Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Someplace Special Gives Back

I've been thinking a lot about the kids in Ghana who are used as slaves by the fishermen on the Volta river.

These kids at 5 years old are up at 6AM to help the fishermen get the nets ready, make sure that the nets are not ripped, and then plunge into the freezing water to unstick stuck nets and help catch the fish. When they are done fishing hours later, they herd the cattle.

Yes! Can you imagine, 5 year olds! And 6 and 7 and so on.They are hardly fed and never taken to doctors, and many are beaten regularly and they never go to school. They are truly slaves!

I cannot ignore this situation. Here I am working with your wonderful, beautiful, happy, kids and you all know that my goal with my customers is to make them as happy as possible during their haircuts. TV, toys and anything it takes. They deserve it!! I love it, and that is why I do it. But these other kids so far away in Ghana deserve it too! So do all children in the world, New York, Myanmar, everywhere. Even just the basics! They don't even have that.

These days I am in contact with some great people in Ghana who are helping these kids, and I am going to set up a fund. The Welcome fund, so named for the 12 year old boy that this store sponsors with the money made at our 5th birthday party. A very bright 12 year old named Welcome, who was BOUGHT BACK (yes, I said BOUGHT back! That is how the organization in Ghana gets the children to safety). Now he attends school and lives a free life.

I will be selling off my plastercraft items that we used to use at parties and paint for $5.00 for each plastercraft piece and 2 paint colors. That money will go to the IOM, The International Organization for Migration (slavery is considered forced migration). Please help me save another child.
Thanks everyone!
Suzanne
PS, as if this all wasn't enough, I will also have my little Kiva piggy bank out to collect pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, to help people with micro loans around the world!