SPRING/ SUMMER
2016
www.salvationarmy.org.uk/id
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEWSLETTER
ENRICHING LIVES IN ZIMBABWE See how The Salvation Army is enriching community as well as lives in Zimbabwe.
TRAVELLING TO TURKANA
SUPPORTING SISTERS
We take you on a tour around the poverty alleviating work of The Salvation Army in northwest Kenya.
Find out what The Salvation Army is doing to help women in Nepal access safe employment.
CONTENTS
Our Vision 8
Life with dignity, equality for all people and a world without poverty and injustice.
Our Mission Our mission is to resource, empower and support developing communities to defeat poverty and injustice and enable them to build a better life and future. We engage people to comprehend injustice and take action to restore our world as a place where justice, dignity and equality are a reality for all people. The Salvation Army is at work in 127 countries worldwide.
COVER STORY
ENRICHING LIVES IN ZIMBABWE
Want to know more?
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The Salvation Army International Development UK 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN United Kingdom
TRAVELLING TO TURKANA
NEWS 10
If you would like to find out more about our work, are interested in ordering resources or would like to inquire about booking one of our team members for an event, simply contact us and we will be happy to help. Similarly, if you have a story to tell us about how you are helping to tackle poverty and injustice then please get in touch:
TEL EMAIL WEB
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020 7367 4777 id@salvationarmy.org.uk www.salvationarmy.org.uk/id
facebook.com/SAIDUK @SAIDUK youtube.com/salvationarmyid plus.google.com/+SAIDUK @SAIDUK
SUPPORTING SISTERS
GIVING GENEROUSLY Design: Snap Designs (snapdesigns.uk)
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MUSIC TO MY EARS Carl Jobson Acting International Development Manager, The Salvation Army International Development (UK)
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hen I was at high school there would be a collective groan from the class two or three times a year as the music teacher announced that it was time to get the keyboards out, learn to play a tune and then perform it to the class. We were encouraged to play the tune with the ‘single finger chords’, so that we would press one key with the left hand and the keyboard would fill out the chord to accompany the tune being played by the right hand. I found this incredibly difficult. I would have to learn the tune until it was second nature, so I could focus all my attention on what the other hand needed to do. As such, I’ve always been in awe of people who can play the piano. I can’t comprehend how people can simultaneously play two different lines of music at the same time. Not only that, but they’re also reading each line in a different clef, so that a note that looks like a G on one line of music would be a B on the other. I’m sure that, like with most things, it’s all a matter of getting used to it and practising until it becomes natural. Even so, it’s a fascinating example of integration, of different parts of the body doing different things to create a whole harmonious piece of music, without the need for the electronic short cut that I needed. When both hands work together, the result is so much better, so much richer, than either hand could produce in isolation. This principle is something we are continually looking for in the projects we support, to create an integrated response to the complex and interrelated issues of poverty that people are facing around the world. This can be seen most evidently on p4, where we explore the various ways The Salvation Army in Kenya is supporting people to tackle their poverty, not only to improve their access to food, water and income but also to build community, develop dignity and enhance empowerment. On p8 you’ll see how The Salvation Army in Zimbabwe is training a few people in agricultural techniques which they can then pass on to their neighbours, integrating their communities and enriching their lives. On p10 you’ll see how The Salvation Army is helping women who are either vulnerable to, or survivors
of, trafficking to get the training they need to find safe employment, and build a supportive environment where apprentices can learn and share together. And on p12 you’ll see a great example of when a Salvation Army congregation in Margate, Kent, integrated their Christmas celebrations with sacrificial generosity. I hope these stories show you that through your support we can not only tackle material poverty, but also bring about emotional, relational and spiritual transformation too. The idea of that is music to my ears. I hope it is to yours too.
