Haiti Appeal Update
Dear Supporters,
Thank you, the good news is that you have raised £3,157.00 which will supply 125 solar radio lights in Haiti. The solar radio lights will be purchased and distributed this week through a partnership with Fondasyon Felicitee www.fondasyonfelicitee.com who are working on the ground in Haiti. They are focussing on 3 towns Aquin, Pestel and Cavaillon and will purchase and distribute this vital lifeline to some of the thousands of people who are now living with-out shelter and the basic necessities to sustain life.
Since 2010, Haitian people have had to cope with the earthquake, floods, cholera, hurricanes and now another earthquake.
Latest news reports are that:
At least 2,200 people are known to have died.
Nearly 12,000 people have been injured, and many are missing after the 7.2-magnitude tremor.
52,000 people have lost their homes.
These solar radios will be a lifeline, enabling families to keep updated with local and national news, they have a phone charge facility so people can stay connected with their loved ones. The radios also emit some much-needed light at night. These items will remain even after the period of emergency and have longer lasting impact.
It is recommended that this is the best way to support people at this time. The easiest way for this to happen is to purchase the solar radios directly in Haiti and distribute them to families who need them, avoiding shipping costs and supporting local businesses.
We have experience of providing solar radios in The Gambia to ensure children could continue learning during the pandemic and in Haiti after Hurricane Matthew, so we know it works and that it will make a small but significant difference to people’s lives in Haiti right now.
You can purchase a solar radio here today for £25:
(Please note the solar radio image on our website image is different from the ones we will provide in Haiti which have a light, radio and phone charger).
IF YOU CAN DONATE MORE, PLEASE HELP TODAY
The safest way to donate is by direct transfer to our bank with SOLAR HAITI as your reference:
The Steve Sinnott Foundation
Co-Operative Bank
Account Number: 65318371
Sort Code: 08-92-99
In Haiti they say, ‘’ men anpil chay pa lou’’ which means “with many hands loads are not heavy’’.
We are determined to be there for the families and communities we work with over the weeks and months to come, when they may need us more than ever before.
The fund is still open for donations so we thank you in advance for anything you are able to give.
Best wishes from us all.
Ann
Billy Jean Project Manager in Haiti, delivering solar radio lamps following Hurricane Matthew 2016.
The Steve Sinnott Foundation • September 3, 2021
This week while out and about in Hertfordshire and we visited the British Schools Museum. We discovered the first school opened by Joseph Lancaster, was known as the ‘Poor Childs Friend”, was in 1810. It was his lifelong mission that all children regardless of their circumstances, should benefit from an education. Apparently, Joseph heard a small girl say, “Oh that I could read!” and this inspired him to create a simple education system that eventually would benefit children across the world. Joseph was the tenth son of a poor man himself from South London. His aim was to offer free education for everyone. However, it would be 93 years before the U.K. government finally made education free for all. There are still many countries today where education is still not free to access and it is certainly not compulsory for primary and secondary age pupils. Joseph’s mission really resonates with that of the Foundation, to support access to education for all. We enjoyed our visit and appreciated the tour given by two of the Museum’s volunteers, Angela and Clare. They described some of the challenges faced in the early years of formal education and shared some of the rules that teachers and students had to abide by with us.
Sparks Bristol is a collaborative community project initially envisioned by The Global Goals Centre, (GGC) more of which below. A few years ago, GGC took over an empty Marks and Spencer store and that’s how Sparks was born. Sparks is a department store with a difference, co-created by Global Goals Centre and Artspace Lifespace. On the ground floor is a huge range of shops, installations, events and more. Upstairs is a hub for local artists, it offers affordable studios as well as rehearsal and performance space. The Global Goals Centre is a Bristol-based educational charity inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals. (SDGs). GGC believe the SDG’s or Global Goals as they are sometimes known, can be reached, with imaginative solutions and widespread education and engagement. They work with partners to promote creative solutions and deliver ground breaking projects that work towards these ambitious goals. The Steve Sinnott Foundation supported the Global Goals Centre with seed funding when it first started over 5 years ago. This month we went to visit them to see how they are getting on and we were taken aback by the volume of work they have achieved since they started. It is amazing to see how though working together with other local community groups it has grown into the vibrant centre it is today. All of the creative projects they host are linked to the SDGs. They cover topics that tackle poverty, education, climate change, fashion recycling and upcycling, to name a few.
Spring is definitely here, daffodils, blossom and crocuses are all basking in the bright sunshine. There is still a chill in the air in the shade but it's happening and all the seeds that were sown over the last few months are coming to fruition. At the Foundation, we have been planning the year ahead and our Positive Periods and Prevention of Gender Based Violence programmes got underway this weekend in Haiti and Ghana. These projects will have a long-lasting effect on the lives of the women and girls who take part: tackling the root causes of gender-based violence and enabling girls to attend school every day when they have their period, to feel safe at school and know how to take action when they are faced with violence. These are the first of many projects planned for the year ahead as we continue to work towards Education for All children everywhere.
