World Relief Food Security Program in the North Kivu Province, Congo.
NEARLY TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO THE
Esther, a victim of racial discrimination,
friends and trusted to share his life-
sun rose on the empty tomb of Christ.
helped save her people from destruc-
changing message. They were commis-
Unbeknownst to them, two women
tion. Rahab, the village reject, coura-
sioned to be the first evangelists.
traveling to the burial site would become
geously defended God’s ambassadors.
the first to hear the triumphant Easter
Mary, a disadvantaged teenager,
Today, in many regions of the world,
story—Christ raised from the dead.
gave her life to care for God’s only son.
women and girls do not experience a
With renewed hope and eager spirits,
Mary Magdalene, the marginal-
life of trust and responsibility. Sadly,
they quickly ran to tell the world.
ized woman, faithfully stayed with
they experience discrimination, sub-
Christ through his trial, torture and
ordination, marginalization, abuse and
In scripture, women are elevated to
crucifixion. Together, Mary and Mary
limited choices. Prevented from pro-
positions of influence and responsibility.
Magdalene were greeted by Christ as
viding adequate education, nutrition
“IN SCRIPTURE, WOMEN ARE ELEVATED
PREVENTION
WORLD RELIEF CARE GROUPS TEACH MOTHERS HOW TO PREVENT DISEASE AND CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
MOBILIZING FOR LIFE PREVENTS HIV/AIDS BY TEACHING ADOLESCENTS ABSTINENCE AND FAITHFULNESS.
VOCATION
NUTRITION
ACCESS TO FINANCIAL SERVICES HELPS WOMEN LEVERAGE THEIR SKILLS TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES.
WORLD RELIEF AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS EQUIP FARMERS WITH TOOLS AND SEEDS TO PROVIDE NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO THEIR FAMILIES.
are transformed by the love of God.
more. This Easter, help us demonstrate
Second, through outreach, programs
the transforming power of Christ’s
and trainings, women are equipped with
TO POSITIONS OF
triumph over death. Join us in our
the knowledge and confidence they need
commitment to elevate, empower and
INFLUENCE AND
to care for their families. As a result,
celebrate the role of women.
RESPONSIBILITY.” and health care for themselves and their families, they are repeatedly denied the opportunity to care for the things closest to their hearts. This is
tragedies like child mortality decrease while blessings like income-generating
TOGETHER, WE CAN
activities increase. Third, as women
MIMIC THE LOVING ACTS
experience life as educated, empowered members of their communities, they begin to train other women.
OF CHRIST AND EMPOWER VULNERABLE WOMEN TO RESOLVE
not God’s intent. When He created woman, she was a beautiful reflec-
As you will see in the next few pages,
tion of God’s image—to be celebrated,
economic inequality, child mortality,
developed, protected, and viewed as an
HIV/AIDS, human trafficking and
equal to Adam, bringing glory to God
gender-based violence are big issues
and His world.
facing women. However, thanks to the power of the local church and
At World Relief, we celebrate God’s
programs of World Relief, women are
creation and STAND/FOR WOMEN.
overcoming these obstacles with grace
First, we work through local churches
and courage. In the past two years,
to connect with women in their times of
World Relief has served almost two
need. Through relationship, scripture,
million women and children. With
encouragement and prayer, women
your partnership, we can reach even
THE INJUSTICES PLAGUING THEIR COMMUNITIES.
P H OTO S BY B E N JA M I N E DWA R D S + M A R I A N N E B AC H
EDUCATION
I M PAC T AR E A N O. 1
SUSTAINABLE FAMILY INCOME According to the famous proverb,
years we have educated farming
take loans, generate income and care
“women hold up half the sky.” It’s
families to reclaim fertile soil, diversify
for their neighbors. Incredibly, 70% of
true—50% of the world’s population is
crops, generate alternative sources of
the members are women.
women—but they don’t receive 50% of
income, increase their harvest, effec-
the world’s income, credit or oppor-
tively market their product and attend
COMMUNITY BANKING
tunities. In fact, even though women
to the health needs of their families.
In urban centers destabilized by con-
perform two-thirds of the world’s
Women also learn to plant gardens,
flict, World Relief establishes Commu-
labor, they only receive 10% of the in-
raise small livestock and prepare nutri-
nity Banks to provide financial services
come and own 1% of the property. As a
tious meals for their families.
to entrepreneurs. In Burundi, Turame
result, 70% of the world’s 3 billion poor
Community Finance has over 17,000
are women.