EDITORIAL
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NEWS
SHOWING THE LOVE FOR THE CLIMATE On the weekend of 28 and 29 November 2015, the world came together to take a stand. On the eve of the global climate talks in Paris, over half a million people, from Edinburgh to Mumbai, New York to London, marched together to tell world leaders that now is the time for climate action. People from all walks of life took to the streets to march for what they love and show world leaders that they wanted to see a strong climate deal. The Salvation Army flag was flying at both the London and Edinburgh marches, with corps members travelling from all over the UK to take part. In London, Salvationists joined with more than 50,000 people to make it the largest climate demonstration the UK has ever seen! One of the marchers was Sam Tomlin, a cadet at William Booth College. He said, ‘Our name is “The Salvation Army”. Salvation is for us as individuals, but it’s also for the whole of creation.’ The Paris summit, which took place in December, was an important moment in history, as world leaders recognised the growing public demand for climate action and agreed the goal to keep global warming below 1.5°C and bring global emissions down to zero. The deal is by no means perfect, but it is a strong message that all countries must move towards carbon-free economies. Following the summit, The Climate Coalition called on people to continue to take action for a cleaner, greener future. Focused around Valentine’s Day, the Show the Love campaign encouraged people to make, wear and share green hearts for the love of all the things that are threatened by climate change. We were thrilled to see lots of Salvation Army corps and groups get involved! Stepney Salvation Army embraced the Show the Love theme for their Valentine’s Day service by sharing a meal together and then making green hearts. In Walthamstow, the Brownies and Guides held a Show the Love evening; they decorated the hall, dressed in green, learnt about the importance of tackling climate change, and crafted green hearts to share with their friends and family. The Salvation Army charity shops also showed the love by giving away a free ‘green hearts’ postcard with each purchase! If your corps or group took part in Show the Love, we would love to see pictures. Please send them to id@salvationarmy.org.uk To keep up to date with the latest Show the Love news, watch the short film (featuring a poem by Michael Morpurgo); or to find out how you can get involved visit: www.salvationarmy.org.uk/climatechange
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REFUGEE RESPONSE The Salvation Army is continuing to build its refugee response across Europe. One of the countries whose responses have been financially supported by The Salvation Army in the UK is Greece. Since June 2015, Greece has experienced an increasing number of refugees arriving from Syria and elsewhere. Since then, members and volunteers of the Athens Corps (Salvation Army church) joined their officers (ministers), Major Polis Pantelidis and Major Maria Konti Galinou, and went out to help the refugees in the parks where many would camp for the night. On occasions, Salvation Army team members would go out into the parks at 7am, distributing as many as 1,000 sandwiches, milk cartons and water. They have now distributed well over 20,000 sandwiches and countless bottles of water and milk, as well as many non-food items such as clothes, nappies, baby wipes and other hygiene goods. The Salvation Army has been able to channel even more funding to further expand its response of filling gaps in the humanitarian aid that is offered by the Government and other NGOs (non-governmental organisations). With this financial backing The Salvation Army was able to rent a shop near Victoria Square which will be used as a day centre for refugees and as a warehouse to store and sort donated items. The Salvation Army is also responding at the border crossing as the refugees leave Greece, providing electricity to ‘Camp B’ at Idomeni – on the Macedonian border – as well as giving out items such as raincoats, scarves and hats. The officers and young people from Thessaloniki Corps also visit the camp once a month to assist with the collection of rubbish that is scattered in the nearby fields. Greek-born Major Haris Gianaros, who was deployed from the UK to Greece for eight weeks to assist with the response, said: ‘I have heard many stories from the refugees I have met here in Athens. I’ve heard of people who risk their lives crossing mountains and sea to find a country that will offer them refuge. I’ve heard of smugglers who threaten to cut off an ear or a nose if demands for more money were not met. I’ve heard of friends who were shot by soldiers as they crossed borders. I’ve heard of people who live in constant fear for their lives. If there is something that everyone on this great march shares, it is desperation. This desperation has driven them to leave their homes, their wider families and their countries in search of a safe tomorrow. The Salvation Army, motivated by the love of God, seeks to restore the dignity of these people who are made in the image of God.’ To find out more about The Salvation Army’s response to refugees in Europe, go to sar.my/europerefugees.
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TRAVELLING TO TURKANA Violet Ruria, Programme Adviser for Sustainable Livelihood, takes us on a trip to Tukana, in northwest Kenya, to find out how The Salvation Army is taking an integrated approach to help people tackle their poverty.
