Tag: Charity

Steve Rae meets Fatima who received a life saving operation a couple of years ago.

Steve Rae meets Fatima who received a life saving operation a couple of years ago.

By DR June Sanico Leave a comment 22 Jun 2017

Two years ago, Greg Secker our Founder, met an eight year old girl called Fatima.  She had been living with a debilitating cancerous grown on the side of her hip. Fatima’s parents told Greg that she could not go to school because Fatima was being bullied by the other children. Greg was so moved by her bravery and determination that he organised for Fatima to have surgery to remove the growth.

After the surgery Greg visited Fatima to see her progress and was delighted to see a very happy smiling girl who would now have the chance of a happier childhood and most importantly the courage to go back to school. Fatima’s father was overjoyed and the best news is that Fatima’s family are one of the beneficiaries of the build a house project.

Two years have now passed and in this video Steve Rae catches up with Fatima and her father. 

 

Steve Rae volunteers his time and energy to the Foundation Village.

Steve Rae volunteers his time and energy to the Foundation Village.

By DR June Sanico Leave a comment 1 Jun 2017

This week (1st – 7th June) is the beginning of Volunteer week. Steve Rae is an amazing example of volunteering his time and energy to the Foundation and we ask you all to take the time over the week, to help in your chosen way. Whether it is offering your help to us, or your preferred charity, volunteering work is valuable to us all, and very much appreciated.

Here are a few words from Steve about his experience volunteering at our village.

“My first impression of the Greg Secker Foundation village was WOW, and that view became more impressive over the next few days.

The villagers were absolutely lovely people. They were warm and friendly, and incredibly excited about the project – they LOVED Greg Secker, not only for his generosity in funding the project, but his personal touch when he visits the site, and they spoke about him with a huge amount of hope and excitement in their eyes.

In my time with Learn to Trade (Sydney) I had been moved by the update videos on the village with the heart warming stories of local people who will benefit from the generosity of the Greg Secker Foundation. It was just amazing to have the opportunity to meet these people myself, and to hear their stories face to face, …especially young Fatima who received a life changing operation to remove a large tumour. She is now the happiest girl in town and catching up on her school work. She is already enjoying a better and brighter future thanks to the Greg Secker Foundation.

The building site looked very challenging, …beginning with virgin land in the foothills outside a remote village with no infra-structure or utilities only months ago – the project team and contractors had already done a great job in completing 50 houses. There is some urgency to complete the remaining site infrastructure (slope protection, drainage channels and internal roads) before the on coming wet season.

My role was to provide some engineering support to the Project Team, and I had the opportunity to meet with the local engineers to discuss the detail design for the slope protection. The main area of focus being an almost vertical escarpment over 10m in height, which required a substantial retaining wall to prevent the subsidence of 6 houses that would be built on the higher level. How can you resist a technical challenge like that!!

I learned during my visit that this project is not just about providing a home to 100 families, but the Greg Secker Foundation genuinely wants to create a better future and change their lives. This vision is backed up by many initiatives, including a training facility at the village for greater employment prospects. This has to be the gold standard in rebuilding a village!!

My visit to the village as a volunteer was very rewarding and I am definitely keen to contribute further to this Foundation that is making such a difference to peoples lives.”

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVFy857EGKY&feature=youtu.be

 

 

World Earth Day – 22nd April 2017

World Earth Day – 22nd April 2017

By Rachel Ainsworth Leave a comment 20 Apr 2017

In aid of World earth day this year, in 2 days time! We have been reviewing how ‘green’ our village is and what we can do to ensure the site is as carbon neutral as possible. We already have the amazing recycling bins you may have read about in previous blogs, and are keen to look into a wind turbine too. If you have any ideas please do share them with us, we would very much appreciate the help!

Reducing the carbon footprint of an entire village is no small task. However, making sure you are doing your bit at home is much easier. We’ve done some research and pulled together 5 top tips on how to ensure you are as ‘green’ as you can be too.

 

  1. Reduce Water Waste. In our village running water has not been the easiest to implement.  We have therefore experienced first-hand how vital it is to be frugal with our water usage.

At home simple things like taking a shorter shower in the morning or installing a low-flow shower head can make big difference. These have the added benefit of reduced cost when you receive your next water bill too!