SAVINGS FOR LIFE
clients—mostly women—who now own
Savings for Life offers basic financial
and operate their own businesses.
This historic trend of injustice is difficult
services to women who might not
To date, the entire World Relief
to reverse, but through grass roots pro-
qualify for community banking
economic development network has
grams in agricultural development, sav-
programs. Through local churches,
provided sustainable business oppor-
ings initiatives and community banking,
groups of women learn the biblical
tunities to over 200,000 families.
World Relief is creating opportunities
principles of savings from a volunteer
for women to thrive.
trainer. The small savings they gener-
ate are used to make loans to members,
AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
personal savings are deposited for
acquiring skill sets but not on growing
In countries like Sudan and Malawi,
later use and a group social-fund goes
farmers’ businesses, World Relief‘s
where the majority of people live
to financially support community
agricultural development programs
in rural areas beyond the financial
members in distress. Since the Burundi
work with farmers throughout the
services of microfinance, group sav-
Shigikirana Savings and Credit project
entire process, including the marketing,
ings and loans programs, World Relief
began in 2007, over 180 members have
empowers farmers. For over twenty
been trained to manage their finances,
sales and distribution of products.”
“Unlike most programs which focus on
–PROFESSOR MARGARET BAILEY, POINT LOMA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, SAN DIEGO, CA
HOW CAN YOUR GIFT HELP FAMILIES GENERATE SUSTAINABLE INCOME?
$6,000
$12,400
$20,010
can provide Savings For Life
can bless 100 farmers in South
can equip 1,500 farmers with
materials and training for
Sudan with tools, seeds and
new farming and business skills
200 churches.
training to sustain their families
in Malawi.
GOAL: PROVIDE 2,000 CHURCHES WITH MATERIALS AND TRAINING.
and earn an income.
GOAL: SUPPORT 3,000 FARMERS.
GOAL: EQUIP 3,300 FARMERS.
I M PAC T AR E A N O. 2
MATERNAL & CHILD HEALTH For women who have been economi-
CHILD SURVIVAL
common childbearing complications
cally and socially marginalized, the
To assist mothers living without access
and childhood disease. Each Care
blessing and joy of motherhood is
to conventional health services, our
Group volunteer is assigned ten neigh-
often tainted by disease and death.
Maternal and Child Health programs,
boring households for regular visits to
99% of pregnancy/childbirth related
commonly called Child Survival,
provide education and checkups. This
deaths occur in developing countries.
sensitize communities through Care
innovative approach has effectively
In Sub-Saharan Africa, mothers suf-
Groups, an innovative technique de-
reduced child mortality and morbidity
fer the loss of 1 in 8 children under
veloped by World Relief. Care Groups
in Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi, Mozam-
the age of 5 to preventable diseases
are community-based education and
bique, Cambodia and Indonesia.
like pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria
support groups comprised of 10-15
and measles.Â
volunteers each trained to prevent
CHILD SURVIVAL: HOW IT WORKS
1
Community needs are discussed.
2
Volunteers are elected by community and trained by World Relief.
3
4
Volunteers take census and survey of community.
Survey measures % of children who are immunized, breastfeeding, weighed and using ORT*. * ORAL
R E H Y D R AT I O N T H E R A P Y
Evaluations of the program after the end of the second and
5
World Relief writes detailed implementation plan (DIP).
6
World Relief trains volunteers to implement plan.
7
Volunteers implement training and educate mothers to raise healthy children.
8
World Relief evaluates the program at the end of the second and third years.
HOW CAN YOUR GIFT EMPOWER WOMEN TO CARE FOR THEIR FAMILIES?
$4,436
$9,260
$17,840
can empower 50 Care Group
can reach 20 families in India
can educate 2,000 mothers in
volunteers in Malawi to reach
with health lessons and HIV/
Nias, Indonesia with lifesaving
10–15 households each with
AIDS prevention messaging.
health tips.
health and nutrition messaging.
GOAL: REACH 270 FAMILIES.
GOAL: REACH 17,590 MOTHERS.
GOAL: TRAIN 6,275 VOLUNTEERS.
