In the United Kingdom, the days are slowly getting longer and supermarket shelves are filled with pancake ingredients in anticipation of Shrove Tuesday this week. But the following day, Ash Wednesday, marks the start of Lent. Traditionally a Christian period of fasting in the lead up to Easter Sunday, it is now widely recognised and practiced by people of all, and no, beliefs.
Typically,
Lent offers the challenge for you to give up something you love, such as sugar,
alcohol, smoking or caffeine. Alongside
the abstinence from a chosen luxury, it can be regarded as a time for increased
mindfulness, and charitable giving.
Unfortunately,
not everyone is currently lucky enough to have such luxuries to go without. In
Madagascar, late rain is currently causing widespread famine, adding to the
stresses of life for many in one of the poorest places on Earth. Vulnerable
people are living on the street, with little access to clean water and
healthcare, and children are growing up starving and without education.
However,
Money for Madagascar is working hard to help these people, and can continue to
do so with your help – so why don’t you use this Lenten period to really make a
difference to someone’s life?
Every time you resist
the luxury that you’re giving up, you could do something amazing with the money
you save and change peoples’ lives for the better.
Here are a few examples of what you can achieve:
·
£10
saved on chocolate treats could provide a months’ worth of hot lunches for hungry,
homeless
people.
·
Instead
of grabbing that coffee from your favourite coffee shop before work every day
for a week, you could spend the same £15 to help set up a family in farming,
ensuring regular meals and a reliable income for those most in need.
·
By
saving £45 on alcohol across the 40 days of Lent, you could get a child into
school for a whole year!
It doesn’t take a large sacrifice for you to make a
huge difference to people living in poverty in Madagascar.
Find
out more about Money for Madagascar’s work here
Contributed by Eve
