Red Robin Masonry recognizes the importance of helping others around the world who aren’t as fortunate as us here in Canada. In 2012, Red Robin decided that 5% of revenues of every job completed would be put towards building materials required for the construction of a trades school in Swazilnd; one of the smallest and poorest countries in Africa.
Swaziland has the world’s highest estimated rate of HIV-infected adults at an approximate 26% of people aged 15-49. In addition, Swaziland’s Tuberculosis incidence rate is the highest in the world. 80% of tuberculosis patients are co-infected with HIV. The HIV virus accounts for approximately 31% of total deaths annually in Swaziland. Many victims of the virus leave children behind. Research shows that in 2014 aids related deaths were responsible for 56,000 orphans between the ages of 0 – 17. That’s an alarming 4.5% of the country’s total population.
The El Shaddai Children’s Home in Swaziland, Africa is home to many of those orphaned children. While under the care of the orphanage, children are given the opportunity of early childhood education, access to proper medical care, education of HIV prevention, and a loving home. Plainly put El Shaddai offers these children hope for a brighter future.
Amidst their tireless care for the children, the people of El Shaddai have larger plans. Among those they have had a plan of creating a vocational trades school. This would provide students with training in carpentry, plumbing, electrical, mechanical trades, cosmetology, and culinary arts. It would provide a way to earn a living and help create a self-sustaining economy.
In February of 2013 Red Robin Masonry teamed up with LifeCorps International and travelled to Swaziland to start building that school. Over the course of the visit our team was able to construct phase one of the trade school constructing two school houses.
Words can’t describe how moved and fortunate we all felt working with the community. A tremendous thank you goes out to all that donated and supported our mission. All of your kindness helped build a brighter future for not only the children of El Shaddai; but the surrounding community and country.
“Charity is injurious unless it helps the recipient to become independent of it.”
– John D. Rockefeller