~ 28 November 2023 ~
Giving Tuesday is not just a date on the calendar… it is an opportunity to give to make a difference. There are at least 114 million people around the world who will not experience all the comforts of the holiday season that I will have this year… that Most have really. This is why Giving Tuesday (and beyond) is so important.
Every day, in my role leading The Genocide Report, I see the impact of conflict, food and water insecurity, state terrorism, and other circumstances difficult to fathom. For more than a decade, the TGR Team has been on the ground in countries where civilians are at risk – where the most vulnerable – children – suffer most. Imagine for a moment having to shield your child from the horrors of war. It is more than just bombs and gunfire, you know. When the shooting and shelling stops… and it does stop at some point… there is the aftermath. What’s left are shattered lives, destruction, picking up the pieces, and trauma. Recovering from the images of war is oftentimes much more difficult and takes a lot longer than dealing with the loss of property.
Reaching Those Suffering
With this in mind, on this Giving Tuesday, I want to invite you to give what you can to The Genocide Report. You can donate directly to The Genocide Report on the Give platform. Your gift will allow TGR to continue to help those impacted by atrocity crimes, conflict, and displacement.
Sometimes that help means working to hold the perpetrators accountable. At other times it means holding workshops to share atrocity and displacement awareness education with communities because it is through awareness that we fully understand what people on the other side of the planet are experiencing, and how we can help them. Gratefully, your help allows us to reach out to those suffering the most with much-needed resources. Gaza, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Myanmar, Sudan, the Horn, and Ukraine… all need help and every single one of them is in dire need. Some are fighting the cold and harsh elements; others are struggling to survive without food and safe water. The impact that your support will have on the people we serve cannot be overstated.
Your Gift Makes TGR Possible
Your gift will also make it possible for The Genocide Report to launch two new programs in the coming year: TGR Scholarships and The Witness Project. Today, there are more than 114 million people forcibly displaced as a result of conflict and persecution, natural disasters, and climate crises. Nearly 70 percent are internally displaced persons (IDPs), trapped in their own country. The overwhelming majority of displaced persons come from just three countries: Syria, Ukraine, and Afghanistan. However, there are large numbers of displaced persons as a result of state terrorism in Myanmar, conflict in Sudan, and climate crisis in the Horn of Africa, to name a few. Children make up approximately 38 percent of the total number of forcibly displaced persons – that’s more than 43 million children.
TGR Projects
The Witness Project is a multifaceted project to benefit displaced populations around the world. The first component will include distributing 1 million Hope Boxes (emergency kits) with a sleeping mat, fleece blanket, mylar blanket, reusable water bottle, emergency water, food items, soap, laundry powder, toothbrush, tooth powder, first aid kit, menstrual hygiene management including disposable pads, reusable pads, and a purpose cloth.
TGR will also launch a scholarship program for resettled refugees in the U.S. TGR Scholarships will include full-ride scholarships for undergraduates seeking degrees. There will also be scholarships for continuing students seeking graduate degrees, as well as students seeking trade certification.
Your Donation Can Make a Difference
You might be wondering if your donation can make a difference. The answer is an astounding, “Yes”! I know first-hand what your support means – what the impact of your donation can have. That is why I am asking you to make a 100% tax-deductible donation to The Genocide Report.
Even in the most challenging of circumstances, we can help. Our very basic values demand that when people are suffering, we will not turn away… we act.
For more than a decade I have dedicated my life to serving humanity, especially the most vulnerable. It is my life’s work, and I am so grateful to be part of the hundreds of thousands of lives our work has impacted.
With gratitude… Lara
#ThinkingOutLoud #LaraKajs #GivingTuesday #Displacement #TheGenocideProject #TGRProjects
Photo Credit: Damage in Gaza Strip during the October 2023 – 26” by Wafa (Q2915969) in contract with a local company (APAimages). Licensed under CC By – SA 3.0.a