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ADRA NEWS
Summer 2015
Transformative Hope August sits on the round wooden stool beside her mud brick house. Her four children are running around playing games nearby. She looks down at the bare earth ground, before looking up confidently. “I have my dreams for my children and what I want them to become in the future,” she smiles. “I want them to become teachers, nurses and leaders.”
August’s story mirrors that of so many women in PNG. The average Papua New Guinean only gets about four years of schooling and earns an annual income of approximately $2,400.1
August, now a mother of four, grew up in a poor village in East New Britain province in Papua New Guinea and only completed part of primary school. She did learn to read, but never completed her education.
Amnesty International found that women in PNG hold “a very low status in society, placing them at a very high risk of abuse” and that violence against women is widespread. 1
United Nations Human Development Index. 2 2011 PNG Country Gender Assessment.
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Gender inequality and unacceptable levels of violence also present significant barriers to the nation’s development. Men are almost twice as likely as women to hold a paid job, and men earn twice as much.2
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Message from the CEO Some years ago I had the opportunity to visit a community in Nepal where ADRA was supporting a community-run literacy program for women. The classes took place in the evenings because the women were busy at work during the day. So we left the ADRA office just after dark and travelled out to the village over rough mountain roads. On arrival, we climbed a path up between the houses to a room lit by the light of oil lamps and packed full of women. They ranged in age from teenagers to grandmothers but they were all there for the same thing – to learn to read, write and do basic arithmetic. Something that most of us in Australia take for granted.
through street theatre at market days and festivals. When the class ended, it was time to rehearse their latest production. As I observed the play, with one of the local ADRA staff whispering in my ear for translation, my attention was caught by the expressiveness of the woman who was playing the part of a girl denied the opportunity to attend school. At one point I observed tears running down her cheeks. I thought to myself, “Wow, she’s a great actor!” And then seconds later, “You idiot - she’s not acting, she’s remembering.” In that moment my indifference dropped away as I connected with another human being realising just how much being literate meant to these women. And that what they were obtaining was not just education but more importantly – hope. As you read the stories in this edition of ADRANews you will see the theme of hope throughout. While ADRA’s programs in places as diverse as Nepal, Malawi and Papua New Guinea enable people to gain the ability to read and write, it is the hope these skills bring that is truly transformative.
It turned out that these women were not satisfied with obtaining literacy for themselves. They had decided to become community activists for girls’ education – and in true Nepali style they did this
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ADVENTIST DEVELOPMENT AND RELIEF AGENCY AUSTRALIA
Mark Webster
CEO Adventist Development and Relief Agency Australia
Editor Josh Dye Contributors Dustin Dever Josh Dye Aleksandra Ewing Janelle Muller Luke Vodell Mark Webster
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Disaster Updates The unprecedented numbers of refugees fleeing from Syria to Europe has presented a number of logistical challenges. ADRA staff and volunteers all over the region have responded by welcoming refugees with open arms. Here’s a snapshot of the massive contribution ADRA is making right across the region.
Syrian refugee crisis
• Lebanon – ADRA Australia funds a school for 120 Syrian refugee children between the ages of six and twelve.
• Croatia and Slovenia – providing food and shelter for thousands of refugees who have arrived in the country.
• Iraq – operating a refugee camp and providing food and education to families and children who have fled fighting in Iraq.
• Germany – working with 12 other groups under an umbrella organisation to collect money and in-kind donations.
• Jordan – running an education program in more than 50 Jordanian schools has helped provide school supplies to more than 5,000 students and improve teacher training.
• Italy – distributing food, clothes, and other forms of assistance.
• Macedonia – packing food parcels to distribute to refugees arriving by train at the border.
• Serbia – opened an asylum seeker information centre in the capital to assist refugees with vital services. • Austria – mobilising church members to assist refugees settle in the community and focusing on longer-term integration.
