Viva(issue15)12&01.pdf
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FACEBOOK.COM/VIVATOGETHERFORCHILDREN
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INFO@VIVA.ORG
WWW.VIVA.ORG
| ISSUE 15
vivanews
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mited by England at
WHAT’S INSIDE
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A big thank you to supporters who gave generously to keep children off the streets in Guatemala
05 Find out how specialist training is protecting children at risk of being trafficked and exploited in Cambodia
06 With support from the British government, discover how Viva and CRANE are helping girls get back to school
08 We’re restoring safety to children in the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan and rebuilding for the future
Viva(issue15)02&03.pdf
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FUNDRAISING DOESN’T HAVE TO BE HARD! WHY NOT DO SOMETHING FUN WITH YOUR FRIENDS OR FAMILY, AND HELP VULNERABLE CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD AT THE SAME TIME? HERE ARE SOME IDEAS TO GET YOU STARTED…
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S A E ID
Have some FUN! Craft night (make it, sell it) Wine tasting evening (only for adults!) Karaoke open-mic (solo or group) Speed-dating (match made in heaven?)
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ALL-AGE Events
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Community treasure hunt (children love it!) Talent show (pay to enter) Summer sports day (family day out) Pledge your birthday (Viva is all about life!)
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Up for a CHALLENGE! Rice and beans challenge (google it) Shave your head (dare to be different) Extreme sports (rather you than me!) Sponsored silence (shhhh!)
To raise funds, simply set a small entry fee, hold a raffle, ask for donations or set up your own sponsorship page online! We would love to hear from you if you’d like to fundraise for Viva – and you can come to us for tips. Get in touch by emailing info@viva.org or call 01865 811660 for a chat.
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Additional photography courtesy of Family4th and Defence images All the children named in vivanews have had their names and photos changed in accordance with our Child Protection Policy
Viva(issue15)02&03.pdf
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EDITORIAL
Joanna Mitchell | Fundraising Manager
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DA VINCI, SHAKESPEARE, EINSTEIN – THESE PEOPLE WERE CLEARLY FAIRLY CLEVER, BUT THEY ALSO BENEFITTED FROM CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH THEIR TALENT WAS RECOGNISED AND NURTURED, AND THE WORLD BECAME A BETTER PLACE FOR IT.
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I’ve often wondered what other potential geniuses may have lived and died unnoticed, denied the education and environment needed to bring their gifts to fruition. Potentially brilliant scientists who were forced instead to spend their lives begging for a living. People who could have written poetry that moved us to tears who lost their lives early to a preventable disease. We will never know what’s been stolen by poverty and lack of opportunity.
with CRANE, our partner network in Uganda, with backing from the Department for International Development (DFID), to help 4,000 marginalised girls who have dropped out of mainstream school back into education. Many of these girls have already experienced discrimination and despair, but they are being given a second chance. Who knows what ability, aptitude and creativity may now be released and encouraged? Read more on page 6.
That’s why I’m particularly excited about the ambitious programme we’ve just launched in conjunction
You can also read more about how our partner network in the Philippines rose to the
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challenges presented by November’s Typhoon Haiyan (page 8) and how impressed parents are by children’s church workers in Kisumu, Kenya (page 10). Plus, pick up top networking tips on page 11. I hope you enjoy reading this issue, which comes with our warmest thanks for the different ways you support Viva’s life-giving work with children.
Email me at j.mitchell@viva.org to let me know which article inspired you most and you could win a great family bag including changing mat and bottle-holder.
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Viva(issue15)04&05.pdf
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BIG
GIFTS FOR GUATEMALA
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AT 10AM ON 5TH DECEMBER LAST YEAR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY PUT DOWN THEIR COFFEE, TOOK A BREAK FROM WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND LOGGED ON TO THE BIG GIVE WEBSITE AS ITS ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE OPENED, OFFERING TO DOUBLE THE GIFTS OF THOSE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING ONTO THE BUSY SYSTEM.
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There was an outpouring of generosity from Viva supporters during the three-day giving window, raising over ÂŁ44,000 to help save children in Guatemala from life on the streets. Interest in the Challenge was huge, and many people had difficulties finding a slot with available funds in the first two days, although this thankfully improved by the final day. Thank you to all who gave, and apologies to those who were frustrated by the system. These gifts are currently being converted into practical help and
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life-changing hope in Guatemala. Teams of volunteers are building relationships with children who are at risk of ending up on the streets and inviting them to stay in temporary shelters. Here trained staff diagnose the problems affecting them and create specific intervention plans including the provision of food, a safe place to
stay, schooling, medical care, counselling and mentoring. Teams also work to strengthen the child's family, helping with parenting skills and counselling. By intervening early with expert care and input, the network is addressing the root issues affecting pressured and struggling families. On behalf of the children of Guatemala City, we'd like to say a heartfelt thank you.
Viva(issue15)04&05.pdf
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We would love to say a big thank you to Viva’s StandOut supporters, who are helping to protect children at risk of being trafficked.
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What key messages help to protect children from exploitation? Which children are particularly vulnerable to being trafficked?
