INTERNATIONAL. Women in Travel Retail (WiTR) has named Friends International, the cause nominated by The Moodie Davitt Report (through Associate Editor Colleen Morgan) as its 2019 charity of the year.
As reported, all projects nominated for WiTR support had to directly benefit women and/or children.
Friends International was founded in the early 1990s in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It has 25 years of experience working directly with disadvantaged urban children, youth, families and communities, across Asia, Africa and Europe. The charity enables individuals who lack opportunities to become productive, independent citizens.
WiTR will raise funds to support a Siem Reap-based Friends International project, which provides beauty salon training for 24 young women, aged 16 to 24. The training will enable them to provide for their children and siblings.
“This grant will help many young women on the path to learning new skills, getting jobs and empowering themselves to be happy, active and productive members of Cambodian society.” – Friends International Founder and Director Sebastien Marot
Funds raised will improve the lives of 100 women and children. Siem Reap is the major tourism centre of Cambodia, and home to the Angkor Temples, which attract thousands of travellers every year, bringing opportunity and economic growth.
Friends International Founder and Director Sebastien Marot commented: “On behalf of the young women studying hard to build a better future for themselves through our beauty training project in Siem Reap, Cambodia, and their female tutors and mentors, my sincere thanks to WITR for choosing this project to support.
“This grant will help many young women on the path to learning new skills, getting jobs and empowering themselves to be happy, active and productive members of Cambodian society.”
“Unfortunately the tourism industry’s growth has not reached the most vulnerable in society, and with limited skills and few options for employment, many poor families end up on the streets with their children,” added Colleen Morgan.
“A high number of these are young women, and the risks they face are huge, including abuse, exploitation and trafficking to work in the sex industry.”
The Moodie Davitt Events and CSR Director Michael Barrett added: “We are delighted that WITR has selected this worthwhile cause and excellent project. Having seen and witnessed the work carried out by Friends International in the field, I can attest to the positive impact they have on the local communities.”
WiTR aims to raise €15,000 to support the Friends International beauty project throughout the year, culminating in a grand draw and auction at the 2019 TFWA World Exhibition in October.
WiTR members nominated seven charities: three in Cambodia, two in India, one in Bangladesh and one in the USA. “Just reading the nominations makes us realise how much misery, illness and poverty exist in the world, and how those of us who are lucky enough to have security, in our jobs and homes, need to reach out and help others,” WiTR stated.
The Moodie Davitt Report has selected Friends International as the beneficiary of its 2019 fundraising initiatives and is organising a Duty Calls charity dinner in Singapore to support the cause on 11 May (the eve of the TFWA Asia Pacific show).
