Spring/Summer 2016
The magazine for supporters
Love thy neighbour This Christian Aid Week reach out to help those in need
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MORSHEDA URGENTLY NEEDS YOU senHER TO HELP d us a text
sister was holding them ver y ‘My children were so scared. My because our neighbour ’s child tightly and we were panicking was washed away.’ da’s home again and again, The floods have destroyed Morshe as the rushing waters rose, she forcing the family to flee. Once, a cooking pot and cling to it as had to put one of her children in it floated down the river.
home on to an ear th £5 could help raise Morsheda’s l ren rom oo linth an rotect her an her chi
Send £5 today. Text SAFE to 70040*
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*You will be charged £5, plus the cost of one standard text. Christian Aid will receive £5. By using this service you agree that we may contact you in future, unless you text OPTOUT to 70040. Donations can be made until 01/07/16. You may still be charged for texts after this date. UK registered charity no. 1105851 Company no. 5171525 Scot charity no. SC039150 Christian Aid Ireland: NI charity no. NIC101631 Company no. NI059154 and ROI charity no. 20014162 Company no. 426928. The Christian Aid name and logo are trademarks of Christian Aid. Christian Aid is a key member of ACT Alliance. © Christian Aid March 2016. Photo: Christian Aid/GMB Akash/Panos Pictures Printed exclusively on material sourced from responsibly managed forests. J5569
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Christian Aid Magazine Issue 6: Spring/Summer 2016 Editorial team Editor Roger Fulton Sub-editors Louise Parfi tt, Catriona Lorie Art editor Gavin Micklethwaite Design Emma Watling, Kim Kemp Pictures Joseph Cabon Production Graham Winter Circulation Ben Hayward Published by Christian Aid 35 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RL 020 7620 4444 info@christian-aid.org christianaid.org.uk UK registered charity number 1105851 Company number 5171525 Scotland charity number SC039150 Registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC101631 Company number NI059154 Republic of Ireland Charity Commission number 20014162 Company number 426928. The Christian Aid name and logo are trademarks of Christian Aid © Christian Aid April 2016. The acceptance of external advertising does not indicate endorsement.
Cover story Support Morsheda – and others like her – this Christian Aid Week. Other photos this issue All photos copyright Christian Aid, except where stated below: Cover: Christian Aid/Nicky Milne. Page 6: Christian Aid/Gideon Mendel. Pages 8-11: Christian Aid/Andrew Testa. Pages 12-13: Christian Aid/ Tabitha Ross. Pages 14-15 Christian Aid/Gideon Mendel. Page 17: Mike Perry. Page 18: Anwen Holmes. Page 20-21: Christian Aid/ Nicky Milne, Christian Aid/ GMB Akash/Panos. Pages 22-23: Christian Aid/ Luke MacGregor. Page 24: Danish Marandy. Pages 26-27 Charles Martin.
Christian Aid is a member of
A world beset by humanitarian crises In May, I’m going to be attending the firstever global humanitarian summit in Istanbul, Turkey. This meeting could not come at a more opportune moment because the world is currently beset by humanitarian crises. These range from the need to rebuild Nepal following last year’s earthquake, to the conflicts and subsequent refugee crises in Syria and Iraq and their impact on Europe, and a growing food crisis in Africa made worse by climate change and the El Niño weather system – all of which you can read about in this issue of Christian Aid Magazine. Increasingly, the world is waking up to the fact that many of these problems and their solutions are connected, and we can learn a lot about how to work together as local and international organisations to respond. As an organisation with first-hand experience and deep expertise in humanitarian response, Christian Aid will take an active part in the summit, calling for more local organisations, like our partners on the ground, to be directly
Loretta Minghella, Chief Executive
Contents News
Christian Aid Week
4 Millions hit by El Niño food crisis 6 Humanitarian summit faces challenge
20 Love your neighbour: we meet the Bangladeshi women at the heart of this year’s campaign 22 Are you ready for a Big Brekkie?
Frontline 8 Refugee crisis: six-page report from Serbia, Lebanon and Iraq 14 Nepal quake: the aftershocks
Campaigns 16 Climate change: we’ll always have Paris, but is it enough? 18 Striking a blow for tax justice F2366
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involved in disaster response. Before that, we will once again be embarking together on Christian Aid Week (15-21 May) – undoubtedly one of the most uplifting events in my calendar. To see the active and enthusiastic engagement of so many thousands of you, our supporters, in this inspiring act of Christian witness is a genuinely humbling experience. Fundraising is the life-blood of Christian Aid – without it we couldn’t possibly do what we do. But we are aware that, recently, charity fundraising has come in for some close scrutiny and so, while making no apology for asking for your continued, vital support, we’ll be looking at how to ensure that we are contacting people only in ways that suit them. You can read about this in more detail on page 30. Whether you’re trialling our new Big Brekkie, or going door to door, have a wonderful Christian Aid Week, and a huge thank you for your continuing support.
Life and soul 24 Supporters who put their ‘trust’ in Christian Aid 25 Crossword 26 Events 30 Last Word
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News El Niño food crisis leaves millions at risk of hunger Millions of people in southern and eastern Africa face hunger and food shortages due to El Niño weather conditions
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thiopia, Zimbabwe and Malawi are among African nations hit by food shortages linked to El Niño – a weather phenomenon closely linked to droughts and prolonged dry spells. The current El Niño is on course to be the strongest and longest for 35 years. It has already hindered crop production and created mounting food shortages in Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and beyond. Although the weather patterns are expected to last until mid-2016, the knock-on effects mean the food crisis will continue well into 2017. ‘The scale and magnitude of this situation
is unprecedented, in terms of intensity and coverage. We are greatly concerned about people’s capacity to cope,’ said Christian Aid’s Head of Humanitarian Programmes in Africa, Maurice Onyango. ‘Those at risk of food and water shortages are in a life-threatening situation. Vulnerable households desperately need help to get basic food and nutrition. We are responding where we can, to ensure that women, children and men do not go hungry, and we would like to intensify our efforts in the coming weeks and months.’ In Ethiopia, more than 10 million people Christian Aid Magazine Spring/Summer 2016
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are at risk following the country’s worst drought in more than three decades. Failed rains have left farmers unable to harvest crops for two planting seasons, creating food shortages across six regions. With little food left for livestock, hundreds of thousands of animals have died in rural areas. Christian Aid has released an initial £50,000 of emergency funds for communities caught up in the severe impacts of this extended drought. Through our partner HUNDEE, we are providing school meals for more than 4,000 children who do not have enough food. We are also making sure that 700 children in two other schools have access to safe drinking water. A state of disaster was declared in Zimbabwe in early February, triggered by the El Niñoinduced drought. Following prolonged dry spells, it’s predicted that nearly 3 million people will be affected and 75% of crops will fail. With families unable to sustain crops and livestock, they will lose their main source of food and income. Christian Aid Magazine Spring/Summer 2016
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We have four partners ready to respond in the hardest-hit areas. They plan to provide extra food for livestock, cash or cash vouchers for families, and direct food aid where markets aren’t operating. They also hope to make emergency repairs on water facilities and boreholes to improve access to safe drinking water. In Malawi, more than 2.8 million people are facing hunger and acute food shortages. Crops have failed and food prices have risen in the country’s worst food crisis in a decade. It has been caused by drought, late and erratic rains during the last farming season, and by the extensive floods that destroyed homes, farmland, food reserves and crops in southern districts in January 2015. Christian Aid in Malawi has played an active role in planning the national response to the food deficit, working alongside the government as it seeks to raise resources to fund food aid and cash support for the most vulnerable households. • For more information, please go to christianaid.org.uk/foodcrisis
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Power to the people!
