Everything about Africa changes everyone who goes there, in ways big and small – Brisbane-raised, Melbourne-based photographer Dianna Snape is no exception. “The beauty is breathtaking and the hardship is heartbreaking. “But by the same measure,” Ms Snape continues, “the light and love and laughter in their hearts, with so little, is inspiring. “You are compelled to do something, anything, to help, because it will make a difference.” lunch money, a ten day online auction from November 1 – 10, as a starting point, explains Snape, is simple: “we want to raise enough money to feed 47 Tanzanian primary school children a healthy lunch every day for a year.” She is keen to point out that’s the “bare minimum” — the more money raised, the more that can be done, including serving a greater variety of food and paying for medical checkups to help monitor the children’s health. A quick examination of what’s on offer in lunch money’s auction — as diverse as it is darling — shows it’s in pretty good shape to deliver. The auction catalogue’s “fabulousness” says Snape, is thanks to the “precious big-heartedness” and “colossal generosity” of her creative community, and beyond. The swanky swag of more than 45 bidding items ranges from: one-off original works (many designed or donated specifically for lunch money); handbags and hand-crafted jewellery, bespoke cakes and cards; to a guided tour of a Robin Boyd house; and professional and creative services like a photo shoot, speaking engagement, helicopter ride, massage treatment, tax preparation and architectural consultation. Everyone from artists and artisans to company professionals said yes when asked for help, “without hesitation” stresses Snape, “and then they asked their friends and friends of friends too”. Absolutely everything for lunch money has been donated — from the logo design and website-build to the entire auction catalogue — which means 100% of the proceeds will be used to directly realise the meal program. “That’s where efforts like lunch money, which are all over Africa, make their mark,” says Snape. “We’re not funnelling through bureaucracy; the money goes straight to what we’re trying to do.” The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child sets forth, alongside other important principles, that the child “shall be given an education” and is entitled to “adequate nutrition” or – as Save The Children founder Eglantyne Jebb put it more bluntly (and eloquently Snape believes) in 1923 – “the child that is hungry must be fed”. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) research (2010-2012), hunger in Africa is increasing alarmingly — nearly one in four people are hungry. Snape first visited Africa 20 years ago and has returned regularly these past two. She concedes the enormity of its problems can make efforts like lunch money seem futile, but insists a little still means a lot. “When you look at what a small amount from us can do, comparatively, it’s enormous,” she says. “Just $2.60 (AUD) will feed one of the children lunch for a week.” It was whilst developing an after-school photographic program in Arusha that Snape became aware short-term hunger was affecting the kids’ ability to concentrate. The UK-registered charity, Shika, which sponsors children’s education and runs the Watoto Wanaweza (Swahili for “Children Can”) after-school support program where Snape volunteered, undertakes to assist Tanzania’s poorest, so its children are some of the country’s most disadvantaged and vulnerable. Including travel, they can spend upwards of 12 hours a day in lessons and after-school care and “generally only eat one meal a day,” explains Snape, “which is dinner when they get home, going without breakfast or lunch.” Snape also learned — with the very close-call of a student whilst she was there — that diets are comprised almost entirely of carbohydrate-heavy and starchy-type hunger-killers (like maize and beans) which, when consumed more or less exclusively, cause micronutrient (vitamin and mineral) malnutrition: which lowers kids mental prowess and puts them at increased risk of night blindness, growth retardation, anaemia, and severe constipation-caused illnesses — all which can be fatal. A quick surf around the web confirmed fruit and vegetables were an excellent (and relatively cheap) source of micronutrients and that students would benefit from more fibre and liquid-based foods (like soup) in their diet. More than 90% of Tanzanians consume only roughly 80 grams of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended 400 grams of fruit and vegetables per person per day. WHO’s paper on fruit and vegetable consumption in sub-Saharan Africa reports households with near-subsistence incomes “prioritise the basic fulfilment of their energy requirements to avoid hunger” and that “until the physiological need to satisfy hunger is met, households have no choice but to focus on cheap sources of energy such as grains and starchy staples”. 89% of Tanzanian people live below the international poverty line of $1.25 per day. The World Hunger Education Service says undernourished children (which 22% of Tanzanians are) suffer up to 160 days of illness each year. It’s significantly affecting the country’s education outcomes with absenteeism, attention problems and early school dropouts linked to the short-term hunger of insufficient or poorly balanced diets. Inspired to help give the sponsored children “the best possible chance to take advantage of their education,” Shika trialled free fruit-and-vegetable-based lunches two days a week and Snape committed to finding a way to make them on-going and every day. The trial started in July and Susi Mayer, Shika’s Tanzanian Program Manager, saw immediate improvements in attendance and attention, “I see the children more motivated in their after-school activities and tuition after getting a healthy and good meal. They are having fun eating fruit and all the children attend the centre on our fruit and vegetable days.” True to her word, Snape has made good on her promise dishing up lunch money’s online auction as the fundraiser’s first-course. “I believe, from the bottom of my heart, when faced with the world’s wrongs people genuinely want to help put them right,” she says. “I hope lunch money strikes a chord and people participate.” To check out auction items or find out more, go to lunchmoney.au. Bidding commences 12:01am (AEDT) Friday November 1. NAME: lunch money WHAT: 10-day online auction fundraiser WHEN: Nov 1 – 10, 2013 WHERE: lunchmoney.au MEDIA Dianna Snape – +61 413 874 269 ENQUIRIES: [email protected] OTHER LINKS: shika.org.uk
Posted on: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 04:42:04 +0000