The newly appointed CEO of Concern Worldwide was in Portlaoise on Friday last to give a picture to dedicated local volunteer collectors of the impact their effort is having in some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries.
David Regan told the gathering which included volunteers from Portlaoise, Mountmellick and Kilkenny, that they should not under-estimate the difference they are making to people’s lives.
It was one of a number of sessions he is doing around the country to link in with Concern supporters.
Veteran fundraiser Alice Culleton (76) from Mountmellick was among the gathering in the parish centre and will hold her annual 24 hour fast with the support of the Mountmellick Concern group at the collection point in SuperValu on Friday, November 24.
The funds raised will go towards providing relief in Niger, one of the poorest countries in the world, with 9.5 million people affected by extreme poverty and which is badly affected by the climate crisis.
The Portlaoise group will also do a street collection at various points in the town on Friday, November 24.
The CEO said that his first year with Concern Worldwide had been a remarkable one, depressing in the scale of the need but uplifting as a result of meeting people working for the charity.
His travels, he outlined, had given him an insight into what was happening in people’s lives and how they had been changed by Concern. “It is the work of fundraisers that enables that to happen.”
The Concern chief recounted his travels to places like Kenya last December which was without rain for five rainy seasons in a drought the elders had never seen the like of previously. Concern helped the sheep and goat farmers with water, food and women’s empowerment.
The harrowing levels of child malnutrition in Somalia was remembered by David who also highlighted issues with conflict and drought.
While Somalia is still massively affected by drought, there was hope in the form of women establishing cottage industries. They were delighted to be able to help others and reported that their husbands viewed them differently, now that they were earning.
The gathering in the parish centre also heard how Concern is helping the forgotten people of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, to get registered and to a point where they can think about themselves differently.
The CEO recalled that some set up enterprises such as food stalls and mobile phone services and went on to become leaders in the community. Concern also worked in the areas of literacy and climate change including flooding.
The CEO also told the attendance that Concern had also worked with Syrian refugees, providing non-food items, with shelter assistance in Turkey. Most recently he was in Congo where Concern assists displaced people.
Expressing thanks to the local volunteers, David acknowledged that it’s not easy to shake boxes at a time when there are lots of needs in this country too.
“Many of you have been fundraising for a long number of years,” the CEO said as he pondered how best the effort could be passed onto the next generation.
Joanne Arnold, community fundraising manager, said that the volunteer base is getting smaller and that was happening against a backdrop of smaller church gate collections and an increasingly cashless society.
She said her focus for the next year would be looking at online donations, the younger generation and climate change.
The effort isn’t just about raising funds but also generating awareness, Joanne said. She presented the attendance with one of the new buckets which allow donations to be made via mobile phones.
Meanwhile, Alice who has worked in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Angola and Bangladesh, said the urgency of the situation in Niger demands immediate attention and support.
“I believe every effort, no matter how small, can make a significant difference in the lives of those struggling to secure their next meal,” she said.
The interplay of devastating droughts and destructive floods has led to a perilous cycle of food insecurity and hardship, Alice said.
With the ever growing need for humanitarian work worldwide, her commitment serves as a beacon of hope, inspiring the community to come together in solidarity and make a tangible difference in the lives of those facing insurmountable challenges, the CEO said.
You can also support Alice’s fundraiser by donating online at https://fundraise.concern.net/alice-c
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 from Mountmellick was among the gathering in the parish centre and will hold her annual 24 hour fast){kind=link}