Christian Aid News 60 - Summer 2013

CHRISTIAN AID NEWS Issue 60

Summer 2013

christianaid.org.uk

Central

• How you helped to make a success of Christian Aid Week and the IF campaign • New appeal over India floods crisis

OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND? Will Syria’s refugees in Iraq join the growing list of forgotten emergencies?

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Contact us: 020 7620 4444 info@christian-aid.org

CONTENTS

EDITOR’S LETTER

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Christian Aid News is printed on 100 per cent recycled paper

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Christian Aid/Sarah Malian

THIS ISSUE of Christian Aid News starts with a plea for a moment of your time. Here at Christian Aid, we want to make Christian Aid News the best it can be. To help us do this we need to know more about who is reading it and what they think of it.

Inserted into this edition is a short readership survey. It covers topics such as readership, content and future formats. Please spare five minutes to complete the questionnaire.

You can even do it online at feedback.christianaid.org.uk Hopefully, this edition will provide plenty of thoughtprovoking reading – in particular our cover story on Forgotten Emergencies. The plight of Syrian refugees seeking sanctuary from their country’s conflict, in northern Iraq, overlooked by the world’s media, reminded us that other emergencies we’ve covered in the past have had their moment in the media spotlight, then faded from view. But for Christian Aid, out of sight does not mean out of mind, and our work goes on in all those affected areas.

Finally, enjoy our roundups of Christian Aid Week and the IF campaign on global hunger. We can’t thank you enough for your support with both.

Roger Fulton, Editor

Refugee status: Khariyas Hussaini, known as ‘Vian’, with her daughter Bertan who is one and a half. Vian is a schoolteacher and mother of two, who arrived in Iraq in April, after fleeing fighting in Syria

REGULARS

■ 28 EVENTS

■ 10 NEWS

Saluting our Team Poverty marathon runners; getting ready for Quizaid.

Christian Aid launches appeal to help India flood victims; Sierra Leone land grabs fuel poverty; making your money go further.

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■ 18 CAMPAIGNS IF campaign achieves tax breakthrough – but there’s still more to do!

■ 22 INPUT Your feedback to us.

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■ 24 YOUR CHRISTIAN AID

Plastered! With paper plates.

SPECIAL FEATURES

When media interest in disasters and conflict wanes, Christian Aid is still there.

■ 14 LIFE AND SOUL SPECIAL: CHRISTIAN AID WEEK UPDATE Thank you for playing your part in this year’s event.

Events and stories from your part of Britain.

■ 26 LIFE AND SOUL

A legacy of love.

■ 4 COVER STORY: FORGOTTEN EMERGENCIES

■ 22 COMMENT A Q&A with new chair Dr Rowan Williams.

■ 30 LAST WORD

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■ 20 FRONTLINE How education is helping tribal people understand their rights.

UK registered charity number 1105851 Company number 5171525 Scotland charity number SC039150 Northern Ireland charity number XR94639 Company number NI059154 Republic of Ireland charity number CHY 6998 Company number 426928. The Christian Aid name and logo are trademarks of Christian Aid; Poverty Over is a trademark of Christian Aid. © Christian Aid July 2013. The acceptance of external advertising does not indicate endorsement. If you wish to receive this magazine digitally, go to christianaid.org.uk/can

Christian Aid is a Christian organisation that insists the world can and must be swiftly changed to one where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty. We work globally for profound change that eradicates the causes of poverty, striving to achieve equality, dignity and freedom for all, regardless of faith or nationality.

We are part of a wider movement for social justice.

We provide urgent, practical and effective assistance where need is great, tackling the effects of poverty as well as its root causes.

■ Front cover and this page Vian with her daughter Bertan now lives in a makeshift encampment in northern Iraq, after fleeing flighting in Syria. Christian Aid/Sarah Malian ■ Pictures Joseph Cabon ■ Sub-editors Andy Jacques, Catriona Lorie, Tomilola Ajayi ■ Circulation Ben Hayward ■ Design and production Chris Hill/Syon Publishing, 020 8332 8407 ■ Christian Aid head office 35 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RL ■ Tel 020 7620 4444 ■ Fax 020 7620 0719 ■ Email info@christian-aid.org ■ Online at christianaid.org.uk

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COVER STORY

‘WE ARE JU HERE…

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SYRIA: FORGOTTEN EMERGENCIES

JUST STAYING … WAITING’

While conflict rages in Syria, a human tide of 1.6 million refugees has fled the country. More than 160,000 have found a bleak form of sanctuary in desolate encampments in northern Iraq, where they fear becoming forgotten victims of the crisis that has engulfed them. Johanna Rogers reports on their struggle for dignity – and a future Christian Aid/Sarah Malian

ONLY UTTER DESPERATION would persuade a family to abandon their home for a barely habitable patch of ground – but that is the choice thousands of Syrian refugees who have fled to northern Iraq have had to make.

The conditions they now find themselves living in are basic in the extreme. Shelter is rudimentary, food scarce, and access to water and healthcare severely limited.

There are more than 160,000 Syrian

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Christian Aid/Sarah Malian

COVER STORY

Farhad, with his wife Khadija and son Ahmed, helps new refugee arrivals in Iraq.

Previous page: refugees in a makeshift encampment

refugees scattered across Iraq, but, with the spotlight on those in Jordan and Lebanon, their fate is often overlooked.

Areas such as Baynjan, in Sulaimaniya province, are now crammed full of makeshift tents and houses hastily constructed from breeze blocks. Few camps have adequate infrastructure, sanitation facilities or access to jobs.

They are a dismal setting for a proud people, many of whom had professional careers in Syria.

The refugees here say they have been forgotten by the world at large. Along with that sense of abandonment, and the physical hardship they must endure, many are haunted by memories of the carnage they witnessed in Syria.

‘The bodies and blood in the streets is something I will never forget,’ said Habib, a father of four, from Homs, now living in a former animal shelter on the outskirts of the city of Sulaimaniya.

Antonio Guterres, the UN high commissioner for refugees, has said that the conflict in Syria is ‘more brutal and destructive than the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and has turned into the worst humanitarian disaster since the end of the Cold War.’ So far, more than 8 million Syrians have been affected, with some 1.6 million fleeing the country as refugees.

Media attention has largely focused on the conflict itself, and the refugee communities that have sprung up in Jordan and Lebanon.

Access to northern Iraq is that much more difficult, so the plight of the refugees there barely gets a mention.

But the UN states that the numbers pouring across the Iraq border have doubled since the start of the year.

More than 800 Syrian refugees arrive in northern Iraq every day with fresh tales of destruction. The UN provides shelter, water, education and medical services

in the only official camp of Domiz, but it is now so overcrowded that new refugees have to make do with anywhere they can find.

With temperatures set to rise to 40ºC over the summer, there are fears of water shortages, dehydration and the spread of disease because of the lack of sanitation.

Christian Aid is one of the few international aid agencies that has a presence here. Through our local partner Rehabilitation, Education and Community Health (REACH), we are providing 1,500 refugee families with food and hygiene kits containing first-aid equipment, sanitary products and other essential items.

All the refugees want to work, but there is hardly any available. People who were engineers, teachers and students in Syria are now getting piecemeal work as labourers – if they are lucky. ‘We are ready to work, but there is nothing,’ said one young man.

‘We are just staying here, waiting, because we can’t work and we can’t go back to Syria.

Another added: ‘Our future is not here. It is back in Syria. Our dream is to go back to Syria.’

Since arriving in Iraq 14 months ago, Farhad, once a healthcare salesman, has managed to find work as a tiler and has built his family a home. He now helps new arrivals to find shelter and supplies. ‘We have no money for immediate problems,’ he said.

‘Everything we do is based on debts.

But you have to carry on with life. I think about the kids and how to make a better life for them.’

For more information on our Syria and Middle East appeal please visit christianaid.org.uk/syria • We’re also working inside Syria and with refugee communities in Lebanon.

Syria: supporting the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) to provide people caught up in the conflict with food, shelter and cash-for-work programmes.

Lebanon: helping 2,250 refugees with food, education and other essential services through our partner Association Najdeh. And our partner Mouvement Social is providing recreational, educational, social and psychological support to 200 children.

OUT OF SIGHT, BUT NOT OUT OF MIND The plight of Syria’s refugees in northern Iraq is just one example of how emergencies and crises often slip under the world’s media radar. Emma Pomfret offers a reminder of five other ‘forgotten emergencies’ that have fallen out of the headlines MANY HUMANITARIAN emergencies never make the mainstream media.

Others are fleetingly splashed all over the front pages and TV news, but are soon forgotten once the next big story breaks.

Victims of the world’s forgotten emergencies run into millions. And their struggle for survival continues even when the world is no longer watching. Agencies such as Christian Aid stay long after the crucial lifesaving work of providing emergency assistance is done. Quietly, unobtrusively, we keep working to deliver programmes intended to last years, putting survivors back on their feet and increasing their ability to withstand future shocks.

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FORGOTTEN EMERGENCIES

Christian Aid/Sarah Wilson

REFUGEE CRISIS, DADAAB CAMP, KENYA, 2011 THEN Following a huge influx of people from Somalia and other parts of Kenya during the 2011 drought in east Africa, Dadaab – a complex of camps 100km from the Kenya-Somalia border – became home to more refugees than anywhere else in the world.

Established in 1991, Dadaab was originally set up to accommodate 90,000 people fleeing unrest in Somalia. But refugee numbers

exploded in July 2011 when the United Nations officially declared a famine in two regions in southern Somalia and warned that a severe food crisis threatened an estimated 9.5 million people. More than 1,000 people were arriving at Dadaab’s three main camps every day, resulting in a total of around 439,000 registered refugees. The complex – now Kenya’s fourth largest ‘city’ – suddenly faced a huge strain on resources. Malnutrition rates, food shortages and the incidence of disease soared.

NOW The total number of registered refugees in Dadaab still stands at 423,496. But with the political situation in Somalia becoming relatively stable, the world’s attention turned to new crises in Syria and elsewhere.

Partly funded by Christian Aid’s East Africa Appeal, we continue to work in Dadaab through the Lutheran World Federation, helping to provide newlyarrived refugees with vital information about which life-saving protection services are available to them and how best to access them.

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Christian Aid/Tom Pilston

COVER STORY

us to help more than 214,000 people.

We are providing emergency rice, cereal and clean water; giving cash transfers for vulnerable families; educating pregnant women and mothers of malnourished children about food and nutrition; and helping farmers to adapt growing techniques to the harsher climate.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Members of the sexual violence survivor support group, run by Christian Aid’s local partner SARCAF, sing on a Sunday morning in the beautiful lakeside city of Bukavu on the Rwanda-DRC border. The 40 or so women described the charity as a lifeline Will Storr

THEN A perfect storm of severe drought, the failure of several staple crops, and a sharp rise in food prices meant that more than 19 million people in the Sahel region of West Africa faced a severe food crisis in 2012.

Conflict between the Malian national army and Tuareg rebels, with a short intervention by the French army, meant that the region hit headlines here, but very little has been seen or heard about the Sahel since, even though the hunger situation there remains critical.

NOW Despite better harvest projections for 2013, the UN estimates that more than 11 million people will be affected by food shortages this year because of a lack of cereal stock and rocketing food prices. The fact that large numbers of Malian refugees are fleeing across borders into countries already struggling to sustain their own people will only make matters worse.

In Mali, particularly, ongoing political instability continues to exacerbate the food crisis. Many farmers are still afraid to work on the land because mines and other anti-personnel weapons lie unexploded in fields.

The response of our supporters has been enormously generous since we opened the West Africa food crisis appeal last March. We have received a tremendous £1,307,000 so far, allowing

Photographer Tom Pilston was highly commended in the Photographer of the Year category of this year’s Press Awards, for this shot he took for Christian Aid in northern Mali last year. Aboubacrin Sada, a Koranic master from Gao, had fled with his family from the hard-line Islamist insurgents. He hoped to return home once the political situation had stabilised

THEN The DRC’s traumatised population is still struggling to recover from what has become known as Africa’s ‘World War’, in which an estimated 3-5 million people died between 1998 and 2003. Despite the country’s first democratic elections in 2006, long-standing political and ethnic tensions remain.

NOW Lawlessness prevails. Money, weapons and people flow freely over uncontrolled national borders of this enormous country, and various militia groups and the national army (FARDC) still battle for control of lucrative gold, copper, diamond, coltan and cassiterite mines.

The violence displaces tens of thousands of people every year. An estimated 2.7 million internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees still live in camps and informal settlements in the east of the country.

Widespread rape and sexual abuse continues to be a major concern, with refugees and IDPs particularly at risk.

The perpetrators are rarely prosecuted and punished.

Since last November, violent clashes between FARDC and the M23 rebel group near Goma have displaced more than 130,000 people in and around the city, sent another 47,000 fleeing to neighbouring South Kivu, and forced many more to seek refuge in Rwanda and Uganda. Christian Aid is currently

Reuters/Andrees Latif/courtesy www.alertnet.org

FOOD CRISIS, SAHEL, WEST AFRICA, 2012

CONFLICT AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE, EASTERN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC)

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FORGOTTEN EMERGENCIES

Pakistan 2010: In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the equivalent of 10 years’ rainfall fell in just one week, demolishing villages, roads and bridges, ruining fields and crops, and killing livestock

providing 2,000 people in North Kivu with essential household items and cash to buy basic food.

We also focus on addressing the root causes of conflict and violence by establishing the conditions for a fair distribution of the country’s mineral wealth, helping citizens to fight the culture of impunity for sexual crimes, and pushing for electoral reform. Our partners include faith networks whose influence extends to all sectors of Congolese society.

FLOODS, PAKISTAN, 2010

Three years on, many Haitian quake victims are still living in flimsy shacks

EARTHQUAKE, HAITI, 2010 THEN The world’s media converged on a Caribbean island in January 2010, to cover the rescue and relief effort following a catastrophic earthquake.

Those 39 terrifying seconds killed 222,570 people, injured more than 200,000 and left 1.5 million seeking refuge in temporary settlements.

A massive appeal followed and it seemed Haiti was not alone in its struggle. Successive anniversaries passed with questions asked about whether all the money pledged in the aftermath was helping those who

Christian Aid/Sarah Wilson

THEN The 2010 floods in Pakistan grabbed the world’s attention, but only for a short time. Over the course of 40 days, the nation’s worst flooding on record saw 2,000 people die and 20 million lives disrupted.

However, there has been very little coverage of the floods that followed. Last year, 4.5 million people were affected in Pakistan and yet it barely registered in the mainstream media. Many districts, particularly in Balochistan and Sindh,

were still struggling to recover from the floods in 2010 and 2011, and were completely submerged for the third year running.