TURKANA FACTFILE • Turkana district is in the northwest region of Kenya, about 700 km from Nairobi. • The district borders with South Sudan to the north, Uganda to the west and Ethiopia to the north-east. • It is a very remote and harsh landscape. Roads are dusty, sandy and rocky. Drought is common and the people have often depended on relief food aid over many years. • The majority of the population rely on keeping livestock. • Women and girls have to walk long distances in search of water as the men move from place to place in search of pasture and water for their livestock.
AN INTEGRATED APPROACH The Salvation Army is working with the people of Turkana to build their resilience to better cope with recurrent drought. But we aren’t doing this just by tackling the issue of water. Instead The Salvation Army in Turkana is taking an integrated approach, working with the communities to address the full range of issues they are facing. We are doing this by utilising the assets that are already found within the community. We are mobilising the populations and the social institutions to come together to build on these local assets. By doing this the communities are empowered to graduate from being dependent on outsiders to being self-sustaining. The project provides tools and knowledge to support activities that improve livelihoods and conserve the environment. Activities combine collectively to boost household incomes and savings, whilst challenging the people to make the best use of what they have within their communities.
• Children seldom go to school, and where they do go, boys are prioritised over girls. Early marriage is a common norm for girls and their role in community is seen as that of nurturing and supporting the family. • Schools, roads and health infrastructures are very limited and the people often rely on visitors to update them on how their country is progressing. • In this very remote part of Kenya, The Salvation Army has been active in walking alongside these communities to overcome the life challenges using their locally available resources.
The Salvation Army Corps building in Kalokol community in Turkana
Captain Frederick Zazi tests the water pump in Kalokol
5 The search for water in Kalokol
FISHING
FEATURE
Due to the threat of recurrent droughts, many of those who previously had kept livestock have instead taken up fishing. The proximity of Lake Turkana, the largest permanent desert lake, provides a great resource to the people of Turkana.
WATER The Salvation Army is working with communities to provide safe and accessible water. In Kalokol, women and girls had to walk for many hours to the nearby dry river beds. They would have to dig down for 10-15 feet until they could find some water. They would then use bowls to fill their containers and carry them home on their heads. Now that a borehole has been drilled in Kalokol, life has changed. Women and girls no longer have to gather water from the river, which is located more than four kilometres away. With the time saved, the girls can now attend school while the women can engage in other productive activities such as farming or running a small business. This has also resulted in a reduction of water-borne diseases as the people now have access to safe drinking water. Lieutenants Nicholas and Alice Wanjala are the Salvation Army corps officers at Kalokol Corps. According to them, the borehole has greatly benefited the community of Kalokol. They said, ‘Since the borehole started providing water to the community, the corps attendance has improved. Now the people do not have to walk many hours in search of water and so miss Sunday worship.’
Lieutenants Nicholas and Alice Wanjala
To help make the most of this resource, 100 fishermen and women were trained in sustainable fishing skills and the types of fish that can attract a higher market value. Through this training, the communities now view fishing as a source of livelihood as opposed to a leisure activity. With the provision of fishing boats, they have been able to expand their fishing business and increase the family income. Engolan Emase is a 44-year-old man and a father of four children. He lives in Kalokol village. He has been a fisherman in Lake Turkana all his life. He had always used handmade rafts and nets for his fishing. Emase said: ‘The lack of fishing nets and boats keeps us poor. I cannot provide enough food for my family since I can only fish in the shallow ends of the river.’ Now Emase and his community members have joined up to a Beach Management Unit that manages the fishing around his village. He and the other members have been making small savings on a monthly basis and soon hope to purchase a bigger boat that will enable them to fish in the deeper waters. The Salvation Army in Turkana is supporting Emase’s group with training in sustainable fishing, fish handling hygiene and how to access more profitable markets. Alongside the contributions made by groups like Emase’s, the project has provided better and safer fishing boats to help the people of Turkana fish more effectively.
Engolan Emase
Better and safer fishing boats have been provided to help people fish more effectively.