I M PAC T AR E A N O. 3
HIV/AIDS PREVENTION & CARE The modern day HIV/AIDS pandemic
Bible-based curriculum, Mobilizing
Adolescents who make commitments
is one of the greatest threats to human
for Life is an innovative church-based
to fidelity are organized into groups for
health and development. Since the
initiative. Churches are challenged
encouragement and accountability, and
Center for Disease Control first identi-
and equipped to commit themselves
they are trained to educate their peers on
fied the disease in 1981, case numbers
and their resources to HIV/AIDS
the dangers of HIV/AIDS. Impressively,
have risen from a few thousand to 33.3
interventions such as raising aware-
Choose Life has impacted over 2.3 million
million. Today, 52% of all HIV/AIDS
ness, reducing stigmas, community
youth since it’s inception in 2006.
victims are women and it is the num-
trainings, victim care, orphan support
ber one cause of death among women
and economic empowerment.
of reproductive age. A majority of
Â
cases, including 90% of the 1.7 million
Since launching Mobilizing for Life
in Asia, are women infected by their
in 1999, World Relief Rwanda has
husbands or long-term partners.
reached an incredible 674 churches
Â
representing 58 church denominations
To address this catastrophic need, World
in all of Rwanda’s provinces. Among
Relief has developed church-based pre-
those churches, 91% have awareness
vention programs in China, Cambodia,
and anti-stigma programs and 46%
Indonesia, India, Sudan, Kenya, The
have pastoral counseling programs for
Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda,
AIDS-related issues.
Burundi, Malawi, Mozambique, South
Â
Africa, Burkina Faso and Haiti.
CHOOSE LIFE
Â
Through Choose Life, World Relief’s
MOBILIZING FOR LIFE
youth abstinence program, trained
Designed to prevent the spread of
‘animators’ teach children the Biblical
AIDS by promoting healthy patterns
values of abstinence and marital fidelity
of family life and sexual practice using
through skits, puppet shows and song.
RWANDA IMPACT t PG QBSUJDJQBUJOH QBSJTIFT IBWF awareness and anti-stigma programs. t IBWF QBTUPSBM DPVOTFMJOH programs for AIDS related issues. t TUBSUFE BEPMFTDFOU TFYVBM education and HIV/AIDS programs. t CFHBO IPNF DBSF QSPHSBNT GPS people living with AIDS. t VTF DIVSDI CBTFE WPMVOUFFST to do the work.Â
HOW CAN YOUR GIFT HELP WOMEN PREVENT HIV/AIDS?
$17,052
$26,121
$43,275
can train 350 volunteers as
can raise up 30 Mobilizing for
can reach 1,500 youth in
Choose Life instructors in
Life volunteer educators in
Malawi with HIV/AIDS prevention
Cambodia to prevent HIV/AIDS
Papua, Indonesia to sensitize
messaging.
among adolescents.
their communities with HIV/
GOAL: REACH 10,000 YOUTH.
GOAL: TRAIN 7,150 INSTRUCTORS.
AIDS prevention messaging.
GOAL: RAISE UP 200 VOLUNTEER EDUCATORS.
I M PAC T AR E A N O. 4
HUMAN TRAFFICKING As the world’s second biggest criminal
lessons, health tips, practical ways to
rescue and restore victims to the high-
industry, Human Trafficking has led
avoid dangerous parts of town and how
est quality of life possible.
to the enslavement of nearly 27 mil-
to identify possible traffickers. Â
lion people around the world. Each year, 800,000 new victims, mostly women and children, are trafficked across international borders. Sadly, to meet the growing demand in the United States, one of these victims is trafficked into our country every ten minutes. In response to this stark reality, World Relief helped launch the Faith Alliance
SUPPORT FREEDOM
In the U.S., World Relief North Carolina’s
U.S. IMPACT
program, Support Freedom, has trained
When two women from Central and
thousands of community residents to
South America were obligated to
identify victims of trafficking in their
work as prostitutes, World Relief
own communities. As a result, traf-
Tampa collaborated with the FBI and
ficking cases referred to World Relief
law enforcement officers to aid the
North Carolina increased 600% in the
victims and provide advocacy ser-
last year.
vices throughout the trial to see the
Against Slavery and Trafficking, which
NETWORK OF EMERGENCY TRAFFICKING SERVICES
collaborates to design programs, cur-
In 2004, World Relief Tampa initi-
riculum and trainings that prevent the
ated the Network of Emergency Traf-
crime of trafficking.
ficking Services to educate the public
Â
on trafficking indicators, provide
HOPE PROGRAM
trainings programs for commu-
In Cambodia, World Relief ’s Hope for
nity service agents, offer emergency
Cambodia’s Children is a church-based
services to victims of trafficking
program that shares prevention train-
and facilitate strategic partnerships
ings with over 39,000 children every
between churches and service provid-
month. Through skits, songs and pup-
ers. When victims of trafficking are
pet shows, children are taught Bible
identified, World Relief Tampa works to
trafficker prosecuted and sentenced UP ZFBST JNQSJTPONFOU
HOW CAN YOUR GIFT STOP CRIMES OF TRAFFICKING?
