Education

I apologise to my reader's as it has been a while since I have added to my blog. No excuses at all - just life getting in the way as it does from time to time.

We have been having more than our fair share of bush fires and wildfires this past month which has at times caused disruptions to our internet. This did make it rather impossible to do much on the internet at times.

Sadly most of the fires were deliberately lit and they cause losses to homes and property. And then we had almost a week of lightning storms which set of a few really major fires in our state. Some as long as eight days ago and still today threatening entire townships that have been evacuated for a few days now.

Over 80,000 hectares of forests and bushland, farms and homes are now all gone.

One area has as of yesterday been declared a Disaster zone as the fire still rages out of control.

Another township just an hour and a bit drive away from my home is also in extreme danger and again over 50,000 hectares of forest, bushland and farms all gone as the fire there also continues to rage on and out of control.

The State government has brought in 120 fire fighters from other states to help and to relieve our totally exhausted fire crews here with another hundred expected to arrive today. Our fire fighters have been working around the clock to save what properties they can and attempt to get these wild fires under control. 

All admiration and a huge thank you goes out to all those men and women who are putting their lives on the line to help save and protect us and our properties. It is only by their extremely hard work that no one has died as a result of these fires.

A huge thank you also needs to go out to all the people that have been supplying food and refreshments 24 hours a day to the fire fighters – you are all doing an amazing job and I know that all the firefighters and rescue crews will be greatly appreciating your support and help in this way.

We have had our little dramas here also with the call to either evacuate or stand and defend our properties as deliberately lit fires got extremely close to our homes here this past two weeks.

 This fire is directly across the road from our house. This was taken shortly after it ignited. 4 hours later we were told to evacuate or defend.

After having already lost everything in a house fire I am definitely an advocate to toughen the penalties for those that would deliberately and willingly light fires and endanger lives and homes.

This photo was taken later the same day just one light poles gap apart from the other fire which was also by this stage out of control. Two separate fires, both threatening our homes and both deliberately lit by arsonists.

I do apologise for the quality of this last photo as I was trying to take it while dampening down the front of the house as hot embers were landing everywhere.

Thankfully to this point no human lives have been lost but some farmers have lost cattle and other stock. The devastation caused on the wildlife will be horrendous as many would never have been able to escape the flames and smoke.

The air around is still extremely thick with smoke, making breathing difficult at times. Some of the smoke is quite toxic so it is safer to remain indoors till the smoke clears, whenever that may happen.

Things are really busy with the Charity also now as more and more requests for help come pouring in from other small organisations that cannot get help or assistance from the major charities, and other organisations wishing to form alliances, networks and collaborations come across my desk almost on a daily basis now.

In so many ways this is just awesome for us, but even more so, for those that will be helped through our charity and the others that are like-minded.

On the flip side of that coin is the sad realisation that things are simply just not getting better and the demand is still growing. If anyone cases to make a small donation to help those in dire need in our communities please feel free to donate here or pop over to our website and make your donations there. Every dollar helps go towards helping to change another person’s life for the better.

See!

Like I, said no excuses at all. Just life as we know it around here, getting in the way of other things. I hope that my avid readers will forgive my absence, which may yet continue for a little bit longer as I catch up with much needed paper work, emails and sleep. But I promise to come back real soon with some good articles on saving money, gardening tips, raising animals and cooking frugally.

Now I will get on with the real reason that I am posting today.

I have a most worthy petition here for you all to sign. Once you have signed it can you then please tell all your friends and family, and encourage them to do the same.

Every child should have the right to an education without pressure or fear, regardless of their race or creed.

Education needs to stop being something that only the rich can afford for their children.

I have just signed this #UpForSchool petition to get every child in to school and learning.

Education gives freedom and a better future. And no child in the world should be denied it.

We know that nothing changes without pressure and so we need as many people as possible to add their support and sign the petition.

I'm #UpForSchool. Will you join me and sign the petition?

Join us now.

Photos kindly supplied by #UpFor School

Have a look on their site. If this is good enough for Sharon Osborne to support then surely mere mortals (smiling here) such as us can all do the same.

Please sign the petition and help to ensure that every child can gain access to education across the world whether it be home schooling, in a school classroom or in a tin shed or under a tree in the middle of nowhere – every child has the basic human right to education.