Dear family and community of Our Lady’s Primary School,
Please read our information write up about our support for CAFOD this Lent.
What is CAFOD?
CAFOD is a charity that stands for “Catholic Agency for overseas development.” CAFOD stands for love, equality and kindness. The charity helps people who are less fortunate than the majority of us in the United Kingdom.
How did it start?
CAFOD was founded in 1962 by Jaqueline Stuyt and 3 other women. They wanted to promote equality for everyone so they decided to begin a charity. The Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales registered CAFOD as an official charity.
What do CAFOD do?
CAFOD funds 450 different projects in 126 countries. These projects are in place to help people in underdeveloped countries have better access to essentials such as water, education and food. In addition to this, CAFOD help the response to crises overseas; for example they are currently working alongside the church in Ethiopia to deliver water to 30,000 people, nutrition support to over 50,000 children under 5, and practical support like trauma and emergency kits along with hygiene facilities to help stop the spread of COVID-19, in response to Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis.
What do Our Lady’s do to help?
During lent, we hold many fundraising activities to raise money for CAFOD. Some of these include selling sweets and food, buying and selling pre-owned things, penalty shoot-outs, bat the rat, cake sales and selling pictures and toys. This year we have held a talent show and been involved with their ‘Walk for Water’ campaign.
We also have special assemblies in school. People like Leo and Jane (people who work for CAFOD) come into school to tell us about the work that CAFOD does to help poor communities overseas.
How many people do not have clean water?
Throughout the world, millions of people do not have access to clean water.
In 2012, 884 million people did not have clean water; in 2015, 663 million people still didnot have clean water. However, this is a decrease of 221 million, which is a massive achievement. Unfortunately, in 2021 784 million people did not have clean water. This is an increase of 121 million. Even sadder, this is not because of people contributing less money, this is because of Climate Change.
This should convince you and others to do more to protect our fragile environment.
People need water. Children in countries such as Ethiopia say that water is their favourite drink. Abdella who lives in Ethiopia has said to CAFOD, “Life is water. Water is life.”
Where does your money go?
To help, CAFOD are working with CARITAS International who are delivering this life-saving liquid to those people in need.
As the following bullet points show, it does not cost a lot to make a huge difference:
· To provide emergency water to one family, it costs £5.00.
· For water containers, it costs £10.00
· Water for a school or a water pump for a village costs £40.00
How has COVID affected CAFOD?
Unfortunately, COVID 19 has made it a lot more difficult for poorer countries to get contact and support from CAFOD. However, despite this, they have still managed it.
As you know, schools all over the word have been closed on and off for the past year.
Sadly, schools in Africa have barely enough resources for a full lesson at school meaning children at home certainly do not have enough pencils, paper and hand sanitiser.
To help, CAFOD have been donating paper, pens and pencils and hygiene stations to those children in need.
Thank you for all of your help and support. To donate further please visit Parent Pay.
Thank you so much,
The Caritas and GIFT Team
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