Cards for Mother’s Day from Caritas Australia
There’s no doubt that mothers around the globe help make the world a better place to live.
This Mother’s Day, Caritas Australia, the Catholic Church’s international aid and development agency, is offering the opportunity to help change women’s lives around the world by giving the Global Gift of Healthcare.
Caritas Global Gifts are an easy way to make giving meaningful and at the same time help vulnerable communities.
When you purchase a Global Gift card for Mother’s Day via the Caritas website, you can choose from one of six gifts ranging from $10 to $200. This card explains to your mother how a donation has been made on her behalf.
The money goes towards funding Caritas Australia’s partners in nearly 200 programs in over 30 countries around the world, which focus on the most vulnerable including, women and mothers.
Helen Forde, Caritas Australia’s Community Engagement Manager, said when you buy a Global Gift this Mother’s Day it shows “love and compassion” in action.
“Nearly 70 percent of the world’s poorest people are female and many of them are mothers,” Ms
Forde said.
“But despite their lack of material resources, women and mothers are often the champions of development in their own communities. Moreover, economically empowering women sees the benefits not only flow through a mother’s whole family but often throughout the whole community.
“The money raised through Global Gifts during special occasions such as Mother’s Day, goes towards funding our life-giving community development programs in health, water and sanitation, education, livelihood and much more.”
Caritas Australia offers a range of Global Gifts to match your special gift recipient’s interests. Depending on the dollar amount selected, a gift can include; healthcare, water, food, emergency relief, education or sustainable agriculture. All Global Gifts are representative of the type of work Caritas Australia undertakes in our holistic community development programs.
One of the programs that Caritas Australia is supporting is the Safe Motherhood Project (SMP) that is making a huge difference to women in rural Bangladesh.
Up to 70% of pregnant women in Bangladesh are anaemic, a condition which affects the nutrition of the unborn child and makes the mother more likely to develop a postpartum haemorrhage, the main cause of maternal mortality in Bangladesh.
A recent woman in the SMP, Salma, felt frightened and unsure when she fell pregnant, as some villagers told her that sickness and a loss of appetite was a sign that the baby could be abnormal.
Thanks to the program Salma was supported by a local midwife who was trained through the SMP and gave birth to a healthy baby girl called Maya.
“Our programs are helping to change lives for many women, including mothers, and opening doors into education, sustainable livelihoods, affordable healthcare and supportive, safe environments,” Ms Forde said.
“By sharing a Global Gift with a loved one such as your mum, you will help spread the message that as one global family we can make the world a better place.”
For more information contact: Media Advisor, Nicole Clements on 0408 869 833
PS: Mother’s Day is fast approaching on Sunday, 12 May. Please order your special card no later than Wednesday, 1 May to ensure your card arrives in time.
To place your order go to the Caritas website http://www.caritas.org.au/globalgifts