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These are just a few of the pressing questions that participants of the Viva Celebrating Children Course (CCC) in Kampong Thom, Cambodia have been grappling with. After completing five modules, 40 adults including teachers, pastors and parents graduated from CCC, having been envisioned and empowered to better understand the needs of the 2,115 children they serve. Participant teacher, Lima, commented, “After assignment two, I gave lessons to children and parents especially about child rights.” Pastor Trin told Viva staff: “I liked the group discussion, research
assignment about children at risk in the community and the presentation, sharing knowledge and skills. I’ve learnt a lot about how to work with children which I’d never done before.” Post-training, participants helped to organise an ‘International Children’s Day’, attended by children and adults in 39 churches across two provinces, as well as Provincial Governors. The aim of the event was to share God’s heart for children, nurture unity and promote the government
laws on protecting children from abuse and exploitation. Pursat Province Governor commented, “Dear Brothers and Sisters; you are helping the government.You are not just about a religion but you are compassionate people, you come to give. I never heard about Christians who requested anything from the government. Please continue your job of caring and protecting children.” Viva's partner networks in Cambodia are Kone Kmeng and the Evangelical Fellowship of Cambodia's Children's Department
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Viva(issue15)06&07.pdf
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‘Pass the bomb’, Scrabble and history quizcards: games are not a common sight in Ugandan classrooms but Brian Wilkinson visited Kampala to discover their value to a project which aims to get vulnerable girls back into school.
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It has been an exciting time for Viva and our partner network CRANE as together we have launched a landmark education project for 4,000 marginalised girls, supported by the British government’s Department for International Development (DFID).
Th ex th fin lik co an th
Twenty Creative Learning Centres (CLCs) aim to get marginalised girls back into school by offering non-formal, innovative education in a wide range of subjects – with an emphasis on numeracy and literacy. It was a privilege to meet the staff team who are buzzing with enthusiasm and dedication. They are out every day: sourcing materials, preparing teachers and relating to mentors who are supporting families.
Teachers are trained in candle-making so that they can pass on an income-generating skill to the girls.
Girls’ attitudes seem to have changed very quickly. In the past they were in classes of 100 children, with no resources and a teacher in an impossible position. CLCs have a ratio of one teacher for every ten girls so there is a lot more
interaction. This has encouraged the girls to think for themselves, get involved in dialogue and grow in confidence. Walking into one centre I saw that nearly half of the girls were holding babies. Andy Dipper | Chief Executive
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W ge ch int sta ch co at ch inc of isn It’
Viva(issue15)06&07.pdf
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ged elves, d
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These girls are automatically excluded from school the moment they are pregnant. We have to find a route to support girls like this so that they can continue their education, and ultimately provide for their children. Whilst there is great enthusiasm to get the girls into the CLCs, the real challenge is getting the girls back into mainstream school – and then staying there. There’s also a need to change the attitudes of families and communities. Girls are made to stay at home and look after younger children, do chores and earn an income. We must raise the priority of girls’ education, so that the family isn’t forcing the girls to drop out. It’s about changing the girls’ own
attitude too. Having dropped out of school they’re really looking for a vocational skill that will lead to employment. It’s therefore hard for them to connect with, and believe in, full-time school because they’ve already had the experience of
behalf. The reality is that education isn’t free and that schools aren’t as good as they should be. We want to improve the quality of teaching. We want to demonstrate that more creative approaches and smaller classes are of massive benefit.
Our desire is that this project would just be the start dropping out once. Getting a balance between education and vocation is vital. I met with officials from DFID who have a total of six Girls’ Education Challenge projects in Uganda, and asked them to engage directly with the Ministry of Education on our
Our desire is that this project would just be the start – that by reproducing this model throughout the city and across the country, a generation of girls, and in turn their own children, will be educated, employed and looking forward to a future filled with hope.
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Viva(issue15)08&09.pdf
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Restoring lives after
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“I am crying seeing what happened to these people. My heart wants to burst. There is not a post of any house left standing. There is no electricity, no public transportation. Families are begging for food.� 08
A pastor in Samar province in the eastern Philippines described with emotion the immediate aftermath of one of the strongest typhoons in history, which swept across this country last November. Around 15 million people were affected by Typhoon Haiyan, which left 2.5 million people needing food aid, 700,000 homeless and killed over 6,000.
Viva(issue15)08&09.pdf
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Thank you!
We’re so grateful to individuals, churches and trusts who gave generously in response the disaster. Your donations are making a tangible difference to PCMN’s work in Samar – thank you.
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In the days that followed the disaster on 8 November 2013, a number of large, international relief and aid agencies mobilised themselves to respond. Amongst them was Viva’s partner network, Philippine Children’s Ministries Network (PCMN) – a grassroots network with a strong track record of protecting children in the affected areas. PCMN was immediately invited by the government to assess the state of children in the region, with director Fe Foronda becoming a pivotal figure, linking decision-makers at a national level with local responders on the ground. The hugely challenging circumstances galvanised local Christians into action. Within a month of the disaster, the three local networks in Samar united and gathered people from 42 local
churches to lead the response. With Viva’s support, a team delivered food, water and other essential supplies to 15,000 people in 2,500 households, plus rice seeds to farmers. A response team was trained to help displaced children, using UNICEF protocols. A locally-appropriate psychosocial support programme called Operation Safe, which promotes self-help, coping and resilience among affected children, was also launched. PCMN is now active in 100 villages in Eastern Samar, the Philippines’ poorest region, reaching out to help 20,000 children and focusing on five key areas.
