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The Cradle Project, founded by Naomi Natale, is a
fundraising art installation designed to draw attention to
the plight of these children. Born two years ago to promote
awareness and raise financial support to help feed, shelter,
and educate orphans and vulnerable children, the Project is
culminating in an exhibition
and online
auction that started on June 7, 2008.
Firelight Foundation was chosen as the sole beneficiary of
funds raised by the Project because of its successful
track record in making a real difference in children's lives.
Seventy-six of the more than 500 cradles featured in this
historic and unprecedented art installation have been beautifully
captured in The Cradle Project Book, a stunning compilation
of pieces from around the world. The Cradle Project
artists have crafted beauty and meaning out of scrap and recycled
materials in honor of and in solidarity with care-giving African
community-based organizations.
Vincent Leandro, an artist from Ashland, Oregon, said about
his cradle, titled Broken/Home, "These familiar
domestic elements are symbols of our everyday lives, of normalcy,
stability, family, and home. They represent the people and
conditions we cannot imagine losing. May this cradle serve
to comfort and console, provide and protect the children who
now struggle to survive, on their own, every day."
These groups—the "cradles" ensuring that children
are nurtured and supported in family, community settings—communicate
a story of hope. But one of the biggest challenges they face
is that their work is under-recognized and under-funded. The
goal of this project and accompanying book is to help spread
the word and galvanize support for the amazing life-saving
work done by these local groups in near impossible situations.
According to Firelight grantee-partner, Moses Zulu, of Development
Aid from People to People in Children's Town, Zambia, "If a
child is given a supportive environment, a child can become someone.
Give children a chance and you will discover great, great heroes
in them." That is why every dollar raised from the cradle sponsorship,
auction, and book will be donated to Firelight Foundation, which
awards grants to community groups that are directly responding to
the needs of orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS
in Sub-Saharan Africa.
We encourage you to learn more about The Cradle Project,
Firelight, and the work of its grantee-partners. With your
participation in the online
auction and purchase of The Cradle Project Book,
you will help us to continue providing life-sustaining support
to orphans and vulnerable children in Africa.
Thank you,
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