Trustee Alice Kestell fundraises for UMRio!
ONERio Child Protection Trustee Alice Kestell has taken on a covid-19 inspired fundraising challenge for our partner organisation, UMRio. Here, she explains her motivations behind wanting to fundraise, citing UMRio’s direct connection with the covid-19 pandemic, and the political decisions that could impact our young people’s safety.
‘You may well have heard horror stories about the Brazilian President, Jair Bolsonaro. His behaviour during this crisis has arguably worsened: accusing state governors of ‘hysteria’, joining anti-lockdown protests, and even sacking his own Health Minister for disagreeing with him. With communities receiving such confusing messages about what to do, the children UMRio works with (aged 5 to 25) are at serious risk.
Brazil now has the highest rate of covid-19 deaths in the southern hemisphere. In favelas like Morro do Castro (UMRio’s base), people live in incredibly crowded conditions that lack basic sanitation. This makes social distancing a major challenge. With schools closed, children aren’t getting school meals – a vital source of nutrition. Over 60% of parents whose children we work with have jobs in the ‘informal’ economy (domestic work, bartending, waitering etc), which have all been directly affected by lockdown. And if they do get sick, there are so few medical facilities and the nearest hospital is an hour by bus.
93% of mothers UMRio works with said they expect to go hungry if isolation continues into May. With such extreme financial pressures, the children we work with are at even higher risk than usual of being driven into the drug trade or child labour. As a means to support these families, UMRio launched distribution of emergency food parcels in March and April (see a video of this at https://www.facebook.com/UMRioONERio/videos/711314469608985/). Each parcel costs approximately £25 and provides essential food and sanitary items for a family for one month. 100% of families told UMRio that their delivery made them feel safer. Help me raise funds to ensure our families feel safe next month too.
Thank you.’
Alice, like many others around the world, has identified lockdown as a perfect time to attempt a physical challenge. As a self-defined very unsporty person, she has set herself the admirable challenge of completing ten (!) press-ups. Her gofundme page (link below) has seen some fantastic uptake, and we are all very proud of the work Alice is doing to support our brilliant partners in Brazil, and the young people they help.
You can find updates of Alice’s progress on the UMRio/ONERio social media handles on the website, and visit her page to donate via the link below. Any and all support would be greatly appreciated from us all at ONERio.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/umrio-emergency-food-supplies?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link-tip&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet
Thank you!
The ONERio team
