A Virtual Gift Shop by Alexandra
Created on the 15th April 2009.
This is a Virtual Gift Shop created by Alexandra. You can help overcome poverty and marginalisation by buying a gift from this shop. You can also create your own Gift Shop and contribute even more to a fairer, more just world.
where’s the love?
People killin', people dyin', Children hurt and you hear them cryin'. Can you practice what you preach, And would you turn the other cheek. Father, Father, Father help us, Send us some guidance from above. 'Cause people got me, got me questionin', Where is the love?
Gift Selection:
A set of pencils and paper, or slate and chalk, plus workbooks and exercise books, to enable a child from a marginalised family to set off to a community school; the first step in a lifetime of learning.
Training in fish-pond construction and aquaculture to help improve village food security, boost family health and nutrition and provide a sustainable source of income.
A thorough eye examination for a poor rural person, to help them remain independent, work and read. Glasses are provided to those who can't afford them, with referrals to corrective surgery as needed.
Tree seedlings and land-care training will help a farmer address soil erosion and protect local water supplies. Depending on the variety, these trees will also provide animal fodder, fruit or fuel.
Education and support to enable community members to speak with one voice and help secure their legal rights, on issues like land and property ownership, obtaining a pension, child marriage, dowry and indigenous rights.
No fancy bottles or designer flavours: just simple technology, such as tanks, wells, protected water sources, gravity-fed pipelines or filtration units, to help provide a household with safe water for drinking and washing.
Training for families to grow sustainable and nutritious fruit and veggies without chemicals. Households can save seeds for future harvests and earn an income from selling surplus produce.
Global food shortage? Time for local action, through skills to help families increase the yield from their fields, and improve their diet, while caring for the land. Includes training in small-scale irrigation.
A second chance at schooling for adults who missed out. Participants learn about health, nutrition, conflict resolution, legal rights and environmental care, as well as literacy and numeracy, helping them gain confidence and increase their employment opportunities.
Access to locally-appropriate medical care in areas where no other health support is available. Services may include maternal care, children's health, community education programs, HIV and TB prevention or referrals to clinical specialists.
A year of primary or pre-primary education in a community-run school for children who would otherwise miss out due to distance, poverty, discrimination or the need to work to help support their families.
Pampered pet? Far from it! Goats earn their keep as providers of nutritious meat, milk and cheese. With training in animal husbandry, families can breed goats to pay for their children's education and health care.
A healthy baby and a happy mother - there's no better gift. Trained volunteer birth attendants help women through pregnancy, birth and early infancy. They work alongside the village health workers who provide basic community medical services.
A simple latrine for a household or school can make a dramatic improvement in health and sanitation. Hygiene education further helps communities reduce the spread of water-borne diseases.
Train a volunteer to home-visit people living with HIV, assist with basic hygiene and domestic needs, and counsel and support families. Public education and awareness-raising also helps enable communities to reduce the spread of HIV and AIDS.
A small loan, plus business training and support, to help a very poor or marginalised person open a shoe repair shop, vegetable cart or similar micro-enterprise, and begin working their way out of poverty.
Training in sewing, weaving or knitting, plus small business skills, will equip local craftspeople to earn a regular income from making and selling fabrics, tailored clothing or soft furnishings.
A rice bank, including training in its management, to help ensure a secure supply of staple grains year-round. When a family has a surplus of rice, they 'deposit' some in the rice bank, and when there is a shortage between harvests, they can 'withdraw' or take out a 'loan'.
Big changes start in small groups like these. Up to twenty women support each other as they acquire literacy skills and learn about health and legal rights. They can begin savings and credit schemes and start small businesses.
When fully grown, heifers plough fields and provide fertiliser, milk, and offspring to increase local herds. When the first female calf is weaned, it is given to another poor household to share the benefits across the community.
No computers - and, sometimes, not even desks. Just a dedicated teacher, plus simple learning materials, to give children the opportunity for a quality primary or pre-primary education. Includes teacher training, salary and a year's running costs.
A well, including hand-pump, plus training in maintenance. Clean, safe water for an entire village means better health, improved hygiene and greener vegetables. Not having to fetch water means girls, in particular, can attend school.
Over one billion people live in the growing slums of many of the world's cities. Make a difference for one poor urban community with this comprehensive development package. Initiatives will be tailored to suit the community's social and economic needs and may include: women's self-help groups, savings schemes, adult literacy, children's education and sanitation management. Instead of a gift card, you'll receive an information booklet and certificate with the name of the community and details of the project, plus a six-month update.