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HRISTIAN AID is taking part in the first World Humanitarian Summit, in Istanbul in May. Called by the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, the summit aims to bring together a diverse range of participants – including the UN, charities and the private sector – to improve humanitarian response and ensure that it better addresses those most in need of help. Christian Aid is calling for specific commitments in three main areas. Firstly, we want to see more decision-making power and resources shifted to local partners and organisations. We don’t believe in sending western aid workers abroad to ‘fix’ poor countries; we work with local partners who better know the needs of local people. This approach means a faster and more relevant short-term response, and brings dividends
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for longer-term development – but it needs investment from the international community. Secondly, we will be pushing for greater investment to help poor communities become more resilient. This means supporting people to prepare for, withstand and recover from multiple shocks and stresses, such as conflict, floods or earthquakes, and the financial strain these bring. This involves better planning and more funding to be directed to the right places, before disaster strikes, so that communities can be ready. This will support our call for greater accountability to local populations. Our third key call is for states and other armed groups to respect international law. In his Agenda for Humanity, prepared for the summit, Ban Ki-oon exposes the ‘utter lack of respect for the fundamental rules of international
Lessons in accountability: villagers in Nepal queue to give us their views on the aid effort. See story, page 14. humanitarian law’. This has hindered our partners’ efforts to get aid to those most in need, while communities have been bombed and civilians left at the mercy of military groups. Our Chief Executive, Loretta Minghella, who will be in Istanbul, said: ‘The summit is a unique opportunity to reshape the humanitarian system so it’s better able to respond to complex and costly crises. It’s wonderful that countries are seeing the value in coming together to develop a shared plan to respond to events that in an ever more connected world have an impact on more than just those people suffering the immediate consequences.’ • See page 14 for feedback on our relief work in Nepal.
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News
Easter Appeal tackles violence against women
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razil has one of the world’s highest rates of violence against women, with a woman assaulted every 24 seconds and one murdered every two hours. Many women have lost their lives, often at the hands of a husband, partner or family member. Sadly, many victims of domestic violence are unable to escape their abusive relationships. Christian Aid’s Easter Appeal this year focused on the only church-run safe house in Brazil, Casa Noeli dos Santos, which provides a refuge for women and children fleeing domestic violence. It is run by devoted parish priest Reverend Elineide (pictured right) and can house up to 10 women and their children at a time. The team welcomes women who have nowhere else to go. The women are given psychological support and
shown how to access basic state benefits. Each woman stays up to three months and continues to receive care and support afterwards. The women are often financially reliant on their partners, forcing them to stay in violent relationships, but Rev Elineide and her team provide opportunities to learn new skills, such as baking and handicrafts, so they are able to make their own money and gain independence. You can donate to the appeal at christianaid.org.uk/easter
Funds boost fight against Zika virus
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HRISTIAN AID partners in South America are helping tackle the spread of the Zika virus, through community awareness-raising campaigns. The World Health Organization declared the virus a global health emergency in January and estimates up to 4 million people could be infected before the year is out. Funds have been released to Christian Aid partners in three of the worst affected countries – Brazil, El Salvador and Bolivia. In Brazil, for example, our
partner Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB), is educating communities across several states about how the virus is spread, how to prevent it and to help mitigate its impact. Alongside the Brazilian Government’s increased production and distribution of insect repellent, MAB aims to reach 7,708 families through these workshops. You can support this work by donating to our Emergencies Fund. See christianaid.org.uk/ emergencies-fund
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Project helps plant a million trees
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million trees will be planted in Malawi as part of a Christian Aid project to tackle deforestation and build the resilience of communities prone to climate change and natural disasters. With one of the world’s highest deforestation rates, Malawi’s green and fertile landscapes are disappearing. And last year, deforestation contributed to the devastating impact of floods, which left more than 500,000 people homeless and washed away buildings, livestock, crops and roads. Christian Aid’s Enhancing Community Resilience Programme (ECRP) – a five-year initiative funded by UK Aid, Irish Aid and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs – is leading the tree-planting drive, starting with 4,000 seedlings that are now taking root in Kauma, a village near the capital Lilongwe. ‘If we can nurture these trees, they will one day provide shade and ground cover, reduce water run-off and prevent erosion – for the benefit of Malawi’s women, children and men,’ said ECRP’s Sabine Joukes.
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Frontline
In search of sanctuary With the world’s refugee crisis showing no signs of being resolved, Christian Aid and its partners are continuing to bring some relief to those affected
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riven by conflict and humanitarian crises in Syria, Iraq, South Sudan and Yemen, and decades-old instability and conflict in Afghanistan and Somalia, millions of refugees are on the move. The numbers trying to reach northern and western Europe, via Greece and the Balkans, rose sharply in 2015. In October, the number of people arriving in Greece peaked at 10,000 a day. As
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a result, transit countries including Greece, Macedonia and Serbia have struggled to cope. As some European countries have tightened their borders, or closed them completely, the number of safe routes for refugees to travel through has diminished. Large numbers of people are stranded at the GreekMacedonian border. In response to the growing needs of refugees in Europe,
Christian Aid launched its Refugee Crisis Appeal in September 2015. To date we have raised more than £1.8 million. We are working with our ACT Alliance partners in Greece and Serbia, who are providing humanitarian assistance to the refugees. Meanwhile, in Lebanon and Iraq, the £3 million raised so far by our Syria Crisis Appeal is helping our partners continue to support some of the most
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Frontline: Refugee crisis
‘I do not want to stay and die’ Meeting refugees on the road in Serbia, Amy Merone finds that despite the despair that drove them to leave their homelands, their tenacity remains undiminished
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n Miratovac, on the Serbian side of the Macedonian border, hundreds of weary refugees begin to appear in the distance. Arriving in Serbia by train from Macedonia, many are weighed down by suitcases and backpacks. Children are swaddled in blankets. Some still arrive in sandals, or without socks. Most are covered in mud. One man removes his wellworn boots, peels off his damp socks and reveals feet covered in huge blisters. He gratefully accepts new socks and a pair of wellies, and even manages to
flow of refugees fleeing conflictridden countries such as Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq would sharply decrease over the winter months, this was not borne out, with an estimated 5,000 people per day arriving on European shores between November 2015 and February 2016. In Miratovac, refugees hurriedly ask ‘Which country after here?’ and ‘How long to that country?’ Few take up the offer to rest in tents erected by the Serbian authorities. Those who do, do so only momentarily to catch their breath. One
Refugee crisis in numbers vulnerable Syrian refugees, including people with disabilities and women who have experienced genderbased violence. Our partners in Iraq are also providing food and items such as blankets and fuel to displaced Iraqis. In this special feature, we have reports from Serbia, Lebanon and Iraq, and on page 13, Frances Guy, Christian Aid’s Head of Middle East, warns of the need to stop a generation slipping into despair.
4.6 million Syrians are refugees in neighbouring countries: 2.7 million in Turkey
100,000 in Egypt
1.1 million in Lebanon
1 million refugees and migrants arrived in Greece in 2015
600,000 in Jordan 250,000 in Iraq
Figures from UNHCR showing registered refugees
smile throughout. His daughter seems equally happy to have new shoes and reaches up with arms outstretched, and a huge smile, to bid me goodbye. And then they’re off. Undeterred and determined, ever onwards. Despite predictions that the
such person is Majd, a young doctor from Hama in Syria. He’s understandably distressed and close to tears when he arrives. Travelling with his family, he is weighed down with luggage and also with grief, it seems. ‘It’s like hell [in Syria].
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<continued from page 9 Perhaps you cannot see what is happening, there are no cameras… I do not want to stay and die.’ He goes to continue on his journey. But then turns around and reminds me that he was a doctor in Syria. He says he’s been following the news; he knows what some people think about refugees. ‘I do not want money, I have money,’ he tells me. ‘I have a house and a car. I am not coming for money.’
