Roehampton Society of St Vincent de Paul encourages residents to help stop babies dying

Who has not heard of Darfur and the famine in East Africa?

As some of you may know, Sudan has voted democratically to divide into North & South and the SVP is present in both. Also; there is a disastrous famine afflicting neighbouring Somalia and Ethiopia.

As we all know, nature knows no boundaries and the effects of the famine are spilling over into Sudan. The situation is that millions of families and people have been displaced by conflict over many years and now by failed crops and starvation. Inflation is rampant.

Last year our baby feeding centres were feeding 11,000+ a day (over 5 million feeds) but were so short of funds that some were threatened with closure. Thanks to the many thousands of gifts received, they didn’t close and additional centres were in fact opened during the past 6 months to cope with the increasing numbers of people begging for our help and now total 16. Because our members are volunteers who neither expect nor ask for pay, your gift goes much further than it otherwise would and that has been an important factor in keeping our costs low in a world of increasing food prices.

Now you probably know someone and are wondering what to buy them as a gift this Christmas. Perhaps they already have all of the material things that they need. How about the gift of life? A gift of £50 should, I emphasise should because of inflation, feed one baby for a whole year at one of our centres and we can give you a certificate to dedicate and give to the people or person you are thinking of.

This appeal is not so much about keeping babies alive but of stopping them from dying.... and it doesn’t stop there.

One of the aims of the SVP has always been to help or enable people to help themselves. With support from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent during the past year, SVP members in Sudan have started education and training for over 1,000 Sudanese people to give them the skills that are in demand and needed for paid employment.

We fully realise that money is tight and the current cost of feed for a whole year may be beyond the means of many. We are therefore asking you to consider giving whatever you can. Remember that less than 14 pence will sustain a baby or infant for a day so every penny really does count.

To ensure you receive your gift certificate in time to post for Christmas, please respond as soon as possible and at the latest by 11th December.

THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE INNOCENT LIVES...PLEASE TAKE IT. 

You can do so online at http://www.twinnage.org.uk/

Roland Gilmore
President, St Joseph's Roehampton Conference
Society of St Vincent de Paul

November 22, 2011