NOW Drawing on £5.6m worth of funds, Christian Aid’s partners have been carrying out relief and rehabilitation work in Pakistan for the past three years, reaching more than 200,000 people. Now we’re helping vulnerable communities protect themselves against future floods.

needed it most. But overall, it’s another disaster that has now mostly receded into memory.

NOW This is certainly one emergency that is far from over. Since the earthquake, Haiti has suffered a devastating cholera outbreak, followed by tropical storm Isaac and hurricane Sandy in 2012. By the beginning of this year, around 340,000 Haitians were still living in flimsy tents and shacks.

Moreover, there are still 1.5 million people in Haiti suffering from severe malnutrition. The latest report from the famine early warning systems network states: ‘Despite the evident readiness of local farmers, poor seed availability is threatening the success of this year’s crops... Poor households in many rural areas could still be facing a food shortage directly after the July harvest.’

From August 2011 to January 2013 Christian Aid helped 120 families move into new earthquake- and hurricaneresistant homes in the north-east region and 40 in the central region, assisted 300 families to begin goatbreeding to give themselves a new source of income, planted 54,000 trees to improve flood defences, and created or supported seven protection committees to help communities respond effectively to flooding caused by hurricane Sandy in October 2012.

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NEWS This page: rescue workers gaze at the raging torrent of floodwater.

Right: survivors are helped to higher ground

AP Photo / Rafiq Maqbool

INDIA

‘I FLED FROM A SEA OF D Christian Aid has launched an India Floods Appeal to help the victims of the flooding in the north of the country. Ross Hemingway and Melanie Smith report MORE THAN 6,000 PEOPLE have died following flooding and landslides in northern India.

Many thousands more are now homeless, following two days of heavy, incessant rain in June that washed away homes, damaged roads and caused bridges to collapse.

The state of Uttarakhand was worst hit; the early monsoon rains, believed

to be the heaviest in 80 years, affected up to a million lives in the districts of Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Uttarkashi alone.

Melanie Smith, Christian Aid press officer, travelled to Uttarakhand state. Reporting from a relief camp in Uttarkashi, she said: ‘Many people I met belong to dalit communities, who are often socially excluded

and discriminated against. Those in Uttarkashi are no different. Most live in unsafe locations where no one else, quite rightly, wants to live.

‘One woman, Sheela Devi, told me that her home is located perilously close to the river on the only land available. She told me how she heard a loud noise early in the morning and rushed to the window, where she was confronted by a sea of debris hurtling towards their home.

‘With just the clothes on her back, she and her family ran for their lives.’

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU WE WANT TO MAKE Christian Aid News as good as it possibly can be. To help us do this, we need to know more about who is reading it and what they think of it.

Inserted into this edition of Christian Aid News is a short readership survey. It covers topics such as readership,

content and future formats.

Knowing your views about Christian Aid News will help us to improve the content of the magazine. Your feedback will also enable us to get it to the right people and reduce unnecessary costs, such as printing and postage.

Please spare five minutes to

complete the questionnaire.

You can even save us the money on postage by completing the survey online at feedback.christianaid.org.uk Your responses will be collated and analysed, and the results of the survey will be featured in the next edition of Christian Aid News.

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PARTNERS PROVIDE SHELTER FROM THE STORM BANGLADESH

‘Sheela and her family found refuge in the relief camp, where Christian Aid and ACT Alliance partner Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA) is providing immediate relief. Many didn’t make it this far, lost forever in the floods and landslides.’

Other Christian Aid partners involved in the emergency relief operation include Indo-Global Social Service Society (IGSSS) and Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS). Theey are assisting 3,900 households (23,400 people) in the worst-hit areas with food, blankets, tents, first-aid kits and medicine.

Since the disaster struck, hundreds of roads have been destroyed – the national highway has crumbled into the river; landslides and fallen trees have blocked the state highways; and winding, single-track roads that cling to the mountain’s edge have become a slippery, muddy hazard.

‘We followed SEEDS’s distribution truck as it made its way high into the hills to deliver tents to 200 homeless households. A journey that should

have taken two-and-a-half hours took us nearly eight. Our first route was blocked, forcing us to take a 25-mile detour,’ said Melanie.

The communities living high in the mountains have been greatly affected by the extreme weather, although their plight is little reported. These isolated communities are hard to reach and accessibility is a constant challenge in unpredictable weather. ‘People I have been speaking to say that this disaster could take months, even years, to overcome,’ said Melanie.

As well as help in meeting their immediate needs following the floods, the affected communities will certainly need the support of our partners in the coming months. The focus will soon turn towards long-term recovery as people begin the task of rebuilding their lives. For many, with their crops and animals swept away, their only source of income has gone.

• Please help us to help the victims of the floods. You can respond to Christian Aid’s India Floods Appeal at christianaid.org.uk/india-floods

Reuters/Danish Siddiqui, courtesy Trust.org – AlertNet

F DEBRIS’

Please sup p Christian A ort id’s India Flood s Appeal a t christianaid .org india-flood .uk/ s

A DISASTER CAUSING a large loss of life will usually grab larger headlines than a disaster averted. But meticulous and determined efforts to prepare communities to deal with the worst that nature can hurl at them saves many lives. So it was in Bangladesh in May, when cyclone Mahasen hit the coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar, Patuakhali, Barguna and Khulan.

The cyclone struck almost exactly four years after cyclone Aila devastated coastal communities in Bangladesh and India, killing 200 people and making millions homeless.

This time, thanks to precautions put in place by Christian Aid partners in Bangladesh, the death toll was on nothing like the same scale.

Our partners monitored the cyclone’s movement and helped evacuate communities in its path. Volunteers used loudspeakers, hand-held sirens and hoisted flags to warn remote communities of the approaching storm. As word spread, nearly a million people fled to the safety of evacuation centres, including some 250 people who took refuge in a newly built shelter in Khulna, constructed with Christian Aid funds.

Nationwide, nearly 1.3 million people were affected by the cyclone, which destroyed 128,000 homes and left 14 people dead. Christian Aid released £100,000 in emergency funds to help distribute food and provide emergency assistance in the most vulnerable communities.

Ram Kishan, Christian Aid’s regional emergency manager for South Asia, said: ‘Bangladesh has a robust early warning system at both local and national levels. However, it’s in remote areas that Christian Aid partners have been helping most. The early warning systems have all proved successful in getting communities to evacuate to safer ground. Planning and preparing for emergencies such as this is crucial to help communities shelter safely from this storm.’

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NEWS

Christian Aid/Tom Pilston

After taking part in a training programme, Ludoviko Ephrim Kasavka now grows drought-resistant crops

MATCH SCHEME PUTS UK AID TO WORK IN THE PAST YEAR, funding from the UK government has enabled Christian Aid to go even further to help people around the world beat poverty.

During Christian Aid Week 2012, we received a huge boost to the £12.5m we raised from public donations, when the UK’s Department for International Development agreed to match the first £5m pound for pound through the UK Aid Match scheme. We received a further £7m of UK aid last year as part of the Programme Partnership Arrangement (PPA) scheme.

Altogether, this vital source of funds has been used to support 5.15 million people in 31 countries to grow, work and lobby their way out of hardship. The majority of these are women, who can be most affected when disasters, disease and other kinds of crises strike.

In Myanmar, Daw Mun has used a start-up loan provided by UK Aid Match funding to establish a chrysanthemum

business. Within 10 months, she had sold enough flowers to buy a water pump for the farm, repair her home, expand her chrysanthemum plot and contribute towards the village savings and loans scheme.

In Malawi, the government funding meant we could help farmers like Ludoviko Ephrim Kasavka to adapt their growing techniques, so that they can feed their families even when droughts or floods strike. With the advice and training he received, Ludoviko now grows drought-resistant crops, including groundnuts, sweet potatoes and pigeon peas, as well as maize, and no longer worries about going hungry. ‘Even during last year’s drought we were healthy, and the grandchildren are all able to go to school,’ says Ludoviko.

In the remote and vulnerable pastoralist villages of Ele Borr and Dabel, in the far north of Kenya, women are rearing chickens for the first time. This

is thanks to our resilient livelihoods programme, which is part of the PPA scheme.

During the 2010-11 drought, many families in these communities had lost vast numbers of cattle – livestock they have always depended on for food and income. Traditionally, these ethnic groups have never kept or eaten poultry, but since women have learned how to raise chickens, they have started selling hens and eggs to truck drivers. They can use the money to buy rice and beans for their children who are now getting a healthier, more varied diet because they are eating eggs and chicken too.

Since the current PPA funding began in 2011, we’ve helped partners improve access to healthcare for more than 4.6 million people in six countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This year, UK Aid Match funding has helped nearly 150,000 people get better access to health services in six other African countries.

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SIERRA LEONE

LAND GRABS FUEL FOOD CRISIS NEW RESEARCH SHOWS that the introduction of industrial-scale farming of crops, such as oil palm and sugar cane, in Sierra Leone, has increased poverty and food shortages among communities that have lost their access to land.

Since 2009, an estimated one fifth of the country’s arable land has been leased to industrial farming concerns, many of them foreign companies producing biofuels.

The new report, Who Is Benefiting?, which examines the impact on local communities of leases held by three large investors, was commissioned by local joint initiative Action for

Large-Scale Land Acquisition Transparency, with support from Christian Aid and other international development agencies.

The leases examined are held by Addax Bioenergy (SL) Ltd, Sierra Leone Agriculture, and Socfin Agricultural Company Ltd. Following its investigations, the report calls for a review of all existing land investment contracts, and a moratorium on further investment of that kind until a number of concerns around all existing deals are addressed.

The report also urges companies and the Sierra Leone government to

implement international guidelines that emphasise the protection of local people and the environment, and criticises the tax breaks offered to foreign companies, which it says costs Sierra Leone many millions of dollars each year.

Kato Lambrechts, Christian Aid senior policy officer for Africa said: ‘Communities are promised development in various forms such as jobs and services if they sign over land, but only a few ever see real benefits. Loss of access to land badly compromises food security.

‘People are struggling to buy food, or going without.’

CAMPAIGN GETS ITS WINGS

Christian Aid/Mark Marlow/Pacemaker Press

Entertainers and performers joined the thousands of IF campaign supporters who gathered in Belfast on the eve of the G8 meeting in Enniskillen. Braving torrential rain and high winds, the crowds listened to poems read

by Jim Broadbent, music and many inspirational speakers from around the world. See Campaigns on page 18

MORE THAN ENOUGH ONE WORLD WEEK runs from 20-27 October, when local events are organised to stimulate debate about the future of our planet and the need to live as One World.

This year’s theme is More Than Enough, an important opportunity to reflect upon the ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF campaign – and on our own lifestyles.

Have we had ‘more than enough’ of the global consumer culture? Of being defined by what we possess?

And of seeing our planet irrevocably consumed? And have we taken more than enough ourselves?

Local community groups, religious and voluntary organisations, churches, inter-faith groups, environmentalists, youth groups, schools and

universities, as well as local branches of national organisations, take part in the week-long event.

For more information, visit oneworldweek.org You can also use Christian Aid’s One World Week assemblies for primary and secondary students, available at christianaid.org.uk/learn

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TELL US WHAT YOU THINK We’d really like to know more about who is reading Christian Aid News and what you think.

Your views will help us to improve the magazine and make sure it reaches the people who want it.

Please complete this short survey and post it to the address overleaf. Alternatively, you can save us the postage fee and complete the survey online at: feedback.christianaid.org.uk

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK We’d really like to know more about who is reading Christian Aid News and what you think.

Your views will help us to improve the magazine and make sure it reaches the people who want it.

Please complete this short survey and post it to the address overleaf. Alternatively, you can save us the postage fee and complete the survey online at: feedback.christianaid.org.uk

LIFE AND SOUL SPECIAL

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The way we lead our own lives can have a tangible impact in the fight to end poverty. Christian Aid Week is the perfect example of this

WE’VE BEEN BLOWN AWAY by Christian Aid Week this year. All over the country, people joined together to Bite Back at Hunger. It’s too early to say how much money this year’s event has raised, but early indicators look very positive – and the money raised will help transform lives all over the world.

Of course, Christian Aid Week is about raising awareness as well as funds. The fact that more than 100,000 people took to their local streets as

part of the nationwide house-to-house collection – and visited almost 10 million households in the process – is an incredible act of witness. It puts Christian Aid’s work and the issues surrounding global poverty well and truly in the spotlight.

There were also the thousands of Christian Aid Week posters and IF campaign banners you proudly displayed outside churches and schools all over Britain and Ireland,

as well as the media coverage your creative fundraising events garnered.

Your efforts, coupled with a highprofile Christian Aid Week advertising campaign, made this one of the most visible Christian Aid Weeks in years.

‘Christian Aid Week is unlike any other moment in the calendars of churches and communities around the country,’ says Catherine Loy, head of Church Participation. ‘It’s a time when Christians go out on the streets to

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WHEN IT COMES TO CHRISTIAN AID WEEK…

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT Supporters dropped everything – including themselves – to help make Christian Aid Week 2013 a success.

Eleanor Ledesma rounds up some of the highlights

If you’ve n ot been involved in Christian A id Week in yo ur area, bu t think you could contribute some time and enthu siasm, give y our friendly local office (see page 2 4 ) a call. They be happy to ’ll put you in to uch with the Christia n Aid grou p in your neighbourh ood. The g ro ups are active all y ear round, so get in So, if you organised put their faith into touch toda y. house-to-house action. The hundreds of collecting, a sponsored thousands of volunteers event or a cake sale – thank you. who take part, the millions of If you signed a prayer and action card red envelopes that are delivered – and to go to David Cameron – thank you. the many millions of pounds emptied If you prayed for Christian Aid Week – from them later – change lives in thank you. However you got involved, hundreds of the poorest communities thank you for making it a terrific week. around the world.

• Did you know? Money from churches ‘This simply could not happen and groups can be paid in online, at without the conviction of Christian Aid caweek.org supporters around the country.’

People find all sorts of ways to raise money for Christian Aid Week, but few go to the same heights as the Rev Mike Haslam. The father-of-four chaplain at Taunton Academy in Somerset suffers from vertigo, but that didn’t stop him jumping out of a plane in his first ever tandem skydive, to raise money for Christian Aid Week. ‘I am really scared of heights, so this was a big test for me personally,’ he said.

‘But it was also a great opportunity to do something exciting for a good cause that echoes my Christian values’

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LIFE AND SOUL SPECIAL

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• Little Harriet Godwin raised £252 in a two-mile sponsored walk organised by Wolverhampton Christian Aid. While the adults in her family helped her arrange sponsorship, it was four-year-old Harriet herself who decided to do the walk, for the second year running, after watching a television programme about children in Africa.

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HOW THEIR GARDEN GROWS Farmers in the drought-prone area around Dambashoko in southern Zimbabwe have had a tough year – rains have been erratic or not come at all, leaving river levels low and some smaller boreholes dry.

