Modern Art Gallery støtter Streetlight.
Streetlight ble stiftet i 2004 av Erlend Johannesen, fra Trondheim.
Erlend var bare 21 år da han reiste til Philippinene. Her ble han møtt av slum, fattigdom, foreldreløse barn som sov på gata, og gatebarn som måtte tigge mat og penger for å overleve. Erlend hadde et sterkt ønske om å hjelpe de mange fattige og foreldreløse barna.
Han oppsøkte en rekke barnehjem for å lære om arbeidet blant foreldreløse barn. Han hadde tro på at det var mulig å skape en bedre framtid for dem.
I dag driver Erlend Streetlight i Tocloban, hvor 20 foreldreløse barn har fått et nytt hjem, med kjærlighet, omsorg og skolegang.
I tillegg hjelper han 50 fattige barn og deres familier med mat, klær og skolegang. Disse barna får nå en framtid, og slipper å tigge på gata for å overleve. Streetlight gir også legehjelp, vaksinasjoner og andre helsetilbud til barna og deres familier.
Erlend har en rekke frivillige som bidrar til å gi barna en kjærlig og omsorgsfull barndom, samt mulighet til utdanning, slik at de kan få
en framtid.
Vårt kunstlotteri til inntekt for Streetlight innbrakte kr. 76.000,-
Vi takker alle kunstnerne som bidro med premier, alle loddselgere,
og alle som støttet Streetlight ved å kjøpe lodd.
En spesiell takk til Markaplassen Skole, som var gode loddselgere.
Da vi fikk høre om Mary, bestemte vi oss for å bli sponsor for henne.
Mary, now 14 years old, is already an orphan. She was just 12 when her mother died from a pulmonary disease. With her mother gone and Mary being the eldest, she was left with the responsibility of taking care of her younger brothers and sisters while their father worked as a fish vendor. But not long after the death of their mother, their father was diagnosed with tuberculosis which made him very weak and bed ridden. Because of this, Mary was now left in charged of the whole family. She would do everything from cooking the food, cleaning the house, washing their clothes, to taking care of her siblings and their sick father. With their father unable to work, Mary's younger brother who was then ten years old was forced to look for money by selling plastic bags/cellophane. The little money he earned was used to buy food. What really moved me was when Mary recalled of those times when they cannot buy enough food for all of them that she and her other siblings would sacrifice not eating just so their sick father and their youngest brother can eat. I was touched by the love they have for one another. These children, though still very young, already know how to sacrifice for their family.
Mary's father passed away two years after her mother died. She was again left the big responsibility to care for her siblings. After the burial, with no parents left and no relatives capable to take care of them, because of poverty as well, Mary decided for all of them to accept the help of STREETLIGHT.
Mary, along with her younger siblings, is now with STREETLIGHT where they found shelter and friends they can consider family. She admitted she is not certain of their future but with the help from STREETLIGHT, she has a reason to hope.
