Making A Difference
One Life At A Time
Meeting the needs of the whole person.
Who We Are
Christian World Outreach (CWO) helps people in developing countries improve their quality of life by reaching out to those who are shunned, forgotten, or marginalized by society. We treat individuals physically, emotionally, spiritually and educationally. CWO was founded in 1979 with the intent of providing assistance to existing youth programs in Haiti. In the years that have followed, CWO has grown to an organization that provides medical clinics, vocational training, leadership development, children’s feeding programs, HIV/AIDS prevention education, AIDS orphan assistance, youth camps, education assistance, discipleship, evangelistic outreach and more.
Our Mission
The mission of Christian World Outreach is to participate with the body of Christ in responsible evangelism, to bring dignity, self-worth and encouragement through leadership development and to meet the physical needs of the people through humanitarian assistance.
Why We Help
Christian World Outreach provides hope and assistance to thousands of individuals in Burkina Faso, Haiti, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In the communities in which we work, we reach out to the forgotten and help make a difference one life at a time, by joining with the local people to provide holistic ways to improve lives.
How We Help
Motivated by our faith, we serve the poor – regardless of an individual’s race, religion, ethnicity or gender as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people. To help secure a better future for as many lives as we can, we believe it is important to serve the whole person -- physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.
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Global Issues
Poverty is a systemic problem often fueled by the lack of access to education and resources to provide a living. Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world, with 80% of the population living on subsistence agriculture. The history of Haiti is fraught with religious turmoil and voodoo practice. The spreading HIV/AIDS epidemic has quickly become a major obstacle in the fight against hunger and poverty in developing countries. Approximately 39.5 million people in the world are living with HIV/AIDS (State of Food Insecurity in the World 2006, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2006). It is widely believed that the history of Haiti’s independence includes a traditional ceremony where two voodoo priests made a “pact with Satan” against the white man’s god. Female genital mutilation, child labor, and child trafficking remain serious problems in Burkina Faso. Over 750,000 Zambian children have been orphaned due to HIV/AIDS. Rising food prices are fueling the global hunger crisis. It is taking an immense toll on the world’s poorest people, who typically spend up to 80 percent of their income on food. The World Bank estimates that food prices have gone up by 83 percent globally over the last three years. Half the world – nearly 3 billion people – live on less than two dollars a day (World Health Organization). Based on enrollment data, about 72 million children of primary school age in the developing world were not in school in 2005; 57 percent of them were girls (Millenium Development Goals Report 2007).
Over 750,000 Zambian children have been orphaned due to HIV/AIDS.
Our Work
On the ground in
Burkina Faso
Vocational Training
Currently under construction the Village of Opportunity is being built on 14 acres of land that was donated by local tribal chiefs. Phase I of the training center is in the final finishing stages and includes two classrooms, two administrative offices, a reception and registration area, and restrooms. Phase II of the training center includes an additional 7 classrooms, a courtyard and storage rooms. Future projects for the land call for dormitories, a guesthouse and additional classroom space. The Village of Opportunity will provide young women with a Christ-centered training facility that will help them recognize their inherent value as well as learn a vocational skill which will allow them to provide for their families. The Village of Opportunity will provide classes in sewing, cooking, cosmetology, and crafts. Currently, classes in sewing are being conducted in a borrowed classroom and the young women who are attending are already experiencing the value of this training as they are beginning to sell their products in the local markets. In addition to providing life-giving skills to the students who attend, the Village of Opportunity will provide jobs for the local villagers. Students who graduate in the top of their classes will have the opportunity to become teachers in the school or participate in micro-finance loans to create their own businesses.
Medical Aid
Christian World Outreach jointly operates a medical clinic in Ouagadougou, which treats nearly 1,000 patients each month. Treatments are provided for everything from dispensing antibiotics for malaria, to treatment for dehydration, to general medical care. Patients are asked to pay approximately $0.25 per visit; however, no one is turned away due to inability to pay. The medical clinic also operates a fully equipped surgical suite, laboratory, dental office and an optical office that is able to provide glasses free of charge to those who need them.
Agriculture Program
In 2006, Christian World Outreach began an agriculture program to help grow fruits and vegetables for the Village of Opportunity and to be sold in the local markets. Due to the extreme climate and the intensity of the sun it is hard to grow fruits and vegetables in this area of the world. Christian World Outreach is currently testing the effectiveness of various shade structures and agricultural techniques to aid in the ability to grow fruits and vegetables. The goal of the agriculture program is to be able to provide food and to use the program as a teaching tool in the vocational training center.
