Action Aid’s Blogging Event

I have taken a break from my blogging vacation to write about something that is very dear to my heart.  No, not the Olympics or food.  Much, much more important.  Action Aid and child sponsorship.  Ever since I started to sponsor Gift through Action Aid last year I have found that it has given me more purpose.  You know when you have a really rough day and just want to stay in bed and watch old episodes of The West Wing?  Those days are the days when I remember that I am contributing towards someone else’s life and not just my own.  Those days are the days when I look at the photo on my office wall of Gift and she strives me on.  I have more purpose now.

Last Friday sitting in the living room with mum and dad eating our buffet dinner and  glued to the TV we all remarked that we had not heard of some of the countries parading through the Olympic stadium.  I was pleased to see a map in the paper the next day pointing out some of the tiny countries sitting in the Carribbean that had escaped my attention.

Myanmar, formerly Burma, needs no introduction.  I think that everyone has heard of Aung San Suu Kyi and I am sure that we all nodded as the athletes waved to the audience on Friday recognising another country competing.  But when Action Aid asked what I knew about Myanmar I commented that I would have to do some Googling.  Truth is, I know very little, and sure, Google and Wikipedia will spout out the facts of how many live in the country and who there government is run by, but I don’t think that’s really what Action Aid were asking.  So, I’m holding my hands up.  I know nothing about the country apart from where it is situated (near to China and India).  That’s it.  And it sort of made me sad that I didn’t know that much about the country, or many other countries in the world.  I am so looking forward to finding out more on the 15th August.

Just as I knew nothing about Malawi when I started to sponsor Gift through Action Aid last year, I have learnt alot about that country, continually seeking to learn more.

Action Aid are holding a Bloggers Summer Party on the 15th August in Clerkenwell, London.  I attended the Bloggers Tea Party for Action Aid earlier this year and it was such a great time to meet with fellow bloggers, to learn more about Action Aid and to have a fun afternoon.  This time around they have Jimi Mistry of East is East fame talking about what child sponsorship means to him and the work of Action Aid.  To book a place today click here.  Gemma and Penny will be there doing a brainstorming blogging section which I think is going to be quite hilarious and good fun.  And of course I will be there too (what more could you want!)  It will be a great event to learn more about Action Aid and especially the work that they are doing in Myanmar.

~ Pru

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