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EDUCATION
BEE-KEEPING Among the Turkana communities, beekeeping provides an excellent way to tackle poverty and protect the environment. It is both economically viable and environmentally friendly, as the trees used are saved from being chopped down for charcoal and firewood. In Nanaam, 50 community members comprising 20 men and 30 women have been trained in modern bee-keeping practices. They have also been trained to harvest and process the honey for sale in the markets. Bee-keeping has been a traditional practice for these people and they have local knowledge on how to use the honey for medicinal purposes as well as in their diets.
Due to its remoteness and decades of poverty and marginalisation, education infrastructure in the region is very poor. The Turkana communities also practise cultural beliefs and values that undermine the pursuit of formal education. Children are viewed as a source of wealth; girls are married off at an early age and boys are used to provide protection and security to the family and community. This denies them opportunities to realise their potential. The Salvation Army in Turkana is working with the people to challenge their beliefs about education as well as to improve its access and quality. This is done through community awareness campaigns on the importance of both girls’ and boys’ education. To increase the quality of education, school management committees and school teachers are trained in how to better manage their schools and support girls’ attendance. The communities are also mobilised to participate in the construction of infrastructures like classrooms and pit latrines. These provide a better school learning environment that motivates the students. Agricultural clubs within these schools are providing an opportunity for the children to learn how to grow crops and tend the environment. By training the children and the communities on the use of water-efficient agriculture and drought-resistant crops, they have begun to adapt to different diets. In Napopongoit primary school, which has 400 boys and 337 girls, the children have been taught hygiene and environmental conservation. Tree planting and agricultural clubs have been established. Most of the school students have each planted and tended a tree within the school compound. This is then replicated within their homes to pass on to their parents the message about the importance of environmental conservation.
Women in Nanaam siting a beehive within their village.
Within the communities, training on vegetable growing using drip irrigation is taking place. Women farmer groups are trained to grow tomatoes, green vegetables and other drought-resistant crops for their domestic consumption as well as for sale. With the income, many of the households have been able to provide school fees, buy school uniforms and pay for medical fees for their families.
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NANANG’AKINA WOMEN GROUP IN KALOKOL
FEATURE
The Nanang’akina savings group consists of 15 members who meet weekly. At the meetings they each contribute approximately 35p, which is pooled and loaned out to members to start small businesses. The group members also contribute towards a welfare fund that helps to provide funds to cover healthcare or funeral expenses for members’ families. Simon Ekuwan is a 17-year-old boy in his final year of primary education in Napopongoit primary school. He joined the agricultural club and learnt the importance of trees. He planted and has nurtured his pawpaw tree for the last year. He posed as he shared with me his learning: ‘Trees are very important for our environment because they provide shade from the hot sunshine as well as conserve our soils.’
Benson Chom is 18 years old and in his final year in primary education at Napopongoit primary school. Reflecting on why his tree survived even during periods of minimal rainfall, he said: ‘I learnt how to add manure and also how to mulch my tree, which I did. Now my tree is taller and stronger than all other trees planted at the same time. I have also planted some trees at my home garden.’
In Lokitaung, a community member tends tomatoes grown at the demonstration plot using drip irrigation.
Most of the women in this group engage in fish businesses. Consepta Atawa is a 30-year-old mother of five children. She is the treasurer for the group. She reflects on the journey that her group has gone through: ‘Our group was provided with training in how to start a village savings group. We started saving little by little and pooling our savings together.’
Consepta Atawa
Atawa told us how the group has impacted her own life: ‘I did not know that I could save until I joined this group. I have learnt a lot. I began a small business of buying fish from the fishermen at a wholesale price then selling to my customers at a retail price. I have grown the business and I can now afford enough food for my children. This has changed my life!’ The women groups also engage in different skills like weaving mats and brooms. Other women make beadworks that are sold and the money is retained within the group account. As they engage in small businesses, the women are empowered to contribute towards the sustenance of their families which earns them great respect within the community. With some income, they can feed their families, pay school fees and medical care, and accumulate some savings for long-term stability to enable them to survive drought and adapt to a changing climate. This ultimately will transform the communities from being dependent on food relief to being self-sustaining. As they meet in groups, the women also support each other and share ideas on how to promote their businesses. This strengthens their community cohesion.