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FROM PAGE 1
“Literacy helps us to realise bigger and better things...” – August “Gender inequality and discrimination in PNG are supported by customs including polygamy and bride price, which strengthen men’s belief that they own women,” Amnesty said. But education is proving to be a powerful tool to build mutual respect between men and women, and it’s showing positive progress in reducing violence. When the opportunity arose to improve her literacy skills through ADRA’s project, August was keen but shy. As well as receiving literacy training, August learnt how to sew. Before too long, she improved to the point where she sold some of the clothes she made. With the money she saved up she soon bought her own sewing machine. In turn, that machine has allowed her to produce and sell even more clothes. “I earn an income now to support my family, especially for school fees and other family needs.” And the key? Education. “Literacy helps us to realise bigger and better things that will help change our lives,” August says. “It helps us learn to read and write and improve our lives to help our community learn.”
“I have learnt to see what I can do as a mother and also my husband can see what his role is to help and support me.” Her husband, Tade, speaks proudly of his wife. His eyes glow as he speaks softly. “I am happy for my wife,” he says. “She has contributed a lot of change to our church and community.” And now, August can’t help but share her experience with others in the community. “Whatever I know, I must teach other mothers to learn what I have learnt.” Her impact is likely to affect dozens of people in the village. Her leadership stands out. “I am teaching other mothers in the fellowship group to learn to sew and bake.” With Christmas around the corner, many people are turning their attention to buying presents. But with so many gifts being unwanted or going unused, why not give a meaningful gift? All I want for Christmas is for people like August to have the opportunities to thrive.
August feels more confident about her children’s future and her marriage is now thriving too.
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Development Education
The Story of Stuff
We love stuff. Especially at Christmas. It almost doesn’t feel like Christmas if it doesn’t include lots and lots of beautifully wrapped, surprise stuff. In the second quarter of 2015, consumer spending in Australia reached an all time high of $221 billion and this Christmas alone, we are expected to spend another $20 billion on more stuff. If we are serious about addressing global problems like extreme poverty, extraordinary inequality, rapid species extinction, the climate crisis, then we must start by looking at our own hyper-consumption. We can’t truly love others and be good stewards of God’s creation if we can’t curb our ravenous relationship with our stuff - because the two are different parts of the same equation.
In 2009, leaders at the UN Conference on Environment and Development, the Earth Summit, declared that: “The major cause of the continued deterioration of the global environment is the unsustainable pattern of consumption and production... and developed countries should take the lead in achieving sustainable consumption.” The ‘Story of Stuff Project’ began with a 20minute online movie about the way we make, use and throw away all the Stuff in our lives. To change behaviour, it helps to have a structured program for action. To help reign in your consumption and help your family and community refocus Christmas on Christ, on loving people, and on good stewardship of creation, have a look at The Story of Stuff movie and bible study resources at storyofstuff.org
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International Program - Highlights Boost Project, Zambia
Namoyo struggled to support her three children by selling groceries at a very small profit in the district of Mambwe in Malawi. They had no home and limited food, and she was unable to put her children through school. Because she had no way to get her goods to and from the market, Namoyo would hire transport. Now she operates her own transport business. In 2013, Namoyo participated in ADRAs Boost Project where she learned valuable business and marketing skills. This enabled her to better manage her costs and realise improved profit margins on the sale of her goods. In 2014, she applied for a small loan to buy a motor tricycle and was able to establish her own transport business. With the extra income she is now earning, Namoyo is able to pay school fees, buy uniforms and books for her children. She now has a home and is even able to to pay casual workers to cultivate her fields of maize, groundnuts, and cotton.
