 The people of Madagascar were struggling to recover from Cyclone Giovanna when a second tropical storm,
Irina, took them by surprise last month. With nearly a quarter of the island’s population living in poverty, these two storms made things worse. In addition to causing more than 100 deaths, the storms ripped through homes and destroyed the few possessions families owned. who now lack even the basics: food, clean water and shelter. He told CARE about the night Cyclone Giovanna tore through his district, “We saw a part of our roof blown away by the storm and our house collapsed after that.” — not homes, stores or crops — but Jackie is thankful he and his family did. Today, many people in his town are in a dire situation. People are facing hunger as their food was blown or washed away and they’re living in inadequate, temporary shelters that do little to protect them from the elements. preventing urgent delivery of emergency response services. Flooding and broken infrastructure also threaten to increase the spread of waterborne diseases like cholera and malaria. However, much remains to be done before Jackie and his family can resume their normal lives. help us prepare for future emergencies and provide people around the world access to tools, resources and education they can use to help lift themselves, their families and their communities out of poverty for good. |
Tag Archives: Helene D. Gayle
Take Action Today: Urge Congress to Support the International Affairs Budget – CARE
On February 13, President Obama released his FY2013 budget, which includes $56.2 billion for international affairs. Such resources demonstrate his strong commitment to supporting development and humanitarian programs that help fight global poverty.
Today for International Women’s Day, some of CARE‘s leading advocates are on Capitol Hill meeting with their policymakers and raising their voices in support of the International Affairs Budget, which has a very real impact on the lives of women and men with whom CARE works.
Will you join them? As Congress begins the process of deliberating the President’s request, they need to hear your voice. Please contact your representatives and senators TODAY — you can help make a difference.
The International Affairs Budget is a strategic, cost-effective investment that helps tackle the root causes of poverty and helps us respond to humanitarian crises. It represents a practical and smart investment in building a prosperous, stable and secure world. Only one percent of the total budget is for foreign assistance; truly a small investment that yields big returns for our nation and the world.
We need to act now to show our policymakers that Americans support these critical programs. Urge your members of Congress to support the International Affairs Budget now!
Sincerely,
Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPH
President and CEO,
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Tune in to ABC’s 20/20 with Diane Sawyer tonight …Helene D. Gayle, CARE
CARE recently joined with ABC News and the United Nations Foundation in the Million Moms Challenge. This unique initiative engages millions of Americans with moms in poor countries around the world to connect — and act — on important issues, such as pregnancy, childbirth and children’s health.
Tonight, please tune in to ABC at 10:00 p.m. ET for a special edition of 20/20, “Making Life: A Risky Proposition.” Diane Sawyer will host an eye-opening report that sheds light on the challenges mothers face in developing countries. ABC talked to some of the women and girls CARE works with in Afghanistan, where we employ low-cost, low-tech solutions that can help save millions of lives.
We encourage you to share this e-mail with your friends on Facebook and Twitter or forward it to your friends. The more people we engage on this issue, the stronger our impact will be in helping mothers and their babies survive — and thrive.
Sincerely,
Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPH President and CEO, CARE
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What’s saving Grace? a word from Helene D. Gayle, CARE
“The corn should be this high now,” Grace Orwa says, holding her hand far above her head. “But the rains came late.”
In Grace’s village in western Kenya, rain was scarce this year and the corn crop — which villagers depend on for food and income — will be meager, if it comes in at all.
The good news is that Grace and her neighbors formed a CARE community savings and loan group, which provides a vital financial safety net during tough times. Even if the crop fails, the villagers have the means to make it through to the next harvest. Thanks to her group, Grace has enough money to keep her children in school.
Your tax-deductible gift today can help poor people access tools and resources to become as resilient and self-sufficient as Grace is today. Here are some ways your gift can help change lives:
$75 can provide three village savings and loan groups with a lock box, ledger and other start-up supplies to help them manage loans and help start small businesses
$115 can provide a community mobilizer with a bicycle to reach village savings and loan groups in remote villages
$150 can provide a farmers’ association with soil testing equipment to help improve harvests
With the price of food skyrocketing, many families are struggling to afford food — and experts predict prices will continue to rise in the future. Veronica Okongo was worried that the increasing cost of food would jeopardize her ability to pay her children’s school tuition. So she moved her life savings from a bank to a CARE-created community savings and loan group where she earns more interest.
Unlike banks, CARE’s community savings and loan groups are owned by their members, and interest earned from repaid loans is shared among group members. The more money Veronica saves, the more interest she earns! Today, Veronica is confident that her children will be able to stay in school and she will be able to afford the food they need to stay healthy and focused on their studies.
Your tax-deductible donation to CARE today will help women like Veronica and Grace build a brighter future for themselves, their families and entire communities.
Thank you for all you do to help empower women and girls to escape hunger and poverty — for good.
Sincerely,
Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPH
President and CEO, CARE
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Emergencies in Libya and Ivory Coast … help Helene Gayle,President &CEO, Care
The fighting in Libya continues to force people to flee in droves. The surge of Libyan refugees into neighboring countries is putting increased pressure on some of the poorest countries — and families — in the world. Many of the refugees were in Libya to work and now have returned to their native countries, where their families already are suffering from poverty, hunger, disease and drought. Others are Libyans on the run for fear of what may happen to them and their families. The humanitarian crisis is increasing by the minute.
In fact, more than 405,000 people have already left Libya for bordering countries, including Egypt, Niger and Tunisia. If the fighting continues, many more are expected to flee. The influx of people may overwhelm already-fragile economies and create additional human suffering.
You can support our work around the world by giving a generous gift now.
The situation is changing day by day, even hour by hour. That’s why, right now, CARE staff is coordinating with the United Nations, government agencies and local partner organizations to carry out an effective humanitarian response to this and other refugee crises, such as the one sparked by
post-election conflict in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).
Today, CARE is reaching tens of thousands of people with basic survival supplies: the distribution of clean water, food, hygiene kits, blankets and more. Should needs increase, we’ll be able to ramp up our response thanks to the support of generous donors like you.
Please help ensure CARE is prepared to respond to humanitarian crises and crushing poverty with your gift today.
Your ongoing financial support makes it possible for CARE to help in emergencies like Libya and Cote d’Ivoire, and supports our poverty-fighting programs and advocacy efforts to improve the lives of the world’s poorest people. Thank you for your unwavering support.
Sincerely,
Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPH
President and CEO, CARE
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