We created MeganKyle in 2013 to celebrate our ‘joie de vivre’ – honouring the memory of two of our children Kyle and Megan. A pioneering spirit guided by a philosophy to embrace life with curiosity and courage is shared by our daughter and co-designer Jordana.
Our holistic approach to business recognizes and includes the importance of giving back. Sharing blessings with those less fortunate is an important element at the core of MeganKyle. The balance of serving people in need through thoughtful support that provides meaningful and measurable impact is a cornerstone of our commitment to community; both in Canada and globally.
We are proud to support the global water initiatives of UNICEF Canada through donations of at least 1% of profits including our donation of special piece(s) of jewellery for auction at the annual 'Water for Life' gala held in Calgary, AB Canada commencing in 2016 and in Halifax commencing in 2017.
UNICEF has saved more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization. Since 1946, the organization has worked tirelessly to help children and their families, doing whatever it takes to ensure children survive. UNICEF provides children with healthcare and immunization, clean water, nutrition and food security, education, emergency relief and more.
Water Initiatives
In 2014, UNICEF provided 14 million people with improved drinking water sources and more than 11 million with improved sanitation. In times of crisis, UNICEF’s emergency responses benefited 18 million people with drinking water and more than four million with sanitation efforts – that’s like reaching more than the populations of Alberta and Ontario together. (photo credits: Image UNI47919: © UNICEF/NYHQ2007-1047/Asselin)
Girls queue to wash their hands before lunch, at Mame Diarra Bousso Koranic School in the village of Porokhane in the western Kaolack Region. UNICEF supports life-skills and language training, and curriculum development in Koranic schools.
In June 2007 in Senegal, young people comprise nearly half of the more than 12 million inhabitants but persistent poverty and chronic food insecurity continue to threaten children's welfare and growth. Easily preventable diseases are responsible for a large number of child deaths, and health and nutrition programmes are hampered by a lack of funds and trained personnel. Still, Senegal is making progress in the areas of nutrition, safe water access and education, devoting 50 per cent of its national budget to education and health services. Overall primary school enrolment has increased from 71.6 per cent of eligible children in 2001/2002 to 82.2 per cent in 2004/2005. And the gap between boys and girls attending school has narrowed from 11 to 4 per cent, though regional disparities persist - with the gap as high as 20 per cent in some areas.
To help sustain progress in education, UNICEF works with the Government and diverse national and international partners to support an integrated package of health and child protection interventions for education, as well as for early childhood development.
Initiatives include: teacher-training on child-centred methods, life-skills and HIV/AIDS education; peer education and vocational and life-skills training for adolescents; installation of safe water and sanitation facilities in schools, including separate latrines for girls and boys; health and nutrition programmes; curriculum development in Koranic schools; and non-formal education projects for vulnerable children. UNICEF also supports other health, nutrition and protection programmes, including to end female genital mutilation/cutting and to promote mine-risk education in the conflict-affected, south-western Casamance area (consisting of Ziguinchor and Kolda Regions).
A boy washes his face at a UNICEF-supported water source, in a camp for people displaced by the floods in Charsadda District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province. (photo credit: Image UNI101473: © UNICEF/NYHQ2010-2736/Ramoneda) In December 2010 in Pakistan, millions remain affected by the massive flooding that began in July 2010 and spread through most of the country. Nearly 200,000 people continue to live in camps in the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan, and millions more are returning to homes damaged by floodwater. Returnees confront persistently high water levels, washed-out roads and bridges, and damaged infrastructure, property and livelihoods. Meanwhile, the arrival of winter has made the need for shelter increasingly acute. Road damage and security concerns related to ongoing conflict are hampering access by aid groups to many areas. Pakistan, one of four polio-endemic countries in the world, has also experienced a rise in polio infections, with 139 cases reported in 2010.In response, UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and others have launched coordinated programmes to meet the needs of flood-affected populations. Nearly 21,000 children under age five have received therapeutic feeding, and many more have received supplementary feeding. UNICEF and partners have immunized 11.7 million children against polio, and UNICEF is distributing children’s winter clothes, blankets, and additional supplies in areas that anticipate freezing temperatures. UNICEF has reached 150,000 children with temporary learning centres, 195,000 children with school supplies, and 180,000 with child-friendly spaces.
The agency also continues to provide safe drinking water to over 3 million people per day and sanitation facilities to 1.7 million people. To date, 76 per cent of UNICEF’s US$251 million funding requirements under the joint United Nations appeal have been met, including US$22.9 million in pledged funds.
We hope you join us in our support of vital global initiatives sponsored by UNICEF and UNICEF Canada. That wearing a piece of MeganKyle jewellery you will find a sense of pleasure, empowerment and beauty sharing a journey of awareness.
With blessings,
Lorraine, Lorne and Jordana
