Small Charity Week 2022
In Conversation with Jodie Le Marrec: What it takes to Run a Small Charity
If there’s one thing running a small charity isn’t, it’s easy.
Small charities do such important work, often on tiny budgets.
But what we lack in size, we make up for in heart. 💙
We met with EmbraceAbility Director Jodie Le Marrec to talk about how she started the organisation and her ambitions for the future.
In 2016, I handed in my notice at my job…
…disheartened by the lack of support for children with disabilities. I was determined to provide a model where children with disabilities were not institutionalised and had the opportunity to live with their families or guardians. Up to 8 million children live in orphanages worldwide, despite more than 90% having at least one living parent. Children with disabilities are overwhelmingly represented and can remain in institutionalised care for their whole lives.
Some institutions are similar to holding pens; children often have their basic needs unmet such as healthcare and education, and are at higher risk of physical and sexual assault. Even the better-equipped institutions teaching materials, disability aids and physiotherapy techniques go back 30 years. The patient care model, which focuses only on physiotherapy, rarely includes play, entertainment or personal support.
EmbraceAbility director Jodie Le Marrec
and her cat assistant, Benjii.
I was committed to building a family-centric service in Cambodia, where families were given the means, tools and confidence to care for children with disabilities. Over the past five years, we have ensured children have been cared for at home by offering home therapy, education and support to the families. Children with disabilities are often overlooked in progressive policies. At EmbraceAbility, we are trying to ensure that doesn’t happen in Cambodia. Our holistic approach means children are given the best opportunity.
In 2022, EmbraceAbility’s work is essential. The Covid-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted children with disabilities and their families. The cost of living crisis and rising inflation rates in Cambodia will increase harmful coping mechanisms such as household debt, extreme poverty, malnutrition and higher rates of domestic violence.
Children with disabilities face multiple challenges such as inequality and discrimination in education, healthcare, employment, social protection, justice and public transport. They are also continually denied their fundamental human rights. Girls with disabilities face additional discrimination and barriers when accessing services than boys with disabilities.
The past five years haven’t been easy, as many individuals working in the charity sector will tell you it’s a very demanding job. There are long hours, sleepless nights and unhealthy consumption of coffee. EmbraceAbility wouldn’t exist without our in-country partnerships, staff and volunteers who do all the heavy lifting and make our work possible.
Like all small charities, we have several challenges to overcome in the next few years to ensure that children with disabilities have access to quality healthcare and education and that their human rights are upheld. Access to funding for international charities will be a monumental challenge with the UK aid cuts, foundations and trusts closing their doors to international charities, and the cost of living increasing globally.
I encourage you to share your favourite small charity this week on social media, donate (if you can) or offer a skill or time as a volunteer. We need all of the support we can get.
Head to the Small Charity Week website to learn more.
Or visit our donation page to get more information on our campaigns and make a donation.
#SmallCharity Week
