Go raibh maith agat! Gracias! Merci! Asante! We need to say it in so many languages to you for the fantastic support you have given Trócaire this year. Despite the doom and gloom of the tough economic times here in Ireland you stepped up to the mark so many times in the past twelve months for the poorest people in the developing world.
Top: Tinseltown tots: Jamie O'Donoghue, 3, Keilagh O'Shaugnessy 3, and Adam Shanley, 4 from Maynooth University creche get into the Christmas spirit as they help Trocaire into the final week of its Christmas gifts campaign. Photo : Alan Whelan.
Middle left: Trócaire's Human Rights Summer School students launching our campaign on human rights in Palestine. Photo: Elena Hermosa.
Middle Right: Brave Heather O'Brien at 12 years old was the youngest person to take part in the abseil for Trócaire descending from the Derry City Council offices.
Bottom left: Jenny Wilson, Sorcha Dempsey and Lauren McGinn. Go down a treat with their candy floss stand at the 2011 Spring Fairin Santa Sabina Dominican College, a girl’s secondary school in Sutton.
Bottom Right: Trócaire’s Gemma McCourt and Sally O’Neill at a special evening for Trócaire supporters in Belfast City Hall. Photo: David O’Hare.
You donated to our work and fundraised on our behalf despite the recession here at home. You took action on climate change, house demolitions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and human rights in Honduras to name but a few.
Most recently you called for the government to ensure that Ireland again takes the lead on the world stage and renews the commitment to ending the transmission of HIV from mothers to children in the developing world. You helped us to spread the word about this issue by taking our e-action and by sharing on of our most popular blog posts to date.
It's particularly apt at Christmas time to think about children around the world and the different lives they have. No child should be born with HIV when there is preventable treatments for mothers and their unborn. It's not too late to add your support.
Top: Trócaire Director Justin Kilcullen with Digna, the girl from the 2011 Trócaire box. Photo: Alexis Williams.
Middle: Local trad enthusiasts take to the waves to launch the 2nd annual Trad for Trocaire. Photo: David O’Hare.
Bottom: Teacher Alan Corcoran and the students of St Mac Dara’s in Templelogue with Graham Canty and Katie Taylor: Photo: Hu O’Reilly.
And then there was east Africa. Millions of people faced starvation across Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia. The response from the public here at home was staggering. Almost €10 million was donated to our emergency appeal – more than half came from parishes across the country. We were able to provide food, water, healthcare and other essentials to the people who needed it most. Your generosity meant thousands of lives were saved across the region during the emergency and will help people rebuild their lives in the coming months.
On behalf of all the families, communities and partners we work with in the poorest parts of Africa, Latin America and Asia – thank you.
We hope you all have a happy and peaceful Christmas and New Year.
Director, Trócaire.
