Mother's Day LTE I wrote a couple weeks ago (which wasn't published - boo!)
on Z for Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), 19/May/2011 12:52, 34 days ago
I wrote a letter to the editor (LTE) just before Mother's Day a couple weeks ago. I submitted it to several Chicago-area newspapers, but unfortunately it was not published. I still liked it, so I've decided to share it here:This Mother's Day, I'll be thousands of miles away from my mother, from Chicago, and deep into the heart of Southern Africa, in the beautiful but struggling country of Zimbabwe. A great number of the mothers here will not celebrate - they will strive just to barely survive. Many aren't able to provide for their children, some can't get them vaccinated and quite a few unwillingly and unknowingly pass the HIV virus to their babies... It's sad when disadvantaged mothers and children don't receive the chance at help they deserve. Things however are changing for the better. There are many organizations ensuring mothers receive proper care and information so they can prevent their babies from getting infected with HIV or not receiving life-saving vaccines. Thanks to funding provided by international development organizations prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV is one of the main areas of focus for the country's efforts in the fight against HIV and AIDS and vaccines are now provided for free to all newborns. I know my mother understands the reasons I'm so far away this year and appreciates that I'm helping others the way she taught me to. This year, consider making a donation to a mother-helping charity and show your mom that she raised you with a good conscience and a big heart. I will.