Nakinae Akiyar women’s grou p display some of the crafts they have mad e to sell.
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ENRICHING LIVES IN ZIMBABWE Learning how to grow enough food on your land is vital for families living in rural poverty. Find out how The Salvation Army is helping to enrich community and enrich lives in Zimbabwe.
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Katamari Mary dwarfed by her maize crops
’m sure you’re familiar with the saying ‘The grass is always greener on the other side’? Well, in Zimbabwe there is some truth in that. Katamari Mary is a 50-yearold widow and a mother of three children, and if you lived next door to her, you’d certainly be looking over and wondering how she managed to get her crops looking so healthy when yours are struggling. The answer is that Katamari has been trained in conservation agriculture, and has applied her learning on her land to improve her farming. She has learned how to increase her crop yields using minimal rainfall, conserve the soil to increase production and increase her knowledge of agricultural practices. But Mary isn’t keeping this new knowledge all to herself. She has now trained four of her neighbours on what she has learnt so they can reap the benefits too. That is the whole point of what The Salvation Army is doing to support farmers in Zimbabwe – to train trainers, to treat knowledge as the renewable resource that it is, and let it grow as it is passed around the community. This training couldn’t be more important to tackling hunger and poverty in Zimbabwe. With the changing weather patterns as a result of climate change and
‘FROM MY PLOT, I EXPECT TO HARVEST TWICE AS MUCH AS I DID LAST YEAR. MY MAIZE IS HEALTHY AND EVERYONE IS ASKING ME WHAT I DID.’
the way that much of the soil has depleted over time, conservation agriculture is giving hope to communities in how to overcome their lack of food. Katamari lives on the outskirts of Kadoma, approximately 166 kilometres southwest of the capital Harare. In this area the possibility of receiving enough rainfall is becoming increasingly rare. This means most farmers struggle to grow enough food even to provide for their families. As farming is their primary way of life, they cannot afford to purchase food from the market. Before Katamari received training on using conservation agriculture techniques, she wasn’t making the best use of her land. She said: ‘I used to clear and burn all the weeds and maize stock after harvesting. I would not plant my seeds using any standard measurements or time my planting seasons.’ This meant that the nutrients in the soil were being depleted over time and became more exposed to being dried out by the sun. When Katamari spoke to us after her training, she smiled at the strides she has been able to make. She told us: ‘I now plant three seeds in one hole and use standard line measurements when planting. I also wean the unhealthy maize plants and add mulching which helps conserve
It’s great to hear about all the different ways groups are fundraising for Enriching Lives. Whether it’s through selling books and cakes or putting on a play, it’s great to hear about all the fun and inventive ways you are getting involved. If you’re doing something special to raise money, we’d love to hear about it and see some pictures. Send them to us on id@salvationarmy.org.uk, tweet us (@SAIDUK) on Twitter or post them to our Facebook page (facebook.com/SAIDUK).
9 Major Marere has established a conservation demonstration garden within the Salvation Army compound. He has started applying what he learnt in his garden. He said, ‘I learned that a small plot of land can yield sufficient crops through conservation farming. I have also learnt that if I am preaching to hungry people, they will not accept the gospel. However, if I teach them how to increase their land yields, they will be more responsive.’
the little soil moisture. I now know when to best plant my seeds… just before the rain season starts.’ Unlike the other farmers in her village, Katamari’s crops are thriving and she is hopeful of doubling the amount of crops she can harvest from her plot of land. This project started by training just 29 farmers in simple agriculture techniques. Thanks to each of them passing on their knowledge to others, over 500 people in this area have now improved their farming knowledge and improved their yields. Doing this can help them to produce a surplus which can they sell in order to pay for school and medical fees for their family. In most of the communities farmers have reported that their crop yields have more than doubled. Farmers using these methods are also finding that their crops are better able to withstand drought, whereas crops which have been planted using the traditional methods were wilting due to insufficient rainfall.
