Swimming for a cause
Last year, I had never competed in any race, in any shape or form. After I survived the 1.9km swim as part of the Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore Corporate Challenge, it gave me a great sense of accomplishment. So this year, I wanted to do something extra – race for a cause.
This year, I am back at the Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore 2010, competing as part of a relay team and taking to the water as the swimmer. I’m looking to raise money for two charities – the UN High Commission for Refugees1 and the Asian Women’s Welfare Assocation2
You can support these worthwhile causes by donating directly to them yourself or visiting my page on Ammado – Swim for a cause – where you can help me raise a combined total of S$2,000 for both charities.
You can either:
- Just donate outright (and be mighty generous)
- Wait until I have completed the distance (to make you feel I’ve earned it)
- Only donate when I’ve beaten my time last year of 58 mins (to make me really feel I’ve earned it!).
This is the first time I’ve done something like this and raced for charity so bear with me if I haven’t quite got it right yet.
A couple of things to note:
- Yes, my company sponsors the Aviva Ironman 70.3 Singapore so I do have an interest in this, BUT
- No, I don’t see a cent of what you donate and nor does my company. The money goes directly to the charity.
C’mon and do something good today and support my swim for a cause! That link again, in case you missed it: Swim for a cause.
If donating money isn’t your thing, then I’d happily welcome a couple of virtual cheers over at the Aviva Ironman Virtual Crowd just to let me know that I’m not swimming alone. Just look for my name on the drop down list and leave a message of support. (Warning: This is a shameless link to my company’s corporate site and an attempt to solicit support for myself!).
- The UNHCR
The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, was established in 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly to provide protection and assistance to refugees worldwide.Today, UNHCR is one of the world’s principal humanitarian agencies, its staff of 6,540 personnel helping more than 30 million people in 116 countries, providing the world’s most vulnerable people with safety and coordinating access to food, shelter, clean water, medical care and basic education.
When possible, UNHCR helps refugees and other displaced people return to their homes voluntarily, safely and with dignity. When return is not possible, the agency assists with local integration or resettlement to a third country. [↩]
- The Asian Women’s Welfare Association
Our Mission is “To empower the disadvantaged, from infancy to old age, to maximize their potential to lead a dignified and independent life”. [↩]
So this is the one that you were telling me about, when is the swim? i’ll urge my friends to donate too if you can beat your own record :-p
The Man Himself
Yep, so if I beat my personal best of 58 mins, you’ll donate?
yes of cos!
The Man Himself
57 mins?
even if its 57 mins & 59s, i’m that lenient.
The Man Himself
Wow, you are lenient.
Actually, I’ve set up a “Pledge” page on the charity site. Would you mind pledging that at the following page:
http://www.ammado.com/community/112976/conversations/2410
I would have donated, however I want nothing what-so-ever to do with the UN, a corrupt and politicized organization which does more harm in this world than good.
And out of all the UN bodies, the UNHCR, who amongst other things also governs the infamous UNRAW, is the worst of the lot. A complete sham and a disgrace to the international community.
Here’s a little a bit about how these bodies work from the Wall St. Journal
“The problems begin with the council’s composition. Only 25 of its 47 members are classified as “free democracies,” according to Freedom House’s ranking of civil liberties. Nine are classified as “not free.” Four — China, Cuba, Russia and Saudi Arabia — are ranked as the “worst of the worst.” These nations are responsible for repeated violations of the U.N.’s own Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Yet it is they who dominate the council, leading a powerful bloc of predominantly Arab and African nations that consistently vote as a unit.
These regimes have repeatedly used the council as a powerful tool for shielding themselves from scrutiny and meting out criticism along stark political lines. According to Human Rights Watch, the council has turned a blind eye to at least 26 countries — the sites of some of the world’s worst human-rights crises.
In some cases, the council has actively eroded the level of monitoring. Last year, when Cuba drew fire for persecuting journalists, and Belarus for political imprisonments and rigged elections, the council responded by removing monitors from both countries.
As fresh waves of violence convulsed Darfur in December, the council responded by dismissing the team of experts tasked with monitoring atrocities in that region. Sudan’s closest allies, Egypt and China, have led the council in shielding the Sudanese regime.”
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120156891659323879.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries
Here are some more interesting links on this:
http://www.honestreporting.com/articles/45884734/critiques/new/UNRWA_Perpetuating_the_Misery.asp
http://www.honestreporting.com/articles/45884734/critiques/UNRWAs_Hamas_Employees.asp
Sorry if all this sounds harsh, I’m sure you have very good intentions, but I think one needs to be aware of this sad reality. It’s easier to just ignore it of course and much harder to confront things and try to make them better. One thing for sure though, the latter does not involve supporting anything the UN is responsible for.
just checked out the link, need to sign up and login etc.
well, you can hold my words here
and I shall be witness. :p