Cutting back on bottled water purchases is an easy solution as well. Even if you live in an area where your tap water isn’t the tastiest, purchasing a water filter will take some of that irony aftertaste out of your water and purify it to your bottled-water standards. Plus, a water filter will save you money in the long run, when you don’t have to take trip after trip to the store to purchase more bottled water!

 

  1. Cut Down On Your Energy Usage. Similar to water wastage this will help with saving the pennies too – a win for you and a win for the Earth! There are a lot of ways to cut back on the energy you use in your home, including some of the following…

Unplugging appliances when they aren’t being used, putting clothes on a lower temperature wash (according to The Worldwatch Institute, 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water) and using a drying rack or clothesline instead of a tumble dryer.

Reducing your energy around the home is literally as easy as a click of the button. So, turn the lights off when you leave the room and stop leaving those appliances on standby.

 

  1. Use Less Paper. Think of the trees! With texts and emails the standard way of communicating now, we do use paper less than we did years ago. However, when mopping up that mess in the kitchen think…! Is a paper towel necessary or can a washable cloth be used instead? Remember, the less paper you use, the less paper needs to be produced and the more trees that get to fill our forests. According to EPA, by recycling one short ton (0.91 t) of paper you can save 17 mature trees.

If it is essential for you to use paper for work or school, you can still make a difference by using recycled paper. Did you know It takes less energy to create recycled paper than it does to create the purified white paper you are used to using. Recycling is easy and one of our favourite ways to live green at The Greg Secker Foundation.

 

  1. Carpool. How do you travel to work or school? If you drive could you offer others a lift? Fewer cars on the roads means less carbon and other gasses polluting the air. This also protects the environment by keeping the water and land cleaner. Just think, it can even help with the traffic causing you long delays on your journey.

Some governments support the idea of carpooling to the extent that they have introduced high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. These are lanes in which only vehicles with two or more passengers are allowed to drive. HOV lanes can create strong practical incentives for carpooling by reducing travel time and expense; so it’s definitely worth your while.

 

  1. Reduce Single Use Items. Why not buy reusable drinks bottles such as travel mugs. This reduces plastic, styrofoam and paper and saves you money on buying drinks when you are out. You can also invest in reusable bags, just remember to keep them with you to avoid the 5p penalty when in the shops!

Another single use item that can cause serious soil and water pollution are batteries. Where possible make sure you use rechargeable ones. If you need to use an item that has disposable batteries, make sure you turn it off when it’s not in use to reduce the wastage. Batteries are made from a variety of chemicals, some of which are extremely toxic and can cause damage to humans, wildlife and the environment.

 

We hope these tips help you to becoming more ‘green’ at home. Keep an eye out on our blog for updates on how we implement our carbon neutral initiatives.

Another Eggscuse To Treat Our Beneficiaries!

Another Eggscuse To Treat Our Beneficiaries!

By Rachel Ainsworth Leave a comment 18 Apr 2017

With the kids on school holidays, and the weather being so beautiful here in the UK over the bank holiday weekend, we can forget that there are others less fortunate than us.  

From decorating eggs, making bunny costumes and church services, Easter really is even more fun with kids. With this in mind, we decided to give our young beneficiaries a little egg-stra this weekend… here’s a video to show you how much fun we all had! 

Philanthropy – what does it really mean?

Philanthropy – what does it really mean?

By DR June Sanico Leave a comment 5 Apr 2017

This week we wanted to talk about Philanthropy – What does the word actually mean?

Philanthropy can be broadly defined as love for human kind. It is derived from the Greek words “philos”, which means loving and “anthropos” which means humankind. A person who practices Philanthropy is called a Philanthropist.

The purpose of Philanthropy is to improve the wellbeing of humankind by preventing and solving social problems. Philanthropy is not the same as Charity. Charity focuses on eliminating the suffering caused by social problems, while philanthropy focuses on eliminating social problems. For example, giving food to a person who is suffering from famine is charity. The food helps the person for a short period of time, but the person will be become hungry again in the future. Teaching the person how to grow food is philanthropy because it eliminates the social problem causing the person’s hunger.