That’s why our partner Dabane Trust is helping communities there adapt to the increasingly dry conditions.

Christian Aid/Sarah Filbey

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• What do you do with your sister when she’s over from Canada to help you celebrate your 50th wedding anniversary? Take her delivering Christian Aid Week envelopes of course! David and Carol Self first collected for Christian Aid in 1967 and they weren’t about to let their golden wedding break the tradition. Kathy joined Carol (right) and David to pound the pavements in Thornbury.

FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH Do you remember the inspiring stories from Bolivia and Zimbabwe featured in this year’s Christian Aid Week appeal? Thanks to support from Christian Aid and our partners, both communities are continuing to thrive

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK

They’re building dams and installing pumps and water tanks to guarantee people a constant supply of water.

In June, when the Dabane Trust’s Thelma Ntini visited Dambashoko, she found the 10 cooperative gardens doing well despite the difficult weather, thanks to a new surface water dam.

Thelma also visited Jonah Tshuma and his wife Jessy, whose story was featured as part of this year’s Christian Aid Week materials. Jonah had just harvested sugar beans and garden peas, and had a beautiful crop of tomatoes ripening in his beds.

Jonah and Jessy now sell their surplus crop to the Matshetshe Processing Centre, which Dabane

Jonah and Jessy have a message for Christian Aid supporters: ‘We’re so thankful. Where you have sacrificed to give to us, may the Lord replenish you tenfold so you are able to give to other communities as well. Blessed is the hand that giveth as that which receiveth’

helped the community to set up. The centre is at the heart of Christian Aid’s ambition to build a more sophisticated conservation-based agricultural model.

Communities now process, preserve and package their produce, adding value to the crop and allowing them to access more lucrative markets.

Another transformational aspect of Dabane Trust’s work is building sand dams – an ingenious way of accessing water reserves deep in the sand. One more community is now enjoying clean water thanks to a water pump fitted underneath the riverbed – stage one of a sand-dam building process. A sand dam can take four years to complete, but this one is well on its way.

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Photos, left to right: Adam Godwin, Emma Nutbrown, Hannah Russell, Emma Nutbrown

• Children from Market Harborough ‘Little Fishes’ group put the ‘fun’ into fundraising when 22 of them, aged between two and seven, took part in a four-hour sponsored bouncy castle bounce at the Market Harborough Methodist Church, raising £400. Bounce organiser Hannah Russell said: ‘It’s good for children, even at this young age, to start to think about others.’

• Two Wiltshire bishops completed a 180-mile bike ride in just two days, raising more than £1,200 for our work. The Bishop of Ramsbury, Dr Edward Condry, and the Bishop of Swindon, Dr Lee Rayfield, cycled through 16 towns and villages, stopping to thank Christian Aid supporters. Dr Rayfield said: ‘This was a journey in solidarity with the poor.’

BOLIVIA MOVE OVER WILLY WONKA In Bolivia, thanks to our partner CIPCA, the cocoa-producing community has now opened its own chocolate factory, funded by Christian Aid. This creates a world of new opportunities for indigenous cocoa producers, who until recently were excluded from much of mainstream Bolivian society. As well as enabling them to earn an income from their own land, which means they won’t have to

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Now a dream has become reality and there’s just such hope here

CIPCA

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migrate to cattle ranches or sugar cane plantations for work, the chocolate factory also gives them the opportunity to be active citizens, contributing to the country’s development.

The machinery is operated by young people from the forest communities, who also receive training in how to run a successful business.

Christian Aid Bolivia country manager

The high-quality raw materials (right) are now being turned into delicious chocolate at the new factory run by the indigenous cocoa-producing community in Bolivia

Emma Donlan recalls: ‘I remember indigenous people saying that they dreamt of being able to process their own chocolate. They said: “If Switzerland can have the best chocolate

in the world and it doesn’t even have one cocoa plant, why can’t we produce good chocolate?” And now a dream has become reality and there’s just such hope here.’

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CAMPAIGNS

Christian Aid/Jo Rogers

Alan and Penny Vernon at the IF campaign rally in London

‘IT IS BY GIVING THAT YOU RECEIVE’ Eleanor Ledesma meets a couple who epitomise the spirit of thousands of supporters who raise money and campaign on behalf of the world’s poorest people SPEND A FEW MINUTES speaking with Alan and Penny Vernon – a retIred school teacher and nurse – and you can’t fail to be inspired by their humble enthusiasm and passion for Christian Aid’s work.

Not only do the couple from Heswall, in the north-west of England, play a leading role in their local house-to-house collection, with Alan volunteering as Christian Aid Week organiser, but they are also keen campaigners.

This May and June have been unusually busy for them. The Christian Aid Week house-to-house collection was no sooner over, than the couple were jumping on the train down to London to join the IF campaign rally – the latest of many they’ve attended down the years.

‘It was a wonderful day,’ notes Alan.

‘We were inspired by Bill Gates’ and Danny Boyle’s speeches, as well as the church service in Central Hall, Westminster. At the rally, the Christian Aid stand was next to the Islamic Relief stand – it was good to see interfaith fellowship coming out of the occasion.’

Penny adds: ‘It was so wonderful to see how many people came out of concern for the poor. There is something

very moving about being part of a mass movement of people who come together to achieve a shared goal.

‘We both believe passionately in taking a stand on global injustice within our own community – and Christian Aid provides the opportunity for us to do just this.’

So what else motivates them to play such an active part in our work?

Jesus’ question ‘Who is your neighbour?’ resonates deeply with both of them, and Alan is also inspired by the words of St Francis, that ‘it is by giving that you receive’. He says that their involvement with Christian Aid has greatly enriched their lives.

‘Hearing about the lives of people who have had to overcome great hardship brings home the reality of our comparably pampered lives in this part of the world and broadens our outlook on life,’ says Alan.

This is particularly what motivates the couple to get so involved with the house-to-house collection during Christian Aid Week. Alan has one tip for new collectors, borne out of long experience dating back to the 1990s: ‘If you build up a regular patch, you soon learn which households are rude and unpleasant, and never donate, so you can avoid them the next year and cover a wider area of people who will consider donating. The important thing is not to become disheartened by one or two negative reactions.’

The G8 leaders’ commitment to tackle tax dodging marked a huge breakthrough for the ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF campaign. But, as churches campaigns manager Alasdair Roxburgh reports, it’s only the beginning…

THANKS TO YOUR passionate support, the ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF campaign has dramatically changed the public and political landscape over global hunger – particularly when it comes to tax. The campaign, launched by Christian Aid and other agencies, has made tax dodging more than an issue about jobs and public services in the UK. It has highlighted its devastating consequences for the world’s poorest countries.

In the run-up to Chancellor George Osborne’s Budget in March, hundreds of you met with your MPs – and more than 10,000 of you wrote to them – to call for the government to keep its promises on aid and tackle tax dodging

by UK companies overseas.

The government took note and announced a budget that maintained its commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of gross national income on aid. But our demands that the Chancellor use the Budget to tackle tax dodging by UK companies in developing countries went largely unheeded. It meant that the need for the G8 to take meaningful action was all the greater.

In the weeks leading up to the G8 summit, the IF campaign ratcheted up the pressure on Prime Minister David Cameron. During Christian Aid Week, more than 18,000 of you signed our prayer and action card to him and we launched a new report, Who Pays the Price? Hunger: the hidden cost of tax injustice. It showed how the estimated US$160bn developing countries lose to tax dodging each year would amply cover the extra US$50.2bn the UN has estimated is needed to create a ‘world free from hunger’ by 2025.

THE BIG IF A week ahead of the G8, the momentum increased as thousands of you travelled to London to join the Big IF rally in central London.

On the morning of 8 June, we filled

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An installation of 250,000 spinning flowers in Hyde Park, with petals representing the 2.3 million children who die from malnutrition every year

Methodist Central Hall in Westminster for an ecumenical service. Archbishop Vincent Nichols told the congregation: ‘That millions go hungry every day is a responsibility we all must share. These are our brothers and sisters, and their suffering is also ours. There can be no excuse that, in a world of plenty, so many go without.’

We then walked together to Hyde Park to join a rally of more than 40,000 people, which was addressed by speakers including film director Danny Boyle, actor David Harewood and Christian Aid partner Alvin Mosioma from the Tax Justice Network Africa. A minute’s silence led by Christian Aid chair Dr Rowan Williams – a mark of respect to the 2.3 million children who die from malnutrition each year – was followed by a minute of noise, aimed at getting David Cameron’s attention.

Thousands of supporters then met

in Belfast on the eve of the G8 meeting in Enniskillen. Lashed by rain and high winds, we listened to poetry, music and speakers from around the world.

MAKING THINGS HAPPEN It was clear that our collective pressure was beginning to make things happen: David Cameron announced that he’d persuaded the 10 British overseas territories (including tax havens such as Bermuda and the Cayman Islands) to share more tax information with other countries.

We then saw further commitments made by G8 leaders on tax when they met in Enniskillen a few days later.

Although these did not go as far as we would have liked, and questions remain as to how much developing countries will benefit from them, the progress made at the summit was significant.

Thanks to our campaigning, tax and

Christian Aid/Emma Wigley

D L U O C E W E M O C T U ‘AN O D E M A E R D E V A H Y L ON OF A YEAR AGO’ transparency were high up on the G8 agenda – an outcome we could only have dreamed of a year ago. But we are only at the beginning of the road when it comes to securing tax justice and ensuring countries have the tax revenues to pay for health, education and ending hunger. So we will keep up the pressure.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? In the coming months the British government must take action, both in the UK and across Europe, to tackle one of the issues highlighted by the G8 – phantom firms, set up with the purpose of helping unscrupulous companies dodge taxes. The solution is simple – greater transparency so that we know who owns what and for what purpose. Watch out for opportunities to get involved in the latest stage of the tax campaign in late August.

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WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THE POOR In an extract from his column for Church Times during Christian Aid Week, former Christian Aid staff member Peter Graystone reflects on how the giving of ‘Christian aid’ can be a two-way process MY JOB FOR CHRISTIAN AID, and the visits to some of the world’s poorest communities that were integral to it, changed my life. I do not work in international development any more, but I realise how significant those experiences have been.

Poverty is about more than hunger.

In Mozambique, I met the widow of a man who had been killed by an electrical mishap at a sugar plantation.

It was an entirely preventable accident.

Her husband had not died for lack of food, or medicine, but for lack of a risk assessment. Poverty drives people to accept jobs under those circumstances.

But it is difficult to ask people to give money to address needs of that kind.

Nearly everyone will readily give money to put bread into the hands of hungry children; it is harder to ask people to fund health and safety officials, trade unions and human rights associations. But those are the systems that make communities strong in the face of natural or man-made assaults.

We need organisations such as Christian Aid so that decisions about funding are not made sentimentally, but to facilitate the long-term strengthening of civil society.

When you live in comfort, your understanding of what has true worth gets fuddled; in poor communities life is stripped bare, and you see issues clearly. The value of life becomes plain when you live close to death.

We need aid from the world’s poorest communities, in order to understand what matters and what is godly. We need Christian aid from the world’s poorest people. churchtimes.co.uk

Stories from around the world showing how Christian Aid and our partners are working to empower people to shape a better future for themselves and their communities

‘I WANT TO CHANGE THE WAY WE ARE TREATED IN OUR SOCIETY’ Educating the next generation is a mantra repeated in communities all over the world. But there are few places where it carry as much weight as among the tribal people living in remote areas of India. Here, education is the key to their very survival, as Ross Hemingway reports IN THE REMOTE AREAS OF JHARKHAND STATE, eastern India, the Santali people live a fearful and unsettled existence. They frequently face the threat of exploitation.

The Santalis – the largest adivasi community in India – are extremely vulnerable to individuals and companies seeking to profit from the region’s abundant riches, including timber, mineral deposits and labour.

The areas where they live are seen by the unscrupulous as places to plunder as quickly and as cheaply as possible.

Consequently, communities are being forced off their land. Many end up living in squalor in the cities, and most slide deeper into poverty.

Adivasis are tribal people, and for generations their ancestors have lived off the land; yet today their way of life is in danger. With little knowledge of how wider Indian society works, the Santalis are at a huge disadvantage when

interacting with individuals and companies who want to use their land for profit. If they want to keep their land and preserve their culture and heritage, they need to be clear on what their rights are and how to ensure others respect them.

‘They are straightforward and proud people and they cannot understand that human beings lie and cheat each other to acquire and accumulate wealth,’ explains Father Thomas Kavalakatt, director of Christian Aid partner Sona Santal Samaj Samiti (SSSS).

He is clear: the access to a quality education system will help equip adivasi communities and future generations with the means to protect themselves from discrimination and exploitation. ‘We want the next generation to say: “We are in no way less than others.”’

Faced with this challenge, community leaders and Jesuit priests – including

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Above: children in one of the village schools. Left: teacher Theresa Murmu. Right: Father Thomas

Christian Aid/Sarah Filbey

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When we see how much their sense of self-worth and belief in themselves has grown, that is our achievement. Ten years ago there was barely one literate person in the villages. Now we have an educated generation

Father Thomas – came together 10 years ago. SSSS was born. During this time, and with support from Christian Aid, they have established 13 schools – both primary and secondary – and with 52 teachers are able to reach 2,400 tribal children. Education is ‘revolutionising’ the 100 villages in which they work.

Alongside literacy and numeracy classes, children learn about the laws enshrined in India’s constitution to protect and strengthen adivasi rights to land, as well as their culture and traditional systems of local self-rule.

Government schools exist in some of the villages, but according to Theresa Murmu, a local teacher, they perform badly. The teachers don’t show up and are not held to account. Besides, the

national curriculum and textbooks are designed for children in cities, where language, cultural values and history are different.

Moreover, says Theresa, a Santali education is not about passing exams, but passing on a way of life. She could easily earn more money elsewhere, but it’s her desire to see her students flourish – and grow into the next generation of Santali leaders – that fulfils her. ‘I am teaching to see that my people get on. I consider that a part of my life’s purpose,’ she says.

Education in Santali schools is about valuing what really matters – community, togetherness and solidarity.

And it’s boys and girls like Ramesh Murmu (no relation), who are benefiting

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from Theresa’s devotion. ‘My family tell me, become educated and try to do something for our society, and in that way be somebody,’ explains Ramesh. ‘I enjoy school, I’m taught many valuable things. In the future, I want to change the way we are treated in our society.’

Father Thomas could not be more proud. ‘When we see children in school, then college, or with a job – when we see how much their sense of self-worth and belief in themselves has grown, that is our achievement. Ten years ago there was barely one literate person in the villages. Now we have an educated generation.’

And this is providing real hope that the Santalis’ way of life can ultimately be safeguarded.