TELL US HOW YOU’RE FUNDRAISING
FEATURE
Eachness Chibira said: ‘Since I started using this new agricultural method, many of my neighbours have come to my house asking me what I did that made my maize crop seem more healthy while theirs are wilting due to the current drought. I have told them that all I did was to mulch my crops and plant the seeds in holes and this has made all the difference.’
By supporting farmers like Katamari you can help them to enrich their diets and enrich their lives. Get your Adult and Family Ministries group involved in fundraising for Enriching Lives to help other communities learn how to grow enough nutritious food for their families. Visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/enrichinglives, or call us on 020 7367 4777 to order your fundraising pack.
SUPPORT THE HELPINGHAND APPEAL
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SUPPORTING SISTERS Hayley Still, UK Engagement Co-ordinator, tells us about her recent trip to Nepal and the way The Salvation Army is supporting women vulnerable to trafficking.
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Through the Sisters apprenticeship Sonia now knows her rights and has the skills to get a good job.
n Kathmandu, many young women do not have the formal education or training they need to get a good job. For those who are fortunate enough to find employment in the city, the pay and working conditions are often poor and the work sporadic. The lack of decent job opportunities means these vulnerable women, desperate to earn enough money to provide for their family, accept false job offers from traffickers in India or further abroad. Some women know the risks involved in accepting work through certain job agencies but have heard the ‘good news stories’ of friends-of-friends who now appear to have a well-paid job and a better life overseas. Though these case stories are largely untrue, the women hope that they will be one of the lucky ones whose life will be transformed. The Salvation Army recognised the need to respond specifically to the issue of job insecurity for women in Nepal. Though there are many anti-trafficking organisations in Kathmandu, The Salvation Army was the first to create an apprenticeship programme to help young women gain the skills they need to get a fair job locally. The result, Sisters Café and Beauty Parlour, is a social enterprise and training facility which equips young women with these skills, so they no longer feel the need to take risky job offers abroad. Through the Sisters apprenticeships, women receive skills-based training as waitresses, chefs or beauticians. The opportunity to learn in a safe and supportive environment means they also gain the confidence
which is so important in increasing their employability. I arrived in Kathmandu during a difficult time for Nepal. It was only five months after the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake had hit, and the effects could still be seen everywhere. This was most evident from the streets lined with bricks and rubble, and the dilapidated buildings. Adding to the difficulty was a blockade at the border with India, as a result of unrest and unhappiness with the country’s recently passed constitution. Nepal relies heavily on imports but, due to the blockade, only a fraction of the imported fuel needed was entering the country. Petrol was being rationed, with emergency service vehicles taking priority. Individuals were restricted to driving only on their allocated days; and whilst taxi drivers were allowed to buy petrol, the huge demand meant they had to queue for around three days before getting to the pump – with no guarantee that there would be any fuel left. With so many cars off the roads, it was an uncharacteristically quiet, yet pleasant, half-an-hour walk to Sisters each day. Both staff and apprentices made me feel very welcome, and it wasn’t too bad working remotely from a café either. During my visit, I met with each of the apprentices and they were very open to sharing their story with me. All of the women told me how they felt supported, respected and empowered at Sisters and how the other apprentices had truly become like sisters to them. One of the women I met was Sonia. There is no school in Sonia’s village, so she was
THE SALVATION ARMY RECOGNISED THE NEED TO RESPOND SPECIFICALLY TO THE ISSUE OF JOB INSECURITY FOR WOMEN IN NEPAL
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PROJECTS
unable to get an education. Not wanting her two young children to miss out on this opportunity as well, Sonia and her husband were keen to get good jobs so they could send their children to school in the city. When a relative told them of opportunities abroad through a job agency, they eagerly accepted. Sonia got a job as a housemaid in Kuwait and her husband was offered work in Malaysia. They left their children with Sonia’s grandmother and travelled abroad. Sonia worked as a housemaid doing all the housework and caring for four children for 18 hours per day. She told me: ‘The hours were long and the doors were always closed so I did not know whether it was day or night. Sometimes I was afraid because of the dark but I would just have to get on with my work.’ Sonia spent two years in Kuwait. At first she was able to phone home, but then her employer took away her phone and passport so she could not escape or seek help. Back in Nepal, with no news from Sonia, her family became worried and contacted The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army officers there then worked with their colleagues in Kuwait to find Sonia and put pressure on her employer to ensure she would be treated fairly, and eventually be allowed to leave. Sonia