‘Everything is
destroyed. Everyone is sad. No happiness. No happiness at all’ For many, humanitarian aid provided by organisations such as Philanthropy, a Christian Aid partner in the ACT Alliance, is vital. Its operation now runs 24 hours a day. Funded by Christian Aid, Philanthropy is providing cash assistance to some of the most vulnerable
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refugees – including the elderly, and refugees with disabilities. This is enabling people to buy food, as well as purchase bus tickets for their onward travel. But as refugees like Majd point out, many of those travelling across Europe in search of sanctuary are educated professionals who don’t want to rely on aid. Nobody does. On the 2km walk from Miratovac towards Presevo, where refugees are registered, I meet Ahmad. He’s 26 and from Kabul in Afghanistan. He’s fluent in English and university educated. But years of conflict mean he has finally had enough. He hopes to reach Belgium. Like so many others, he dreams of a future free from conflict. As we follow the refugees’ route north, we meet many people with stories of years spent enduring the conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Years without education, dried up savings, relationships that have buckled, and the sheer exacerbation of ‘living in hell’, which has finally proven too much for so many.
At a motorway service station in Sid, close to the border with Croatia, refugees wait several hours for news of a train that will take them on the next leg of their exhausting journey. Signs in Arabic depict where refugees can access a doctor, charge their mobile phones, and find clean water. A young couple from Syria, Jourdy and Mhealden, take a selfie on the edge of the motorway. Married only two weeks ago, they are starting their new life together on the road, hoping to reach Sweden. Their phones are vital, connecting them to their families left behind in Syria, but also to their futures. Routes are exchanged and contact made
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Frontline: Refugee crisis
‘They have no choice but to go on’
Left: The flow of people fleeing conflict continues. Above: Ahmad from Afghanistan. Below: Syrian newly weds Jourdy and Mhealden. Previous page: Syrian doctor Majd is travelling with his family. with friends or family who have already ‘made it’. It’s here also that I meet a 22-year-old from Damascus in Syria. He doesn’t want to be named, but he does want to share his experience. ‘Life was so miserable for four years. The humanitarian conditions are very, very, very bad. No medicines, no services, nothing at all. Just war and blood, war and blood. Everything is destroyed. Everyone is sad. No happiness. No happiness at all.’ In several hours, as news comes that the train has arrived, everybody rushes to be on their way as quickly as possible. There are hurried goodbyes, hands clasping children tightly, and soon hundreds more to replace those who have left. And still they will come.
• Since Amy visited the region, the Macedonia and Croatia borders have now closed. This has effectively sealed Serbia’s borders and left some 1,600 people stranded.
‘The EU/Turkey deal to send people back to places where they are not guaranteed protection is immoral and potentially illegal. Yet despite that, deportations from the Greek islands back to Turkey are already happening. The EU is clearly trying to keep the ‘problem’ elsewhere. Instead, what it should be doing is ensuring that European countries, including the UK, take a fair and proportionate number of refugees, and provide safe and legal means for them to reach the EU.’ Jenny Brown, Christian Aid’s Senior EU Relations Adviser
Iraq – the forgotten crisis Johanna Rogers reminds us that many, many more people are also displaced in Iraq
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gainst the background of continued fighting and a depressed economy, the Kurdish region of Iraq is home to more than a million displaced Iraqis and a quarter of a million refugees from the conflict in Syria. In total, 10 million Iraqis, almost a third of the total population, are in need of humanitarian aid, with more than 3 million of those in need located in areas that are impossible to reach, as a result of intense fighting. Ironically, the ranks of ‘those in need’ are now being swelled by Iraqis from communities hosting people displaced from elsewhere. Christian Aid continues to support internally displaced Iraqis, Syrian refugees and vulnerable host community families through our partners across Iraqi Kurdistan and in federal Iraq. Our long-term partner REACH is distributing food, blankets and shelter as well as providing cash assistance and cash for work, which helps the unemployed to provide for their families and allows them some control over their situation. Our partner Asuda works with women affected by sexual and gender-based violence, an often overlooked lifesaving response. We have recently expanded support to Kirkuk, where there is a growing number of displaced people seeking refuge. And we have helped fund St Joseph’s Clinic in Erbil to provide medicines and equipment for the treatment of the displaced.
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‘People are coming from areas devastated by wars. They have nothing to return to, they have no other choice but to continue on their journey. Why else would people travel with very young children or travel in a wheelchair? Their lives are threatened. I admire their hope and strength; they are very determined to reach their destination. They don’t just deserve our assistance – they deserve our full respect.’ Nenad Prevelic, from Christian Aid partner International Orthodox Christian Charities in Greece
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When there’s not enough help to go round… Syrian refugees with disabilities are often unable to get the care they need. However, reports Tabitha Ross, a Christian Aid partner in Lebanon is helping to make a difference
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ix-year-old Mohammed Dayoub – affectionately called Hammoudi by his family – was born in Damascus in 2009 with severe physical and mental disabilities. He was operated on twice at birth, for free, in a Syrian hospital. These operations saved his life, but he was still unable to eat or drink, and had to be fed intravenously until he could have another operation when he was two. But by that time, violence was overtaking Syria, and his family was told that hospitals could no longer offer free healthcare at this level. His grandfather scraped together
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the money to pay for the operation, but with only 45% of hospitals reported to be fully functioning in Syria and most at capacity, with high numbers of war casualties, people with disabilities are no longer able to receive the full care they need. There are more than a million refugees from Syria registered with the UN in Lebanon (though unregistered refugees bring the true total far higher). And more than two-thirds say healthcare is ‘inaccessible and unaffordable’. The vast majority, who cannot afford private healthcare, are reliant on the UN and local and international NGOs, but these
can only afford to support a few. Hammoudi and his family made the arduous journey to Lebanon, where Hammoudi has learned to walk for the first time, thanks to physiotherapy provided by the Lebanese Physically Handicapped Union (LPHU). With funding from Christian Aid, the organisation has expanded its work to support people with disabilities in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley, one of the poorest areas of the country and with a high concentration of refugees. Two years ago, 23-year-old Abu Ali was at home studying for his second year of a law degree, when a bomb hit his house. He took a piece of shrapnel in the spine, which left him paralysed from the waist down. His father, Abu Anas, brought him to Lebanon in search of treatment, and thanks to LPHU, Abu Ali has regained some strength and coordination in his back and arms, which were also affected by the blast. Whether their disability dates from birth or is the result of a conflict-related injury, refugees with disabilities are victims of a war that has undermined their ability to get the treatment and support they need. More than a million Syrians have been wounded since the conflict began, and, according to Handicap International, more than one in five refugees now suffer from some form of
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Frontline: Refugee crisis Left: Hammoudi, pictured with his grandfather, learned to walk, thanks to a Christian Aid partner in Lebanon. Right: Abu Ali has also found fresh hope after a bomb left him paralysed. impairment, whether this be from birth, illness, accident or a conflict-related injury. The difference LPHU is making to the people who have received support is enormous. We are also supporting Kafa, a Lebanese women’s rights organisation, to expand its work to reach refugees facing genderbased violence by providing counselling, awareness-raising, and dance, art and music therapy. We continue to support
Association Najdeh, which assists Palestinian refugees from Syria, and Mouvement Social, which enables Syrian refugee children to continue their education while in Lebanon, as well as providing drama therapy for children.
• Thanks to your generosity, our Refugee Crisis Appeal has raised £1.8 million and has enabled our partners to provide considerable support to communities in desperate need. You can still donate at: christianaid.org.uk/refugees
‘We must prevent a generation from slipping into despair’ Christian Aid’s Head of Middle East, Frances Guy, urges us not to lessen our support for Syrians seeking refuge from the conflict
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ore than five years since the beginning of the Syrian uprising, it is difficult not to be despondent. Thinking of all those millions of lives that have now been affected by conflict, or the misery of being forced from your home and your homeland to traipse across uninviting mud-strewn fields with little certainty about what reception you will get, it is difficult not to despair. But despair and despondency are not creative sentiments. They will not help Syrian refugees – nor will they help Syrians inside Syria desperately seeking respite. Despair and despondency are also a betrayal of the positive and uplifting spirit of ordinary Syrians who continue to battle every day to help their fellow countrymen and women and who, if given half a chance, would return to rebuild their homes tomorrow. The cessation of hostilities has been betrayed, in part, and the promises made at the donor Christian Aid Magazine Spring/Summer 2016
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conference in London at the beginning of February have not been translated into any real change on the ground. Yet the spirit of Syrian NGOs that shone through in London, and which brings hope to those living in besieged areas, should be a source of strength to us all. Five years on, with many warring factions and many interfering outside powers making a peaceful solution seem ever more difficult, international NGOs must continue to give voice to those Syrians bringing succour to those in need in Syria, and we must continue to do what we can to help those who have sought refuge inside Syria, in neighbouring countries and in Europe. By helping Syrians, wherever they are, to have access to livelihoods, education and health services, we can help prevent a generation from slipping into despair and help them to hold on to the spirit and the skills that will help rebuild their country, the day that peace is possible.
