Celtic Quick News will be 10 years old next year and to mark the occasion, through Mary’s Meals, we’re going to construct a kitchen and shelter facility at the Kholoni Primary School in Mchinji, Central Malawi, which currently has no food preparation facilities.
A brick-built building, the kitchen will consist of one main cooking area with two small locked storerooms. In one, firewood for the stoves will be kept and, the other will store food and utensils. The kitchen will be fully equipped with stoves, pots, serving equipment, mugs and spoons and the 1221 children will be provided with a daily meal of a vitamin-enriched maize porridge. The kitchen will also have teaching facilities, to allow it to be used as a classroom outside meal times.
17% of people in the world live in extreme poverty (less than $1.25 per day) but there is plenty of good news, the proportion of world living in this condition halved in last 20 years (this was a UN Millennium Development Target). Life expectancy (at birth) of low income people in 1990 was 52, but in 2011 it was 60. Infant mortality dropped by a third during this period and maternal mortality almost halved.
Since humans first walked the earth a significant proportion of them have lived in extreme poverty, but while someone once said, “the poor will always be with us”, for the first time ever the decades ahead could see all of humanity escape from extremely poverty.
Malawi, according to the UN the 17th least developed nation on earth, is one of the world’s extreme poverty front lines, but even here, the trend is encouraging. In 1990 child mortality between 0-5 years was 244 deaths per 1000 live births. By 2000 this had dropped to 174 per 1000. Last year the figure was 71 deaths per 1000 from 0-5 years. The UK passed that figure more than 70 years ago, but the rate of improvement in Malawi is nothing short of incredible. It is fertile ground for the right kind of help.
Mary’s Meals, a Scottish charity established in 2002, feeds 822,142 kids in 16 countries every day. They keep costs low and employ local staff in kitchens, ensuring 93% of money donated reaches those in need, possibly the highest rate of any comparable organisation. It costs £7 for Mary’s Meals to feed a child in Malawi – for a whole year. 20% of Malawi’s children (600k) are fed by the organisation, often their only meal of the day.
In 2012, a sample of 44 schools found that enrolment had increased by 30% two years after the introduction of Mary’s Meals. Academic achievement improves too. The benefit is not just escape from hunger, it is access to education for children who would otherwise have to work for food. It also provides an increase in productivity and economic capacity when the children enter the workforce.
CQteN St Patrick’s Day Party
The kitchen will cost £7000 and I’ve told Mary’s Meals we’ll raise enough money by St Patrick’s Day, which gives us three months. We have a lot of work to do but the focal point will be the CQteN Dinner on Friday, 14 March 2014, which will be the biggest and best St Patrick’s Day Party in Scotland.
We’ve hired the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park. Tickets are available for £50, tables of 10 are also available. To reserve a ticket or table email me, celticquicknews@gmail.com. The event has been discussed in the comments section for some weeks without a formal launch and we quickly sold out the smaller capacity of the Kerrydale Suite. We have now taken the entire suite so additional tickets are available.
Between now and then there will be the odd auction to help us along, and we will continue to support the work of the Celtic Foundation (who have a Children’s Hospice Association Scotland auction on now), the Kano Foundation, and the many needy causes a lot closer to home than Malawi.
The UN are currently considering Development Targets for 2030, with the eradication of extreme poverty likely to feature. Poverty is a complex subject, so even after 2000 years development, we know there will always be comparative poverty, but within our Generation of Domination, extreme poverty, less than $1.25 per day existence, could be eradicated.
There is no more appropriate way to mark the 10th anniversary of the blog. This will be our payback for all the hours, days, weeks and months of pleasure (and toil) we’ve gotten out of the these pages over the years. Put 14th March 2014 in your diary, we’re having THE St Patrick’s Day party!
For more information on Mary’s Meals take a look at the video below:
Get your CQN Annual below. From now on £5 from every Annual sold will go to the CQN Malawi School Kitchen appeal.
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Ramie 1, in the name of the wee man 1 the suspense has got to me :))))
sipsini
15:10 on 13 December, 2013
You mentioned the ASA outcome. Thought it was out on Monday ? If I’ve missed it what was thier take on it. ?