Children: providing safety, assisting schools, psychosocial support and individual care Families: giving food, psychological and spiritual aid, livelihood referral and life-skills training, repairing homes Schools: supporting teachers in child protection and disaster preparedness Churches: equipping the Church to be first responders to disasters, strengthening the Church, uniting Christians Governance: co-ordinating with councils and advocating for quality child protection policies
“When everything has cleared and all the NGOs have left Samar, it is the Church and the local networks of believers, whom we want strengthened.They are the ones left behind to continue on the work to protect children. My desire is that the churches with whom we work will be in better shape after the typhoon response is finished.” Fe Foronda, PCMN Director
for those who
pray
Pray for wisdom for project leaders and church pastors as they make decisions Pray for families to be re-strengthened and given what they need to rebuild again Pray for children to be protected and given hope again
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Viva(issue15)10&11.pdf
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A fresh vision for caregivers C
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Many different caregivers become involved in a child’s life. On Sundays, for many children in the city of Kisumu in western Kenya, that person is their children’s church worker.
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Restless children and exasperated children’s church workers: a common sight across Kisumu just a few years ago. That was until Viva’s partner network Arise for Children (ARC) offered a fresh vision for children’s work in the city – one focused on envisioning children’s leaders, and helping church pastors to change their ministry priorities. Caregivers are now given the opportunity to go on retreat. This allows time and space to support each other, share creative ideas and new ways of working. As a result, workers have a greater sense of fulfilment and lower levels of stress and burnout. Before this change in attitude and action, it was common for all children at a church to be bunched
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together in one class irrespective of age or ability. There are many positives from the programme. Parents are marvelling at the level of interaction between their children and the teachers. Caregivers are in a better position to relate to parents’ stressful situations and they have become sources of encouragement for each other. Plus the whole community is learning about child development and positive parenting.
WHO car s?
Before the caregivers training, Angeline used to become frustrated by children’s short attention spans. Her ministry is now focused and age-appropriate, and she says, “Teaching those little ones, who are so curious and spontaneous, is most fulfilling for me!”
Who cares? ing Viva’s By support ifts help r regular g u o y , n ig a camp y building children b to protect of those knowledge d n a ls il the sk can give them. You r fo re ca who hocares iva.org/w today at v
Viva(issue15)10&11.pdf
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Viva is all about...
MARTIN THOMAS, VIVA’S HEAD OF MOBILISATION, SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON AN ACTIVITY WHICH IS AT THE HEART OF OUR DNA.
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‘Networking’ is a word that divides opinion. Some are almost evangelistic in their zeal to share its value while others feel jaded from the endless jaw‐jaw and perceived lack of real outcomes. Viva was founded on a different premise: that by working together we achieve far more than we ever could on our own. Our model of change encourages partner networks to share their lives and learning, expertise and insights – leveraging a level of collective action and innovation that would never be possible for a project working alone.
As you will have read on pages 8-9, this was ably demonstrated in the way PCMN, our partner network in the Philippines, responded to Typhoon Haiyan. The united response of churches and organisations based across the affected area was only realised through a network platform that has taken years of nurturing to build. The result? An immediate,
well‐coordinated and powerful local response with the capacity to continue for years to come. Networking is inspiring when it focuses on collective action like this – and has the power to change lives.
This is an adapted version of an article which appeared in the March/April 2014 issue of Sorted magazine (sorted-magazine.com). Martin is writing a column on the theme of ‘Collective action’ in the magazine every two months, and we’ll be sharing these at blog.viva.org
Martin’s three quick networking tips
1 2 3 Be strategic in how, with whom and where you spend your time
Be intentional in your focus on the desired outcomes
Be relational in your approach, balancing the formal with the informal
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Viva(issue15)12&01.pdf
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Viva is all about life!
We are inspiring lasting change in children’s lives through the power of collective action because we have a vision to see children safe, well and fulfilling their God-given potential. We believe that a network of churches and community organisations, locally focused and united in purpose, is the best possible vehicle for bringing lasting change for children. Through 35 partner networks we are increasing the unity, quality and impact of work for children at risk, our joint action training 23,000 caregivers and changing the lives of over 987,000 children. C
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Viva, Unit 8, The Gallery, 54 Marston Street, Oxford, OX4 1LF t: 01865 811660 Mixed Sources Product group from well-managed forests, controlled sources and recycled wood or fibre. www.fsc.org Cert No. SA-COC-09174
e: info@viva.org
w: www.viva.org
Viva is an operating name of Viva Network. Viva Network is a company limited by guarantee no. 3162776, registered charity no.1053389, and registered in England at Unit 8, The Gallery, 54 Marston Street, Oxford, OX4 1LF, UK