COVENTRY charity Global Care is celebrating its 40th anniversary and improving the lives of thousands of children in 43 countries on four continents.
The charity was started by Ron Newby from Earlsdon as a small child sponsorship scheme because he was determined to help abandoned children he had met on a recent visit to post-conflict Uganda.
Unable to interest existing charities, Ron, who died in 2008, decided to help the youngsters himself.
To celebrate its anniversary year, Global Care has launched the ‘Filling in the Gaps for Girls’ appeal – a year-long effort to raise £100,000 to meet the needs of marginalised girls.
The charity also hopes to find 100 new child sponsors to help give girls the stability and support they need to succeed.
CEO John White said: “Girls are the focus of our year because they have been profoundly and disproportionately affected by Covid.
“For 40 years we have been helping to inch close the gender gap because all the evidence shows that when girls flourish, the whole community thrives.
“But Covid has undone decades of progress and gender inequality is now widening, not reducing, and we can’t just ignore that.”
The charity has a full programme of anniversary events including a Spring Ball at Nailcote Hall in May and a sponsored walk around the 40-mile Coventry Way in July.
The now global charity is still based in Coventry, in a former bank building on the corner of Radford Road and Dugdale Road.
John added: “We’re proud of our achievements over 40 years but the journey is far from over.
“Even though the world has changed hugely in the last four decades, the most vulnerable children need us as much as ever.”
Visit globalcare.org for more information on Global Care.