was only paid for a fraction of the time she had worked. Sonia wanted to go home but became very sick. Her eyes became swollen and she could not open them properly. During this time, her employer still forced her to work 18-hour days and would not allow her to return home. Only when The Salvation Army continued to put pressure on the employer was Sonia allowed to leave. Sonia joined Sisters one month after she returned to Kathmandu. She was pleased to be able to get training and to learn. When Sonia first arrived at Sisters she was very timid and shy and was not comfortable being with others. However, over time she has come out of her shell. She now enjoys interacting with the other apprentices who have become friends. Unable to attend school as a child, Sonia does not know how to read and write. She was also unaware of her employment rights and did not know that 18 hours with no pay was exploitative. Through training at Sisters, Sonia’s life is much improved. She is now more aware of her rights and has learnt many life skills. Sonia still hopes to get a good job, to see her children get a good education and to be reunited with her husband. Thanks to Sisters, she is in a much better position to make this dream a reality.
SUPPORT A SISTER
You can support others like Sonia who have either been trafficked or are vulnerable to it by making a regular donation to The Salvation Army’s antitrafficking response. Turn to the donation form at the back of this magazine or visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/cryfreedom.
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GIVING GENEROUSLY The Armáda Spásy (which means ‘The Salvation Army’ in Czech) church plant in Margate is eight years old and is made up of mainly new Christians, the majority of whom are Roma people. They, along with their recently established sister groups in Chatham and Gravesend, wanted to do something different for Christmas in 2015. When members learned about JUST GIFTS they were eager to take part. Territorial Envoy Hana Conkova shares the story: ‘Before people in our corps believed in Jesus, Christmas was not a time to remember the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but this time brought much worry and difficulty for families. Most people took large loans so they could buy the required amount of alcohol and food. People felt pressure to buy many expensive gifts, not only for their children, but for other people around them. Many then struggled with financial problems throughout the following year.
Brothers and sisters in our church decided to spend this Christmas with just a simple reminder of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, without a large celebration and without buying the usual gifts. So that we could remember God’s wonderful gift of Jesus Christ, we prepared a meeting where people had the opportunity to give too. We understood that if God had given us a gift, we could also have a part in his act of giving. We embraced the opportunity to give, not to those from whom we could expect a gift in return, but to people we did not even know but who needed help. We had a selection of JUST GIFTS available for sale – books, bikes, trees, goats and chickens – as well as the opportunity to give towards the ‘Protect a Spring’ fundraising target which we had committed to as a church. During our meeting there was a wonderful atmosphere. We saw that people gave with honest and joyful hearts. People were full of
Whether as an individual or as a group, you can support people to tackle their poverty and injustices through JUST GIFTS. Contact us on 020 7367 4777 to order your catalogue, or visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/justgifts to find out more.
gratitude to God for his salvation, deliverance and new life, and people bought JUST GIFTS for their children and friends. Many children bought these gifts for their parents too, and people gave joyfully towards the ‘Protect a Spring’ fund. It was a great encouragement that the children didn’t look at all sad that they hadn’t received expensive gifts, but they had real joy that they could buy their parents gifts which helped other children to go to school.’ We are very thankful for the generosity of the corps members who bought more than 170 gifts, raising over £2,300.
HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED:
RUN A CAKE SALE OR RUN A MARATHON We have a number of fundraising packs to help you raise money for different issues such as hunger, clean water and sanitation, income generation and human trafficking. Call or email us to order your pack now.
INVITE US TO SPEAK We’d love to tell your group about our work and how we can each get involved in the fight against poverty and injustice. Give us a call or send us an email and we’ll see if we can drop by!
