NATO Charity Bazaar hands over funds to charities
The NATO Charity Bazaar handed over a total of €191,150 in funds raised over the past year during a ceremony on Monday (27 January 2014) to various charities that carry out work in Belgium and elsewhere around the world, including Afghanistan and Togo. “This celebration is the culmination of an entire years work,” said Mrs. Jimmie Bradshaw, president of the NATO Charity Bazaar.
Funds were raised through various charity events over the past 12 months, including through the annual Christmas Charity Bazaar and the annual Charity Ball, all organised by the non-profit organization called NATO Charity Bazaar. “This year I am delighted that we are able to share the proceeds from the Bazaar among 23 different charities,” said Mrs. Anne-Mette Rasmussen, who handed over a €4,000 cheque from her last Christmas Charity Ball to help the Bazaar committee’s fundraising efforts.
Mrs. Rasmussen started the annual Charity Balls in 2009,which have generated funds to charities such as the Afghan Appeal Fund, Promotion des Femmes Afghanes and the NATO Charity Bazaar . Lady Caroline Richards, President of the Afghan Appeal Fund, said the funds were helping to build or renovate schools across Afghanistan. The Afghan Appeal Fund has been involved in 11 projects with the latest school being built in Helmand Province. “Without the help of NATO our work would be much more difficult,” she said. “The needs for schools are so great. The last sum of money donated which we received has built a classroom in a school where we are building 24 (classrooms).”
Other charities benefiting from this year’s proceeds included a Belgian-based project to provide clean drinking water to a village in rural Togo, supporting the installation of a new food supply room at a Belgian food-bank and funding a project which helps to educate children with special needs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “Today is the culmination of all of our efforts, contributors and guests alike. Our emotional donation ceremony moves hearts and minds, we can change lives – we do make a difference,” said Lady Jan Harper, Honourary President of the NATO Charity Bazaar.