H2Ope for Haiti – A Fundraiser

A young boy receives treatment at a makeshift medical clinic at the UN logistics base in Port-au-Prince. Photograph: Logan Abassi/AFP/Getty Images

It’s very easy to take for granted one’s blessings. I do more than I’d like to admit…

“Life is not always fair” my parents would say to me when I was younger usually when a sibling got away with something I didn’t! The harshness of this truth shines truer as my eyes grow wider with age. There is suffering and there is pain as there is joy and pleasure but sometimes it seems some are blessed or cursed with all of it and others with none. Why?

Obviously, I don’t know why as this universe and all its grandiosity is beyond me. However, one thing I do know is that we have more influence than we realize in the lives of those less fortunate. Of course, we don’t influence the weather or natural disasters (global warming views set aside) but if one ponders it further we will realize that the small, tiny actions and decisions we make everyday can and do make an impact on another person’s life no matter how many thousands of miles away. After all, the world is now a global village.

In today’s busy world many of our decisions are made instantly & even haphazardly sometimes out of ignorance, pure laziness and/or frantic business. Whatever the reason it doesn’t erase the fact that we are still responsible and must be held accountable. It’s important that we start taking more precautions and making more educated decisions. These actions and decisions can be anything from speaking out about human rights injustices, boycotting products that are known to have been produced or procured via unjust and immoral methods or the simplest of them all; choosing to give back.

Which leads me to H2Ope for Haiti. By now I think everyone is aware about the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. H2Ope for Haiti is an online raffle being organized by my friend Jeanne of Cook Sister and BloggerAid Changing the Face of Famine (BA-CFF) in response to a chilling first-hand account from Jeanne’s  friend who had flown a relief flight to Haiti after the quake. The raffle will run from Sunday, February 21 – Sunday, February 28th, to help raise funds for Concern Worldwide’s relief effort in Haiti.

Concern Worldwide was chosen because of its long track record and quick response after the quake to provide clean drinking water and water purification tablets. This non-governmental international humanitarian organisation was founded in 1968.

Concern Worldwide estimates that its initial response to the emergency will last at least six months.  The money raised by this raffle will be paid directly into Concern Worldwide’s account by Justgiving and will be used exclusively for the Haiti relief effort.

As part of the auction I’m offering an Ottolenghi cookbook. Ottolenghi is one of the most iconic and dynamic restaurants in the U.K. Its unique blend of exquisite, fresh food, abundantly presented in a cutting-edge, elegant environment, has imaginatively redefined people’s dining expectations.  Yotam and Sami’s inventive yet simple dishes are inspired by their respective childhoods in West and East Jerusalem but rest on numerous other culinary traditions, ranging from North Africa to Lebanon, Italy and California.  The 140 original recipes cover everything from accomplished meat and fish main courses, through to many healthy and quick salads and suppers, plus Ottolenghi’s famous and delectable cakes and breads.  This painstakingly designed book, lavishly photographed book offers the timeless qualities of a cookery classic. If you don’t already have it then you are missing out terribly! It is an absolute treasure to have. I will post this cookbook worldwide. The PRIZE CODE is HFH26

How it works?

All you have to do to enter the raffle is head on over to our Justgiving donations page purchase a ticket(s) for £6.50 (roughly $10) each and bid for your prize(s) using the prize code. A list of prizes is available on the here. Please read and follow the instructions carefully.

If you can afford to participate please don’t hesitate!

Thank you!