RESOURCE YOUR EXHIBITION Do you have an event or exhibition coming up where you could profile our work? We can send out magazines, flyers, posters and more to help you spread the word – all you have to do is ask!
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST We mail out DEVELOP twice a year. It’s always full of updates about the work that we do and ways for you to get involved. If you’re not already a subscriber and you’d like to receive your own FREE copy delivered to your door then get in touch.
JOIN OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY There are also loads of ways to connect up with us online and hear regular updates about all the exciting things we are doing around the world, and in the UK too: BY EMAIL www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/idsubscribe ON FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/SAIDUK ON TWITTER @SAIDUK
To get in touch about anything mentioned you can call us on 020 7367 4777 or email id@salvationarmy.org.uk.
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ADDRESS
Quarterly
Monthly
Mid month
Last work day
Preferred payment date: First of month To: The Manager POSTCODE
Name and postal address of your Bank/Building Society
TEL NO
BANK / BUILDING SOCIETY ADDRESS
POSTCODE
Please tick which area of work you would like to support: WHEREVER IT’S MOST NEEDED WATER AND SANITATION ANTI-TRAFFICKING INCOME GENERATION
CHILDREN
FOOD & AGRICULTURE
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
NAME(S) OF ACCOUNT HOLDER(S)
Bank/Building Society Account Number
Branch Sort Code
Reference Number (Bank use only)
656779
CHEQUE
Cheques should be made payable to The Salvation Army
CREDIT CARD
SIGNATURE:
Fill in the details below
Please charge my card with the following amount:
DATE:
TYPE OF CARD: (Unable to accept AMEX)
Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit instructions for some types of account
£ Card No:
Valid from:
Instruction to your Bank/Building Society: Please pay The Salvation Army Trustee Company Ltd Direct Debits from the account detailed in this instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this instruction may remain with The Salvation Army Trustee Company Ltd and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my Bank/Building Society.
(Maestro only)
Expiry date:
Security code:
Issue:
I am a UK tax payer and I want The Salvation Army to claim back the tax on all donations I have made in the last four years and on all future donations, until I notify you otherwise. SIGNATURE:
CARDHOLDER’S SIGNATURE:
DATE:
DATE: NB: I understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year, it is my responsibility to pay any difference.
SUPPORT US REGULARLY We rely on your donations to make our work possible. Thank you for all that you give - we really do appreciate your commitment and sacrifice. The easiest and most helpful way you can support us is by signing up to a direct debit or, if you already do give in this way, increasing your monthly donation by a small amount. Please tear off, fill out and return the form on the reverse and we’ll do the rest.
HOW YOU CAN HELP A small monthly commitment from you can make a huge difference to: ÍÍ ÍÍ ÍÍ ÍÍ
Communities who currently don’t have access to clean water People needing to earn a decent living to support their families Farmers who cannot grow enough food to live Men, women and children all around the world who have been, or are at risk of being, trafficked ÍÍ Women vulnerable to abuse and exploitation ÍÍ Vulnerable children in need of love, care and support You can choose to give to one of these areas or make a general donation so that we can use your money wherever it is most needed in our development work. You can also make one-off donations through the post, over the phone or online. Call us on 020 7367 4777 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm), visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/id or fill in and return the form overleaf to make your donation.
CHANGING DETAILS? As you know we only mail out a couple of times a year – so it’s vital that we know when you move house so we can keep you up to date with the work we’re doing and the difference that your support is making. To change your details call us on 020 7367 4777 or email id@salvationarmy.org.uk with your name, old postcode and new address so that we can update our database.
@SAIDUK
FACEBOOK.COM/SAIDUK
The Salvation Army International Development (UK), 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN, United Kingdom TEL 020 7367 4777
EMAIL id@salvationarmy.org.uk
WEB www.salvationarmy.org.uk/id
@SAIDUK
This newsletter is printed on paper sourced from sustainable forests
The Salvation Army is a Christian Church and registered Charity Central Trust: Registered Charity No. 214779, and in Scotland SC009359 Social Trust: Registered Charity No. 215174, and in Scotland SC037961 Republic of Ireland: Registered Charity No. CHY6399