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June • 2022
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Life-Saving Care for Children Worldwide Her day starts at 5:30 a.m. Soon after, Zainab Bishar Bashir is working hard at a camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Somalia, where she is a midwife. She delivers babies, shows new mothers how to breastfeed, and immunizes children. In an antenatal care room, she also examines pregnant women. Many mothers-to-be are presenting with conditions such as preeclampsia and anemia, often caused by malnutrition. The Galbet camp in Kismayo has seen an influx of people searching for health care and humanitarian assistance. Zainab—whose health clinic is supported by Save the Children with funding from Global Affairs Canada— said, “The admission trend of malnourished children and pregnant and lactating mothers increased, requiring staff to work long hours.” These children and mothers are affected by a droughtdriven hunger crisis that is growing in Somalia and many other low-income countries
and is on a trajectory to be the worst on record. Made worse by a perfect storm of climate change, devastating desert locust infestation, conflict, and the COVID-19 pandemic, it is putting the lives of millions of children in danger. At Galbet camp, there are signs of hope. Save the Children’s support began last year and is making a significant difference. Zainab explained, “With this project supporting the IDPs, I have noticed significant improvement in health and nutrition service delivery. Children are treated for malnutrition and other diseases that they came with…and this was not possible before.” While this support is saving lives, it is still not enough. Urgent and bold action is needed in many parts of the world. Women and children are disproportionately affected by the converging catastrophes. Save the Children has identified a staggering 21 priority countries for urgent and immediate support in order to save lives and prevent
the long-term and irreversible consequences of malnutrition. The worst-hit are low-income nations in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel region, together with Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen. In Somalia alone, the crisis is already worse than the 2011 famine, when 260,000 people—half of them children under six—died of hunger and hunger-related illnesses. As many as 323 million people in 81 countries could be facing acute hunger this year. The climate-conflict-COVID combination has resulted in crop failures, food shortages, and skyrocketing prices on basic staples. That’s on top of existing inequality. Throw in the effects of the war in Ukraine, and you’ve got the biggest challenge of our time. That’s why we have to act now. And decisively. “The scale of this crisis is unprecedented—never in modern history have so many lives been at risk from hunger,” said Danny Glenwright, Save the Children Canada’s President and CEO.
AAMIINA*, 50, WITH HER SIX-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER JAMILA* AND FOUR-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER SAHRA*, IN A CAMP NEAR KISMAYO IN SOUTH SOMALIA. (*NAMES CHANGED) © PHOTO COURTESY OF SAVE THE CHILDREN
“Not responding accordingly will be a failure of humanity.” He praised the Canadian government for giving $73 million this spring to tackle the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa, including support for Save the Children Canada’s work in Ethiopia. But he said other powerful countries need to step up too, particularly when G7 leaders meet later this month.
Glenwright added, “Canada must use its leadership at the G7 and with other global leaders to push for a global plan to address this unprecedented hunger crisis before it spirals further out of control.” Your donation to Save the Children can help children in crisis to survive, thrive, and fulfill their potential. See how to help at savethechildren.ca
Refugee Family Celebrates 50 Years in Canada In 1972, Pyarali Nanji, his wife, Gulshan, and their four children got word that they, along with 60,000 other Ugandans of South Asian lineage, had 90 days to leave the country that they had long called home. Stripped of their citizenship and assets and declared stateless, the family fled. Thanks to mercy flights organized by the Canadian government, they found sanctuary in Montréal, Canada. They stayed in temporary lodgings at the downtown YMCA, which took care of all their immediate needs. The Nanji family never forgot the kindness they were shown in the face of catastrophe, and they pledged to pay that kindness forward when they had the means to do so. Eighteen years later, Pyarali started a hugely successful packaging firm in Toronto, and the family decided it was time to make good on their promise. They launched the Nanji Family Foundation, which has
donated millions of dollars to Canadian hospitals, including St. Mary’s Hospital, where Gulshan had been treated for rheumatoid arthritis. In 2020, the Nanji Family Foundation donated a whopping $1.6 million to be split equally by 16 Canadian hospitals to help combat COVID-19 through research and staff support. Even so, according to the Montréal Gazette, when
asked for an overall dollar figure of donations, Nimi, a director with the Nanji Family Foundation, simply quotes her dad as saying: “Not enough.” “There were so many volunteers who showed us the way when we arrived,” Nimi continues. “My father was so impressed by the way we were treated, the way our host country took us in during our time of need. It was always his goal to be able to give back.”