So, we as a Foundation are extremely honored to have Greg Secker as our Founder. We cover both the Charity and the Philanthropy! We are not just helping our community in the Philippines by building them new homes, but with Greg at the helm with his Philanthropic energy, are providing them the tools for a sustainable future too.

Mani Mani Mani, must be funny…

Mani Mani Mani, must be funny…

By Rachel Ainsworth Leave a comment 16 Mar 2017

After a rainy start to the week, we have now had the first delivery of materials on site for the construction of the next ten homes. This includes 2,000 hollow blocks and 6-7 cubic metres of sand and gravel. We are also pleased to announce that back-filling has finally finished – Hoorar! Who would have known it would take us five days and approximately 300 cubic meters of land to complete.

Hollow block delivery

Our lovely beneficiaries have been back on site volunteering too. This week they have been planting Mani Mani plants otherwise known as Peanut plants. Not only do these plants beautify our village, they also help stop the slopes from eroding by burying their roots deep into the soil. Seedlings develop quickly, reaching ground cover spread by six months. So it won’t be long before our village is decorated with the delightful yellow flowers this plant produces.

Mani Mani planting

With building work due to commence next Monday 20th March, we are desperately trying to get hold of a bulldozer. In England this would seem like a simple task, however in this part of the Philippines machinery is scarce and expensive. DR, Project Coordinator Philippines and Rosario, Project Coordinator UK, continue to work hard and are hopeful they will find one in time without causing any delay to the next phase of building.

Lastly but possibly most importantly, we are now hiring for a full time licensed Social Worker based in our village in the Philippines. This person will become a vital member of our team, ensuring our beneficiaries get the chance to actually thrive and not just survive. Key aspects of the social workers role will include being the lead community organiser, and carrying out continual community and village needs assessments. They will have the opportunity to work closely with the Central Philippines University (CPU) who have already offered The Greg Secker Foundation resources and a wealth of knowledge. If you think this role sounds like the career opportunity you have been waiting for, a copy of the advert can be found below with details on how to apply.

 

Full Time LICENSED SOCIAL WORKER

Qualifications:

  1. Professional/Licensed Social Worker
  2. At least 2 years working experience as Social Worker
  3. Preferably with direct community organizing experience
  4. Proficient in oral and written English

For interested applicants please submit your application letter addressed to The Greg Secker Foundation and resume to Dr.Sanico@gregseckerfoundation.com or you may contact Mr. DR June Sanico at 09993667397.

Deadline of submission is on/before March 25, 2017.

 

 

Media coverage from our July trip

Media coverage from our July trip

By Marie Sorli Leave a comment 30 Jul 2016

“We want to help our beneficiaries thrive, not just survive. Providing them with the skills will make them resilient,”

– Greg Secker.

We’re in the The Daily Guardian! It’s been a bit over one week since our team was in Lemery helping with housing construction and breaking the ground for the next iteration. We are so lucky to have great supporters and to be welcomed with open arms from the government, local officials, the media, and most of all the community of Lemery!

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Our second groundbreaking was followed closely by Philippine media and our visit in the Philippines started with a press conference in Manila before flying to Iloilo. 

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The foundation featured in ABS-CBN’s Fish n’ Town show as well as several newspapers and radio channels.

I highly recommend reading some of the great articles written on our Build a House, Build a Home project by the Manila Standard Today, Philippine Star and The Manila Times.

All our media coverage can also be found on our media page, so make sure to check it out! 

 

Greg volunteering on site

Greg volunteering on site

By Marie Sorli Leave a comment 23 Jul 2016

The time has finally come. Greg and some of the directors of his companies have the past few days been volunteering on site, doing tasks such as painting, landscaping, and filling sand bags. 

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We started the trip with a groundbreaking ceremony for the new iteration of houses.

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We are close to completion on the first iteration with 20 homes, with the next iteration of 30 homes now underway.

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The foundation is very close to Greg’s heart and working for the foundation is like being adopted into the Secker family. It was therefore a no-brainer that he brought his parents along to the trip. John Secker was painter extraordinaire and Sandy Secker was the chief water woman!

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Everyone was put to work during the day, even Micheal, one of our donors who just sponsored a family home. Micheal spent his spare time from filling sandbags, getting to know the family that he is giving a new lease in life.