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COMMENT Q&A

INPUT

Christian Aid/Tabitha Ross

Dr Rowan Williams at an IF campaign event

‘WE’RE NOT PREPARED TO SIT DOWN QUIETLY UNDER A SYSTEM THAT SEEMS UNJUST’ As the former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams settles into his new role as Christian Aid’s chair, he discusses the challenges with church and campaigns journalist Joe Ware Joe Ware: Why did you want to take on this new role?

Dr Rowan Williams: In the past few years, as Archbishop of Canterbury, I’ve become more aware of the priority of development and aid issues worldwide. I was wondering how best to carry on with this work when I stepped down, so when the suggestion came that I might think about this role I was delighted.

JW: Christian Aid’s latest strategy is called Partnership for Change.

How important is it for a spirit of partnership to inform how we work?

RW: One of the most important things in any kind of aid organisation is to recognise and build the dignity of people we’re working with. It won’t do to see them as victims, as recipients of handouts. We are bound as Christians to work in such a way that they have the dignity of themselves as givers, as people with something to share, and the model of partnership that Christian Aid is developing takes that kind of dignity absolutely seriously.

JW: How do you feel about Christian

Aid’s commitment to work with and for people of all faiths and none?

RW: It’s very important that Christian Aid has a perfectly clear Christian vision animating and energising it.

Without that energy we wouldn’t be where we are. But, while we come from a Christian background, we need have no qualms about extending what we do, how we serve, how we partner with anyone and everyone. We don’t need to be anxious about that.

JW: Christians are not always portrayed as a particularly dynamic group. Do you think it’s possible for a Christian organisation such as ours to retain a radical agenda for change?

RW: It’s not only possible but essential that a radical agenda remains. We are in Christian Aid presumably because we’re not prepared to sit down quietly under a system that seems unjust and that pushes people out of the way for the sake of profit – a global system that often overrides the interests of actual human beings and societies.

It’s of the first importance that as Christians we say we live from a set of values, the Kingdom of God, that will challenge the way the world runs.

And while we’re not in the business of violent revolution, or the expectation of overnight change, we have to go on saying change is possible; we’ve seen it happen, and with the grace of God we can make it happen.

The Comment piece in the last issue of Christian Aid News was a response by Middle East advocacy officer William Bell to letters critical of Christian Aid’s stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It drew a sizeable postbag, mostly in support of that stance. Here is a selection of the letters CHRISTIAN THING TO DO I am appalled at the letters complaining about the emergency appeal for Gaza, printed in the spring edition of Christian Aid News. It is clear the authors of those letters support Israel in its brutal and illegal occupation of the West Bank and its stranglehold on Gaza.

I would have thought the Christian thing to do would be to support the Palestinians in their struggle for freedom and justice, even if some of them have resorted to violence in their frustration at being on the receiving end of arguably the greatest injustice of the modern era, and seeing the international community stand by for decades and make no attempt to deliver the Palestinians from their nightmare.

I am very pleased to see that Christian Aid recognises the plight of the Palestinians and is prepared to go as far as it can to support them.

Robert Bromley, Lancing, West Sussex

CONCERNS UNALLAYED I’m afraid the response from William Bell does nothing to allay my concerns of anti-Israeli bias in your reporting.

The Gaza strip cannot sensibly be regarded as occupied by Israel since it withdrew its forces several years ago, demolishing their settlements in the process. If only Gaza had been prepared to live in peace with Israel, its situation today would be very different. Instead, the people of Gaza have chosen to support an administration that decided to use the territory as a base from which to rocket Israel, as part of an explicitly racist campaign to eliminate

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Inspired? Enraged?

Send your views to: The Editor, Christian Aid News, 35 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RL or email canews@christian-aid.org as the chosen people. Who are they now? Can it really be the state of Israel?

Most frontline Palestinian politicians are prepared to recognise Israel as part of a just peace, but for 66 years Israel has refused to recognise the rights of Palestinians to their land and nibbles away more with every passing year.

Fraser Ritchie, via email

A PURPOSE TO PROTECT

Israel and its inhabitants altogether.

Had the Israeli withdrawal been matched by a more positive response from the Palestinians, who knows what the consequences might have been for Israeli-Palestinian relations.

There are, sadly, many countries where Muslims persecute their neighbours of other religions, especially Christians and Jews. We read little about this in Christian Aid News.

John Kay, via email

SCALE OF SUFFERING Ruth Ainslie (Input, Issue 59) accuses Christian Aid of bias against Israel.

She tells of a couple of aid workers who spent two nights in Sderot, and gives figures for damage caused by Palestinian mortar attacks, but does not give any figures of Palestinian casualties. In this I consider that she is biased towards Israel. Here are the figures for the Gaza Strip for 2012 (source: UN OHCA oPt) – Palestinians killed by Israeli forces 246, injured

1,763; Israelis killed by Palestinian fire from Gaza 7, injured 251. ‘Two sides to every conflict’, indeed, but a huge difference in the scale of suffering.

Thank you, Christian Aid, for supporting victims of Israeli aggression.

Dorothea Jessop, Beckenham, Kent

GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE? Yet again reporting of the IsraeliPalestinian conflict has the effect of claims by Christians against other Christians of bias and favouritism and references to ‘God’s Chosen People’.

I have been to Sderot and know the serious effect on the people’s nerves of living next to the border with Gaza.

Nevertheless, the more discerning of the people of Sderot I met, a group called Other Voice, at least asked of their own government the question: ‘When was violence ever the answer?’

‘Not in my name’ was the verdict on the horrors perpetrated on Gaza by Operation Cast Lead in December 2008.

The Bible refers to the Children of Israel

I don’t fully agree with the views expressed by R Ainslie and T Feltbower (Input, Issue 59) but it’s heartening that you are prepared to let free speech reign. I’m in total agreement with the emphasis of Christian Aid that its purpose is to protect the oppressed and those undermined by poverty in the extreme. Gaza has had this forced upon them illegally and of course this should be made aware by such an organisation as Christian Aid. Thanks for making that clear in your comment, ‘We do have a bias – towards those living in poverty.’

People are being deceived if they believe that the biblical scriptures should be interpreted in such a way as to justify what is going on in the Middle East.

E Upson, via email

TO THE POINT I was pleased to read William Bell’s robust defence of your stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Please maintain your efforts; ‘Life before death’ was the slogan that made me curious about Christian Aid. The world needs more of your kind of activities.

Judy Jacques, St Albans It is clear to me that Christian Aid‘s action in conflict zones is governed by the numbers and empowerment of those suffering, and not the politics of the protagonists.

Maurice Vassie, chair, York Christian Aid

CALLING CHRISTIAN AID Main switchboard: 020 7620 4444 • Supporter enquiries: 020 7523 2225 • Donations: 020 7523 2269 Regular giving queries: 020 7523 2046 • Wills and legacies: 020 7523 2173 • National events: 020 7523 2248

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Christian Aid/Elaine Duigenan

AROUND CENTRAL ENGLAND

The Psalm Drummers busk for Christian Aid Week

CELEBRATING CHRISTIAN AID WEEK SUPPORTER SUCCESS! WE WOULD LIKE to say a huge thank you to all of you for biting back at hunger during Christian Aid Week.

Here are some of the highlights from across central England: The ‘Little Fishes’ young children’s group from Market Harborough Methodist Church did a sponsored bouncy castle bounce, raising £400!

(See picture on page 17.)

The masterminds at the West Bridgford quiz smashed the record for this annual Christian Aid Week event by raising more than £6,000 in one night!

Four-year-old Harriet Godwin took part in a Christian Aid Week sponsored walk organised by Wolverhampton Christian Aid committee, and raised £252 for completing the two-mile course.

Last year, she raised £235.50 in the same event. While it’s the adults in her family who arrange all the sponsorship, Harriet herself decided to take part after watching a TV programme about children in Africa.

(See picture, page 16.)

Thanks to all of you who came to the Hall Green, Birmingham, plant sale. It was our best sale ever and we raised £4,000 in just a couple of days – an amazing achievement! Thanks also to those who could not come but still sent a donation to support us.

Busking in Birmingham city centre raised more than £700. Thanks to the Young Strings Project children and Psalm Drummers for doing a session each and getting passers-by tapping their toes and opening their wallets!

Mountain man: Tim Friend on his sponsored bike ride through the Pyrenees

TIM GOES THE EXTRA 400 MILES FOR OUR MALARIA APPEAL WE’D LIKE TO SEND A HUGE thank you to Tim Friend, who took part in a gruelling 400-mile, six-day sponsored bike ride over the Pyrenees to raise money for Christian Aid’s malaria appeal at the end of June.

During the first two days, Tim rode from Perpignan to Andorra, climbing over several Tour de France peaks, and finishing on top of Ordino-Arcalís in Andora at 2,223m – a Bradley Wiggins favourite.

Tim said: ‘I had no idea what I’d signed-up for when I booked my flights to France, but I thought bike plus

great outdoors plus banter for seven days sounded fab! Then I was sent the itinerary…’

The disturbing statistics about malaria made Tim decide to fundraise for our mosquito nets appeal. Malaria kills a child in Africa every minute and is responsible for a third of all child deaths in Sierra Leone.

‘I live a comfortable life; my daughters are healthy little girls. I wanted to support this project because it’s making a tangible difference to families whose lives are completely different to mine.’

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Keep up to date with what’s happening across your area: log onto your local website at christianaid.org.uk/eastengland • christianaid.org.uk/eastmidlands • christianaid.org.uk/westmidlands

An hour to change the world Christian Aid Chief Executive Loretta Minghella travelled to the West Midlands region to thank supporters in Coventry for their efforts during Christian Aid Week.

Loretta attended supporter events in the east and south of the city on Friday 21 June, giving a presentation at an event called An Hour to Change the World. Supporters heard about progress made by the ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF campaign and about the need to continue to challenge the government and big companies to tackle tax dodging.

YOUR LOCAL OFFICE East Midlands Suite 2 Ground Floor, Block A, The Moseley Complex, Derby Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 5AH 01509 265 013 eastmidlands@christian-aid.org EAST OF ENGLAND Archdeaconry House, 15 Gravel Walk, Peterborough PE1 1YU 01733 345 755 eastengland@christian-aid.org The King’s Centre, King Street, Norwich NR1 1PH 01603 620 051 eastengland@christian-aid.org WEST MIDLANDS Christian Aid Room 403B The Big Peg 120 Vyse Street Birmingham B18 6NE 0121 200 2283 birmingham@christian-aid.org

IF campaign inspires your support Since the January IF campaign launch, an inspiring movement has gathered strength across the Central region.

On Saturday 8 June, many coachloads of supporters from central England travelled down to London to join the 45,000-strong crowd calling on world leaders to act on the causes of global hunger.

The following Saturday, another group attended the Belfast Big IF event, just two days before the G8 in Enniskillen, Northern

Ireland. Perpetual rain did not dampen the mood or the noise of the crowd.

Thanks to all our supporters who made the journey to London or Belfast, and to everyone who has supported the IF campaign. Whether wearing your wristband, taking part in our IFast, lobbying your MP or praying for the campaign, every action you have taken, every friend you have told and every way you have engaged with this campaign has made a difference. (See story page 18.)

EVENTS IN CENTRAL ENGLAND East of England WEDNESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER An Evening with Mike Wallis and Friends 7.30pm, St. George’s Theatre, Great Yarmouth NR30 2PG The London Palladium and the MGM Grand are just two of the world-famous venues that Mike Wallis has not played during his amazing career. Mike, star of stage, screen and identity parades, along with friends, will put together a great night of entertainment with all profits going to Christian Aid. Tickets £6.50, including tea and coffee.

To order your tickets, call the box office on 01493 331484.

SATURDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 10th annual used book sale 10am-2pm, Irthlingborough Methodist Church, College Street, Irthlingborough NN9 5TU. Ploughman’s lunch available.

For more details, contact Mary Burdett on 01933 650581.

East Midlands SUNDAY 5 OCTOBER Local brass band concert 7.30pm-10pm, St Mary’s Church, Church Road, Greasley, Nottingham NG16 2AB. Join us at St Mary’s Church for an evening filled with music from the wonderful local Ireland Colliery Chesterfield Brass Band.

SATURDAY 19 OCTOBER Fundraising morning 10am-1pm, Watnall WI hall, Main Road, Watnall NG16 1HS. Come along to the Watnall WI hall to explore what’s on offer

including Christian Aid and Traidcraft stalls, a raffle and much more!

West Midlands WEDNESDAY 16 OCTOBER World Food Day Various events are being held across the region to mark World Food Day, as part of a celebration of the ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF campaign. Find out how Christian Aid will continue to campaign on hunger. Venues and details to be confirmed – contact the West Midlands office on 0121 200 2283.

WEDNESDAY 25 SEPTEMBER Good Will Supper Evesham Methodist Church, 71 Bridge Street, Evesham WR11 4SF. At this evening event, find out about the importance of wills and the value of legacies to your church and Christian Aid. For ticket information, call the West Midlands office on 0121 200 2283.

SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER United Service focus on Bethlehem 10am, Clun Methodist Church, High Street, Clun, Shropshire.

The service will focus on the work supported by Christian Aid in Bethlehem. all regions NOVEMBER Will Aid Participating solicitors will draw up wills and donate the

fee to charities, which include Christian Aid. See willaid.org.uk for details. The appointments are taken up quickly, so book early to avoid disappointment. Why not ask your local legacy coordinator to come and speak at a service or midweek meeting about the importance of wills and the value of legacies to churches and charities?

Please contact your local office for more information.

Future events? Travels to Burundi and Bolivia This September, four members of the Central England team are travelling to Burundi to visit Christian Aid partners and see first-hand how the money you raise is used to fight poverty on the ground. Meanwhile, Julian Bryant from the East of England team’s Norwich office will be travelling to Bolivia to visit partners in September.

If you would like to book any of us to come and speak at your church or school about our experiences when we return (October 2013 onwards), please do get in contact.

Judi Perry and Nick Thorley – East Midlands office: 01509 265013, eastmidlands@christian-aid.org John Cooper – West Midlands office: 0121 200 2283, jcooper@christian-aid.org Imogen Tate – East of England office: 01733 345755 itate@christian-aid.org Julian Bryant – East of England Norwich office: 01603 620051 jbryant@christian-aid.org

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AROUND LONDON

REFLECTIONS FROM OUR DEPARTING INTERNS Sadly, we say farewell to our student and youth intern Lisa Douglas and our Methodist intern Syntiche Dedji. They have been so enthusiastic, engaging with and inspiring more than 2,500 young people during their year with us. While wishing them well in their next steps, we invited them to offer some parting thoughts on their Christian Aid experience.

