Have you ever been in a situation, at any time in your life, as a small child, teenager or adult, where you have been trying to grab the attention of people around without a response?
You may have, as a child kept asking your parents for something, telling them your dream and them not taking you seriously, and your dream was never fulfilled.
My Mother had a longing to go to school, like all the other children, she wanted to be educated so that she could become a nurse. Her parents didn't care though, and they denied her, her education and kept her at home to be a slave to them and her younger siblings (she was the eldest girl in a family with thirteen children) for much of the time. There was nothing she could do about it, as physical and mental abuse was common place. Her dream was denied her.
Can you imagine, or maybe you have been in a similar situation, the frustration and anger and hurt that you felt at the time?
If you have never experienced it, try to imagine it.
You want to do something, it's very important to you, you've researched it, you know you can do it, you know how to go about it, and, you know it will benefit others. BUT, and it is a big BUT, you can't do it alone, you need help to achieve it.
So, you tell you family and friends, you ask them what they think and you don't get the interest you hoped for. Their half hearted response and lack of constructive advise, tells you that they don't believe that you are serious. But you are serious and you keep trying harder and harder to convince them.
This goes on for weeks, months or event years. You may collect a few supporters along the way, but too few. At some point, you realise that you are ALMOST ON YOUR OWN.
I myself have been in a situation like this and it HURTS LIKE HELL. I felt like I was screaming and nobody was listening. I am experiencing it, to a degree at this moment in time, on a very personal level. But I won't give up.
Why? You may ask, am I writing this.
I am writing this because it is how I imagine my friend Jan Cabral and her husband Carlos (Dogs in Brazil) are feeling at the moment. They have been crying out for help for months now with very little response from anyone and this is the reason.
They went to live in Brazil some years ago from the UK and, to cut a long, complicated story short for this blog, became involved in rescuing sick and injured dogs found on the streets.
Jan and Carlos used their own money to fund it. It was difficult, but they managed, and, because the area that they live in is very beautiful, the tourist industry played an important role in funding it.
CHARITY STATUS
However, to get help in the form of medication, food, supplies, and to be able to campaign legally in Brazil, they knew that they needed to be a registered as a Non Profit Charity. The necessary steps were taken to achieve this and the legal process began and proceeded almost up to completion.
Everything was in place when disaster struck with the floods, mud slides and devastation in January of this year (2011). Many hundreds of people died and many lost their homes. (There are numerous videos showing the Brazilian Floods on YouTube)
The tourist industry in their area died too. Many pets lost their lives, were injured and made homeless and Jan's workload went up a gear.
Because of this they were unable to fund the legal work to complete the statute for their charity. They were promised by someone, who seemed genuine, the funds they needed to complete the statute, as they had been through a similar situation and understood their need for this. But on the day that they promised to help with funds for completion, they severed all contact with Jan and Carlos and they have been unable to communicate with them since. THEY BROKE THEIR PROMISE.
Today, this is the no win situation they are in
1) The completion of the Non Profit Charity Status must be completed. $3000 Only we can help fund this as their own money has run out and their sponsors broke their promise.
2) People aren't donating because they are not a registered charity.
3) They can't become registered unless people donate to allow them to complete.
4) Back to point 1, 2 & 3
IF WE GIVE SUPPORT AND DONATIONS then this never ending circle of non achievement can be broken. Dogs in Brazil will then be able to campaign legally for Medications, Food and Supplies. Companies and individuals will be more willing to help (just look at all the donations and help that other registered charities get).
Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you can, please donate. Even a very small amount will help. Lots of small amounts soon add up. And please share this with your friends EVERYWHERE.
TO DONATE Please visit Dogs in Brazil
A detailed account written by Jan herself can be found here: North Country Gazette Article It was written back in August of 2011 and much has changed since then but with no real progress, due to lack of support. The latest events can be found in Dogs in Brazil
