Thursday 16 November 2017

COULD YOU HELP A MOTHER AND CHILD IN NEED?

It's coming up to Christmas, the time of year when we celebrate the birth of a baby born in a stable, to parents who'd had to travel far from home. This year, there will be countless babies born to refugee mothers far from home and without even a stable to shelter in... could YOU help them?

Sally says:
We first started CRIBS International when it became clear that there was a real need for a house or flat for women at Ritsona Camp in Greece to go to after having their babies. It seemed obvious that for the few weeks after giving birth, a woman should not have the additional stress and physical effort of living in a tent, with the risk of flies, mosquitoes and snakes etc and poor hygiene facilities. Many women have had C-sections, which are commonplace in Greece but need proper rest and recovery time; another major risk is that of gastroenteritis for babies being bottle fed.

CRIBS first aimed to provide a safe house/flat where women with new babies could find some respite from the camps in order to heal, but we have now helped thirteen families to find long term housing. Who are we helping now?

Jumana, her husband and baby Riad, from Syria - now in a small apartment rather than the squatted room they previoulsy shared with three other families; Rwida and her family who came from a refugee camp next to a sewerage pit and now stay in a housing project with a school, clinic and community spirit; the family who escaped from the Taliban in Afghanistan and spent the winter in a tent in Serbia in temperatures of -20; a family escaping family problems after forced marriage in Pakistan, vulnerable, unwell and fragile; an artist and his wife expecting a child in Ritsona Camp; a couple expecting their first child and living in a container with no shower, toilet or  A/C.

We want to help more families... can YOU help? If you can help fundraise for CRIBS we can offer speakers and equipment/ ideas to help. Our team is based in the UK, Germany and Canada and we have donors from UK, Ireland, Germany, US and Canada. Could you make CRIBS your special charity this Christmas and help a mother and child in desperate need?

CRIBS International is a registered charity, no: 1173021
Website: https://cribsinternational.org/
Donate to CRIBS here: https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/cribsinternational

Cathy says:
Sally, one of the founders of CRIBS, is a new friend and a genuine hero of mine. I will be supporting CRIBS this Christmas and in the year ahead... can YOU? Can your class, year group, workplace or group of friends help with a small fundraiser or donation? Even the smallest contribution of money or goods can help. And to one refugee family, it could make all the difference in the world. #ChristmasSpirit #ShareTheLove #CRIBS

1 comment:

  1. This post was really poignant and made me really emotional. It's true that some babies really were born in the harsh way that Christ was born in -- only without the angels, peace, comfort, warmth and nice weather that He had. They need proper facilities to live with their babies, and there's only so much one person can do, so I think that this organization is great! I am a Christian and so follow Him, and I will suggest this charity to our churches' Christmas Charities board.

    ReplyDelete

EMILY: INSPIRED TO HELP REFUGEES

Reader Emily, aged ten, explains how a Cathy Cassidy book inspired her to raise money for a refugee charity... Emily says: The Cathy Cassidy...