SYNTICHE SAYS: ‘I gained invaluable insight into the world of development, engaging with the challenges development charities face as they seek an end to poverty, and have further understood how my own Christian faith fits into this picture.

‘A trip to Zimbabwe was particularly eye-opening. I met some wonderful people and got to see how Christian Aid changes people’s lives for the better. Inspired by this trip, I also led social justice workshops in Methodist churches all around London, including at Get Connected, a Methodist district youth event, and 3Generate, the Methodist youth assembly. I also had my first campaigning experience on the ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF campaign.

‘My year has been incredibly rewarding. I took great inspiration from people who are truly passionate about what they do. I remain committed to Christian Aid’s vision and will continue to offer my support. See you soon!’

LISA SAYS: ‘During my internship, I have noticed how easily we can busy ourselves and get bogged down by our work and circumstances. In striving to do our best we can often lose sight of what we do and why. When this happens I take myself back to the drawing board and remind myself that I

Adding value: Both Syntiche Dedji (left) and Lisa Douglas enjoyed their year as Christian Aid interns

am part of God’s bigger plan for his world.

‘I see it as a blessing and honour that I am invited to be part of seeing his justice lived here on Earth, and feel grateful to Christian Aid for the opportunity to have experienced this in a very practical way.’

TALENTON: BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING CHRISTIAN AID’S LONDON TEAM is piloting a new youth scheme – Talenton. Inspired by the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), the initiative is an exciting opportunity for young people to make a difference to the lives of those living in poverty around the world.

When they sign up, youth groups are entrusted with talents to the value of £50. They use these talents – as well as their own creativity, skills and gifts – to multiply the talents and join us in the fight against poverty. Bring-and-buy sales and barbeques, treasure hunts and talent shows – the list of possible events goes on and on…

With their talents, the New Generation Youth Group at Perry Rise Baptist Church, Forest Hill, organised a Family Fun Day, offering a tasty cooked breakfast, facepainting, a pampering room, games room and storytelling. Thanks to their creativity, they multiplied their £50 more than eight times, raising more than £400!

If you think Talenton could inspire your youth group, we’d love to hear from you!

• For more information or to sign up to take part in the scheme, please email us at talenton@christianaid.org or call Dionne Parris on 020 7523 2084.

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KEEP UP TO DATE WITH WHAT’S HAPPENING ACROSS YOUR AREA BY VISITING christianaid.org.uk/london

WELCOME ABOARD! WE WELCOME Clare Paine and Lorraine Reimmer to the London team as regional church coordinators.

They come with great enthusiasm for fostering partnerships with church leaders and supporters – partnerships that can really make a difference to world poverty.

Clare comes to us after conducting research on international development and the revival of chiefs in subSaharan Africa. She will serve the boroughs of Hillingdon, Hounslow, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, the City and

Richmond-UponThames.

Lorraine’s background is in law and global development and she will serve the boroughs of Lambeth, Wandsworth, Merton, Kingston-Upon-Thames, Westminster, Tower Hamlets and Kensington and Chelsea.

Do invite them to speak at your church or event, and draw on their expertise to support and invigorate your work.

Email Clare at cpaine@ christian-aid.org or call her on 020 7523 2061.

Call Lorraine on 020 7523 2159, or email lreimmer@christian-aid. org

CONFIDENCE IN GOD MATTERS! I AM ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY every time I hear the words: ‘I have been a Christian Aid supporter for 20, 30 or 40 years’.

It’s obvious I know, but it is worth saying, that those 40 years began with a single day when, as a child, a friend, a church member, a commuter, you were inspired, challenged and convinced that you must make a difference for others.

Our faith demands that each of us be purveyors of justice (Amos 5:24) and rejecters of oppression of the poor (Isaiah 58:6). And yet to accomplish this noble charge we must

have confidence that God is with us and will help us.

As we seek to trust God together in our collective efforts to end world poverty, I encourage all those who have been on this journey for many years and those who are about to set out, to recall the words from Hebrews: ‘Do not, therefore, abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward.

For you have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised’. (Hebrews 10:35-36 RSV).

Mark Sturge, head of London region

EVENTS IN LONDON

Supporters enjoy a warm welcome at the feedback session

Clare Paine

Clare (left) and Lorraine have joined our team

I WAS JUST THINKING…

THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK WE ALWAYS ENJOY welcoming supporters to our head office and in June it was our pleasure to serve up home-baked treats and listen to your valuable feedback on Christian Aid Week 2013. We’ll take your constructive comments into account as we prepare for Christian Aid Week 2014.

Here are just a few reasons why you thought Christian Aid Week 2013 was such a success: • ‘It made such a difference doing house-to-house collecting with someone else, it was much more enjoyable.’

• ‘The films for Christian Aid Week were brilliant! Being shorter meant it was easier to persuade the vicar to show them in our services.’

• ‘I was impressed by how much publicity Christian Aid achieved and felt particularly encouraged by this as I stood collecting at my station with one of the posters behind me.’

• ‘The TV advert was eye-catching and communicated well the message about supporting communities.’

SATURDAY 28 SEPTEMBER Richmond Park Harvest Walk Registration: 9.30-10.20am, Cambrian Community Centre.

Enjoy the beauty of Richmond Park with friends and family while raising vital funds with fellow walkers for the work of Christian Aid. Registration, with coffee and croissants, is followed by a 10.30am reflection. There will be two routes – a six-mile circumnavigation of the park that includes the stunning Isabella Plantation, and a shorter three-mile route with children’s activities.

To find out more and to register, call Clare Paine on 020 7523 2061 or email cpaine@christian-aid.org • Do let us know about events you are organising in your area.

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AROUND NORTH ENGLAND

Charles Martin

A good time was definitely had by all at Blucher Social Club, Newcastle. Inset below: Flog It!’s Adam Partridge joined the fun in Urmston

CHRISTIAN AID in the North West, North East and Yorkshire would like to say a big thank you to all our supporters who continue to find amazing and creative ways to make Christian Aid Week a success.

This year, lookalike cakes, a TV personality and bad singing all took their place alongside the famous red envelope.

Adam Partridge from BBC TV’s Flog It! spent a day valuing antiques at Greenfield Baptist Church in Urmston. While no lost treasures were uncovered, a life-size model of a Native American Indian and a boxed Dinky toy both drew special mention, and the event raised £320.

‘Cakes that look like their bakers’ was one of the curious categories in a cupcake

competition and sale run by Hannah and Amy Brown with Haxby and Wigginton Methodist Church youth group. It attracted some remarkable creations, including ice-cream cupcakes and cakes that looked like popcorn.

People of all ages put on their dancing shoes at a family fun night at Blucher Social Club in Newcastle. MC Bob Weaver oversaw a dancing competition with prizes for toddlers to octogenarians, while all manner of notes were hit (and many missed) on the karaoke machine.

Mary Weatherall’s event, supported by local businesses and churches in Denton, Lemington, Newburn, Throckley and Blucher, raised more than £1,000.

Ralph Birtwisle

YES, YOU BIT BACK AT HUNGER! NEW INTERNS’ ARRIVAL Monday 2 September sees the arrival of three new youth advocate interns in Christian Aid’s offices in the North. Joe Knock in the North West, Helen Raftery in the North East, and Poppy Winks in Yorkshire are all available for work with young people and students for the next 10 months.

Please contact your local office for further details.

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Keep up to date with what’s happening across your region: log on to your local website at christianaid.org.uk/northeast • christianaid.org.uk/northwest • christianaid.org.uk/yorkshire

Pictures of hope in Gaza An inspiring photographic exhibition showing Christian Aid’s work in Gaza comes to Newcastle in September.

Building a Legacy of Hope features the work of Christian Aid partner the Culture and Free Thought Association

(CFTA). CFTA runs community activities in Khan Younis refugee camp, providing a safe place for children to develop and overcome their fears and trauma.

The exhibition tells a story about the legacy of hope that CFTA has been building for these children through its

advocacy and campaign work.

It runs from 3-7 September, with North East regional manager Judith Sadler sharing her experience of travelling to the region at a special event on the Friday evening (see events diary below for full details).

EVENTS IN NORTH ENGLAND SUNDAY 28 JULY – 28 AUGUST Carlisle to Bridlington Pilgrimage Walk Join John and Nancy Eckersley on one of the stages of their pilgrimage walk raising funds for Christian Aid’s partners in Afghanistan.

For more information, please contact John and Nancy Eckersley on revnance@yahoo. co.uk For regular updates during the walk visit johneckersley. wordpress.com SATURDAY 31 AUGUST Bridgewater Canal Sponsored Walk 2-5pm, Monton Unitarian Church M30 8AP. Churches Together in Eccles launch their first Bridgewater, Canal Sponsored Walk.

Participants can complete the three-mile circuit, stop halfway in Worsley, or challenge themselves to see how many laps they can do!

For further information, contact Sandra Dutson on 07790 040513.

TUESDAY 3 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 7 SEPTEMBER Building a Legacy of Hope: Children of the Gaza Strip Holy Biscuit, 1 Clarence Street, Shieldfield, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 1YH. An inspiring photographic exhibition showing the work of Christian Aid partners in Gaza.

(See story, above.) At 6pm, on Friday 6 September, a reception will be held at the Holy Biscuit at which Judith Sadler will share her experiences of travelling to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.

For details, contact the Newcastle Christian Aid office on 0191 228 0115 or email newcastle@christian-aid.org

THURSDAY 5 SEPTEMBER Speaker training day Holy Biscuit, 1 Clarence Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 1YH. For details, contact the Newcastle Christian Aid office on 0191 228 0115 or email newcastle@christian-aid.org.

SUNDAY 15 SEPTEMBER Great North Run Be part of the world’s biggest half marathon by cheering on Team Poverty. We’re looking for volunteers along the route and also in the Christian Aid tent at the finish. For details, contact the Newcastle Christian Aid office on 0191 228 0115 or email newcastle@christian-aid.org.

SATURDAY 21 SEPTEMBER Consett Christian Aid Sponsored Walk For information, contact Joyce Brown on 01207 505027 or email joycebrown358@btinternet.com WEDNESDAY 2 OCTOBER Scarborough Autumn Christian Aid coffee morning 10.30am-12 noon, Palm Court Hotel, St Nicholas Cliff, Scarborough YO11 2ES. All welcome.

FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER Carlisle Quiz Night 7.30pm, Tithe Barn, city centre.

Get quizzical to raise money for Christian Aid. Tickets cost £6, including a buffet supper.

To get your ticket, contact Doug Scott on 01697 473556.

FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER Christian Aid fundraising sale St Crux Church, York.

If you can donate any books or bric-a-brac, or if you are able to help for an hour or so, please get in touch.

Contact Jill at jillyj24@ virginmedia.com, or on 01904 795652.

FRIDAY 11 OCTOBER Hungry for Justice youth event 7-9.30pm, Durham Cathedral, Palace Green, Durham DH1 3EH. An evening of interactive workshops, panel debate and worship to inspire and challenge young people on the issues of food and hunger. Year 7+.

For more information, contact education@durhamcathedral. co.uk or call 0191 374 4070.

make a donation to Will Aid. Please contact Val Barron: vbarron@christian-aid.org

SATURDAY 12 OCTOBER Richmond Christian Aid coffee morning 8.30am-12 noon, Richmond Town Hall, Richmond Market Place.

The coffee is very reasonably priced and there will be cake/ home produce and Fairtrade stalls.

SATURDAY 30 NOVEMBER Coffee morning Clitheroe URC, Castle Gate, Clitheroe BB7 1AZ. Everyone welcome.

SATURDAY 12 OCTOBER Hillbre Island Guided Walk 10am, West Kirby.

The walk across the bay at West Kirby to Hilbre Island will coincide with the low tide, providing an opportunity for seal-watching before returning.

Join us and help to fight poverty step by step. Walkers are asked to make a minimum donation of £5 per adult or use the walk as an opportunity to raise sponsorship. Register now to avoid disappointment.

For more information, contact Alan on 0151 3423398 or email alanvernon@phonecoop.coop SATURDAY 19 OCTOBER Harrogate Band concert Holy Trinity Church, Ripon.

For more information, contact Michael Montgomery at littlethorpe@btinternet.com NOVEMBER Will Aid Every November, local participating solicitors waive their fee for writing a basic will.

Instead, they invite clients to

SATURDAY 16 NOVEMBER Christian Aid concert with Loxley Silver Band St Andrew’s Church, Psalter Lane, Sheffield.

Please contact Alison Trezise on jandatrezise@virginmedia.com or 01142 365938.

DECEMBER Advent Hope Invite Christian Aid to come to your church during Advent for a moving worship experience.

Advent Hope is a chance to approach Christmas with the promise of God’s extravagant love that still whispers revolution in our hearts today.

For more information, please contact your local office.

SUNDAY 8 DECEMBER Sheffield city centre carol singing For more information, contact Sara Millard 0114 286 4427.

SATURDAY 14 DECEMBER Carols in Wonderland Lewis Carroll Centre, All Saints Church, Daresbury.

Join us for an unofficial record attempt to gather the biggest number of people called ‘Carol’ to sing a carol around the Christmas tree.

For more information, contact Ruth Platt on 01925 582 819 or rplatt@christian-aid.org SATURDAY 14 DECEMBER Carol singing 11am-12 noon, Thirsk Market Place. All welcome.

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AROUND SCOTLAND

SCOTLAND’S JOURNEY TO BELFAST MORE THAN 200 ENTHUSIASTIC campaigners from Scotland crossed over to Belfast before the G8 in June, making a substantial, colourful and vocal contribution to the Big IF event.

Chris Hegarty, senior policy and advocacy advisor for Christian Aid Scotland, and also chair of the campaign north of the border, congratulated everyone on their efforts.

‘It was clear that our friends in Northern Ireland were touched by the number of Scots who had braved the Irish Sea and the mixed Belfast weather to make such a passionate call for action against hunger at the G8.

‘Thank you to everyone who quite literally got on board with the

campaign and joined us in Belfast to make their voices heard. We are also extremely grateful to those who took online campaign actions or helped spread the word in other ways.

‘The combined efforts of our supporters in Scotland and our partnership with a wide range of organisations and churches made a big difference. Your support ensured hunger was firmly on the agenda.

‘We’re delighted to have seen real progress in some of the key campaign areas as a result, but there is still a lot more to do. We look forward to continuing to work together with you on the journey towards real and lasting change for the world’s poorest people.’

What’s next?

There is more we can do to bring about change. Right now we’re inviting you to get in touch with your Members of the Scottish Parliament. We want you to ask them to write to the First Minister, calling for action by the Scottish Government that could help make 2013 the beginning of the end of world hunger. Your one simple action will be added to thousands of others across the country, building an irresistible demand for change that compels our leaders to act.

• Go to christianaid.org.uk/scotland/ latest-news/emailyourmsp.aspx or contact Diane Green on 0141 241 6136 for campaign cards.

