2020 has probably seen more acts of charity than any other recent year due largely to coronavirus, the restrictions that have been put upon us and the care that so many have shown for others.
This weekend – Sept 5 – we celebrate International Day of Charity, an event originally set-up by the Hungarian Society to commemorate the death of acclaimed humanitarian Mother Teresa.
The United Nations adopted and declared it International Day of Charity in 2012, honouring Mother Teresa’s tireless work to help others overcome poverty and suffering. The day aims to remind us that simple acts of charity can alleviate the worst effects of humanitarian crises and create more inclusive and resilient societies while also providing a platform for such charitable acts to take place.
At Grotech we are very proud to have on our team a lady whose acts of charity and kindness while on holiday have transformed the lives of others.
Julie Whitehead was holidaying in Gambia when she was approached by a local teacher asking if she would sponsor a child at a cost of roughly £20 so they could go to school. Julie was linked with 13-year-old Iesha and not only sponsored her for that year but, on subsequent visits back to Gambia, renewed her sponsorship annually until Iesha left school aged 16.
As a result of her education, Iesha has landed a job at the same hotel that Julie has stayed in on each of her five visits to the country. As well as keeping in contact with Iesha and bringing her clothes and gifts, when one of Julie’s visits to Gambia coincided with her 50th birthday, she donated £50 to Iesha’s village which fed the small community for three months.
It’s acts like these that make such a difference to many people’s lives. We hope Julie’s story will inspire others to celebrate International Day of Charity with such kindness of spirit towards others.
