I’ve just been watching a documentary about the fur trade, and thought it might be time to speak out about some of the things I believe in. A lot of the people I know (even close friends) have no idea about what I’m about to let on.
I am a financial supporter of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), and have been for a long time. I would urge everybody who reads this to at least try to educate themselves a little about the abuses that are going on around the world. There is lots of information on the PETA website. I’m not going to preach about the issues because I don’t believe in soap box evangelism. Go read the website.
Myself and W have sponsored a child in Africa for years through an organisation called ActionAid. At the moment we are sponsoring a little girl in Malawi called Chisumu. She’s about 8 years old now, and sends us wonderful drawings and letters. Our donations go to the local co-ordinators who put the funding into community projects, education, and medicine. Last year Chisumu’s village dug their first canal using tools bought from the ActionAid funds.
Although myself and W have similar day-to-day issues to most people, we have both always been aware that we earn more than most - so putting a small amount into the various causes we believe in doesn’t really cause us any hardship. I guess you could describe us both as “quiet idealists”.