Photos (left to right) Colin Hattersley, Jen Clark, Cate Gillon, Colin Hattersley

• A giant white ‘Sold’ sign was placed on Arthur’s Seat to highlight Scottish calls for G8 leaders to stop corporate landgrabs in poor countries

• The Sanderson family from Rutherglen helped raise awareness of the cause, letting their local community know why they were going to Belfast

CAN YOU HELP US IN MALAWI? CHRISTIAN AID SCOTLAND is looking for individual churches or groups of churches that would like to be part of a new community partnership, delivering maternal and neo-natal health care for women in Malawi.

We’re asking that churches commit – on their own or jointly with other churches – to raising £5,000 each over the next three years, helping us reach our target of £50,000. The Scottish Government has then agreed

to match this sum seven times over – taking the total raised to a massive £350,000.

In return for your support for this vital project, we’ll keep you updated on its progress, so that you feel genuinely connected to the community you’re helping.

If you want to discuss how to sign up to the partnership, call Mary Mulligan in our Edinburgh office on 0131 240 1523. She will be happy to talk to your church or Christian Aid group.

• Scots campaigners got an official send-off from Scotland’s Minister for External Affairs and International Development, Humza Yousaf

• Despite the wet weather in Northern Ireland, the Scots contingent made their presence rousingly felt at the Big IF event in Belfast

COLLECTIVE APPROACH THE CHRISTIAN AID SCOTLAND youth team has been touring the country over the past few months to launch the Christian Aid Collective, our new youth brand. Stops have included Perth, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow, Blantyre, Larbert, Banchory, Motherwell, Bearsden, Carnwadric, Kilmarnock and the Solas Festival Well done to churches in in Perth. If you’d like the the west end of Gla Collective to visit you, email sgow for th eir successful Sharon at smcnamara@ Brazil nigh t.

It ce lebrated th christian-aid.org or e amazing e ff o rts of congreg telephone 0141 241 6133. ations com in g to gether to ra Find out more about ise funds fo r the work of ou the Collective at: r partner G a sp ar Garcia in th christianaidcollective.org e city of São Paulo

24 Christian Aid News

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KEEP UP TO DATE WITH WHAT’S HAPPENING ACROSS YOUR AREA: LOG ON TO THE CHRISTIAN AID SCOTLAND WEBSITE AT christianaid.org.uk/scotland

EVENTS IN SCOTLAND

Christian Aid/Matthew Gonzalez-Noda

Head of Christian Aid Scotland, Kathy Galloway (left), with chair Dr Rowan Williams and Chief Executive Loretta Minghella at the Book Sale at St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church in Edinburgh

BITING BACK AT HUNGER IN SCOTLAND CHRISTIAN AID WEEK 2013 was a great success in Scotland, thanks to the commitment and support of our volunteers.

We were particularly excited to welcome the chair of Christian Aid, Dr Rowan Williams, on his first visit to Scotland in his new role.

Dr Williams visited the annual book sale at St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church in Edinburgh, and met volunteers as they geared up for the week.

During his visit, he thanked them and Christian Aid supporters around the country for their amazing gift to the world.

On our travels around Scotland during Christian Aid Week, we were inspired by the dedication of our supporters, including those helping to spread the word about the ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF campaign.

We also enjoyed hearing about unusual and original

fundraising events: a group sleeping overnight in a leanto in Motherwell; IF cakemaking on Iona; and a 14-hour Bach musical marathon in Edinburgh.

Kathy Galloway, head of Christian Aid Scotland, said: ‘This year we all came together to ask why, in a world where there is enough food for everyone, one in eight people go to bed hungry every night.

‘By taking part in Christian Aid Week, whether by organising an event, collecting house-to-house, or making a donation, you have helped make a real difference to those trapped in poverty in developing countries across the world. Thank you for your contribution.’

• The winners of our annual Christian Aid Week quiz were Miss Kennedy of Dunfermline, Nancy Armour of Dundonald and Audrey Macrae of Ballater. Thank you to all who took part!

TUESDAY 27 AUGUST Harvest event 7-9pm, Balerno Parish Church.

We will be showcasing a range of Christian Aid’s work, with a focus on our Harvest resources.

TUESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER, THURSDAY 24 OCTOBER Drop-in afternoon An informal event where you can meet staff of Christian Aid and the Church of Scotland World Mission Council.

24 September – 1-3pm, Orchardhill Parish Church, Giffnock, Glasgow.

24 October – 1-3pm, Knox Church, Arbroath.

TUESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER, THURSDAY 24 OCTOBER Israel/occupied Palestinian territory event An evening to hear stories from recent trips to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory from Christian Aid, Church of Scotland and Scottish Episcopal Church with prayers for peace.

24 September – 7-9pm, Fairlie Parish Church.

24 October – 7-9pm, Queens Cross Church, Aberdeen.

WEDNESDAY 25 SEPTEMBER, WEDNESDAY 2 OCTOBER Debt, Tax and Africa events Evenings with Christian Aid, Jubilee Scotland and the Church of Scotland World Mission Council to look at how tax and debt continue to affect Africa.

Wednesday 25 September 7-9pm, Dalgety Parish Church.

Wednesday 2 October Stow Church, Galashiels Road, Stow.

FRIDAY 27 SEPTEMBER – THURSDAY 3 OCTOBER Take One Action Film Festival Fire in the Blood – a film about global access (or not) to HIV medicines. Guest speaker: Christian Aid’s HIV advocacy manager, Winnie Ssanyu Sseruma.

27 September – (evening) at Edinburgh Film House.

28 September (afternoon) at Glasgow Film Theatre.

STATE 194 – a film about state building in Palestine. Guest speaker: Christian Aid’s senior policy advisor for Middle East, William Bell.

2 October (evening) at Glasgow Film Theatre.

3 October (evening) at Edinburgh Film House. takeoneaction.org.uk TUESDAY 22 OCTOBER Largs Eco-congregations Roadshow 7-9pm, Clark Memorial Church.

WEDNESDAY 6 NOVEMBER Christmas event 7-9pm, Whiting Bay & Kildonan Church, Whiting Bay, Arran KA27 8RE A roadshow event to showcase the work of Christian Aid, with a focus on Christmas resources.

SUNDAY 24 NOVEMBER Thanksgiving service 6.30-7.30pm, Glasgow Cathedral.

With prayers for peace in the Middle East.

THURSDAY 28 NOVEMBER Panel discussion Orchardhill Parish Church, Giffnock.

A panel discussion on this year’s IF campaign.

COMING TO A TOWN NEAR YOU

Over the past few months, Christian Aid Scotland team members have been to 43 towns and villages, and worked with around 153 churches. We’ve also participated in the Baptist Women’s Assembly, United Free Church Assembly, Scottish Episcopal Church Synod, and the Church of Scotland General Assembly.

We are always happy to talk to you about how we can help you spread the word. If you’d like us to come and deliver talks, Bible studies and other events, please contact Val Brown on 0141 221 7475.

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AROUND THE SOUTH EAST Regional news and events in Beds, Berks, Bucks, Herts and Oxon

THANK YOU

NEW FACES The Oxford team is expanding. We are pleased to welcome Philip Evans, who will be covering Buckinghamshire, Adrian Whalley, who will cover Hertfordshire and be based in St Albans and Andrew Godfrey, who will cover Bedfordshire. Alongside these new appointments, Jessica Hall will now be the main contact for Berkshire and Steve Johnson for Oxfordshire.

StorIeS from CambodIa Regional coordinator Steve Johnson is visiting Christian Aid partners in Cambodia in September, and will be available for talks and events on his return. Please contact Steve in the Oxford office to arrange a date on 01865 246818 or at sjohnson@christian-aid.org

Chris Bright (left) with members of Sunnyside Church youth group and their MP David Gauke

Christian Aid/Amy Merone

Across the region, hundreds of people got involved with this year’s Christian Aid Week to make it a great success.

Whatever you did – be it a houseto-house collection, coffee morning, plant sale, sponsored event, concert or something entirely different – thank you so much for your contribution. It will help some of the world’s poorest communities get enough to eat, give them hope for the future and and make sure their voice is heard.

Christian Aid Week is only possible because of all our amazing supporters, and your efforts make a huge difference.

REFLECTIONS OF AN INTERN Chris Bright has spent 10 months in Christian Aid’s Oxford office as an intern. Here he reflects on some of his experiences ‘My internship began with a trip to visit the work of Christian Aid partner organisations in Zimbabwe. The determination of communities and partners to tackle poverty in their area was inspirational and I have drawn motivation from people I met there throughout the internship.

‘My opportunities and responsibilities have included speaking at churches, schools and colleges; organising campaign events at universities; and writing articles for student media. I have also enjoyed working alongside a committed group of Oxford University students to organise a “Beer and Carols” evening, and an auction of gifts and promises to raise money for Christian Aid.

‘The voices of young people and students are very powerful in the campaign to end poverty. Just a few days before the G8 summit in Northern Ireland, I arranged a meeting between a youth group from Sunnyside Church in Berkhamsted and their MP, David Gauke. They urged Mr Gauke to take action to end tax dodging by multinational companies.

‘Youth group member Naomi Pyburn commented: “Our generation is responsible for shaping the future of the world.”

‘Amy Lockwood will be replacing me in September 2013 and will continue to work alongside young people and students to inspire them to join the movement to end poverty. If you would like her to come along to your church or to work with your youth group, please get in touch with the Oxford office to book a session.’

EVENTS SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 Afternoon tea with talk and auction of promises by Charlie Ross 3-5pm, The Church of St Mary & St Edburga, Stratton Audley OX27 9BL. Enjoy a delicious tea and some great entertainment with Charlie Ross, from BBC television’s

The Antiques Road Trip, Flog It! and Bargain Hunt. Tickets cost £12.50 and proceeds will support Christian Aid’s maternal healthcare work in Sierra Leone.

For more information on tickets, contact 01280 847184 or admin@ shelswellparishes.info The deadline for ticket requests is 1pm on Friday 20 September.

COMING SOON Retreat days will be happening across the region in November.

To find out more, please contact the Oxford office.

If you would like your event listed here – or on our regularly updated regional section of the Christian Aid website,

christianaid.org.uk/oxford – please contact Sarah Clay on sclay@christian-aid.org or 01865 246818.

• If you would like a Christian Aid speaker for an event, contact oxford@christian-aid.org or call 01865 246818.

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KEEP UP TO DATE WITH WHAT’S HAPPENING ACROSS YOUR REGION: LOG ON TO YOUR LOCAL WEBSITE AT christianaid.org.uk/oxford • christianaid.org.uk/southeast

Regional news and events in Essex, Surrey, Sussex and Kent REBECCA GOES OVER THE EDGE

CELEBRATE HARVEST

David Millar

IN APRIL, Chelmsford Diocese’s communications executive Rebecca Hough abseiled down a church tower in Essex for Christian Aid. More than 30 brave supporters joined Rebecca in taking up the challenge and together they raised more than £6,000 in sponsorship –

a fantastic achievement.

Rebecca said afterwards: ‘I have huge respect for Christian Aid and the work that it does to develop sustainable living in third world countries and alleviate global poverty. Being able to support such a worthwhile cause whilst taking on a new challenge was a fantastic opportunity; I just couldn’t say no!’

MEET THE INTERNS RACHEL LEES will be joining us in September as our new South East intern, working with churches and young people. We asked Rachel to introduce herself: ‘As a Dorset girl I love the outdoors, from kayaking to fishing. I took Religious Studies at the University of Edinburgh with a focus on African indigenous religion, poverty and ethics, developing my interest in development and its relationship with religion.

This interest was furthered

Rachel Lees, new intern with the South East team

by nearly two years’ experience in South Africa, working alongside NGOs and studying. I love people, the environment and culture, and am excited to be part of the Christian Aid team and to explore these within the scope of justice and development.’

We will also be joined

by Ian Rowe – the national intern for Commitment for Life, the world development programme of the United Reformed Church. Ian is 18 and comes to us straight from his A-level studies.

He is a keen cyclist and is interested in comedy, philosophy and politics.

Ian first got involved with Christian Aid through his youth group.

Get in touch if you’d like Ian to visit your group or church to speak or run a workshop.

EVENTS For more information and to book your place at an event, please contact the South East office on 020 7523 2105 or email LSE@christian-aid.org You can also visit our regional web pages: christianaid.org.uk/ southeast SATURDAY 28 SEPTEMBER Richmond Park Harvest Walk Registration: 9.30-10.20am, at the Cambrian Community Centre TW10 6SN. Enjoy the beauty of Richmond Park while raising vital funds for the work of Christian Aid. There will be two routes – six miles and three miles. The walk will begin with a reflection at 10.30am. To sign up please contact Clare Paine in Christian Aid’s London Team on 020 7523 2061 or email cpaine@ christian-aid.org

SATURDAY 26 OCTOBER Charity concert 7.30pm, St Paul’s Methodist Church, Ballards Walk, Basildon, Essex SS15 5HL. A concert in aid of Christian Aid and Action for Children with Thurrock Male Voice Choir and special guest artist.

Tickets available from Dave Williams on 07767 793745 (call after 5pm). Tickets are £7 each or £20 for a family of four.

NOVEMBER WILL AID MONTH Solicitors across the country waive their fee for drawing up your will in exchange for a donation to one of nine charities, including Christian Aid. To find out more, contact Laura Mead (Christian Aid’s legacy officer for the South East) on 020 7523 2110 or visit willaid.org.uk

DECEMBER ADVENT HOPE Advent Hope is Christian Aid’s special candle-lit advent service.

Listen to stories of hope, peace and reconciliation, sing carols and enjoy festive refreshments.

This year we have three Advent Hope services taking place across the South East.

Tickets are free but must be booked in advance. Contact the South East office on 020 7523 2105 for more information and to book your place.

MONDAY 2 DECEMBER 7.30pm, Lancing College Chapel, West Sussex BN15 0RW. WEDNESDAY 4 DECEMBER 7.30pm, Holy Cross Church, Bearsted, Kent ME14 4EE. THURSDAY 5 DECEMBER 7.30pm, All Saints Church, Springfield Green, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 7HS.

This Harvest we are asking churches to stand with us alongside communities in Brazil, and to pray for the work of Christian Aid’s partner, the Pro-Indigenous Commission of São Paulo.

You can order your Harvest resources online or by contacting the South East office on 020 7523 2105.

Here are a couple of fundraising ideas to bring a Brazilian twist to your Harvest celebrations: Brazilian Bake Off: Give members of your church a challenge to bake some tasty cakes using Brazil nuts, and then sell them.

Brazilian Feast: Add a South American flavour to your church’s Harvest supper with tastes of Brazil such as coconut fish curry or black-eyed bean stew.

