Her Royal Highness, who is Save the Children UK’s patron, met inspiring fundraiser 10-year-old Amaya Rahman from Sydenham, South East London at an International Women’s Day lunch on Friday. After watching the news and seeing what was happening to children in Gaza, Amaya organised a ‘sleepout’ in her school playground in Sydenham, along with eight classmates to raise money for Save the Children’s Emergency Gaza Appeal. The friends braved freezing temperatures as they spent the night in sleeping bags to raise over £6,000 for the appeal.
The event was hosted by Save the Children ambassador and Women’s Network founding member, Natasha Kaplinsky OBE. The room was filled with inspiring women who have
supported the charity’s work in a significant way over the years. Also
in attendance were celebrity guests, including musician and campaigner Myleene Klass, who has been an ambassador for Save the Children for over ten years, alongside Binky Felstead, Fats Timbo and DJ Cuppy. At lunch, the guests heard from The Princess Royal
herself alongside Natasha Kaplinsky OBE and Save the Children UK’s Interim CEO
Gemma Sherrington.
The event hosted a photo exhibition showcasing women Save the Children support from a rural community in Guatemala. The images taken by Brazilian female photographer, Luisa
Dörr, celebrated women’s resilience and adaptation skills in the face of climate change.
During the event, Her Royal Highness spoke to guests and shared that
“On a day like today we do celebrate the real difference that women have made and can continue to make but that is nothing new. Giving confidence to women and children in their families is something that Save the Children does better than anyone else. We
need to give them the confidence to understand how much more they can do. And I am grateful for those men who also join us on that journey.”
Gemma Sherrington, Interim CEO of Save the Children UK said:
“We are delighted to be celebrating inspirational women who have contributed in significant ways to Save the Children over the years.
Save the Children believes in a world where every girl has the power to determine her own future. We are proud that girls are leading the fight for equality across the world, and we will continue to advocate for women and girls’
rights across the globe. We are incredibly grateful for the support of the many inspiring and generous women here today who help us to ensure every child gets the chance of a future they deserve.”
Amaya Rahman said:
“It makes me very happy that one small act can create something so much bigger. I feel privileged to be invited to attend this event.
“Right now, there is a terrible situation happening in Gaza and the West Bank which has been going on for many years, and I think it’s time for change. Many
children like me and younger, even babies, must face what war is like, what physical pain is like and most importantly, what losing a loved one is like. That is why me and some other schoolchildren at St Bart’s, with the help of our awesome headteacher, had a sponsored sleepout to feel the discomfort of sleeping on the cold night’s street.
“We know children in Palestine are scared and very sad, we hope our fundraiser for Save the Children will inspire others to do the same and do what we can to
help.”
