Mar a bha fìor dha iomadh mìle neach-amhairc eile feadh na dùthcha bha mise cuideachd air mo bheò-ghlacadh a’ coimhead a’ phrògraim mu Chlann ann an Èis aig a’ BhBC feasgar Dhihaoine seo chaidh.
Bha iomadh rud a dh’fhàg na chunnacas tarraingeach, ach b’ iad na h-eisimpleirean de mar a tha an carthannas a’ dèanamh cobhair dha cloinn a tha fulang dhuilgheadasan eagallach, agus na h-innleachdan eadar-dhealaichte a tha na mìltean a’ cleachdadh gus airgead a thogail, prìomh thlachd a’ phrògraim. Tha duine aig àirde nuair a chromas e a thoirt cobhair dha pàiste! Thàinig an abairt aig Abraham Lincoln na mo chuimhne is mi ag amharc a’ phrògraim, agus bha mi a’ cuimhneachadh air beagan den eachdraidh bochdainn aig an duine chliùitich sin na òige. Faisg air dà cheud bliadhna air adhart tha e na dhìteadh air ginealaichean de Riaghaltasan Bhreatann gum bheil còrr air ceithir millean chloinne fhathast ann am bochdainn an seo! Tha sin a’ fàgail dùbhlain charthannais leithid Clann ann an Èis aig a’ BhBC air leth deatamach, agus tuigear mar a bhrosnaicheas na fianaisean tiamhaidh anns a’ phrògram tional bliadhnail daoine gus nas urrainn dhaibh a thoirt seachad.
’S fhiach aithneachadh nach tèid aig a h-uile neach air airgead a thoirt seachad, tha mòran inbheach beò ann am bochdainn cuideachd, agus tha gach sgillinn deatamach dhaibh. Tha cuideachd àireamh mhòr chloinne nach bi air chomas airgead a chur ri carthannas. Le seasgad is naodh millean de shluagh ann am Breatann, ceithir-deug gu leth millean fo aois ochd-deug agus faisg air ceithir gu leth millean dhiubh sin beò ann am bochdainn an-uiridh, chithear meud fialaidheachd an t-sluaigh a thug seachad faisg air ceathrad millean nuair a chrìochnaich am prògram feasgar Dihaoine, agus sin a bharrachd air an taic a tha mìltean de charthannasan eile a’ faotainn. Adhbhar moite gun teagamh, ach nach tàmailteach da-rìribh gum bheil sinn fhathast mar dhùthaich an eisimeil carthannais gus fiachainn ri faothachadh a thoirt dha clann, agus inbhich, a th’ ann an èis! Ach chan ann san aon àite tha an t-olc!
Nuair a bha mi a’ còmhradh ri caraid bho chionn ghoirid thuirt e gun robh na h-aithrisean is na dealbhan à Gaza a’ toirt air an telebhisean a thionndadh dheth! Tuigidh mi sin is sinn a’ faicinn murt is marbhadh chloinne gach latha am measg an sgrios armachd a tha a’ leantainn. Ged a tha dùthchannan eile air oidhirpean dìcheallach a dhèanamh gus crìoch a chur air an dìoghaltas an-iochdmhor a tha a’ tachairt chan eil Israel neo Hamas air gèilleadh. Gach turas a thèid sìobhaltaich a mhurt ann an ionnsaigh Israelach tha Netanyahu a’ gealltainn “sgrùdadh”, rud nach eil gu follaiseach a’ ciallachadh dad ach leisgeul. Thar ùine a’ bhlàir chaidh casaidean eucoir-cogaidh an cur às leth Israel agus Hamas, agus bho chionn bheagan làithean tha aithisg bho Bhuidheann-faire nan Còraichean Daonna (Human Rights Watch) a’ cur sgrios-cinnidh às leth Israel leis mar a tha sluagh Ghaza ga ruagadh air ais ’s air adhart. Ach tha iad a’ faotainn às leis gach cron!
Man is never so tall as when he stoops to help a child!
That comment attributed to Abraham Lincoln came to mind as I watched the annual BBC Children In Need broadcast last Friday evening.
While the programme had many attractions, its prime highlights were the examples of how the charity funds were used to help children with health challenges and the ingenious ways in which so many chose to raise funds. Stories of support and the benefits to recipients were incredibly moving, and the fundraising gimmicks were highly entertaining.
Britain has a population of about 69 million, with 14.5 million under 18 years of age. It also, shamefully, has approximately 4.3 million (2023) children living in poverty. This suggests approximately 55 million adults might be potential contributors to Children in Need, but given the thousands of other worthy causes and the dire economic circumstances of a very substantial percentage of the population the near £40 million total donated by the end of the programme was heart-warming. Cause to be proud.
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