QUIZ WINNERS Congratulations to the winners of the South East Cryptic Paper Quiz 2013 – Ann Williams from Horsham and Gillian Hall from Dartford. Both will receive a Fairtrade goody bag. If you would like to know the answers to the quiz, please email LSE@ christian-aid.org.

CORRECTION In the last issue of Christian Aid News, the photo caption on page 25 should have read: ‘The Rt Rev Trevor Willmott, the Bishop of Dover, helps launch the IF campaign outside Canterbury Cathedral’. Apologies for the error.

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AROUND THE SOUTH AND WEST

IT WASN’T SO MUCH a case of ‘going the extra mile’ in the South and West this Christian Aid Week – more of going 180 miles and falling 15,000ft.

• In Wiltshire, the Bishop of Ramsbury, the Rt Rev Ed Condry and the Bishop of Swindon, the Rt Rev Lee Rayfield, set off on a whirlwind two-day, 180-mile cycle tour of 16 county destinations.

The Episcopal MAMILs (middle-aged men in lycra) battled wind and rain, prayed for justice with pupils, councillors and churchgoers, and raised funds and profile for Christian Aid. Bishop Lee said: ‘It’s been amazing to see such large numbers of Christian Aid supporters, all of them passionate, committed people.’

Bishop Ed added: ‘The ride was amazing. We had a fantastic reception wherever we went, including a real rock star welcome at Amesbury Primary School where 200 or so children greeted us with flags.’

• Another group of supporters definitely threw themselves into Christian Aid Week. They jumped out of a plane 15,000ft above the beautiful Devon countryside in a sponsored skydive that raised more than £10,000!

Among them was Taunton chaplain Mike Haslam, dubbed the ‘vicar with vertigo’. He explained: ‘I am scared of heights so it was a big challenge for me personally. But it was a great opportunity to do something exciting for a good cause that echoes my Christian values.’

See story and picture, pages 14-15.

Also jumping were Christian Aid’s

Jumping to it: Jessica Booth and Chris Jadav

regional coordinator for Cornwall, Chris Jadav, 17-year old Jessica Booth from Cullompton and Pam Palmer of Weymouth. Pam said: ‘To raise awareness of poverty, and money to support those in need around the world was a win-win situation.’

• Keeping their feet firmly on the ground but facing challenges of their own were Winchester University students. They braved the wettest day of the week for

Emma Nutbrown

GOING THE EXTRA MILE (AND FALLING THE EXTRA FEET)

The bake-off team, left to right: Major Adrian Allman, the Rt Rev Michael Perham, the Rev Noel Sharp, Fairtrade baker and former Christian Aid staff member Linda Anderson of Filled with Love Cupcakes and the Rev Alison Evans

their Bite Back at Hunger fundraising event at Winchester Cathedral.

Street performers went out and about on the high street raising awareness of the ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF campaign, while students performed music, poetry and sketches on the stage outside the cathedral.

• Church leaders in Gloucestershire went head-to-head in a Christian Aid Week bake-off. Donning aprons and seizing their mixing bowls were the Bishop of Gloucester the Rt Rev Michael Perham, the Rev Noel Sharp of Gloucestershire Methodist Circuit, the Rev Alison Evans of the West of England Baptist Association and Major Adrian Allman of Gloucester Salvation Army Corps.

The quartet worked flat out to bake the best buns. And the winner was Noel Sharp, who will join the Christian Aid West team this autumn as regional coordinator for Gloucestershire!

Bringing back the stories CHRISTIAN AID STAFF in the South and West are always glad to come to your church or group to tell you about the work of our partners around the world. This year our Harvest resources tell the story of the indigenous people of Brazil. Charlotte Page, who visited there in 2011, would be happy to tell you the stories of the people she met. Please get in touch with her at the Southampton office.

The South West team is also offering

Now Is the Time, a worship experience with a Harvest theme, suitable for all denominations. Your local regional coordinators – Charlotte, Chris, Laura or Stephen – can either bring and lead the whole service or work alongside your local team. Book them through the Southampton office.

In September, Lydia Nash will be visiting our partners in Bolivia. If you would like to hear her talk about her experiences, contact the Bristol office.

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KEEP UP TO DATE WITH WHAT’S HAPPENING ACROSS YOUR AREA: LOG ON TO YOUR LOCAL WEBSITE AT christianaid.org.uk/southwest • christianaid.org.uk/west

Among the new faces joining our team are, left to right: Lindsay Jones, Katrine Musgrave, Emma Nutbrown and Noel Sharp

CHANGING FACES AND PLACES THE BIG IF IN HYDE PARK Seven coachloads of campaigners from the South and West travelled to London for the Big IF lobby ahead of the G8 summit in Northern Ireland in June.

Following an ecumenical service in Methodist Central Hall, Westminster (two overflow meetings were also full) supporters joined a march of witness to Hyde Park for a rally of 45,000 people joining together to tell the world leaders that there is ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF. • See main story, page 18

There have been quite a few changes of faces and places in our West and South West teams since the last issue of Christian Aid News.

After eight years as South West regional manager, Martin John Nicholls has moved on to become Christian Aid’s national church projects manager. He’ll be organising our presence at Greenbelt and other festivals and conferences around the country. Many thanks for everything you have done Martin.

Our West regional manager, Nigel Quarrell, will now be managing both teams and so will hand over his work in Gloucestershire to a new regional coordinator for the county, Noel Sharp. Noel is a Methodist minister and begins his work with us at the beginning of September.

Also in the West team, Anna Potts is now on maternity leave. Her work in Wiltshire is being covered by Katrine Musgrave and her media and events responsibilities by Emma Nutbrown. Katrine has previously worked for Christian Aid in our Oxford and London offices and Emma is also a communications officer for the diocese of Guildford.

All administration in the South West team has been relocated to the Southampton office to streamline and improve organisation and efficiency for our supporters. Regional coordinator for Devon, Laura McAdam, will remain based in Exmouth and regional coordinator for Cornwall, Chris Jadav, in Truro. But all correspondence and donations previously sent to the Exmouth office should now go to the Southampton office.

Senior regional administrator Penny Haynes has been joined in the Southampton office by Lindsay Jones to bolster our administrative cover. Lindsay has previously worked with asylum seekers, refugees and victims of trafficking for both the Home Office and the Medaille Trust.

Ben Palmer is joining the South West team for 10 months as our volunteer intern.

Ben will be working with Charlotte Page in Hampshire, as well as leading on youth and student work. He has just finished a degree in philosophy and political economy at Exeter University. Contact the Southampton office to book him to speak at your local group.

EVENTS IN THE SOUTH AND WEST

YOUR LOCAL OFFICE Please note: Christian Aid’s Exmouth office has how closed, and all South West administrative enquiries should go to the Southampton office.

Pl

TUESDAY 13 AUGUST – THURSDAY 22 AUGUST Soul Survivor Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet.

Visit the Christian Aid stand at this Christian youth festival. soulsurvivor.com FRIDAY 23 AUGUST – TUESDAY 27 AUGUST Momentum Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet.

Visit the Christian Aid stand at this popular Christian student festival. momentum.co.uk FRIDAY 23 AUGUST – MONDAY 26 AUGUST Greenbelt Festival Cheltenham racecourse.

Christian Aid will have its usual prominent presence at the popular festival. greenbelt.org.uk

SATURDAY 31 AUGUST – SUNDAY 1 SEPTEMBER Cathedrals to Coast sponsored bike ride Starting in London, this twoday, 140-mile challenge will take cyclists past Winchester and Salisbury cathedrals and finish on Weymouth’s seafront.

Book online at christianaid.org.uk/cycling SATURDAY 5 OCTOBER Severn Vale Sponsored Walk 9am-5pm, Arlingham to Purton.

This 11-mile route provides a great opportunity to enjoy a stretch of the beautiful Severn Vale along the Severn Way and Gloucester & Sharpness Canal.

Book online at christianaid.org.uk/walks SATURDAY 12 OCTOBER Beyond Belief 4pm, St Peter’s Church, Baytree Road, Milton, Weston-super-Mare.

Conflict in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory explored through music, prayer, images and a talk.

Contact St Peter’s Church: stpetersmilton@btinternet.com or 01934 624 203.

SATURDAY 19 OCTOBER Ethical Finance Conference Bristol.

Speakers, time and venue to be confirmed.

Contact Lydia Nash at lnash@ christian-aid.org or on 01454 415 923.

SATURDAY 26 OCTOBER Trowbridge One World Week – Christian Aid coffee morning 10am-12noon, Catholic Church Rooms, Wingfield Road, Trowbridge.

Contact Tom Hill at thomashill75@btinternet.com or on 01225 763 312.

stias

BRISTOL OFFICE (Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire) 57 High Street Thornbury Bristol BS35 2AP 01454 415923 west@christian-aid.org facebook.com/ChristianAidWest SOUTHAMPTON OFFICE (Channel Isles, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Isles of Scilly) Isaac Watts Church Winchester Road Southampton SO16 6TS 023 8070 6969 southwest@christian-aid.org

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AROUND WALES Even a little Belfast rain couldn’t quench the fires of the Welsh dragon

Christian Aid/Anna Jane Evans

HIGH POINT

IF WE WALK… IF CAMPAIGNERS HELD three Walks of Witness in different parts of Wales during the run-up to the G8 summit.

Jane Harries, Christian Aid Week organiser for Bridgend, arranged a walk around the churches of the town on Saturday 18 May. As well as local Christian Aid, CAFOD and Oxfam supporters, she was also joined by the mayor of Bridgend, Councillor Marlene Thomas, who launched the walk, and local MP Madeline Moon, who walked part of the way.

Christian Aid, CAFOD and Tearfund supporters gathered at The Lightship in Cardiff Bay – base for the Cardiff Bay chaplaincy – on 1 June, and were sent on their way with a reflection by Peter Noble, lead chaplain for The Lightship.

Following short stops in some of the churches in the city, and a shared picnic in Bute Park, they marched through the city centre, talking to many of the thousands of speedway fans who had gathered for the International

Speedway Championship! The march ended at St David’s Roman Catholic Cathedral with a short service of prayer and call to action, led by CAFOD supporters.

In North Wales, IF campaigner Padraig Ward decided on an ambitious 157-mile pilgrimage from Bardsey Island to St Asaph Cathedral. Setting out on Pentecost Sunday, Padraig was joined by many people along the way, and he spoke at services and meetings in towns and villages along the coast.

Supporters from Anglesey crossed over to the mainland at Menai Bridge with more than 200 paper plate messages from Anglesey schoolchildren to David Cameron (see story far right).The pilgrimage ended with a special service at St Asaph Cathedral led by Bishop Gregory, who challenged the congregation to spread the message of justice and speak out against the causes of poverty and inequality in our world.

Christian Aid Week in Wales once again brought out the best in our supporters Supporters in north Wales were given a pre-Christian Aid Week boost with a visit from Cecilia Cordova, Christian Aid programme manager in Bolivia – one of the focus countries for this year’s week.

Cecilia visited schools and churches across the region and inspired supporters with her passion for Christian Aid’s work in Bolivia. She also found time to join with IF campaigners as they lobbied north Wales AMs Antoinette Sandbach and Llyr Huws Griffiths at the World Heritage Site aqueduct in Froncysyllte, near Wrexham. A further boost to the area was a visit by Cathrin Daniel, the new head of Christian Aid Wales. She spoke at several Christian Aid Week services and attended a ‘frugal lunch’ at Berea Newydd church, organised by the Bangor Churches Together group.

Members of CIC-Bang, the ecumenical youth group who meet at the church, also held a sponsored sleepless night!

The week in Cardiff kicked-off with a breakfast event at the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay. Cathrin and Bishop John

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KEEP UP TO DATE WITH WHAT’S HAPPENING ACROSS WALES: LOG ON TO christianaid.org.uk/wales

Miara Rabearisoa

Davies, the chair of the National Committee of Christian Aid in Wales, joined AMs Rebecca Evans, Darren Millar, David Melding, Edwina Hart, Rhodri Glyn Thomas and Jane Hutt to celebrate the amazing efforts of so many of their constituents across Wales during Christian Aid Week.

Llanfair Community Church in Penrhys, Rhondda, one of the poorest communities in Wales, had their usual full programme of Christian Aid Week events. The high point this year, in more ways than one, was the decision of five young adults from the community to spend the night on ‘Pen-y-Fan’, the highest peak in southern Britain. Carrying their Christian Aid buckets with them, they managed to raise £300.

In west Wales, 50 people from the neighbouring Christian Aid committees of Llandysul and Cynwyl Elfed took part in a walk across the moorland between the two communities, before sitting down together for a shared tea. Cathrin also visited the area, joining in another frugal lunch with the Cydweli group and taking part in the annual street collection in Carmarthen, which raised £350.

The plate-carrying pupils gather outside No 10, with David Walliams and David Cameron

‘We had our say. Mr Cameron had to take notice!’

Mikael Buck/UNICEF

Five supporters hit the heights for Christian Aid, by spending the night on Pen-y-Fan

SIX PUPILS FROM ST ANDREW’S MAJOR Church in Wales Primary School joined with around 100 other children from all parts of the UK, as well as TV star David Walliams, to present their messages personally to 10 Downing Street, on Thursday 6 June.

As part of the IF campaign, schools were asked to write a message on paper plates to David Cameron and the other G8 leaders, calling on them to take action on global hunger. The target of 10,000 plates set by IF was easily surpassed, with more than 30,000 plate messages handed in from around the UK. St Andrew’s was one of just two schools in Wales to be invited along to personally present their messages to the Prime Minister at No 10. With the meeting set for 10.30am, it was a bright and early start for Jack Doyle, Grace Lee, Lucy Richards and Kian Walters (Year Six) and Anoushka Broughton and Kian Quest (Year Five).

Their message to the Prime Minister was: ‘Now is the time for our government to show the world’s leaders that we’re serious about ending global hunger.’

The pupils described their experience as, ‘amazing’, but also emphasised the reason for their visit: ‘We had our say. Mr Cameron had to take notice!’

EVENTS IN WALES THURSDAY 19 SEPTEMBER Celebrating Fairtrade 12 noon, Gwynedd County Council, Shire Hall, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 1SH Join with Fairtrade campaigners from all parts of Gwynedd, to celebrate the Fairtrade system.

Contact Christian Aid on 01248 353574 or bangor@ christian-aid.org for further details.

HYDREF 11 – 13 Cynhadledd Cymorth Cristnogol – ‘Mae OS yng ngeirfa Duw hefyd’ Coleg Trefeca, Trefeca LD3 0PP Mae’r penwythnos flynyddol hon, wedi ei threfnu gan Eglwys Bresbyteraidd Cymru, yn gyfle gwych i wybod mwy am yr ymgyrch DIGON O FWYD I BAWB OS..., sy’n derbyn cefnogaeth gan Cymorth Cristnogol ac EBC. Dewch i ymuno gyda chefnogwyr Cymorth Cristnogol o bob rhan o Gymru a dysgu mwy am waith yr elusen ar draws y byd.

