- It is estimated that 25,000 people die every day from hunger-related diseases. 78% of them are women and children.
- In most parts of the developing world, women and children are dependant upon their male caregiver to provide them with food, clothing and shelter. Upon the death of this male, their widows and orphans are hurled into an uncertain and turbulent future.
- Due to a chronic lack of education for women in these areas, widows often lack the skills to gain employment and gain an income. They are left to fend for themselves and rely on the generosity of strangers to help them survive.
Our vision
Our aim is to give these people hope by providing them with real help. Destitute and helpless, they require financial aid as well as fulfilment of their medical and educational needs. Green Scarf Day is based around the concept of income generation. The aim of income generation projects is to allow needy families to earn an adequate income and help to develop the society in many ways. Such families can be provided with start up capital, basic equipment and training to start their own project or income source.
Once upon a time
Early in 2007, a group of concerned university students got together to discuss a problem. Sick of seeing the injustices of the world going by unnoticed by society and determined to bring poverty to the fore, this bunch of University of Sydney students collaborated with Human Appeal International to raise money for a sewing factory being built in Palestine to provide widows with a livelihood and continual source of income. It was here, that Green Scarf Day was born.
Why Green Scarf Day?
So what's a bunch of guys and girls wearing green going to do? It stands as a symbol for the economic empowerment of widows in developing areas and is a voice for help from all who participate in Green Scarf Day. It will coincide with the notion that women in Islam are regarded as very important players of social roles, including that of getting out there, educating themselves and working for the betterment of society.