₤425,000 funding boost helps Mary's Meals to transform young lives in Africa

THE generous players of People's Postcode Lottery have raised ₤425,000 for Mary's Meals, boosting the charity's work to transform the lives of hungry children in Africa. The latest funding awarded to the charity will ensure 10,961 hungry children receive a life changing meal every day for a whole School year. Mary's Meals provides 1 good meal every School day for children living in some of the world's poorest countries. The promise of these meals attracts impoverished children to the classroom, where they can gain an education which can help them escape poverty in later life. Since 2015, players of People's Postcode Lottery have raised more than ₤2.7 million for Mary's Meals. The most recent funding will allow Mary's Meals to reach children in 8 African countries including:- Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Zambia, Madagascar, Uganda, Ethiopia and South Sudan.

Daniel Adams, executive director of Mary's Meals, said:- "We are hugely grateful to players of People's Postcode Lottery for their incredible generosity which is helping Mary's Meals to keep our promise to the children that we serve and allowing us to reach even more children with a precious meal. The nourishing food we provide can be a lifeline and for many children may be all they eat that day. With local communities cooking and serving the meals, children from some of the poorest countries in the world are attracted into the classroom, giving them the opportunity to learn towards a brighter future."

Callum Aitken, international development advisor at People's Postcode Lottery, added:- "We know that children don't learn as well when they're hungry and find it more difficult to concentrate and retain information when they don't know when they'll next eat something. I'm delighted this latest funding award of ₤425,000 raised by players of People's Postcode Lottery will help feed 10,961 children so they're ready to start their School day with a full tummy."

The funding raised by players of People's Postcode Lottery will also allow Mary's Meals to develop its work in other areas including a focus on recruiting more volunteers throughout different Regions of the UK and the promotion of new and existing campaigns to raise awareness of Mary's Meals. As Schools around the world closed due to the Covid19 Pandemic last year, Mary's Meals successfully adapted and provided food to cook at home, instead. With some Schools now able to open again, the charity is continuing to safely reach the children who rely on its nutritious meals, whether in the classroom or at home. Mary's Meals recently announced that it is reaching more than 2 million children in some of the world's poorest countries with life changing meals every School day in 19 countries.

Zambia is just 1 such country where Mary's Meals is making a big difference thanks to player support. Every morning before School, 14 year old Olivia gets up early and goes to work on the family farm. When she gets back from the field, she helps with the household chores before setting off on the hour long walk to Kawambe Primary School. Her 1st meal of the day is a steaming hot mug of Mary's Meals porridge. Olivia said:- "I feel very hungry when I get to School. Phala (vitamin enriched porridge) fills me with energy. It helps me to concentrate. School is important, because when I have finished, I will be able to support myself."

To find out more about the work of the charity, please visit:- MarysMeals.Org.UK.

Celebrities join 'Reading Reblels' book club to inspire activism in children

THE Crown star Olivia Colman, Television Presenter and former Paralympic basketball player Ade Adepitan and radio presenter Vick Hope join Amnesty's Reading Rebels to educate children on social justice issues. Amnesty International UK's book club of monthly stories and activities encourage children to dream big and help shape a fairer world. 83% of British children aged 8 to 15 said they know little or nothing about their own rights. The Crown star Olivia Colman, Television Presenter and Paralympic Medallist Ade Adepitan and Radio Presenter Vick Hope have joined Amnesty International UK's book club for children:- 'Reading Rebels' to educate children on social justice issues.

Funded by the Players of the People Postcode Lottery, the Reading Rebels initiative encourages children from 4 to 10 years old to read books that explore human rights. The books selected in the club help build children's knowledge, empathy and agency. They encourage young readers to think, ask questions, seek out the truth and stand up for themselves and each other. Although Reading Rebels is primarily aimed at children aged:- 4 to 10 years old, Amnesty International UK recently conducted YouGov polling which found that an overwhelming 83% of British children aged:- 8 to 15, said they know little or nothing about their own rights.

64% of children said they knew only a little about their rights, with a further 19% saying they didn't know anything at all. Just 17% of the young people approached in the poll felt they knew a lot about their rights. Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK CEO, said:- "Most British children are unaware of their rights and that needs to change. Books are a wonderful way to access the lives of others and they allow children to explore human rights whatever their age. Joining the club will help children understand equality and know how they should be treated, as well as how they should treat others. We hope this will empower children to engage with the issues of the moment; from food poverty to gender identity or the plight of refugees. This fantastic book club can really be part of the solution to some of the concerns parents and children have about the future and how we cope with modern challenges, and it has been made possible with funding from the players of the People's Postcode Lottery for which we are very grateful."

British parents of children aged 18 years old and under were also polled about children's rights, with only 16% knowing that children in fact have more rights than adults do. Just 8% of children thought human rights should be a compulsory part of the national curriculum, while ⅔ of the parents agreed with this proposition. However, nearly 1 in 5 parents (19%) thought it should not be.

Olivia Colman, who is an Amnesty Ambassador, said:- "Books have a unique power to teach young people about the world, to stir curiosity and foster empathy."

Amnesty supporter Ade Adepitan, a said:- "When I think about my son growing up; I want to make sure he gets to read books with a wide range of lead characters: of different ethnicities, genders and abilities. That's what I like about Reading Rebels; that the characters and books are diverse."

Vick Hope, who is also an Amnesty Ambassador, said:- "Children are so curious and insightful. Giving them the chance to explore things like equality, fairness, truth and solidarity at such a young age is brilliant. What I love about Reading Rebels is the careful choice of books; with diverse characters, written by a wide range of writers and illustrators. Children's books so often lack diversity, but every child deserves to be able to see themselves in the stories they read. Reading Rebels is a brilliant scheme. It uses beautifully illustrated stories with themes of kindness, equality and fairness to introduce children to human rights; in a way that's simple and engaging."

A subscription to Reading Rebels costs ₤12/month. Children will be sent a book for a year, along with creative activities and discussion questions to bring each story's themes to life. Reading Rebels can be purchased or gifted to a child of your choosing. For more information or to purchase visit:- Amnesty.Org.UK.