TAMWORTH might be some 12,000 kilometres from war-torn Syria – where more than half a million people have been killed in the large-scale civil war – but the city is still doing its bit to help save innocent lives.
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At the frontline of the Syrian crisis – and hundreds of other crises across the world – is Save the Children, one of Australia's largest aid and development agencies dedicated to helping children.
Save the Children offers assistance to children in 123 nations. It has had a presence in Tamworth for more than four decades, with the local branch opening in 1977.
To celebrate the milestone and to raise awareness of the work the charity does, Save the Children Australia CEO Paul Ronalds will visit Tamworth on Friday night as guest speaker at the charity’s annual fundraising event.
“We’ve had a Tamworth branch for over 40 years, and they have raised over $180,000 over the years,” Mr Ronalds said.
“People are not disconnected in Tamworth.”
The charity responded to 120 crises across the world last year, including in our own backyard.
“Fifty per cent of our programming is in Australia,” Mr Ronalds said.
“We often look overseas in place like Yemen and Syria, but people aren’t immune tho the depth of need here.
“In an Australian context, the situation is different. It’s not about Plumpy'Nut (a protein-rich paste to treat the severely malnourished) or vaccinations, but it’s also about early childhood education. There’s a high degree of need in Australia.”
Mr Ronalds encouraged the public to attend the fundraising dinner to find out more about the work they do. It will be held at the West Leagues Club on Friday, March 16.