On the ground in
Haiti
Vocational Training
Christian World Outreach currently operates two feminine training centers in Haiti, one in Port-au-Prince and the other in Mirebalais. The training centers provide women with vocational skills so they are able to obtain employment or start their own business and provide for their families. The women learn skills in sewing, cooking, cake decorating, crafts and cosmetology. Women who graduate from the training centers are able to make wedding dresses, clothing and food that can be sold in open markets or prepared for special occasions. Cosmetology graduates are able to work for a salon or start a business out of their home. Micro-business loans to help women who are interested in starting their own business are available for those who excel in one of the learning areas. The Feminine Training Centers have an excellent completion rate with eight out of ten enrolling and remaining enrolled until graduation. In 2008, over 160 women graduated from the Feminine Training Centers. Upon graduation 80% of these women became employed in their area of training.
Medical Aid
Christian World Outreach runs a medical clinic that provides short-term care for local villagers who live within a 40-kilometer radius of LeJeune, Haiti. In 2007, 1417 individuals were treated at the clinic, 24 babies were delivered and 59 patients were hospitalized. The clinic is located in a remote and rural area of Haiti and is the only medical clinic that will provide care to patients regardless of their ability to pay. Patients are treated at the clinic and asked to pay for the services received. If they cannot afford to pay for the care they need they are treated regardless and asked to pay what, if anything, they can afford.
Children’s Feeding Program:
Many Haitian families are unable to afford food and it is not uncommon for parents to starve one of their children in order to use that child for begging purposes or to get money to feed the rest of the family. Malnutrition contributes to the spread of disease and contributes to the hopelessness associated with poverty. Two times a week Christian World Outreach provides a hot meal to approximately 150 children in Port-au-Prince. The children who receive meals are generally orphaned, have lost one parent, have been abandoned due to disease, have HIV infections, or are neighborhood children who have been affected by political instability and poverty.
Leadership Training
Christian World Outreach provides training and education for local church pastors and lay leaders. The goal of leadership training is to provide individuals with skills that can be used to improve the conditions in churches, schools, communities and the entire country.
Church Development
Christian World Outreach is currently working with nine partner churches located in rural and remote areas of Haiti, to help the pastor’s develop strong ministries that outreach to men, women, and youth. Often times in Haiti pastors have little formal education, CWO brings teams of professionals to help train and educate the pastors and provide them with the skills necessary to improve their churches. CWO also assists our partner churches with humanitarian needs as they arise.
Youth Camps
The Great Discovery Youth Camps have been taking place in Haiti since 1977. Each year Christian World Outreach conducts two to three Great Discovery Camps in different rural locations of Haiti. The goals of the camp are to engage young people, educate them about the salvation message and to provide an opportunity for them to accept Christ. The camps are one week long, geared towards youth ages 15-30 years, attracting 200-250 youths at each camp and there is no charge for attendees. One of the unique aspects of the Great Discovery Camps is the way they work with our nine partner churches throughout Haiti. The Great Discovery Youth Camps allow our partner churches to invite street children, those without parents, the homeless, and those who have not had an opportunity to hear the Gospel. Once the camps are completed the church leaders and pastors can then disciple and mentor the youth so that they are not sent back to their home environments without the support of a local church.
On the ground in
Zambia
HIV/AIDS Prevention & Education
Christian World Outreach field staff in Zambia have created an HIV/AIDS prevention & education program that combats the stigma often associated with the disease, teaches sustainable prevention, and focuses on care for those who have HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS education is taught weekly at Anti-AIDS clubs, primary schools and universities, community groups, youth groups, churches and to the Zambian police force. Thousands of individuals attend these classes each year and have learned ways they can remain HIV free, how to reduce the spread of the disease, where to go for treatment and testing, how to lovingly respond to someone who is infected with the disease and given the medical facts regarding HIV/AIDS to help diffuse cultural myths.
HIV/AIDS Care
Each month Christian World Outreach staff meets with a group of individuals who are HIV positive to provide emotional, physical and spiritual support. The group meets to encourage and support one another and to discuss common issues and concerns facing HIV positive individuals. The goal of the group is to help reduce the stigma associated with the disease and increase a positive outlook for those who are dealing with the devastating effects of HIV and AIDS. CWO staff also visit the local hospice on a regular basis to bring the same emotional, physical and spiritual support to those who are at the end stages of the disease.
