Meet 5-year-old Mercy, a girl from Uganda who was born into a family stricken by poverty. She and her five siblings are cared for bya single mother, who struggles to provide them with the basic necessities of life. Mercy attends the “Nazareth Child Care Center”, which was founded by the Israeli organizationTopaz 10 years ago. The kindergarten provides her with a safe environment that takes care of her social, physical, intellectual and emotional development. Most importantly, it serves her two nutritious meals per day.
Mercy spreads joy and happiness among her kindergarten teachers who, in turn, care for her with love, affection and kindness.
Elisabeth, her mother, is the sole financial provider for the family. She earns her income through Mirembe, a fair-trade program run by Topaz. Together with a group of over one hundred women, Elisabeth makes traditional baskets and bags. These bags are sold in Israel and around the world, generating a stable income for the whole family.
All this was true until last Thursday.
The COVID-19 pandemic has arrived in Africa.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has declared a closure of all
educational institutions, including the “Nazareth Child Care Center“
that provides Mercy’s family with food, education and safety.
The restrictions on movement mean that there is no more opportunity
to sell the hand-made baskets that offered Elisabeth
a permanent livelihood.
So what is happening now?
Elisabeth does not have enough money to buy food for the family.
As a result, Mercy and her siblings are at risk of starvation in the coming
days, along with hundreds of thousands of other children in Uganda.
It is our responsibility to help as many of these children as we can.
The price of food has shot up 150% overnight. Food is running out at the markets.
The rich are loading up on supplies while the poor have no means to buy essential food items.
For the past 15 years, Topaz, Brit Olam
and Little Light have supported the
neediest people in Africa.
Nearly ten thousand children have received our help so far, but these kids may starve if we do not act now.
In the name of these children we ask for your help!
It only costs $1.50 per day for a child to receive the food and primary medical care that they need.
We know that we cannot save every child, but it is our responsibility to do whatever we can to support those children and families that are relying on us.
Theodor Herzl, the “Visionary of the Jewish State”,
wrote in his book “Altneuland“:
“We as Jews obliged to help the
oppressed and suffering children of Africa.”
We will not abandon them.
Now is our time to make a difference.
It is our responsibility and our moral obligation.
Together with our friends and partners in Uganda,
we will supply food and medical care
to thousands of the poorest children in Uganda.
We will save families and we will save lives.
We cannot do it without you. We need your support.
Your donation can help save a vulnerable child!