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Villagers wait to give their views.
Aftershocks... One year on from the devastating earthquakes in Nepal, Emma Wigley visits the country where an innovative campaign is setting out to uncover the ‘people’s truth’ about humanitarian aid
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his May, at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul (see page 6), Christian Aid will be calling for a global commitment to promote community resilience, a localled response and a greater emphasis on listening to affected populations. We believe in supporting communities to be resilient
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in the face of disaster. That means mapping out evacuation plans, identifying safe ground, training in search and rescue, and promoting basic first aid and hygiene awareness, such as how to treat unclean water and build temporary toilets. And we’ve been taking action on our commitment to listen carefully to the
people we support and improve our understanding of how governments, local organisations and international NGOs could provide a better service to affected populations. One year on from the Nepal earthquakes – which killed almost 9,000 people, destroyed nearly a million homes and displaced around 58,000
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Frontline: Nepal people – we visited small rural communities in the country to find out what they really think about the relief effort. We converted a small container truck into a private studio where participants could record their views on an automated camera. Touring the districts of Dhading and Gorkha, we asked people to tell us the best and worst thing about the relief, how people in their community supported each other after the disaster, and what they would need to help survive another disaster in the future.
We believe that local organisations are best placed to know and deliver what is needed. Our partner Focus distributed shelter materials, blankets and food in this region and is now helping to fix broken water supplies. Our partners have also trained almost 2,000 people how to build earthquakeresistant homes. To find out the most useful and least useful items of relief, visit ‘Nepal Aftershocks: the people’s truth about aid’ at christianaid.org.uk/nepalaftershocks
94%
of people helped members of their community during the crisis.
53%
said that building safer ‘earthquakeresistant’ homes would be the best preparation for future disasters.
You can still donate to our Nepal Earthquake Appeal at christianaid.org.uk/nepal
Finding strength in one another When the earthquakes struck Nepal in April and May 2015, many rural communities were cut off from relief for several days. Landslides and widespread devastation made it difficult to transport aid quickly. Millions were left without shelter, food or water. It was during this difficult time that communities organised their own survival response. And results from the truck show that the overwhelming majority did. Here are a few stories of strength in the midst of despair.
Chandra Ghale, Gorkha ‘Once the earth had stopped shaking we helped rescue people buried in the rubble, removed the dead bodies and looked for the injured. For two or three days we lived a dreadful life. The roads were closed and no one came to the rescue. We began to clear the roads ourselves and formed a group to set up temporary shelters and request relief materials. When it finally arrived, we distributed it according to the size of the family.’
Laxmi Gurung, Gorkha ‘I have a hotel and we had stored food there, so I was able to feed people in the days after the earthquake. Many neighbours gathered and I would cook for them. Everyone was hungry. When people were going through such a miserable time, I did not think twice about giving them food.’
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Dhan Kumari Magar, Gorkha ‘I helped to rescue a woman and her six-month-old baby from a nearby house. They were trapped under the debris and the woman was unconscious. It was terrible to see them under the collapsed house. I also looked after the injured. I boiled water and helped clean their wounds. There were no medical supplies and we had to use old clothes as bandages.’
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This was when we ‘knew the climate fight will be won’
Christian Aid supporters have been campaigning on the issue of climate change for a decade. Joe Ware believes that the UN climate summit in Paris 2015 marked a tipping point and is confident that we’ll now succeed
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he road to ending poverty is a long and winding one, with wrong turns, dead ends and setbacks. Many of the victories are small and change lives one community at a time. But occasionally we get victories on a global scale, which prove to the world that all the hard work is worthwhile. The historic UN climate agreement signed in Paris in December was one of those. Until Paris, following the protracted international UN negotiations had been a testing process. There was great disappointment following the failed Copenhagen summit in 2009, but we redoubled our efforts to make the case that if the world’s poor are to prosper, we need global action on climate change. We continued to lobby MPs, organised campaigns and pushed governments and businesses to do more. Further summits in Peru, Poland and Qatar made some slight progress, but we always knew that Paris was the big one. And so it proved. For the first time we now have a global climate agreement that includes all nations. Each country now has a national plan for tackling climate change in its own way.
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Some, like China and the US, have clear commitments on reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. Other, less developed countries, which haven’t contributed as much to global warming, have more modest requirements. But we can now say the world is pulling together in the right direction.
What happens now? Getting politicians to promise something is one thing, getting them to deliver it is quite another and that is our next challenge. Mohamed Adow, Christian Aid’s Senior Climate Change Adviser, notes: ‘The EU has helped the world seal the Paris deal and it must now get its act together to increase its emissions cuts in line with the agreement.’ The transition to a low carbon world is now unstoppable. The question is, will it move fast enough to save the world’s poorest, who are the first and worst affected by rising temperatures and rising seas? One way we can speed up this transition is to make the switch to clean energy ourselves, and make sure that our money and that of our churches and communities is (continued on page 18)
Tell your local MP Taking matters into your own hands and making the switch to clean energy is great, but you can have even more impact by telling your MP and local paper about it. Tell them why clean energy is the future we all need to strive towards, and ask your MP to do their utmost to get the Government back on track to achieving the strong climate action that it has promised. To find out more about lobbying your MP, join our local lobbyist scheme at christianaid.org.uk/locallobbyist
What we got in Paris: • every country committing to a national plan to tackle climate change • a review process to strengthen those plans every five years • a commitment to provide finance and other support to the most vulnerable countries.
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Campaigns
Walk with me, for the journey is long
E
lizabeth Perry from Wiltshire joined the Pilgrimage 2 Paris last November, ahead of the UN climate talks, walking from London to Paris to call on world leaders to take action on climate change. It was, she says, worth every painful step. ‘We walked more than 200 miles. It took just over two weeks, it was often hard going, we had very little privacy, we mostly slept on hall floors, it rained pretty much every day, it was cold… and it was brilliant! ‘Being part of a community of purpose, being welcomed by churches all along the way, praying with them and carrying their hopes with us – and seeing some of those hopes
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realised in the Paris agreement – made this a wonderful experience. ‘I joined the pilgrimage because I wanted to pray with my feet. I wanted to walk in solidarity with people who are already living with the reality of climate change – people I know in Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Zambia. These are our brothers and sisters, even if they live on the other side of the world. ‘In Paris we met many other pilgrims, who had journeyed from Rome, Vietnam, northern Europe, Kenya and the Philippines. Together, we had walked the equivalent of seven times round the Earth. The Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, summed up all our hopes when he said: “We can do it together; we must do it together, and we will do it together.” ‘The talks have passed, but the challenge continues: to live more sustainably and demand that world leaders take action on climate change – so that all can live life to the full. Let’s journey together.’