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The Boost Project is having an amazing impact on the lives of thousands of small-scale farmers just like Namoyo. Building upon previous project activities centred on improving household food security and food preservation techniques, the Boost project is working within the four wards of Mambwe District to create four sustainable Commercial Community Gardens (CCG) and contribute toward improved agri-business skills and household income. The produce from each of these CCG’s is being used for household consumption or sold at local markets or to private companies. To learn more about the Boost Project or to contribute valuable funding, go to adra.org.au/boost
Did You Know? In September this year, governments from around the globe have
adopted a new set of global goals aimed at ending extreme poverty, fighting inequality and injustice, and fixing climate change. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as the continuing global commitment to improve the wellbeing and life chances for all. To read all about the SDGs go to www.globalgoals.org
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Strengthening the local economy in Chin State
U Za Kung is a small-holder rice farmer in the rugged mountains of Chin State, Myanmar who participated in ADRA’s Poverty Reduction Initiative through Community Empowerment (PRICE) Project U Za Kung learnt small business skills such as book keeping and technical agriculture training, and participated in a Self-Help Savings and Loans Group (SHG). Utilising traditional methods, U Za Kung yielded 30 baskets from his paddy land but after learning new techniques from the PRICE Project training and trialling them in his small paddy, he saw the methods were extremely effective. “I’m surprised that the paddy plants are strong,” he said. “I got about 40 baskets from the same size of my paddy land.” After seeing the results firsthand, he said “I will keep on using these methods to apply in my paddy land and will share with other farmers too about how effective the methods are.”
accessed and fully repaid three loans, investing funds in weeding, planting, ploughing and preparing his land. “I have improved in saving money,” he said. When he needs funds for an emergency or during seasonal downturns, he is no longer forced to pay high interest rates. After evaluating the impact of the PRICE Project, ADRA commenced PRICE II in July 2015. In order to establish an enabling environment for community driven economic development that improves the cash circulation within the local economy, the project will focus on the promotion, formation and strengthening of SHGs to improve the livelihoods of up to 5,000 people.
Participating in the SHGs has also had a significant impact on U Za Kung. He has
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National Program - Highlights Women’s refuge Photo: shutterstock.com
She had to tell him where she was going and why. Once he caught her out visiting her grandmother and he punched her in the mouth bursting her lip. Although she called the police many times, never once was her partner arrested for beating her. She said the police finally got tired of her calling and threatened to arrest them both if they had to come back. At this point Sammie felt she was on her own with no options or recourse.
Sammie met her abuser when she was 19 years old. For six months he treated her like a queen. Then he began the control, harassment and abuse – both physical and emotional. It affected every part of Sammie’s life – he blocked her from making any decisions on her own. Embarrassed by the injuries and black eyes, Sammie would hide the abuse with baggy clothes and excessive make-up, which further deepened her feelings of depression and low self-esteem. Then she fell pregnant to him. This made her even more fearful. What would he do to her son? When Sammie was eight months pregnant with her son, her abuser asked her to help him rake the lawn. When she said she didn’t feel up to it, he hit her in the face with the rake.
Then she contacted Sonshine Sanctuary. “They helped me when no one else would,” Sammie says. “They gave me a safe place to stay, and offered information and resources to support me and my children.” It rescued her and helped change her life. “I have been safe in my own house now for four years, and continue to be strong with occasional contact with the Sanctuary. Thank you, Sonshine Sanctuary, for all your help and support.” Services like Sonshine Sanctuary literally save women’s lives. Please consider giving a meaningful gift this Christmas to help a woman like Sammie turn her life around.
She described herself as being beaten, robbed of her money, and isolated from friends and family.
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Senior’s connect Seniors Connect is a relatively new project aimed at providing seniors in the local community in Melbourne with an opportunity to engage and create friendships with other community members. This is achieved through holding various activities including crafts, singing, exercise, personal development of skills and social interactions. Gilson College students are contributing towards making meaningful and lasting connections with a seniors group at the local retirement village. “Through the seniors connect program our aim is to build relationships with those who are in need of connection in our community through service projects run by our local church and school,” says ambassador Joshua Contai. Other students have given rave reviews of the experience, too. “I had so much fun seeing these older people and asking them questions. One thing I learnt was to always take the opportunity when it is there,” said one girl. The head of primary, Raelene Delvin, has noticed a positive effect back at school too. “Watching the relationships grow between our students and the seniors from Taylor’s Hill retirement village is truly remarkable. The connections and relationships being established have been of great benefit to our students and support their development ,” Raelene said.
enjoying craft sessions, and just chatting to get to know each other. Both the seniors and the students have expressed how much they enjoy learning from each other.
