Words by Smiley Team
Since Sri Lanka went into lockdown the charity The Rosie May Foundation has delivered 120 food parcels, the first drop of 30 food parcels being in April and the second earlier on this month.
In January 2004, the Rosie May Foundation was founded in response to overwhelming donations from the public after the murder of 10 year old Rosie May. In December 2004, her family decided to escape the horrific recollections of Christmas before and go on a family holiday to South East Asia. On boxing day, the family stood on the shore of the Indian Ocean as the tsunami - the deadliest natural disaster ever recorded- hit. As a response to this the Foundation began working in Sri Lanka to support children and families.
Globally, one in nine people go hungry. Since news that COVID-19 may double the number of people facing acute hunger and the World Health Organisation advising that ‘more people will die of hunger than COVID-19’ the charity has launched an Emergency Appeal and raised £6500 in just over a month.
Mary Storrie, Founder of The Rosie May Foundation said ‘The results of no tourism to Sri Lanka is having a devastating impact on the Country. With many people out-of-work and no savings to fall back upon, parents are struggling to feed their family. We are supporting communities and families with basic food parcels in a bid to lessen world hunger’.
The Nottingham based charity has long-established relationships with both Nepal and Sri Lanka, educating and skill-training single mums, providing them with a sustainable income to keep families together.
The food parcels being distributed cost £15 and can feed one family for a month . The food parcels contain 5kg Red rice, 1kg Dhal, 1kg Big Onions, 1kg Potato, 200g Tea leaves, 1kg sugar, 400g Milk powder, 1kg Wheat flour, 1kg Green gram, 1kg Chick peas, 2 tins canned fish, 2 Sunlight soaps, 1 toothpaste, 500g Washing powder, 2 Velvet soaps and 1 packet of chocolate biscuits.
Mary continued “It’s been reported that people would rather die of COVID-19 than starvation – an unthinkable choice for anyone to make”.
During lockdown, fundraising efforts have included additional donations from the charity’s existing supporters, by supporters running Zoom Pub Quiz Nights and Zoom Yoga Sessions. The charity encourages people to get inventive with their fundraising efforts and to the emergency appeal
By Ellen Jones
