Susan Boyle and David Smith fight global poverty with a Lent campaign. Lent, which started February 13th, 2013, can mean different things to different people; for Susan Boyle and David Smith, part of that meaning is helping others on a global scale. The Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) launched a “Wee Box, Big Change” campaign with the support of Susan Boyle and David Smith.
The Wee Box, Big Change campaign is a simple idea that has had huge impacts. Susan Boyle and David Smith are fighting global poverty by giving up something for Lent, whether it be chocolate, video games, going out, or anything else, and saving the money they would have spent on whatever they gave up. Rather than buying chocolate, for example, one would place that money in a “Wee Box.” At the end of Lent, all the money that has been saved will be donated to SCIAF.
Susan Boyle and David Smith fight global poverty on their own, but they have appealed to the world to join them in their campaign and to make as large of an impact as possible. Susan Boyle has supported this campaign for the past few years. This year, she declared she is giving up sweets, crisps, and chocolates.
What is Boyle’s reasoning for helping SCIAF? She claims that she is already living her dream, but there are many children (and others) in poverty that cannot live their dreams unless they are helped.
SCIAF helps people across the world, in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Other big, Scottish names have pledged their support, including Robert Carlyle, Rangers manager Ally McCoist, and Kaye Adams. David Smith says he has seen the work SCIAF does first-hand in places like Burundi (located in East Africa). This year, SCIAF will be using the donations to help give agricultural training to struggling countries, so they can learn to support themselves. Overall, this campaign has been successful in aiding those who need it most.
– Corina Balsamo
Sources: Christian Today, Ekklesia
Photo: Daily Record