I see a new report for Scot Gov has concluded that denominational schooling does not cause sectarianism, or, as the report says:
“We do not believe that sectarianism stems from, or is the responsibility of, denominational schooling, or, specifically, Catholic schools, nor that sectarianism would be eradicated by closing such institutions.”
In other news, it may rain in Scotland this month.
The focus on ‘sectarianism’ as somehow distinct from ‘hate crime’ is disingenuous. I’ll put some stuff together over the next couple of weeks when time permits, but aggravated offences focussed on the Christian denomination (or perceived Christian denomination) of the victim represent less than 15% of hate crimes in Scotland, per most recent figures.
Offences aggravated by racial hatred are endemic in Scotland, yet get a fraction of the publicity or campaign funding.
Let’s frame that in numbers. During the year 2012-13, some 4500 charges were brought to court for racially aggravated offences. That is, 4500 individuals were victims of a crime with sufficient evidence to identify the offender and bring charges. (The figures DO NOT include offences where the offender cannot be identified or is not charged.)
4500 persons of perceived minority ethnicity were victims of a hate crime in Scotland last year.
In round numbers, that 2 people in every 100 from Scotland’s population of Black, Asian and other minority groups suffered an offence that was brought to court.
The figures are largely in line with previous years. Since 2003, 20% of individuals from Scotland’s BME communities have been subject of a race hate crime.
And it doesn’t start and stop with Race or Religion.
More people are victims of homophobic hate crime in Scotland than of religiously aggravated hate crime.
Disability? Yip, we don’t like disabled folk. Sexual orientation? Gender identity? The list goes on.
In Scotland, the reality is that we really don’t like ‘the Other’, irrespective of what makes ‘the Other’ different.
Until we recognise that, and address it meaningfully, we are fooling ourselves.
TBB
SoapboxCSC
theweegreenman,
Liked it mate, I kept a pair of Carol’s as well, so when my number is called, I’ll mind and take them.
Cheers for the nod.
south of tunis
16:00 on 13 December, 2013
The other Peter Grant scored an absolute screamer v The Flying Pig at Easter Rd during the Centenary season . A memorably great goal !
Blast fae the past that goal. Remember standing in the Celtic end that night and watch it leave his foot and fly into the top corner. Cemi final of Scottish cup if I remember correct.
Paul67
The Woodend became a restaurant close to 20 years ago which shut circa 6 years ago. Derelict building now.
Went for our dinner one night when it was the Ashoka & they had bolted vamoosed:((.
I think somone is selling used cars out of the back of it downstairs the last I looked.
Ahhhh memories I was asked to leave the woodend often:))
Ps my mam was a barmaid in it when Peter Manuel frequented it.
lennon’s passion
I was there too. Not the semi. We played Hearts in the semi in the centenary year.
LB
BRTH ,
thanks for the shout out earlier . Methinks you are being a tad unfair . The kids , when offered a choice said they preferred the maddie rather than the “bam with snakes oan his feet and a lavvy-brush haircut” – i’m paraphrasing , mind ;)
HH
Sanna
With the Chrissy Holidays upon us I would like to share a personal experience with my friends about drinking and driving.
As you may know some of us have been known to have brushes with the authorities from time to time on the way home after a “social session” out with friends.
Well, two days ago I was out for an evening with friends and had several beers, followed by some rather nice red wine. Feeling jolly I still had the sense to know that I may be slightly over the limit.
That’s when I did something that I’ve never done before – I took a cab home.
Sure enough on the way home there was a police RBT unit, but since it was a cab they waved it past. I arrived home safely without incident.
This was a real surprise as I had never driven a cab before, I don’t know where I got it and now that it’s in my garage I don’t know what to do with it…..
lennon’s passion,
Their latest came out earlier in the week.
I’ll see if I can get the link.
Hunmedia weren’t too happy with the wording but saw it as another result.
My view on it, they were told what to say but covered themselves.
I liked Granty in the Celtic team until he picked up that bad injury, cannae remember what type of injury, probably a cruciate or something like that. He was a shadow of the player when he returned, unfortunately.
It is Great to see Emilio getting back to his finest, it takes a lot of mental strength to get back to where you were.
Henke – Well….
Celtic is a Blessed Club, of that there is no doubt at all. Material things should mean nothing to everyone.
Snowflakes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbuiQtxEZ40
Wonder if this would ever take off over here?