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(continued from page 16) invested in renewable power instead of fossil fuels. Making this shift in our thousands will send a clear message to our government that it needs to support renewable energy and will give energy companies confidence to invest in new, clean technologies. Christian Aid has teamed up with other organisations, including Tearfund and CAFOD, to bring about a big shift in the way we all buy our energy. Working with energy experts and church procurement specialists, we’re using people power to secure cheaper deals for 100% renewable electricity from the cleanest energy providers on the market. By joining this scheme, you can pledge that from now on, your household and your church will be part of the solution, not the problem. You can help push our leaders to fulfil our national climate targets and safeguard our shared future. What’s more, your household could even save money. To find out more, visit www.bigchurchswitch.org.uk/ christian-aid
I JOIN OUR WEEK OF
CLIMATE ACTION
10-16 OCTOBER 2016 Following the fantastic Speak Up For The Love Of… day of action in Westminster last June, we’re joining up with the Climate Coalition for a nationwide week of climate events this October. To register your interest, visit christianaid.org.uk/climateweek
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recently answered a knock on my door to find my local Oxford City Councillor, Jean Fooks, who was making her rounds asking residents if they had any concerns, writes Jess Hall (pictured above). Usually I’d ask about my recycling bin or the local school. However, I’d recently learned through Christian Aid’s Sourced campaign that local authorities in the UK spend around £45 billion of public money a year on contracts with private companies, including multinationals. The UK loses an estimated £30bn a year through tax dodging by private companies, while developing countries miss out on an estimated US$300bn to multinationals – vital revenue that could be used for tackling poverty and providing essential services. I asked Jean if Oxford City Council would, as part of the Sourced campaign, introduce a set of tax compliance questions into its procurement policy to ensure the companies it signs contracts with are paying their fair share of tax. Christian Aid Magazine Spring/Summer 2016
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Campaigns
Changemakers: the retreat
Tax: we need to ask the right questions
This summer Christian Aid is teaming up with partner organisations, including the Centre for Theology and Community, to host a weekend campaigns retreat focusing on climate change. It will be a chance to meet inspiring people, reflect on how campaigning links to our faith, and learn new techniques for making a difference locally. We’re still working out the details of the weekend, but please let us know if you’re interested by emailing campaigns@christian-aid.org using the subject line ‘Changemakers retreat’ and we’ll get back to you with more info. Let’s share our experiences and be inspired to tackle global injustices together.
Jean agreed and put forward a motion to introduce the questions that would look into UK tax records, as well as Corporate tax explore if companies have been caught out dodging dodging is costing taxes in developing countries. Oxford City Council developing countries would then be able to exclude a company from the bidding process if it is not satisfied with the responses to these questions. The council voted unanimously to explore how these questions could be adopted into its procurement policy. An exciting moment of democracy in action! So far, our supporters have sent messages to every year councillors at more than 160 councils. Belfast city was the first to take action, followed by three further councils in Northern Ireland. As well as Oxford, other councils including Trafford, Rochdale and Stockport have joined the campaign, and at the last count city councils Manchester and Leeds (along with 20 others) had motions in progress to change their procurement policies. Be part of the Sourced campaign by visiting christianaid.org.uk/sourced
up to US$300bn $
$ $ $
$
$ $
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$
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Love your neighbour – and change lives The countdown is well under way to Christian Aid Week, 15-21 May. It’s a week that unites more than 20,000 churches to answer Jesus’ call to love our neighbours. Jack Dear, Head of Christian Aid Week, has been to see first hand what your amazing fundraising is doing to lift our global neighbours like Morsheda in Bangladesh to safety
S
till in her 20s, Morsheda Begum is a remarkably resilient young woman. Living in an isolated river-island community in Bangladesh, she was married at just eight years old, has four children – and has lost her home to the river countless times.
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Once, when a torrent was about to destroy her home, she had to escape with her children by fashioning a makeshift raft from a banana tree and putting her youngest daughter in a cooking bowl to float her down the river to safety – a desperate act she expresses by motioning
the bowl going up and down in the flood with her hands. Sitting in Morsheda’s current home, a corrugated iron hut with a handful of possessions and with the rain beating down on the roof, it’s hard not be taken aback by the incredible, terrifying story of her life so far.
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Christian Aid Week
Sitting in Morsheda’s current home, a corrugated iron hut, it’s hard not be taken aback by the incredible, terrifying story of her life so far. Main picture: Morsheda with her children outside her flooded home. Below: Morsheda with Feroza, who now has a safe place to call home, grow crops and keep livestock, thanks to our partner GUK.
Her descriptions are matter of fact, her face expressionless. She looks tired – she has been through many hardships, but has always picked herself up. Now, with help from us and our partner Gana Unnayan Kendra (GUK), she has the chance of a more hopeful future. Morsheda and her family live in a remote place called Bazetilcup ‘char’, perched in the middle of the Brahmaputra River, which runs from Tibet down through low-lying Bangladesh. Chars are small islands that form as the river rises and falls. The people who live on these precarious islets are isolated from the rest of the world and intensely vulnerable to the ebbs and flows of the river: its seasonal floods destroy
homes and livestock, and lay waste to agriculture and livelihoods. Combined with no local facilities, electricity or infrastructure of any sort, coming here is like stepping back in time. There are no roads,
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just fine silt paths, and the nearest doctor is hours away. The need in these communities is great indeed. Meeting the people living here helps to ground the reality of char-life in individual stories. After Morsheda, I met Feroza Begum. GUK has worked with her to raise her home above the floods, and given her livestock, seeds and agricultural training as part of a Christian Aid Home Safety Package costing £250. Like Morsheda, Feroza has the appearance of someone who had endured many hardships, but it was clear something had changed in her life – we smiled and joked before she began to tell me about her past, which resonated with Morsheda’s current situation. However, Feroza now has food to feed her children, land and a position in the community – thanks to the work of GUK, funded by Christian Aid. GUK staff said it’s hard to recognise the Feroza they started working with three years ago. She used to fear the future, like Morsheda, but her life has changed. GUK brought her hope. With your help this Christian Aid Week we can bring hope to many more people like Feroza and Morsheda. caweek.org
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Meet the supporters Christian Aid Week just wouldn’t happen without the help of thousands of our supporters. Here’s what two of you will be doing this May David Blackmore has been involved in Christian Aid Week for more than 20 years. Members of his church in Weston Turville in Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire, collect door-to-door and host several community events, raising nearly £5,000 last year. He describes it as a wonderful way to bring people of all ages and backgrounds together, from
Cheryl Kipping’s church, Beckenham Baptist, is planning to host a Big Brekkie for Christian Aid Week. ‘We have done breakfasts for years,’ she says. ‘They started with two of the congregation opening their home on a Saturday morning and serving breakfast – everything from muesli to a full English. People who had plants or books or home-made cards would bring these along to sell, too. The breakfasts provided a great
both within and outside the church. ‘It really inspires us with a community spirit, to reach out to our neighbours who don’t live next door.’ Christian Aid Week helps David put his faith into action. And to those of you who are considering taking part this year, he says: ‘Go for it, it’s wonderful. It really achieves things and it’s fulfilling your calling as a Christian.’
opportunity for fellowship and fun, raised lots of money and became part of our church’s Christian Aid Week tradition.’ The events have become so popular they’ve now moved to the church hall. Cheryl says: ‘This year we are going to extend our invitation further, inviting people from the local community. Whether you have a small or large Big Brekkie, it really is a fun way to raise awareness of, and money for, Christian Aid.’
Learn. Share. Shine. Join us at Greenbelt this summer.
Book your ticket at greenbelt.org.uk Photo: Jonathon Watkins for Greenbelt
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Christian Aid Week
Start your Christian Aid Week with a Big Brekkie Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ John 21:12
I
t’s no coincidence that we see people sharing meals over and over again in the New Testament. Some of these are feasts on an epic scale, like the feeding of the five thousand, but the simpler gatherings are no less profound: Jesus eating with marginalised people who others shunned in Mark 2:15 or members of the early church eating together with ‘glad and sincere hearts’ in Acts 2:46. The simple act of coming together to share food is powerful and transformative, and this is the inspiration for Big Brekkie. We are thrilled that churches across the country are signing up to host a breakfast fundraiser – using it to deepen fellowship in their church or reach out in their community, as well as making a huge impact on the lives of our global neighbours. • Sign up for your free pack with everything you need to put on your Big Brekkie event, at caweek.org/breakfast
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Share authentic Bangladeshi flatbreads at your breakfast, with Feroza’s roti recipe Ingredients 1kg coarse flour 1 teaspoon salt water – as needed oil – as needed Method Mix the flour and salt, then add the water as required to make a dough. Split the dough into 25-30 balls. Place the balls on a surface and, using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into an even round shape. Fry each one in a metal pan with a little oil for several minutes.