AIDS Orphan Partnership
In Zambia alone there were approximately 750,000 children under the age of 17 who had lost one or both parents to AIDS by the end of 2005. Due to the staggering percentage of children who are growing up in orphanages Christian World Outreach has partnered with a local orphanage to assist with the medical and physical care of children placed in the orphanage.
Learning Library
Poverty is a systemic problem often fueled by a lack of access to education and resources to provide a living. In 2002, Christian World Outreach in Zambia created a “learning library.� Every day over 40 students come to the library to study. This translates to more students passing their final exams and continuing on to the University, which ultimately means a society of educated individuals who can have a positive impact on the entire nation.
Evangelistic Outreach & Discipleship
In addition to humanitarian assistance, Christian World Outreach believes emotional and spiritual assistance are just as important. In 2003, CWO staff in Zambia began reaching out to young men who have been shunned and discarded by society. The majority of these young men are street boys or “call boys” – individuals who assist in loading the public transportation at the bus stops. Each week these young men are invited to meet with CWO staff to share a meal, have a Bible study and discuss hardships or concerns in their lives. There has been a marked improvement in the lives of the young men who have participated in this program. The young men now believe they have something to contribute to society instead of destroying it and their self-esteem and self-respect have increased. Many have been tested for HIV/AIDS and are aware of ways they can help reduce the spread of the disease. They receive medical care, food, encouragement and support from the work of CWO in Zambia.
Reaching the forgotten.
On the ground in
Zimbawbwe
AIDS Orphans
In Zimbabwe, Christian World Outreach operates an orphan ministry called “Our Kids,” which is derived from the African concept that views every child in a community as belonging to everyone in the community. It focuses on the importance of the community at large and that being an orphan should not mean being disconnected or shunned from a community. The community is responsible for the welfare of vulnerable children. The abbreviation “OK” was selected to instill a sense of hope in the child that even though they have lost their parents they are still “OK.” The program places children who are between the ages of 1-18 years who have been orphaned or are children acting as the head of a household, with a family in the community. This program allows children to stay in the communities in which they have been born instead of being institutionalized. This approach is of great importance because it does not uproot the children from their communities. It also allows the children to stay in school, complete their education and remain close to their friends and familiar faces. In addition to providing home care, food and scholarships, children in the Our Kids program receive on-going counseling, AIDS education, skills development, and opportunities for micro-income generating projects and weekend life skills camps. Currently over 350 children are being supported through the Our Kids program. At a cost of $25 a month Christian World Outreach is able to cover school fees, school uniforms, writing books, textbooks, medical care, and food kits for the children.
Leadership Training
Christian World Outreach provides training for local church pastors and community leaders. The goal of leadership training is to provide individuals with skills that can be used to improve the conditions in churches, schools, communities and the entire country. In a country where people do not have answers, they often look to their pastors and church for solutions. The training sessions teach pastors how to deal with the practical and spiritual questions people are facing on a daily basis. Training seminars are scheduled on a monthly basis and allow us to reach up to 4,000 pastors and community leaders a year!
You Can Help Donations: Christian World Outreach could not fulfill its mission without the support of people like you. Your charitable gift directly supports our programs in Burkina Faso, Haiti, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Your gift can help to enrich the lives of others around the world. Donations can be made to: Christian World Outreach P.O. Box 2716 Centennial CO 80161-2716 Or online at www.cwomissions.org
Short Term Trips: Go on a team trip to Africa or Haiti. Short-term teams are designed to take you out of your comfort zone – to challenge you to see parts of the world that aren’t like what we are used to in America. Our goal is to have each team member see how he or she can make a difference.
Prayer Support: We all know the power of prayer. One of the most important things you can do for Christian World Outreach is to pray for the organization, the staff, the ministries and programs.
Volunteer: We are always in need of volunteers to help out in our office or to assist with a special event.
For more information on any of the above programs, in-kind donations, special needs or trip dates please contact the Christian World Outreach office at 303-723-0333.
P.O. Box 2716 Centennial, Colorado 80161-2716 Phone: 303-723-0333 Fax: 303-721-6104 www.cwomissions.org
303.723.0333
www.cwomissions.org