Mom's Day - One Less Gift to Impact a "Mother in Need"

Mother’s Day is important to acknowledge as being a good mother is one of the most important and challenging of any life experience. To do it well requires an abundance of strong and loving qualities. I have witnessed some extraordinary mothers in my lifetime and they have inspired me before and after I had children. Whether the day is celebrated in Sweden (May 31), America (today May 10) or other parts of the world, it’s essential to honor one’s mother (living or past) in a meaningful way.

I read an article recently about three charities and the work they do for mothers around the globe and was inspired although the facts below from the story are alarming. (You can read the full article by clicking on the link)

For many mothers around the world, love isn't enough to provide their children with simple necessities.

More than 10 million mothers and children die every year during pregnancy, childbirth and infancy, which is more than the combined number of deaths from tuberculosis, HIV, and malaria -- according to Infante Sano, a non-profit organization that partners with local hospitals and rural clinics to provide medical training, essential equipment and resources to improve the quality of care women and children receive in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Infante Sano is one of several groups focusing on trying to turn this around. Family Care International works with government and non-government agencies to improve maternal health care and sex and reproductive education to women in Central America and Africa. The Touch Foundation focuses on Sub-Saharan African countries like Tanzania that witness some 950 maternal deaths per 100,000 births (compared to 11 per 100,000 in the United States). And there's always UNICEF.

(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/naomi-foner/in-the-spirit-of-mothers_b_192258.html)

This Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to impact “mothers in need” through these three organizations or one you are aware of that works tirelessly to help those mothers who need help the most. With the world economic crises looming large, charitable organizations will undoubtedly lose some financial support. We have to make sure that those that do crucial and essential work can maintain the resources to continue.

Maybe this Mother’s Day we can adopt the slogan “Less Gifts, More Giving”. I don’t want to do away with flowers, candy or dinner as these and other loving gestures of appreciation are always welcome.

What I would like to see is a replacement of one gift to mom and using that money to support a charity of your choice; one that impacts mothers and/or the family. You could even donate the funds in your mother’s name! In addition, this could be a good way to get your children involved by teaching them about the importance of giving.

As the article mentions, UNICEF is a good giving choice and I can vouch for them as I have seen the invaluable work they do; work I experienced during a two month UNICEF fundraising project in Belgrade, Serbia which focused on decreasing the “bullying in schools”.

Happy Mother's Day to my dear mother, my loving wife and mothers around our global community!

One less gift could change a mother’s life.

Happy Gswede Sunday!

A mom-to-be in June 2008.