Intensive short term disaster relief
work in different parts of the world, such as working with the
tsunami survivors in Thailand, the tribal Aetas after the Mt.
Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines, and the survivors of the
Katrina hurricane who were evacuated in Houston, Texas, inspired Dr. Elizabeth
Garcia-Gray to jumpstart a humanitarian foundation to help address
the needs of people surviving disasters, tragedies, and losses,
locally and globally.
Her visit to Mubende and Gulu, Uganda
underscored the dire need for clean water in different parts of
the world, like Africa, where many are still drinking from
contaminated waterholes, and where death from waterborne
illnesses is rampant. There are still approximately 3 million deaths
yearly from unsafe water.
Dr. Garcia-Gray's visits to Chad,
Zimbabwe, Uganda and learning about the orphaned children of
AIDS and child-headed families, volunteer mission work in the poorest
areas of Costa Rica, working with the refugees in her community, made her realize even more the importance
of community development and empowerment beginning with the
focal point of safe and healthy water.
Though illnesses like
malaria, tuberculosis, AIDS, pneumonia are being treated,
people, especially children under 5 years old, still die from
contaminated water.
Clean water. A human right. A basic need. Life starts there.
The goals of our organization include
mobilizing and encouraging people to serve and volunteer both
locally and globally in service of those traumatized by severe
and acute life circumstances - through dedicated volunteerism on location,
education, consultation, direct relief work, donations, fundraising, and/or donating time,
partnering with others with the same cause, creativity,
talents, and skills-sets.
For PGHF, the suffering of
the poorest of the poor include the refugees, those affected by
man-made and natural disasters, those afflicted with
physical and mental ailments and disabilities, those affected by
the consequences of chemical dependency, those who undergo the
tragedy of isolation and incarceration, and those
who suffer because of the lack of basic needs like food,
housing, and water.
Imagine supporting a rural community
become a role-model in healthcare. Then, imagine this
community uplifting another. Grassroots helping
grassroots. All starting with the basic needs and to
eventual community sustainability and empowerment. There is
clearly much to be done.
PGHF believes that
everyone has the power to give. The poorest of
the poor give us precious non-material gifts of humility,
resilience, profound gratitude, dignity, grace under fire,
inimitable faith. Each one of us has something to give.
Much like the mythological bird, the
phoenix, the Phoenix Global Humanitarian
Foundation (PGHF) believes that people can rise up from the
ashes of their tragedies and losses to give hope, love,
compassion, and light to the world.
Like the phoenix, may you focus on the
Light and radiate it to others. Thank you for visiting our
website.
With kindest regards,
The PGHF team |
