All poems aside, genuinely, your presence is present enough for us. Plus, we’ve got so much stuff already that our little house is already bursting at the seams.
If you would like to give us something to mark the day, we would very much appreciate any donations to the following two charities which are very close to both of our hearts.
Cancer Research
http://www.justgiving.com/arelativelyshortengagement
Their clinical trials helped Kieran’s Mum live longer than we thought she could, and having lost other friends sooner than we should, we’ll always be grateful for their dedication in fighting this cruel disease.
Tusaidiane
As many of you will know during our time away I (fi) became involved with Tusaidiane, a women’s empowerment group in rural Tanzania that has become very important to me and which I continue to support.
The women are true inspirations and I take so much from their courage, compassion and determination to enhance the lives of themselves, their families and their community.
To me, the women seem unstoppable! They have built their own hall, developed savings schemes and are bringing healthcare to their rural community which is currently unsupported. Indeed it has become a flagship group and is the only women led project of its kind in the area. You can learn more about Tusaidiane and its incredible work here http://wanawakewomen.org/about-wanawake/tusaidiane/
During my first visit I supported the women in hosting a seminar for the men of the community teaching them about women’s rights. I was amazed by the bravery of the women in speaking out, but also struck by the openness of the men in receiving their message. When I returned recently I gathered testimonials from the men and was moved by their willingness to recognise the errors of their ways and their readiness to put this right.
This I hope gives you a flavour of the women’s undeniable courage and the communities enthusiasm to change.
However at present the women and the group have little income. Any money donated will go towards buying the group a projector; this will enable the women to set up a cinema for the village – the only one for miles around. This project will offer the women the opportunity to develop and run their own business, so helping to free them from reliance on others and empowering them to do it themselves. Please follow this link if you would like to donate and click on donate now! http://wanawakewomen.org/ Your donations, no matter how small, really will make a huge difference, asante sana (thank you).