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Life and soul
Your trust goes a long way Charitable trusts and foundations provide our partners with vital support. One trustee explains how the process makes their donations go a long way
T
he trusts we work with – from well-known organisations such as The Band Aid Trust to family foundations – support lots of different areas of our work, including the Syria and Refugee Crisis Appeals, and Christian Aid Week. Richard Todd is Trustee of the James Trust, which is based in Southampton and has supported Christian Aid since 1987. We asked Richard to look back over our long relationship. How did your association with Christian Aid begin? ‘As a teenager I went door to door for Christian Aid Week, and on starting work I continued to support Christian Aid. Our giving through our charitable trust has continued for over 40 years.’ What have been the highlights? ‘Christian Aid has made us feel very connected with what the organisation does. Ten years ago I visited projects in India to see rural development activities
first-hand. Then, for seven years, I made regular visits to Bangladesh and met dedicated partners, some of whom became friends.’ What role has your faith played in your continued support of Christian Aid? ‘My faith is the motivation for practical concern and giving. We have been blessed in many ways and are inspired to share our resources for God’s service among the poor. Giving is more than signing cheques; it involves a deeper spiritual concern for God’s purposes and our part in them. We want our giving to honour God and, to this end, believe that Christian Aid can be trusted in what it does.’ How might that support continue? ‘We will continue regular giving to general funds, and when emergencies arise we support Christian Aid through our church. This year, we started three years’ extra giving with the In Their Lifetime initiative for a tea-growing garden project in Bangladesh.’ Richard Todd on one of several visits he has made to see and hear firsthand the issues facing communities we work with in Bangladesh.
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Christian Aid Magazine Spring/Summer 2016
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Life and soul
Cryptic crossword
* Things which make Christian Aid’s work in Bangladesh necessary. The clues to these are partial. Crossword compiled by the Rev Colin Richards. Solution at foot of page 29.
✂
ACROSS 1 Get on in bike (7)* 5,17 Real liar, frantic to reform (7,8)* 9 Anguished gnats (5)* 10 Found in drab, ugly dwellings (3)* 11 Long note, basic first, always going back later (5) 12 Seaside redevelopment is a bit sick (7)* 14,15 Will he meet extra shifts? (7,4)* 15 See 14 17 See 6 20 Below the level of turbulent North Wales watercress (8) 22 Gather up dissolute chap (4) 25 Cook races in (7)* 26 Translate Vladimir’s first poetry (7)* 29 Cardiff loo disaster hides it (5)* 30 Verse needs to be given back, they say (3) 31 Yes! Yes! say the Europeans to the board (5) 32 Hears there is less tin alloy (7) 33 Mixing spoon is used for this (7)*
DOWN 1 Vegetable in Somerset (5) 2 Pet homes are places of restraint (5) 3 Nobody wants him cut about in hop kiln (7) 4 Logo of eastern doctor cutting up elm (6) 5 Fish evolved from early age (5,3) 6 Pippin grown with weight on bones (7) 7 It’s got rides & reason (5,4) 8 Girl goes back after countryside body gets battlement (8) 13 His conversion after word makes it somewhat . . . (3) 16 In the east, six coins used for taxes (9) 18 Terrifying that it once cost a penny! (8) 19 Communist angry with life-saving charity (3,5) 21 Pass away after maths function has no date given (4,3) 22 Cushions needed in extra violin lessons (7) 23 Swallow meal – tea maybe (3) 24 Maintenance of vertical tower (6) 27 Beast’s horn I massaged (5) 28 Yes, Mr Thomas, it’s about time (5)
Could you pin this on your church notice board?
JOIN OUR WEEK OF
CLIMATE ACTION 10-16 OCTOBER
n energy
100% clea
Following on from the inspiring Speak Up lobby in June 2015, we are joining with The Climate Coalition to plan a week of climate action from 10-16 October 2016. Thousands of us will have the opportunity to attend a diverse range of local events across the UK. Why not come along and ask your local MP what progress has been made since last June? Together, we can reach our vision of 100% clean energy in a generation, so that everyone can live life to the full.
To find out more and to register your interest, visit christianaid.org.uk/climateweek
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Coming soon… If you would like to get involved with a Christian Aid fundraiser, workshop, service, concert or challenge event, here’s a round-up of some of the best that are happening across the UK over the coming months. You can also find out more about what’s happening where you live by going to christianaid.org.uk/inyourarea APRIL 29 CHICHESTER
Afternoon Tea Party with Loretta Minghella 2.30-4.30pm, Assembly Room, The Council House, North Street, Chichester PO19 1LQ
30 APRIL – 1 MAY HARLOW
Harlow Charity Abseil The Church, Langley Water Tower, Harlow, Essex We’re calling on brave Christian Aid supporters to raise funds at this abseil organised by Harlow Tye Rotary Club. Age 16+ (no maximum!) Registration £35. For details, see harlowtyerotary.org.uk or contact Rosie on 020 7523 2363 or rvenner@christian-aid.org
MAY 1 WARMINSTER
Pre-Christian Aid Week Afternoon Tea Party 3-5pm, Warminster Civic Centre, Sambourne Road, Warminster BA12 8LB Tea, chat, stalls, resources and information for Christian Aid Week. For
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details, contact Sheelagh Wurr on 01985 216056 or sh.wurr@btinternet.com
2 BIDEFORD
North Devon May Bank Holiday Sponsored Walk 9.30am, Hartland Methodist Church, Fore Street, Hartland, Bideford EX39 6AB Circular route along the scenic South West Coast path. For further details, contact Ralph James on 01237 441587 or email Ash Leighton Plom at aleightonplom@ christian-aid.org
Barton upon Humber, North Lincs DN18 5AZ or Hessle Country Park, Ferriby Road, East Yorks HU13 0LN Now in its 34th year, the challenge to walkers is to cross the iconic bridge as many times as they can! For more details, contact Judi Perry on 01509 754764 or jperry@christian-aid.org or Gill Dalby on 01482 504203 or at gilldalby@gilldalby. karoo.co.uk
12 CARDIFF
Gwasanaeth Blynyddol Cymorth Cristnogol Cyngor Eglwysi Cymraeg Caerdydd/ Annual Christian Aid Service, Cardiff’s Welsh Council of Churches 7.30pm, Lleoliad i’w gadarnhau / venue tbc Huw Thomas i annerch/ With special guest Huw Thomas, Head of Christian Aid Wales.
2 SHEFFIELD
Sheffield May Day Trek Join more than 150 walkers on a family-friendly walk into the Peak District. Choose from three routes: 6, 11 or 16 miles. To register, visit sheffieldmaydaytrek. org.uk or to find out more contact pfurbey@christianaid.org
7 BARTON UPON HUMBER
Humber Bridge Cross Sponsored Walk 2-5pm (registration from 1.30pm), Far Ings Road,
Christian Aid Cardinal Munro Challenge, Scotland Following last year’s 70 Munros challenge, this series revisits some of the heights by climbing a Munro at each point of the compass, one in each season: Saturday 14 May (West) – Ben More, Mull Saturday 20 August (North) – Ben Hope Saturday 15 October (East) – Mount Keen Contact Amy Menzies on 0141 241 6138 or at amenzies@christian-aid.org or log on to: christianaid.org.uk/scotland/another-way/
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Events 14 WARE
Christian Aid 50th Anniversary Challenge Start: walkers 8.30am; runners 9.45-10am, Allenbury’s Sports Club, Ware, Herts SG12 0DJ Walk or run all or part of a marathon. For more information, visit christianaidwalk.org.uk or email rosemary@arfg.co.uk or call 01992 589535.
14 POOLE/ BOURNEMOUTH
Christian Aid 50th Anniversary Challenge Sponsored Seafront Walk/Cycle/Scoot Start between 8.30am and 11.30am at any checkpoint Maximum distance, 12 miles. Route flat and suitable for buggies and wheelchairs. For details, contact Mrs Joan Percy on 01202 737659 or the Southampton office on 023 8070 6969 or at southampton@christianaid.org
14 NEWTON ABBOT Newton Abbot Sponsored Walk
9am, Decoy Park, Newton Abbot TQ12 1EB An all-terrain challenge, with mud, steps and uneven ground! For details, contact the Southampton office, as above.