$7,500
$15,600
$19,560
can fund an awareness/outreach
can support one foreign-born
can train 2,000 community
project to educate the commu-
woman rescued from human
members in Cambodia with
nity and decrease the impact of
trafficking in North Carolina with
anti-trafficking curriculum.
slavery in North Carolina.
one year of living expenses.
GOAL: HOST 6 AWARENESS/ OUTREACH EVENTS
GOAL: FULLY SUPPORT 20 WOMEN
GOAL: TRAIN 7,658 COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I M PAC T AR E A N O. 5
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE For many women, life is an experience
heal division and animosity by living
vocation, counseling or prayer, Com-
of fear and conflict. Worldwide, one
out Christ’s example of forgiveness.
passion Groups offer victims a place to
out of every three women has been
Thanks to these World Relief led
regain their identities as women made
beaten, abused or sexually violated.
workshops, pastors return home to
in the image of God.
Several countries have domestic
promote peace in their congregations
violence rates as high as 70%. In The
and equip leaders to resolve conflicts.
Democratic Republic of Congo, 2.1
Since 2005, peace-building efforts in
“A women came to us last year and told
million women are victims of gender-
Congo have united pastors from dif-
us she was raped. She was hurt physi-
based violence and rape is so common
ferent tribes to participate in interde-
cally, but she was also sad because her
it has been labeled a “pandemic,�
nominational committees dedicated to
husband left her. Our group took her to
spreading from village-to-village like a
peace and compassion ministries.
the doctor, then went to her husband
deadly virus.
Â
BOE FYQMBJOFE UIF TJUVBUJPO )F XBT
COMPASSION GROUPS
ashamed he couldn’t do anything to
To intercede on behalf of women and
Designed to prevent violence against
empower them to overcome these
women while caring for victims,
atrocities, World Relief works in areas
Compassion Groups are comprised of
plagued by conflict by mobilizing
5-15 women. Many victims of violence
wife they are overcoming this challenge
communities to advocate for peace and
themselves, these women promote
together. We thank God for this.�
care for victims.
respect and equality in their communi-
Â
ties through workshops. As a result,
PEACE-BUILDING
safety increases and acts of violence
Mobilizing pastors in violent areas to
decrease. When a woman is victimized,
come together is the first step in the
the group pools it’s own resources to
World Relief Peace Building program.
meet their needs. Whether providing
Removed from their communities in
transportation to the doctor, food
retreat settings, pastors are taught to
for their families, training for a new
help his wife, but we encouraged him to go home. Now that he is home with his
–MARIETTE, COMPASSION GROUP LEADER IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
HOW CAN YOUR GIFT HELP WOMEN RECOVER FROM ACTS OF VIOLENCE?
$7,660
$13,084
$22,620
can form 10 support groups for
can reach 100 pastors in Malawi
can provide 500 farmers
victims of sexual violence
with leadership training.
recovering from conflict in
GOAL: TRAIN 220 PASTORS.
Darfur with seeds, tools and
in The Democratic Republic of Congo.
GOAL: DEVELOP 100 SUPPORT GROUPS.
agricultural training.
GOAL: EQUIP 10,500 FAMILIES.
TO G E T H E R , W E C A N M I M I C T H E LOV I N G AC T S O F C H R I S T AN D E M P OWE R V U LN E R AB LE W O M E N TO R E S O LV E T H E I N J U S T I C E S P L AG U I N G THEIR COMMUNITIES . W I L L YO U S TA N D W I T H U S ? FOR THE LAST 65 YEARS, WORLD RELIEF
With the love of God expressed
NEED MORE INFORMATION?
has joined with the suffering in their
through his church, the harsh obstacles
To learn more or discuss further
time of need. Today, our mission to
facing women can be transformed into
options, please contact World Relief
empower the local church to serve the
life-giving opportunities.
via email at:
To respond to these urgent needs please
womenwhostand@wr.org
most vulnerable is as urgent as ever. Equipped with the hope and power of Christ, the church is able to respond to these pressing needs like no other orga-
use the enclosed response card or visit us online at www.worldrelief.org.
nization, institution or social network.
www.worldrelief.org