Am fanylion pellach,

cysylltwch â Catrin Roberts, Mans Soar, Pontyberem SA15 5ED | catrinrob@btinternet. com | 01269 871871.

FRIDAY 11 OCTOBER – SUNDAY 13 OCTOBER Christian Aid Conference: ‘IF is also part of God’s vocabulary!’

Trefeca College, Trefeca, Powys LD3 0PP. This annual weekend conference organised by the Presbyterian Church of Wales is a great opportunity to engage with the ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF campaign, which is being supported by Christian Aid and the PCW. Come along to spend time with other Christian Aid supporters from all parts of Wales and learn more about the charity’s work around the world.

For further details, contact Catrin Roberts, Mans Soar, Pontyberem SA15 5ED, email catrinrob@btinternet.com or phone 01269 871871.

FRIDAY 25 OCTOBER Fun Quiz 7pm, Ynysybwl Community Centre, Windsor Place,

Ynysybwl CF37 3HR. Come along and put your brains to the test! Admission £2 (including refreshments).

For further details, contact Anne Arnold on 01443 790393.

IAU 14 TACHWEDD ‘Tlodi a’i amryw agweddau’ Sgwrs gan Cathrin Daniel, Pennaeth Cymorth Cristnogol, Cymru Capel Bethel, Maes-y-Deri, Rhiwbeina, Cardiff CF14 6JJ am 7.30 yr hwyr Noson wedi ei threfnu gan Cyngor Eglwysi Cymraeg Caerdydd.

Manylion pellach gan Menna Brown ar 029 2025 4679 SATURDAY 23 NOVEMBER Christian Aid Christmas Fair 10am-12 noon, Salem Chapel, Market Road, Canton.

Tea and coffee, plus stalls selling Fairtrade goods and Traidcraft Christmas cards.

Organised by the Cardiff City Centre Welsh Churches. For further details, contact Nans Couch on nans.couch@talk21. com

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LIFE AND SOUL The way we lead our own lives can have a tangible impact in the fight to end poverty. By ‘doing the right thing’, we show we have a commitment to a sustainable lifestyle that places a high value on helping others ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world’ – Nelson Mandela

INSPIRING YOUNG GLOBAL CITIZENS Learn website is regularly updated with workshops, lesson plans, presentations and monthly assemblies. We provide additional material at key moments throughout the year, including Harvest, Christmas and Christian Aid Week.

And we’ve just launched our brand new disaster resource for primary and

secondary schools, which explores the impact of disasters on people living in poverty, and how Christian Aid supports those affected by disasters. If you are a teacher – or if you know any teachers – then please visit our Learn website to find out about our latest education news and

What a very good little company!

WHEN FOOD COMPANY Finnebrogue wanted to find a way to give something back to the wider world, it set up the Good Little Company. The concept was simple enough: for every pack of sausages or meatballs sold, 7p would go towards Christian Aid’s work to help some of the world’s poorest people get the food they need.

So far, this elegant plan has raised nearly £80,000.

Last year, Craig Blaney from the Good Little Company and Brendan

Brosnan from Christian Aid travelled to Malawi and met people whose lives the partnership has improved.

As the Good Little Company grows, so does its involvement with Christian Aid. In 2013 it has provided catering at a range of regional Christian Aid events and in April we were together shortlisted for the Business Charity Awards ‘Charity Partnership’ category.

We look forward to working more closely with the firm on an exciting range of new projects in the next few

years. For now, every time someone buys a pack of Good Little Company sausages or meatballs (available in Waitrose, selected Asda stores and Tesco Northern Ireland), the company makes a donation of 7p to Christian Aid. In addition, a 7p donation is made every time someone ‘likes’ the Good Little Company’s Facebook page or follows it on Twitter.

See facebook.com/goodlittlecompany and twitter.com/goodlittlecomp

Craig Blaney samples rice on a visit to Malawi

Christian Aid/Brendan Brosnan

AT CHRISTIAN AID, we don’t need any convincing about the power of education to change the world – our young supporters are a constant source of inspiration.

In January, we asked schools to get on board with the ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF campaign, and watched with astonishment as our desks were swamped with thousands of paper plates calling on the prime minister to tackle global hunger.

If you think that issues such as biofuels, tax justice and land rights are beyond a 10-year-old, think again: ‘food for people, not cars’, ‘companies should pay fair tax’ and ‘stop stealing land’ were just a few of the beautifully clear messages communicated by more than 30,000 inspirational schoolchildren from across the UK. Informing and inspiring the next generation is a key element of Christian Aid’s work. We provide a range of resources to help schoolteachers bring the world to their classrooms. Our

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The morning after?

No, this is how one office looked when all the paper plates were being counted!

Basic healthcare can stop women dying in childbirth

Christian Aid/Susan Barry

BE PART OF THE FIGHT TO SAVE LIVES IN KENYA You and your community have an exciting opportunity to unite with communities in Kenya in a new project to stop children and new mums dying, reports Rebecca Baron UNICEF UK/2013/Ivanovski

resources: christianaid.org.uk/learn • We also have a network of volunteer teachers, who visit schools to give talks and assemblies on a range of topical global issues. To book a visit – or to enquire about becoming a volunteer teacher yourself – email schools@ christian-aid.org

STARTING A FAMILY should be a joyful time in anyone’s life. Here in the UK, most women can expect a safe birth and enough food to feed their growing family.

The story in Kenya, sadly, is very different. Here, one child in 14 dies before their fifth birthday. In Narok County, south-west Kenya, two-thirds of children experience stunting, a condition caused by chronic malnutrition, and 435 women die in childbirth for every 100,000 births.

These shocking statistics are the result of two things: a lack of medical services and a reluctance to use the services that do exist. In Narok County less than a third of the population have access to basic maternal healthcare services, and only 17 per cent actually use them.

Cultural traditions surrounding childbirth and family planning can act as a barrier to women and children getting the care they need.

Communities rely on traditional birth attendants – elderly women with little or no formal medical training – and male-dominated decision making means that women are rarely allowed to access family planning or travel to health facilities. An excitingly ambitious project in Narok County will tackle this issue from both angles – increasing the level of care available and addressing

issues that prevent women and children from getting this care. Even more excitingly, you and your community can be a part of it, through Christian Aid’s Community Partnerships programme. And how’s this for an incentive: thanks to European Union matched funding, the amount of money you raise will be multiplied up to four times.

With your support, this project will help more than 350,000 people over the next four years. Together we’ll start to fight maternal mortality straight away, by providing medicine and hospital equipment, building maternity wards and buying ambulances. Longer term measures such as education and training for community health workers, traditional leaders and young people will help to cement change within the culture.

At the political level, the project will work with the Kenyan government to strengthen the health sector in Narok County, so that families can rely on state provision for years to come.

This project has the power to make real and lasting change for thousands of families. You – with EU support – have the power to make this happen.

• For more details on our community partnerships, email community partnerships@christian-aid.org or visit christianaid.org.uk/partnerships

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EVENTS We work with some of the world’s poorest communities.

They face huge challenges every day, so why don’t you challenge yourself? Have fun while fighting poverty: join one of our events or do your own fundraising

Christian Aid

Christian Aid marathon man Robert Fox doing his big bit for Team Poverty in London

CHRISTIAN AID SUPPORTERS often demonstrate their passionate, determined, generous sides and the 2013 London Marathon was no exception. Our 17 Team Poverty runners slogged, sweated and hobbled 26 miles (and the strength-sapping extra few hundred yards) across London in April to raise more than £22,000 for the work of Christian Aid. Dozens of Christian Aid supporters came along to cheer on the runners, the sun shone and the air was full of

GOING THE EXTRA 385 YARDS inspiration. At the post-race reception the runners enjoyed footbaths, massages and the chance to swap stories of pain and elation.

One Team Poverty runner said: ‘It was an incredible experience, made all the more memorable by Christian Aid’s fabulous support.’ Another said: ‘Having supporters along the course and knowing I was raising funds for those less fortunate than myself really kept me going when I honestly didn’t think I could take another step.’

Thank you and well done to our brilliant marathon runners: you are really helping to make a difference to the lives of people living in some of the world’s poorest communities.

If you are inspired to apply for a Team Poverty 2014 London Marathon place, please contact the Events team by emailing events@christian-aid. org or phoning 0207 523 2019 for an application form. There’s plenty of time to prepare for next year and we will support you every step of the way.

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✁

GIVING YOU THE TOOLS TO DO THE JOB

ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, Christian Aid supporters have been taking giant leaps to end poverty in what’s fast becoming the fashionable way to raise funds: the sponsored abseil.

There have been seven abseils so far this year, involving all kinds of people – young and old. Oxford was even treated to the bizarre sight of a banana descending a church tower!

In Ingatestone, Paul Fox, a 76-year-old supporter who abseiled down the YMCA building in Romford 15 years ago, rose to the challenge once again. He raised a fantastic £841.50 as part of his Westcliff URC’s fundraising for Christian Aid Week.

If you would like to hold an abseil for Christian Aid in your area, or if you know of any suitable locations for one, please get in touch with your local Christian Aid office.

PS: Dressing up as a banana – or any other fruit – is optional.

QUIZAID September 2013 BUPA GREAT NORTH RUN 15 September 2013 ROYAL PARKS HALF MARATHON 6 October 2013 SANTA DASH 5K FUN RUNS December 2013 Christian Aid

As a big thank you to all of our wonderful supporters who organise fundraising events throughout the year, we’d like to present you with some great tools to make your job easier. It’s the least we can do!

You can now download or order our new A-Z of Fundraising Ideas booklet. Whether you’re new to fundraising or just want to try something a bit different, there are more than 150 ideas to help you. We also have a handy DVD packed full of great ideas and useful tools for any fundraising event. Check out the Keeping it Safe and Legal guide, too, and watch our video on promoting your event.You can order all these materials today at christianaid.org.uk/ yourway or contact your local office.

You can also use our online tool to create your own posters, invitations, programmes and leaflets at www.caevents.org.uk

A gripping time was had by all!

EVENTS FUNDRAISING CALENDAR 2013-2014

BIRMINGHAM SPONSORED SWIM 12 January 2014 BURNS SUPPER 21-28 January 2014 SPONSORED ABSEILS February/March 2014 SUPER SOUP LUNCH Spring 2014 BRIGHTON MARATHON 6 April 2014 VIRGIN LONDON MARATHON 13 April 2014

Chris Bright, one of the dozens of participants taking part in the Oxford abseil, added to the challenge by donning a rather impractical banana suit to mark Fairtrade Week

POVERTY IS THE QUESTION. ARE YOU THE ANSWER? WHETHER YOU ARE HOT on history, clued up about popular culture or fanatical about food, make sure you are part of Quizaid 2013 – coming your way this September. You can get quizzical at home, work, school, church or at the pub. You will be

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raising money to help those who need it most, while having a great time. As one of last year’s participants said: ‘It’s a good evening with much fellowship and camaraderie.’

Just register today for your free fundraising pack at

BIG CHRISTMAS SING December 2013

christianaid.org.uk/quizaid or by calling 020 8523 2248. You’ll get all you need to make your Quizaid a huge success, including questions and answers, an easy-to-follow guide to running your Quizaid, and posters to let everyone know about it!

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK 11-17 May 2014 EDINBURGH MARATHON 25 May 2014 GREAT MANCHESTER RUN 26 May 2014 BESPOKE BIKE RIDE July 2014 BESPOKE TREK August 2014 RIDE LONDON 100 August 2014 Visit christianaid. org.uk/events to find out more

20/07/2013 08:57

LAST WORD A reflection on playing a part in the fight against poverty, and living life in the wider family of Christian Aid

A LEGACY OF LOVE AND CARE

Christian Aid/Elaine Duig enan

LAST MONTH I had the pleasure of meeting Christian Aid supporter Helen Milne and introducing her to Chris Waithanji, who coordinates a community health project in Kenya.

The meeting was special: as Chris spoke of the project’s achievements – of mothers and their babies brought safely into the world by the reassuring hands of community health workers – Helen, too, shared family stories about her own mother, Clare, who passed away in 2011. This exchange of stories was particularly poignant because Helen is supporting this vital work in memory of her mum, using funds directed from her mother’s estate.

‘Bereavement is a time of great challenges,’ says Helen. ‘I found being able to benefit so many who have so little, took a lot of the passivity and negativity out of the situation.’

Helen’s gift supports a project in Kenya’s Eastern and Nyanza provinces that equips volunteer health workers with motorbikes and provides training in first aid, HIV and home-based care, and maternal and child health.

The health workers use the bikes to deliver essential medical services to remote villages. Around 25,800 households were reached through this project last year. On average, each health worker visits more than 60 households every month. They also use the bikes in their own incomegenerating activities, such as taxi

Chris Dobson

Alison Linwood, legacy and in-memory giving manager, describes an inspiring encounter, which highlights a little-known aspect of Christian Aid’s relationship with its supporters

Helen Milne took comfort in being able to ensure her mother’s inspiration lives on. Helen supported a project providing motorbikes for health workers in Kenya (left)

services, thus stimulating the growth of rural economies.

Helen says: ‘Mum’s dad was a vet – of the James Herriot vintage – and one of her grandpas was a family doctor in a small Irish backwater town, rich enough (or maybe pretentious enough) to do it on horseback! So I’m sure she’d sympathise with the transport needs of health workers.’

An avid reader and science graduate, Helen’s mother taught A-level chemistry. She was passionate about giving people opportunities in life, which is why this project, supported in her memory, is a fitting tribute.

It’s that sense of continuing what loved ones and friends began that motivates some of you to give in their memory. You recognise the importance of Christian Aid’s work to them and choose to honour them by supporting what we do.

Through our Celebrate a Life programme, some of you have chosen moments in the year, such as an

anniversary, to give in memory.

Sometimes, like Helen, you’ve given in response to an inheritance. I feel privileged when I talk with you about your loved ones and help you allocate your gift to a part of our work that represents the passions and inspirations of those you remember.

Helen spoke about her inspirations behind this special gift, saying: ‘I would encourage anyone to do the same if the chance arises, without overturning your commitments to your own family, but balancing that anyone in need is our neighbour, and any fellow Christian in need is our brother or sister, too.’

Inspiration can come from faith or from the example of others. But at the heart of all legacies and gifts in memory that we receive is an understanding that these gifts change lives. To Helen and to everyone who gives to us in this special way, we say thank you.

• To learn more about giving in memory, please contact Alison on 020 7523 2173 or email alinwood@christian-aid.org

30 Christian Aid News

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