That goal drives the Nanji family to continue to take their positive impact further. This year, in commemoration of their 50th anniversary of South Asian exile from Uganda, the Nanji Family Foundation is granting $1 million in funds to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, for tertiary education scholarships in support of its Aiming Higher campaign. The UNHCR says that this generous financial
SIGNING CEREMONY WITH (L TO R) REMA JAMOUS-IMSEIS, REPRESENTATIVE IN CANADA, UNHCR; FILIPPO GRANDI, UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES; NIMI NANJI-SIMARD, DIRECTOR, NANJI FAMILY FOUNDATION; DOMINIQUE HYDE, DIRECTOR OF DIVISION OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS, UNHCR; PYARALI NANJI, PRESIDENT, NANJI FAMILY FOUNDATION; AND ALEX TOM, HEAD OF PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS IN CANADA, UNHCR. © UNHCR/VALERIE AGAWIN
contribution will help provide sorely needed financial support to refugees pursuing higher education by funding scholarships for health-related university studies in their countries of asylum. The hope is that this gift will encourage others to similarly support opportunities for young people facing forced displacement. “In my life, I have learned something; that if God gives you the opportunity, try to share it,” says Pyarali. “First of all, you have to make sure that you are taking care of your family, your community, and then the whole country. So, I thought we have to pay back to the country and the world… and for more than 20 years, we have been doing this.” With this grant of scholarships to over 50 young refugees commemorating the 50th Anniversary of South Asian exile from Uganda, the Nanji family is hopeful that others in the community and beyond will feel inspired to support higher education for refugees. ADVERTORIAL
Looking Good, Feeling Better: Madeline’s Volunteer Story
MADELINE DELLA MORA © COURTESY OF MADELINE DELLA MORA
A few years ago, fashion and beauty lover Madeline Della Mora applied to be a Cosmetic Advisor Volunteer at Look Good Feel Better (LGFB), Canada’s only charitable program dedicated to helping women manage the effects cancer and its treatment have on their appearance. This year, Madeline celebrates five years of volunteering with LGFB and being part of a community that offers women supportive care so they can feel like themselves again. “You’re never alone while volunteering with LGFB,” Madeline said. “This volunteer work has been something that I look forward to so much— especially because of the sense of community and friendship shared among volunteers. Going through cancer treatment is hard, but you should not feel alone. That’s why we are here!” One of the most challenging aspects of a cancer diagnosis is the loss of identity that comes with it. For 30 years, LGFB has been helping women and teen girls facing the difficult
Workshops
cancer journey to recognize themselves again. Body image is a critical psychosocial issue for patients with cancer because they often undergo significant changes to their appearance, like hair loss and skin changes. At the heart of the LGFB programs are complimentary workshops that address the appearance-related impact of cancer and its treatment while offering women a community where they can connect with other women facing similar challenges. “Many of the side effects of treatment are common, especially among women. At LGFB, we are overflowing with products, ideas, and techniques to make the side effects more tolerable and manageable,” shared Madeline. “The moments I cherish the most are candid interactions between participants. In one workshop, a woman who had attended years ago and is now a cancer survivor came with her recently-diagnosed friend. She took out her old wig and gave it to her friend just to try on. The wig looked so wonderful on her friend that when
she went to take off the wig and give it back, the woman said, ‘Actually, you keep it. What do I need it for anymore?’ There were tears and hugs, but this moment meant more than simply passing on a wig to a friend. It symbolized the support, love, and camaraderie that our LGFB workshops embody.” At LGFB, there is something for everyone. As the seasons change and the sun comes out, Madeline reminds us of some must-know tips for summer skincare—starting with spring cleaning our makeup bags! “Did you know products should ONLY be used for three to six months? Once they’re opened, oxygen begins to degrade the formula, and they’ll start to expire—regardless of the use-by date. And sunscreen is a non-negotiable all year round, but especially in the warmer months when we’re spending more time with our skin exposed!” MADELINE’S SUMMERREADY SELF-CARE TIPS: • The best sunscreens are broad-spectrum, and are a
minimum of SPF 30. • If you have sensitive skin, look for a fragrance-free and/or a mineral-based formula. • Avoid the eye area to be extra safe, and choose a trendy pair of sunglasses to protect that delicate skin instead. • Always wash off your sunscreen at night; a gentle foaming cleanser with a washcloth is my personal favourite. • A thermal water spray is lovely in the warmer months and can also help calm down redness and rosacea. Keep a bottle of this moisturizing, vitamin-enriched water in your fridge for a cooling and calming spritz either during your skincare routine or throughout the day. • Finally, a light layer of mascara and a bit of brow pencil can go a long way. The CAC and its members are proud to support Look Good Feel Better.
for Women & Teens facing cancer
SKINCARE COSMETICS BREAST FORMS WIGS & SCARVES Register for our complimentary workshops at lgfb.ca or by phone 1-800-914-5665
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