14 LONDON
Tower Hamlets Churches Sponsored Walk 10am, Bethnal Green Methodist Church, Approach Road E2 9JP Walk in the heart of London’s East End, from Bethnal Green to Bow, stopping at churches for
reflection and refreshment. For more information, contact Frances Reynolds at freynolds@christian-aid. org or call 020 7523 2271.
14 LEICESTER
Turning the world upside down 10am-12noon, Bishop Street Methodist Church, Town Hall Square, Leicester LE1 6AF A Christian Aid Pentecost Event. For more details, contact Martin Gage on 01509 754767 or at mgage@christian-aid.org
14 ROCHESTER
Bishopscourt Open Garden 10am-3pm, Bishopscourt, 24 St Margaret’s Street, Rochester, Kent ME1 1TS Enjoy the beautiful garden at the residence of the Bishop of Rochester, with tea, cakes and a plant sale.
14-20 EDINBURGH
Christian Aid Book Sale From 10am, St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2PA Since it began in 1974, this legendary book sale has raised more than £2m for Christian Aid. Expect around 100,000 books as well as pictures, antiques and collectables. Closed Sunday 15th. For full details, log on to: stagw.org.uk
14 BUDLEIGH SALTERTON
East Devon Sponsored Walk and Cream Tea 10.15am, Lime Kiln car park, off Granary Lane, Budleigh Salterton EX9 6JD
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Are you up for a challenge? From sponsored walks to cycle challenges, we have an event for you – and with each one you’ll be raising money for some of the world’s poorest communities. Forthcoming dates include:
Great North Run 11 September 2016, Newcastle to South Shields Registration fee: £35 Minimum sponsorship: £300 The UK’s biggest half-marathon, with live music and thousands of cheering supporters.
Edinburgh Marathon 28-29 May 2016, Edinburgh Minimum sponsorship: Marathon: £500; Team relay: £500; Half marathon: £250; 10k: £150; 5k: £50. Take part for Christian Aid in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival, a selection of races in Scotland’s capital. If running is not your thing, we have many cycle, trekking and other challenges. Try a ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats, or trek the length of Hadrian’s Wall or to the summit of Snowdon. Find more information at christianaid.org.uk/events A 4-mile walk along the the river Otter, stopping at Brandy Head for a picnic and prayer with Rev Jonathan Froggatt. Followed by a cream tea at Methodist Temple. For further details, contact Ash Leighton Plom on 07814 131167 or email aleightonplom@ christian-aid.org
14 ST HELENS Afternoon Tea
Peasley Cross URC Church, Beaufort Street, St Helens WA9 3BQ
Join us for sandwiches and homemade cake – everyone welcome. For more information, contact ejessop@christian-aid.org
15 LLANDAFF
Cyfarfod Blynyddol Cymorth Cristnogol/ Annual Christian Aid Service 9am, Cadeirlan Llandaf/ Llandaff Cathedral Cymun Bendigaid/Holy Eucharist Huw Thomas i annerch/ With special guest Huw Thomas.
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16-21 FORT WILLIAM The Great Glen Way Walk
I Witness: Images of Hope Exhibition Don’t miss Christian Aid’s touring exhibition featuring images and artwork showing our partners’ lifechanging work following the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010. Please come along to any of the following venues. For details, see christianaid.org.uk/i-witness Forthcoming dates include: 11-29 April St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Angel Hill, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 1LS. 15-29 April St Giles’ Church, 10 Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6HA. 22 April – 23 May Christ Church Cathedral, St Aldate’s, Oxford OX1 1DP. 22 April – 22 May St Andrew’s Church, Victoria Street, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset TA8 1AW. 25 April – 7 May St Andrew’s Church, Church Street, Rugby, Warwickshire CV21 3PT. 11-23 May Dunkeld Cathedral, Dunkeld, Perthshire. 13 June King’s Cross Methodist Church, 58a Birkenhead Street, London WC1H 8BW.
Setting out from Fort William, follow this way-marked route to Inverness, raising funds and awareness during Christian Aid Week. Contact Amy Menzies on 0141 2416138 or amenzies@ christian-aid.org or log on to christianaid.org.uk/ scotland/another-way/
16-22 SOUTH DOWNS South Downs Way Walk
Join fellow supporter Ian Fletcher as he walks the South Downs Way in seven days! You can walk part or all of the 100 miles. For more details, contact Mark on 020 7523 2132 or mrodger@christian-aid.org
18 FLINT
Cinio Ympryd/Frugal lunch 12pm, URC Church Hall, Flint
18 CAERNARFON 15 HERSHAM
Sponsored Bike Ride to Box Hill 10am, St Peter’s Church, Burwood Road, Hersham, Surrey KT12 4AA Plus a Big Brekkie for the less energetic! For more details, contact Rev Martin Fletcher at martinfletcher@ stpetershersham.com or the church office on 01932 253452.
15 HAMPSHIRE
Hampshire Annual Sponsored Walk 2pm, Southwick With varying lengths to suit everyone, plus an
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optional family picnic from 12noon. (Previously known as the Bishop’s Waltham Deanery Walk.) For details, contact the Southampton office on 023 8070 6969 or southampton@christianaid.org
15 BARNET
Christian Aid Week Service 6.30pm, St John’s URC, Somerset Road, New Barnet EN5 1RH For more details, contact Frances Reynolds at freynolds@christian-aid. org or call 020 7523 2271.
Cyngerdd Ewyllys Da/ Goodwill Concert 6.30pm, Theatr Seilo, Caernarfon Doniau disgyblion lleol/Featuring local schoolchildren.
19 LIVERPOOL Big Brekkie
Wildwood Kitchen, Unit 2a, Church Street, Clayton Square Shopping Centre, Liverpool L1 1QR Join us for a bacon or sausage sarnie and the friendliest waiters you’ll ever meet. For more information, contact ejessop@christian-aid.org
19 LAMPETER
Oedfa Wythnos Cymorth Cristnogol Llanbedr Pont Steffan/ Lampeter Christian Aid Week Service 7pm, Capel Brondeifi Huw Thomas i annerch / With guest Huw Thomas.
20 PWLLHELI
Bore Coffi/Coffee morning 10am-12noon, Capel Penlan, Pwllheli
20 CORNWALL
St Michael’s Way Sponsored Walk with Bishop Chris Goldsmith A 12-mile walk across Cornwall, from Lelant to Marazion. For details, contact the Southampton office, as before.
21 GLOUCESTERSHIRE Nailsworth to Tetbury Sponsored Walk plus Coffee Morning and Cream Tea
10am, Christ Church, New Market Road, Nailsworth GL6 0DQ Start with coffee, then at 12noon join local minister Stuart Radford for a sixmile walk to Christ Church, The Chipping, Tetbury. Finish with a cream tea. Contact the Bristol office on 01454 415923 or email nsharp@christian-aid.org
21 OXFORDSHIRE Walk the Country
Bix Village Hall, Oxfordshire RG9 6BS Come and walk 5, 10 or 15 miles in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside. Register by emailing oxford@christian-aid.org or call 01865 246818.
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Events 21 CHANDLERS FORD, HAMPSHIRE Chandlers Ford Big Brekkie
9am-12noon, Chandlers Ford Methodist Church, Winchester Road SO53 2GJ Save the world with a sausage sarnie! Details from the Southampton office, as before.
21 JESMOND
Great Big Christian Aid Week Quiz Holy Trinity Church, Jesmond, Churchill Gardens NE2 1HB Quiz evening. More details at christianaid.org.uk/ northeast or contact Gail Willows on gwillows@ christian-aid.org
22 LONDON Circle the City Sponsored Walk 12.15pm, St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside, London EC2V 6AU Explore some of the City of London’s best-loved sights and places of worship, and enjoy pop-up exhibitions, music and activities. Register as a group or an individual at ctc2016.eventbrite.co.uk or call 020 7523 2417.
