In 2012, the UN established the International Day of Charity with the aim of encouraging volunteering and charitable activities around the world. They propose that local community charities are essential to implement the new agenda for sustainable development. The date chosen, 5th September, commemorates the passing of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, a renowned nun and missionary who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her 45 years of missionary work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and promote peace in Calcutta, India.
The concept of charity promotes the rights of marginalised and underprivileged people through spreading the message of humanity in difficult social, economic or environmental situations. Charity is crucial on global, national and community scales to address the specific needs of societies most vulnerable, to help reduce inequality within society and improve quality of life for all.
At BAYTREE, we know that acts of charity provide real social bonding and help to form inclusive and more resilient communities. Therefore, we aim to create supportive pathways towards social inclusion for inner city families through education and training programmes for the 600+ women and girls we support. We believe that educating these women and girls, providing them with the new tools and skills they may need for social integration and the world of work is crucial to improving their quality of life while making our community more welcoming, inclusive and fair.
We are proud to have many partnerships with other charitable organisations in our community, such as Building Young Brixton (BYB), a consortium of nine Lambeth-based organisations working to inspire and empower young people, and Place for All (PFA), a partnership between Baytree’s Women’s Services, High Trees Community Development Trust, and Indoamerican Refugee and Migrant Organisation (IRMO), working towards a more equal and inclusive Lambeth. To all our partnerships, Baytree brings a focus on education, training, and employability skills to enhance confidence and self-esteem, promote aspirations and opportunities, and improve the lives of migrant and refugee women and girls in our community.
BAYTREE runs on the charitable acts of all our amazing staff and volunteers who take the time to engage in mutual care and meaningful conversations with members of our community to make it a more inclusive place. This International Day of Charity, we thank our highly dedicated mentors and tutors working with our Women’s and Youth Services. We will continue to support women and girls in acquiring and cultivating the resources, skills, and sustained behaviour changes necessary to build a brighter future for themselves, their family and their community.
