|
Reamonn, together with Unesco, have established the foundation "Saving an Angel". Different projects will be supported world-wide. The best known of these is the work for Dunkelziffer e.V. and a hospital for children with cancer in Minsk.
On June 25 2001 Reamonn re-did the Falco classic "Jeanny" together with Xavier Naidoo. Rea and Naidoo have both had personal experiences with abuse. Rea's sister was sexually abused when she was young and only recently informed her brother of the fact. In his own words, he's not over the shock yet. This is also a reason why the band has concerned itself with bringing this theme into the public eye. The full proceeds of sales from "Jeanny" and a set percentage of all Reamonn earnings go directly into the charity bank account of "Saving an Angel".
On March 15 2002 the first Saving an Angel Gala for abused children was held at the Music Trade Fair in Frankfurt / Main. Laith al Deen, natural, HeyDay and of course Reamonn performed as well as others. The public reception of this event was so good that it has been decided to hold this event once a year in the future.
Abused children and adolescents can speak to an experienced councellor 24/7 on the toll-free emergancy number 0800 - 111 0 333. The councellors are obliged to uphold the confidentiality of all the discussions they have.
Further info can be found at http://www.savinganangel.com
Children in Need
The emergancy help organization for children works towards providing a worthwhile life for children in 27 countries around the world. They support more than 125 000 girls and boys who are living in extreme poverty. The main focus is on providing education and training. More than 100 000 people within the Federal Republic of Germany support the work done by this organization.
In order to give mentally handicapped children and adolescents and their parents a chance to come out of isolation, a project was called into existence to establish a day-care center and special school for mentally and multi-handicapped children and adolescents. The project was initiated in 1986 by a German aid worker in Addis Abeba, the capital of Ethopia. She experienced the situation where parents of physically handicapped children sent their children to the streets to beg while those of mentally handicapped children tended to hide the children or push them to the side out of a sense of shame. In Ethiopia, disabilities are always seen as a punishment from God; being together with these people is considered to bring bad luck.
The main task of the project consists of strengthening and supporting disabled children and adolescents, as well as their families, and to support their inclusion into the social communities in which they live.
A special support program has been implemented for disabled children of pre-school age.
The old children and adolescents are taught in small groups. In these classes they are taught the skills and abilities they need to look after themselves and deal with everyday life.
In addition to this intensive project work, many families with severely handicapped children and adolescents are visited in their own homes where they receive lessons and therapeutic help.
Part of this home visiting work consists of an early care program, whereby the parents of disabled children receive advice and financial help for arranging and taking the children to doctors and clinics. Accompanying this financial help from now on, the children will also be receiving groceries and vitamin supplements.
Reamonn flew to Addis Adeba to give their support to the people receiving the care as well as to the aid workers there on location. There Reamonn saw what fate had in store for the people and had a chance to talk to the people about their experiences.
Reamonn's impressions of their trip and the project work was reported in the program "Germany's True Heroes",aired on SAT 1, to interest people in giving their support to the aid program.
Statistics for children in Ethiopia:
Infant death rate: 117 from every 1000
Death rate for young children: 171 from every 1000 (under 5 years old)
Slightly and severely underweight: 47,1 %
Exploited child labour is the daily norm throughout the entire country.
|