22 LOUGHBOROUGH
Simple Sunday Lunch for Christian Aid Week 12.30pm, Loughborough United Reformed Church All proceeds/profits will go to Christian Aid.
JUNE 23 WATERLOO, LONDON
Thank You Tea and Evaluation 3-5pm; 6-8pm, Christian Aid, 35 Lower Marsh, Waterloo, London SE1 7RL Help us learn what worked for Christian Aid Week and what we could improve. Come along to either session. The tea will take place at 5pm. For details, contact Julia Wensley on jwensley@christian-aid.org or 020 7523 2321.
25 JARROW
Bede’s Way Walk A 12-mile sponsored walk from St Paul’s Church, Jarrow, to St Peter’s Church, Sunderland. We also have a family-friendly 4-mile route starting and finishing at St Peter’s, Monkwearmouth. For more details, phone 0191 228 0115 or see christianaid.org.uk/walks
25 SHEFFIELD Sheffield Night Hike The Scotland Bridge Crosses Fight poverty step by step by joining a Christian Aid sponsored walk in Scotland. Dogs, fancy dress and dogs in fancy dress – all welcome. Contact: Amy Menzies at amenzies@christian-aid.org or 0141 241 6138. Or log on to christianaid.org.uk/walks 23 April – Forth Bridge Cross, 2-5pm, Forth Road Bridge, South Queensferry (reception from 1pm). 30 April – Tay Bridge Cross, 11am-2pm, Tay Road Bridge, Newport-on-Tay. 7 May – Erskine Bridge Cross, 2-5pm, Erskine Road Bridge, Old Kilpatrick. 11 June – Cumbrae Challenge, 10am-4pm, Cumbrae Slip, Great Cumbrae.
Trek into the night from Sheffield to the Peak District and back, over 17 miles. To register, see sheffieldnighthike.org.uk or pfurbey@christian-aid.org
JULY 1 FAREHAM, HAMPSHIRE
Champagne Tea 4pm, Bishopsgrove, 26 Osborn Road, Fareham, Hampshire PO16 7DQ Enjoy an afternoon tea with a glass of fizz, hosted by Bishop Christopher
Foster. Booking essential. Contact the Southampton office on 023 8070 6969 or southampton@christianaid.org
AUGUST 5 LAMBETH, LONDON Lambeth Palace Garden Open Day 12-3pm, Lambeth Palace, London SE1 7JU Visit the Archbishop of Canterbury’s garden. Entrance fee and refreshments sold in aid of Christian Aid. For details, contact Julia Wensley, as before.
SEPTEMBER 3 SCOTLAND
Another Way to Remember 9.30am, Muckhart, Clackmannanshire Walk the new, 13-mile Hillfoots Diamond Jubilee Way from Muckhart to Logie Kirk near Stirling, in this event for those wanting to remember a loved one. Contact Amy Menzies at amenzies@christian-aid. org or 0141 241 6138 or log on to christianaid.org.uk/ scotland/another-way/
10 EAGLESHAM, CENTRAL SCOTLAND Power Walk
Whitelee Windfarm, Eaglesham Join this sponsored walk around the UK’s largest on-shore windfarm and find out what ‘power’ means to Christian Aid. For details, contact Amy Menzies, as above.
Solution to the crossword on page 25. ACROSS: 1 Cyclone 5 Erratic 9 Angst 10 Bug 11 Breve 12 Disease 14 Extreme 15 Heat 17 Rainfall 20 Recessed 22 Rake 25 Arsenic 26 Poverty 29 Flood 30 Ode 31 Ouija 32 Listens 33 Poisons. DOWN: 1 Chard 2 Cages 3 Outcast 4 Emblem 5 Eagle Ray 6 Ribston 7 Theme park 8 Crenelle 13 Ish 16 Excisions 18 Dreadful 19 Red Cross 21 Sine die 22 Ravioli 23 Eat 24 Upkeep 27 Rhino 28 Years 026-029_CAM_6_Events2.indd 29
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Last Word
Fundraising: our commitment to you Ian Livett, Christian Aid’s Head of Supporter Engagement, outlines our determination to ensure that your support is never taken for granted
O
ver the past year, you will almost certainly have seen some troubling media stories about a few charities’ aggressive fundraising methods and the disquiet that they have understandably generated among the public and politicians. At Christian Aid, we know it is supporters’ faith in our mission, your tireless energy and generous donations that enable us to help people in poverty around the world. We are endlessly humbled by your support. Thank you. We are determined that, as partners in this mission, you should have a really positive experience of working with us. We recognise, however, that there are occasions where we have not always got it right. During the past year, we have thoroughly reviewed how we record supporters’ wishes about
how we contact them and made some changes to ensure we abide by those wishes. In future, whenever we get in touch to ask for your help, we’ll remind you about how to tell us if you want to change how we contact you. We have also thought carefully about when and how we should use external companies to help us raise the money that funds our and our partners’ work. And we’re liaising closely with regulators to ensure we maintain the highest legal and professional standards in our fundraising. At the same time, we will continue our fight to end poverty. We will fight for those who worry about how to feed their family; for those whose children can’t access education; for those who suffer discrimination daily – simply because of who they are; and for those who do not have a
safe place to call home. We make no apology for requesting donations to help people like this. Without the money we raise through your generosity – and your wonderful house-to-house collections during Christian Aid Week, for example – we would have to end some of our work against poverty and its causes. At the same time, we are committed to raise money in ways that also respect our supporters’ needs and preferences. If there is anything you would like to tell us about these, including about your own dealings with Christian Aid, then please get in touch: • phone: 020 7523 2493 • email: info@christian-aid.org • post: Christian Aid, 35 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RL. We welcome your views, questions and ideas.
What do you think about your Christian Aid Magazine? This may well be the last issue of Christian Aid Magazine that we publish for the time being, as we are reviewing how we keep in touch with our supporters. We are looking at how we might fund its future publication or whether there is a better way to keep you informed about Christian Aid’s activities and the programmes and campaigns your donations help to support. If you have a view on this, we’d love
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to hear from you – please fill in the response card inside this issue or simply write to us at Christian Aid, 35 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RL, or email info@christian-aid.org Meanwhile, there are many other ways you can keep up and interact with Christian Aid’s activities online. You can… Like us: facebook.com/christianaid
Follow us: twitter.com/christian_aid Watch us: youtube.com/ thisischristianaid See our work at: flickr.com/christian-aid pinterest.com/christianaid instagram.com/christianaiduk Listen to us at: soundcloud.com/ christian-aid-global Join us: google.com/+christianaid
Christian Aid Magazine Spring/Summer 2016
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‘I’m leaving a gift to the family I don’t know’ When Trish made her Will, her first priority was to care for the people closest to her. But her love and faith called her to go one step further. Through her Will, she’s extending her care to families across the world – families she’s never met, but who she holds as close and dear as her own loved ones. Through her support for Christian Aid, Trish has been helping those families for a long time. And through a gift in her Will, she can continue sending her love and compassion to them – and so can you. You too can remember the family you don’t know. By including Christian Aid in your Will, the love and care you feel now can live on – even after you’ve gone. To find out more, visit christianaid.org.uk/ legacies or call Ali Linwood on 020 7523 2173. You can also return the attached form to request your free copy of 1945: A Guide to Wills and Legacies.
✁
I would like to know more about including Christian Aid in my Will. Please let us know your address and we will send you our free guide to Wills and legacies. Name Address Postcode Christian Aid will not pass your details on to any other organisation. If you already receive information from Christian Aid we will continue to send it unless you tell us otherwise by writing to us at PO Box 100, London SE1 7RT. If you are new to Christian Aid, please tick here if you do not want to receive information from us.
Please complete the form, cut it out and return to: Christian Aid, PO Box 100, London SE1 7RT.
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If undelivered, please return to Supporter Relations, Christian Aid, PO Box 100, London SE1 7RT
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