People say that the first thing to go when the economy is down are donations to charity. But we've seen a strange thing happening among our friends and acquaintances in the past few weeks. Instead of cutting gifts to charity, people are becoming more apt to cut gifts to themselves and their families—as if, "If money's tight for us, it's so much worse for those in need." And that's true.
In the spirit of nourishment and home and the comfort that comes from both, we're going to be highlighting several organizations that make lives better through simple farming, food, and clean water. Read about two of our favorites below...
The reason we love these two organizations is that it takes so little to do so much. It's amazing to see the concrete implementation of $20—that it buys a flock of ducks which can triple a family's income (and give them fresh, healthy eggs) in China or provide clean water to one person for 20 years (!).
Heifer International
The gift of an animal can completely transform life for families in developing parts of the world. A goat can provide milk, a chicken lays eggs, a sheep gives wool that can be made into clothes or sold. And best of all, animals reproduce, so offspring are passed on and offer a source of income for more people. Part of Heifer's mission is to train the recipients of animals about sustainable farming practices, and recipients pledge to "pass on the gift" by giving offspring to others who need help.
You can purchase an entire animal or a share of some of the more expensive (read: bigger) animals like heifers, llamas, and water buffalos. Worried about the scarcity of honeybees and the impact on our food system? Give the gift of honeybees for $30. Rabbits are $60. A flock of geese is $20. Take a look to see more options.
Charity:Water
We all take plentiful, clean water for granted. But in many parts of the world, people walk miles to fill up containers with dirty water that makes them sick and keeps kids from attending school. Charity:Water builds wells that solve that problem for $5,000. That's all it takes for a well that will give clean water to a village of thousands.
Charity:Water's formula states that $1 will buy clean water for one person for one year. That means you can buy a $20 bottle of water (think of how much you've spent on bottled water in your lifetime!) that will provide water for one person for 20 years. You can also set up a fundraising page or send greeting cards.
Any other favorite food-related charities? Tell us.
Related: Un-Gift Guide 2007: Gifts for Good Causes
(Image: Charity:Water)
I really believe water is the new gasoline. We're running out of good water sources and many people in the world are already suffering for lack of it.
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Another idea, especially for people who have 'everything', is a kiva.org gift certificate.
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Apologies for the long post, but:
Imagine if you had food and water, but gathering the fuel you needed to cook put your life at risk and exposed you to the constant threat of rape. That is what women in refugee camps fleeing the violence in Darfur face. Last year I learned of a program that is working to protect refugee women from rape and violence by helping reduce their need to go searching for firewood, and I not only made a donation, but emailed everyone I knew asking them to do the same. Please pass this on to others who might be willing to help. Some NGOs estimate that 82% of Sudanese refugee women who are raped are assaulted while searching for firewood so they can feed themselves and their families. If women are given a way to cook that is not dependent on firewood they are not only insulated from the risk of assault, they no longer need to spend hours searching for firewood, time they can devote to other tasks. That is where solar cookers come in, something I don't think I had ever heard about before. These are simple, inexpensive devices that concentrate sunlight to generate heat to cook food. They can also be used to pasturize water, helping prevent dysentery and other waterborne illnesses that can plague refugee populations. They are safer for children because there is no open flame, and they do not produce smoke which can cause lung disease among other health problems.
Jewish World Watch, Solar Cookers International, KoZon Foundation, and CARE-Chad have developed a program to provide solar cookers and training to women in camps in Chad that shelter refugees from Darfur. The program has been incredibly successful, the residents of two camps have nearly been 100% trained to use and equiped with solar cookers, reducing trips outside the camp for firewood by 86%. More than half the women say that now they never leave the camp to look for wood. A new refugee camp, with a population of over 28,000, has been added to the program, so donations are desperately needed. Solar cookers provide a sustainable solution to meet the urgent need for cooking energy alternatives for Darfur refugee families.
To make a donation and learn more:
http://www.jewishworldwatch.org/refugeerelief/
It would be great if you could feature this program in a post, it would be so appropriate for the Kitchn to highlight solar cooking.
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