Some activities the groups have conducted include hosting morning tea, writing biographies,
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35
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Volunteers
After the twin disasters in Vanuatu and Nepal earlier this year, ADRA received amazing support. Here’s the story of one keen teacher who mobilised a whole school community to fundraise, and improve their fitness at the same time!
RunRide2Rebuild
This year, all the pieces of the puzzle fell together when a great need became obvious after Cyclone Pam and the earthquakes in Nepal. While I wanted to do something, I realised I was not able to get on a plane and go and help out. But I did have an idea that didn't involve me getting on a plane… In its debut year, the RunRide2Rebuild has proven to be a massive success. It involved a challenging course through parkland where mountain bike riders did laps of 5.3km and runners did 3.2km laps. Each competitor had a story of hardship and heroism that was developed throughout the event, and the memories will last a lifetime. We were able to raise more than $15,000 to go towards rebuilding communities devastated by disasters. It blew my mind that fewer than 60 people could pull together to fundraise so much. The easiest part was to donate the money to ADRA. They have always offered such great support both in the operation and organisation of events like this but more importantly the focus and
Photo: Sandfly Images
I’ve had a vision over the last few years about how to run a cycling and running event to raise money for people in need.
dedication to the specific causes. A massive thank you to all those who competed, helped run the event and to all the sponsors! We are hoping for a much bigger turnout next year and expect to be able to double our participant numbers as well as our fundraising efforts. We would love to see this as a tradition that our school and the local community can look forward to for years to come. We also hope to foster a truly generous nature, one that God will look down upon and be proud to see the practical nature of his church reaching out in service to others. Dustin Dever is a teacher at Northpine Christian College in Queensland.
To organise your own ADRA fundraiser, visit adra.org.au
Share Your Story We love our volunteers and want to profile your stories. Do you have one to share? Email news@adra.org.au
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Thanks! “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” Luke 10:2 is often quoted from the pulpits but we tend to miss the preceding verse: “Later the Lord chose [the] followers and sent them out two by two to every town and village where he was about to go.”
Photo: Michelle Abel
The Knocktober ADRA Appeal gives Adventist churches the opportunity to precede the ministry of Jesus, just as the disciples did. ADRA has been blessed with many churches, schools and volunteer groups across Australia taking that opportunity to connect with their local community and to fundraise for our vital ministry. This year, in addition to the door-knock, more than 60 churches ran activities including shopping centre collections, virtual door-knocks, street collections, market stalls, garage sales, auctions, concerts, fun runs, fundraising breakfasts and more. A number of Adventist schools also ran a Green Hair Day, where students got to wear green hair to school in exchange for a gold coin donation.
Thank you to those who were involved. Your support will help us support more than 30,000 people to access water, sanitation and health facilities.
Make Christmas meaningful! Give a life-changing gift and empower women and girls in the Pacific.
$13 – Prescription Glasses Help a woman in PNG to see and participate in vocational classes.
$26 – SexEd for Youth Enable youth in Vanuatu to make wise lifestyle choices.
Visit www.adra.org.au/christmas to purchase your gift today!
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Chrisstmas is an eddu ca tio n
One in four gifts received this Christmas will be unwanted. Some will be re-gifted but others will be left unloved, unused and eventually thro own out. While gender inequality and violence remain n major challenges in Papua New Guinea, it hardly feels right to waste limited re esourc ces on junk. Educating women and girls, helps them to become respected and valued, enabling them
Shine your light this Christm mas. Give a meaningful gift
Give today at adra.org.a au or call 1800 242 372