As you’ll have seen from #tfbloggers etc, I’ve been an interested supporter of Tearfund for many years, and the visit to Ogongora & other villages just strengthened that as we saw how effectively the money was put to use. There’s much debate about whether we should “just give”, but I find the idea of knowing “how” money makes a difference makes me feel like even my small contributions make a difference (is that the ego talking?) …
Thanks for Giving
So, having talked to @katieharrisonTF (who came with us to Uganda) about her recent trip to Syria, receiving the transcript of an interview Katie undertook in Syria, and seeing a range of adverts on TV, despite being rather skint, again – it seemed important to make a stand for the Syria Crisis.Having given my few pennies (I’ll turn my heating down a bit/add an extra jumper … in order to heat a whole family) … I thought it was a really nice touch to see a ‘thank you’ video from David Bainbridge, International Director at Tearfund, indicating just how the money would help… feels personal although you know it’s the same for each giver.
I’ve been really impressed by Tearfund’s use of digital in general – and we get some of the stories via Holly & Katie on BigBible 🙂
Extract from Press Release
The widespread fighting in Syria has affected over 4 million people, displacing many from their homes. Every day thousands of refugees are fleeing across the borders into neighbouring Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, and many more are living with family and friends or in public buildings in Syria.
David Bainbridge: “The bitterly cold weather and the sheer number of displaced people means that we have to act. Ultimately we want to help people to return to their homes but their immediate needs are food, somewhere to stay and ways to keep warm.”
Extract from Katie’s Interview:
Katie: Could you tell us your story of how you came here from Syria and who came with you?
Aamil*: We were living in Deraa when something like 20,000 soldiers came into our neighbourhood. They started shooting and killed about 300 people. They also burned our houses.
So we left our homes carrying nothing, no money, no food, no clothing, only the things that we are wearing, that’s all.
They were pursuing us with tanks so I took my whole family and left that neighbourhood. We left immediately and went to Zaatari in Jordan.
(Zaatari is the big official refugee camp.)
*Name has been changed.
The interview continues to say that the family could only survive one week in the camp, where it was very cold, and hard to care for an elderly father, and a disabled son, so the family has rented a room – expensive, unheated, and with food hard to access. The family has an appointment with the UN Refugee Agency, but not until June 2013 – before which they don’t have a card which will allow them to buy food.
You can donate to the appeal by calling 0845 355 8355 or at www.tearfund.org/syria
