouraged to raise money for fabulous causes in Africa and the UK whilst having a giggle. Two things, in my opinion, that are great for the soul.
The 1980s news covered the disasterous famine that struck Ethopia and many charities rose to the cause – including the likes of Band Aid. Another response was the creation of Richard Curtis and Alexander Mendis – Comic Relief, or ‘Red Nose Day’ – and it is still with us today.
Today the funds raised go to schemes that help the poorest of Africa and the disadvantaged in the UK. It doesn’t matter how you choose to raise your money, or whether you just donate (without doing anything silly), it just matters that one story touches your heart enough to make you reach into your pocket and help. You have the power to change lives – all it takes is a few taps on a keyboard or a couple of minutes on the phone together with a little bit of generosity.
I love what Comic Relief is all about, particularly the causes it supports. After all, we’re all human – we’re all practically and genetically the same afterall, and it was just by luck that we were born in a country with no war, no famine, freedomn of speech, a free health service, free education… it goes on. I know we all complain about the food prices going up, taxes we pay, that we don’t like our Government, there are long waiting lists for hospitals etc – and it’s true, it could be so much better – but it could also be so much worse. My primary support of Comic Relief goes straight out to Africa, so many out there have so little and that’s just not fair. Most of us have somewhere warm, safe and dry to live, to have food to eat, clothes to wear and no doubt countless ipods, computers, wiis, televisions, dvd players, cds, dvds, x-boxs, Nintendo DSs, whereas some kids in Africa don’t have shoes to play football in – some don’t even have the football. And for the price of a cd or a dvd, or a packet of cigarettes, a bar of chocolate, a bottle of wine, a pint of beer or even a coffee – we could change someone’s life. We could save someone’s life.
If you feel you could go without something this week – no matter how big or how small, then please visit www.rednoseday.com/donate and what you can. I promise you, you won’t notice the money’s gone, you won’t miss whatever you’ve gone without – but the person who benefits from your gift will.
Thank you
Where does the money raised for Comic Relief go?
Africa
Malaria
Over 3/4million people die each year from Malaria. 90% of these deaths occur in Africa, 85% of them are children under 5years old. Malaria is preventable and it is treatable – and it doesn’t cost the earth.
The mosquito that causes Malaria usually strikes at night, when everyone is tucked up asleep. It costs just £5 to provide a simple net that goes over the bed which the mosquito can’t get through. This means that a mother and baby or young children can sleep soundly, and without worry.
Not only this, but your money provides education to the families and training to village health workers about malaria as well as emergency drugs and rapid, life-saving treatment for anyone unlucky enough to become infected.
Restoring children’s eyesight
Throughout the world, 300million people have some form of visual impairment. 45millions of these are completely blind. Visual impairment is linked to poverty. 80% of these cases are preventable and treatable. The most common cause of blindness is cataracts. This is something we’re used to in the country, we know it exists and that treatment is available. Many in Africa do not and therefore don’t even try and get the help that could transform their lives.
Chep is a 16 year old girl who had only ever seen the world in blurry indistinctness. With the money raised for Comic Relief she was able to receive the necessary treatment to remove the cataracts from both eyes and she could see the world and her family for the first time. Before this Chep had only ever been able to dream of good sight.
You have the power to make this dream come true for others like Chep.
UK
Mental Health
Here in the UK 1 in 4 people suffers from a mental health issue at some point of their life, yet it is still a relatively unspoken subject. There are many different kinds of mental illness. For details on some of them go to my blog itsokaytotalk.wordpress.com
Here’s the list of topics Comic Relief is involved in:
