Highlighted Campaign for March 2010
Some time ago, I was looking at various websites about preventing animal cruelty, and promoting animals rights and all the things that we vegetarians are interested in, as we love and want to care about animals and protect them from the evils inflicted upon them. One of the websites (which one I unfortunately can’t remember) said something about animal lovers wanting to care for their fellow human beings, as they are animals too. It struck a chord with me at the time, as I think you will agree with me that in general, people who love animals are the sort of people who also tend to try and help others (ie their fellow humans) where they can. Thinking about it has given rise to this post, which doesn’t highlight a campaign exactly.
Following is a short list of some of my favourite groups or charities which aim to alleviate the plight of a suffering humanity (in no particular order, with perhaps the exception of the first one!)
- Mercy Ships (www.mercyships.org) – a global charity bringing “hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor”, operating hospital ships in developing nations
- CityCare Brisbane (www.citycare.org.au) – provides community services to marginalised people in Brisbane, eg the homeless, empowering them for a better future, bringing hope and opportunity to those facing hardship
- Medecins Sans Frontieres (www.msf.org) – also known as Doctors Without Borders – an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, healthcare exclusion and natural or man-made disasters
- Lifeline (www.lifeline.org.au) – crisis support service, with the well known telephone crisis line
- Christian Blind Mission (www.cbm.org.au) – an international development organisation dedicated to improving quality of life for people with disabilities in the world’s poorest countries
- Australian Red Cross (www.redcross.org.au) – provides over 60 community services, ranging from blood supplies and disaster services to first aid and refugee services.
- Paradise Kids 4 Africa (www.pk4a.org.au) – seeks to help “break the vicious cycle of poverty through love and education.” Supports the work of Rev Dr Themi Adamopoulo who heads the Orthodox Mission to Sierra Leone
- Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA (www.apheda.org.au) – fights for global social justice, for human rights, genuine sustainable development, self-determination, workers’ rights, equality, freedom and democracy. Most projects are in partnership with local unions or community organisations, and provide education and training to working people.
Certainly this should not be taken as anything like a comprehensive list, as there are a multitude of committed organisations out there doing great things for people every day.