FLIP FLOP FRIDAY
The Flip–Flop Appeal 2012 will be held during the entire month of May.
Flip-Flop Friday was the brainchild of the 2005 SERVE volunteers. Five years on SERVE is proud to say that over 100,000 flip-flop pins and phone charms have been sold, raising over €150,000.
For the month of May 2012 SERVE is celebrating its Flip-Flop Appeal.
Add a SERVE badge to your Facebook profile for the month of May in support of SERVE's work – Click on the link and follow the instructions: http://www.picbadges.com/serve-solidarity/1653055/
The SERVE Operations Manager, Chris O’Donoghue says, “We have a partner who makes these pins. We buy them direct and pay the fair trade price that is set by the women involved in the Regina centre in Nong Khai, Thailand. We then get as many people in Ireland to support us at this end and the profits go to support SERVE’s work in some of the poorest communities in the world where ordinary people transform their lives and the lives of those around them.
The Flip-Flop Appeal works on three fronts
(1) supporting fair trade
(2) raising awareness
(3) generating funds that make a significant difference to people’s lives.”
The Flip-Flop Appeal is a success because of your support in shopping centres, churches, schools and online.
If you would like to get involved or help out with the Flip-Flop Appeal 2012, please get in touch.
Email : flipflop@serve.ie
More details to follow during the month…watch this space!
WHY FLIP-FLOPS ?
- Flip-flops are the footwear of the poorest people of the world.
- Footprints, feet and flip-flops speak of journey, of walking the walk,
of service and of mission.
- Flip-Flop Friday is a gesture of solidarity, service and a determination
to work together.
- In embracing the spirit of Flip-Flop Friday we are reaching out;
sending a message of support and commitment.
AIMS of FLIP-FLOP FRIDAY
- To encourage as many people as possible to wear flip-flops to work,
school, college, shopping and places of play.
- To buy and display a Flip-Flop Friday pin
- To draw attention to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
- In particular to encourage debate and conversation about MDG 3
(Promote Gender Equalty & Empower Women)
- In a giant gesture of solidarity, walk the way of the poorest people of
the world.
- To financially support the work of SERVE
Millennium Development Goal 3 Promote Gender Equality & Empower Women
Gender equality is necessary if the world is to overcome hunger and poverty. MDG3 strives for the attainment of parity in all aspects of life including education, employment, control of capital & resources & equal representation in public and political life. Education, especially for girls, has social and economic benefits for society as a whole. Educated women have more economic opportunities and engage more fully in public life. As mothers they tend to have fewer children who are more likely to live longer and attend school. All these benefits are key to breaking the cycle of poverty.
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FLIP-FLOP PINS
- Made at the Regina Self-Help Centre, Nongkhai, Thailand
- Supporting employment for women from impoverished backgrounds.
- Fair Trade Product
WHAT WILL FLIP-FLOP FRIDAY ACHIEVE ?
- Mobilise people to express solidarity with the world’s poorest people
- Prompt people to walk the way of justice.
- Get people talking and dreaming of ways to work together.
- The sale of flip-flop pins will sustain and empower an income generation
project for women in a very poor region of Thailand.
- Increased awareness of MDG3 which is about “Promoting Gender Equality and Empowering Women”.
HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE & HELP ?
• Wear Flip-Flops!
• Sign up to sell a box of 100 Flip-Flop pins
• Participate in and support our nationwide street collections.
• Ask people to support SERVE projects in Africa, South America and Asia
• Walk in solidarity with the world’s poorest people.
WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS DO SERVE SUPPORT ?
90 Irish volunteers will work in 8 countries this summer including Brazil,
India, Philippines, Thailand, South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Ireland.
Development projects including:
˙ House building for homeless families
˙ HIV / AIDS prevention and awareness.
˙ Women’s income generation projects.
˙ Street Children’s Projects.
˙ Orphanage support.
˙ Youth leadership programs.
˙ Fair Trade.