Yesterday we held our very first $5 Friday. For the price of a smoothie with lunch, we were able to help a family turn their situation around.
So simple but so powerful, the combined generosity of a group of people happy to give up $5. We reached our goal and surpassed it, so thank you, thank you, it means more than you know.
The backstory is this. We support a sweet girl who was not at school because her family couldn’t afford the fees, travel expenses and uniform. We got her back to school and in the process learned that her mum was a tailor but hadn’t been able to work as her machine was broken. Lilydale Adventist College held a fundraiser and we bought her a pedal powered machine as her home doesn’t have electricity.
We then promptly employed her to make some beautiful bags for us to sell made from recycled saris donated by some local Indo-Fijian women. Many of you bought and loved them during our Christmas appeal.
This week Urmila found that mum had a badly infected foot and was in a lot of pain. She had been unable to work and was not able to get herself the transport from her rural area to the clinic and then to afford the medication and ongoing treatment. Sadly even after we got her to a doctor, it was too late and yesterday she had to have her toe amputated.
If there is one thing I have learnt from the the resilient poor is that they get back up when they’re knocked down! Mum was so overwhelmed by your support that she is determined to keep up with her ongoing checks and rehab, to learn to use the foot pedal in a new way and get back on track.
$5 Friday this month has provided all of her emergency treatment (including the things like toilet paper that you have to take with you to hospital!),her on going rehab costs and a bit of love along the way until she is able to start working again.
When I consider the alternative….infection spreads, possible leg amputation, inability to work and support her family, depression, ongoing health issues, the cycle continues. It would been debilitating.
Who needs a smoothie with lunch when you can make this kind of difference?!
Thank you.
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Warmly,
Jane for team ‘a Girl & her world’
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