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In the evening we celebrated with the workers and beneficiaries. Karaoke is very big in the Philippines, so each night when the sky became dark, the Karaoke machine was put to work. Young and old gathered together to sing, some better than others, but all entertaining in their own way.  

First Employee Volunteers

First Employee Volunteers

By Marie Sorli Leave a comment 3 Jul 2016

For years Greg’s companies have been supporting the charity financially. Now staff have a chance to get hands-on and get a personal connection with the project!  The first Employee Volunteers went out on the 25th of July and were on site till the 1st of July.

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Abi, Barbie and Jonny from LTT UK, SA and Phil have been great and got properly stuck in with painting. It’s been a very warm week, with the occasional thunderstorms, but the team have just carried on and worked really well with our engineers and workers. 

DR and I are very happy to have had the opportunity to work with them this week and see first hand their enthusiasm for the project grow day by day. 

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On day four of volunteering, our dedicated team met with Raffy. Raffy is one of the Foreman on site, currently leading a team of 8 workers to build two houses of the first 20. Raffy and his family are one of the many beneficiaries of the project. He showed the volunteers his handy work and stopped outside what is to be his and his family’s home. He was very proud when he told them about the hard work and love he’s put into the building and made them all laugh by claiming it’s the best looking out of all of them! (They have identical designs). It was a very busy day where the volunteers painted not one but three houses! The highlight though is the truly humbling experience of meeting such great and inspirational people like Raffy.

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As well as painting houses, the volunteers have also helped with the beneficiary selection. They have gone through close to 150 applications and rated them as yes, maybe or no. The first stage of beneficiary selection has now finished and stage two is due to start, with Greg taking over the helm. 

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Next employee volunteers to come on the site is Greg and some of the directors of his companies! I for one am really looking forward to telling my boss what to do on a construction site. Now that is something that doesn’t happen every day. 

This cannot be missed, so stay tuned! 

Medical Clinic

Medical Clinic

By Marie Sorli Leave a comment 17 Jul 2016

horfi-kids-preformingHad such a great time at the Manila-based orphanage, House of Refuge, handing over the medical clinic we have sponsored for the orphanage! 

Now some of you might not know that Greg’s grandmother was an orphan who was taken in by Dr. Barnardo’s. Greg often says that if it wasn’t for him, he might not be here today. Children and especially orphans are therefore very close to the Foundations heart. Last year, Greg visited the House of Refuge, as a part of a Christmas initiative he does with staff from his companies to provide Christmas joy to the less fortunate called Basket Brigade. Each year, Greg and his companies find a local cause close to their office and donate care packages in form of food and presents for children. In 2015, the Philippines-based staff of Learn to Trade went to House of Refuge, an orphanage that cares for abandoned and neglected children who live or work on the streets.

When there, Greg heard their plans to build a medical centre for the children under their care. These remarkable young children have been through a lot, and when they are rescued, suffer from multiple conditions which need medical care. House of Refuge has doctors that volunteer at their centre, but sometimes needed to take the children to the hospital to spend the night or to do more checks. For some of the children, it was quite traumatic to be taken away from a space where they finally felt safe, so the refuge wanted to expand their services and provide the children with holistic care at their own premises. 

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Greg and the team were so inspired by the hard work of the House of Refuge staff, and the change this fantastic charity has made to the lives of hundreds of children. At the time, the orphanage had one major donor covering half of the cost of the medical centre. After speaking to the board, we decided that the foundation would help them in reaching their goal and decided to fund the remaining so the kids would have their new medical clinic. Two months later the other donor pulled through, but we felt that this was something the children could really benefit from and decided to shoulder the entire cost to help them.

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We are so happy to announce that in July that promise was fulfilled and we opened the doors to a brand new two-storey medical clinic kitted out with medical equipment and child-friendly furniture. It’s been so appreciated that the children sometimes pretend to be sick, just so they can spend the night in one of the two sick rooms and play with the toys. We are so happy to be able to assist this fantastic organisation and so grateful to be a part of these wonderful and talented children’s lives!

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The clinic is dedicated and named after Greg’s grandmother, Maud Chapel.

It’s been a truly great and emotional day for us all and with that, we sign off for today.

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