Doubt it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25349240
Lennons passion.
http://www.thedrum.com/…/asa-rules-favour-rangers-fc-advertising-disp...
by Angela Haggerty
2 days ago – ASA rules in favour of Rangers FC in advertising dispute following appeal. Decision: The ASA ruled that there is no breach of advertising code.
livibhoy – god bless wee oscar
16:15 on 13 December, 2013
lennon’s passion
I was there too. Not the semi. We played Hearts in the semi in the centenary year.
Memories would have had a tenner on it being the semi. Would have lost it mind you.
TBB- ‘racially motivated’ -does that include English victims, that have moved from being formerly Foreign to currently couthy?
BRTH
Coatbrig wans arrived ages ago. Brill too!!!
So we’ve been fined 50,000 euros.
Two players made their debut in 1963 against Kilmarnock when Celtic last lost six goals in a league game at Rugby Park.
Jimmy Johnstone went on to be voted the greatest Celt of all time.
Dick Madden didn’t play for Celtic again.
Hail Hail to all Celts
Mon the Hoops
sipsini
16:18 on
13 December, 2013
The official adjudication isn’t published until next Wednesday, some naughty person has leaked it. Or part of it.
I blame non denominational skools.
If you can sing Jingle Bells without wiggling your shoulders you’re just not getting the ole Christmas spirit.
Re: Peter Grant, I always thought he was a not bad player and looked after Paul Mc Stay when the boots went flying in.
I must admit, I have been a bit disappointed in some of his comments of late.
Then again, as on Paul’s site, we all have varied opinions on Celtic matters.
As long as his is not self indulgent, fair play to him.
Threesie?
Nobody can beat ole Jobo Balde and his nine in a row.
ExceptCeltic CSC
Allegedly ole Sid James had an on and doff relationship with Hattie Jacques.
CarryOn CSC
Where’s Murdoch McTaggart when ye need ‘im!
ELDegio
50000 for what?
The GB banner(s) prior to the AC Milan game. It’s on the official site.
DBBIA
Yes, there are a number of such cases in the stats, plus of course Polish, Irish, and a host of ‘Other White’ complainers.
The improbable conclusion that Catholic schools are not the root cause of sectarianism sparks lively and informed debate among the intelligentsia on FF:
” If only our forefathers had been sectarian…we wouldn’t be in the mess were in now.”
——
“Long may it continue, as my Children wont have to sit next to them.”
——
“And then they complain about Rangers not signing them.”
——
“That was always odd…why would they want Scotland’s biggest, best supported and most successful club to ALSO poach young taiglets?”
——
“We had initiatives dealing with sectarianism as did Celtic then they employed Lennon as manager and that caused alot of the good work to fall by the wayside”
——
“A few years ago a non RC child at a RC school in Stirling couldn’t even get on a bus as he hadn’t been baptised”
——
“One of my best friends is Catholic, and he and his missus have a daughter together, though they’re not married.
They need to sit separately from their families at mass because they had a child out of wedlock”
——
“To see it all as Celtic’s fault is to miss the point, I think. They are manipulated by the same obscene, synical organisation that perpetuates the strife for its own ends. Namely the Roman church. I may be wrong, but it seems to me that things have got worse over the past years after years of gradual and steady improvement. My perception is that the deterioration started arond the time of the papal visit.”
——
“as we all know , there are Roman Catholic schools in Great Britain but there are no Protestant schools , I wonder who the sectarian element really are ?”
so uefa fine us 50k for a political banner and then ask us “when you take that down can you stick this nelson mandela one up in its place?” just as rotten as the spfl…..
weeminger
16:41 on 13 December, 2013
My mistake then, I should know better than believing anything on hunmedia, never mind the smsm:-(
Probably leaked for a reason to benefit some dodgy shareholding.
Monaghan1900
I nearly pashed ma pants readin that..
UEFA SANCTION: Celtic fined 50,000 euros (£42,200) for fans’ political banners at AC Milan Champions League game
Boeriggter injured again
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11787/9071680
Here is a Celtic man talking about the reality.
ELD
Thats got Dalas written all over it!!
Did you see my post abt the bouncy sodgers that was in The Irish Voice free paper?
Monaghan.
That can’t be real. They don’t believe that do they.
Sorry pal yer naw getting Oan this bus till I see yer baptism candle.