The Link | Winter 2014

winter 2014

The boy who wouldn’t die

Conflict survivor David Vincent is determined to use his experiences to help other refugees

Prepared for disaster Reducing the impact of volcanos in Vanuatu

Eating like a refugee Supporters take on the Ration Challenge

Standing up for the weak Confronting injustice and oppression in Myanmar

The international aid agency of the National Council of Churches in Australia ABN 64 493 941 795

Gifts that help

rebuild lives

“We now have much better crops and excess produce to sell and help us look after our families. We have learnt that vegetables can supply us with vitamins and assist us in treating ailments.”

Shami, Zimbabwe For Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s and Father’s Day, or for any occasion that calls for a meaningful gift, why not give a gift that will help rebuild lives?

Find out more at www.actforpeace.org.au/giftsforpeace Ben Fraser/Act for Peace

C on t en t s 04 Standing up for the weak How one man is confronting injustice and oppression in Myanmar.

06 Your Global Network You are part of a global network that has made real progress over the past six months.

08 Prepared for disaster A new clean water system reduces the danger from volcanos for a community in Vanuatu.

10 Local partnerships, global impact Building local partnerships can often be the most effective way of achieving global change.

Richard Wainwright/Act for Peace

Mahn Tome Sein has been fighting for human rights in his community for over 40 years.

12 The boy who wouldn’t die Conflict survivor David Vincent is determined to use his traumatic past to help other refugees.

14 Eating like a refugee Supporters take on the Ration Challenge in solidarity with Burmese refugees.

Cover: Your gifts are supporting refugees in Ethiopian refugee camps to access emergency health services. Richard Wainwright/Act for Peace

Iraq Crisis Appeal: left with nothing

In the past few weeks, violence has been spreading across Iraq, resulting in an urgent humanitarian crisis. We are deeply concerned by the reports of indiscriminate and extrajudicial killings. As we go to print, over 1 million civilians, mostly women and children, have been forced to flee their homes. Most have fled with nothing and urgently need help now.

Two camps are being established in Erbil and Dohuk to provide shelter, but many people are currently living in schools, mosques, tents, abandoned buildings and open public spaces. Terrified and homeless, families are exposed to searing heat, often without anything to eat or drink.

Sarah Malian/Christian Aid

Over a million displaced Iraqis are joining already overpopulated refugee camps in Northern Iraq as conflicts escalate.

Act for Peace, through its partner on the ground, is responding fast to the crisis by providing food parcels, hygiene kits, blankets and cooking sets, but we urgently need more funds to scale up our response.

To support displaced families please give to the Iraq emergency appeal today by visiting www.actforpeace.org.au/iraq or calling 1800 025 101.

Thank you.

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My Story

Standing up to

injustice and oppression

For nearly 40 years, Mahn Tome Sein has been unwavering in his fight for human rights for all. He sees a future Myanmar free from conflict and poverty.

Mahn Tome Sein believes in justice.

He has been a human rights advocate since 1976 and every day stands up for those who have been denied their basic rights. Mahn works to stop some of Myanmar’s most serious human rights violations, including human trafficking, forced labour and the use of child soldiers. It’s difficult and often dangerous work, but Mahn is undeterred, driven by a determination to build a better future for his community and his country.

Rather than disheartening Mahn, the atrocities suffered by his people have inspired him to take action in his community. He became a Community Organiser in Kan Su

Richard Wainwright/Act for Peace

“I will continue to work for human rights in Myanmar. If someone’s rights have been abused or exploited then I will stand up for that person.”

Despite recent political changes in Myanmar (also known as Burma), human rights abuses are still committed every day. Myanmar has experienced civil conflict for the past 65 years and its people have lived under a cruel dictatorship for much of this time. As well as death, destruction and displacement, the conflict has also left a legacy of forced labour, human trafficking, child labour and child soldier conscription.

“ I will never give up.

I must fight for justice in my community…”

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Village in the Irrawaddy Delta region and has worked with Act for Peace’s partner there, the Myanmar Council of Churches, since 1976.

“The thing that made me want to be a Community Organiser is because of the changes I see in my country. There was injustice and oppression and abuse taking place in most areas so I want to stand up for the weak” Members of Mahn’s community come to him for help with human rights abuses. He provides ongoing support relevant to their specific case, including legal referral, psychosocial support, counselling, and advice on healthcare.

Mahn has helped many child soldiers gain release papers from the army, reuniting them with their families after years of horror. Mahn explained that many families know their children have been conscripted, but do not know what they can do to get them back.

In 2012 the government of Myanmar recognised that the recruitment of child soldiers is illegal, signing a joint action plan with the UN in June 2012 to end the use of underage recruits. This change of policy has enabled Mahn, and other Community Organisers, to get child soldiers released – if they can prove the child was underage when they were taken into the army.

Richard Wainwright/Act

for Peace

Richard Wainwright/Act for Peace Mahn meeting with members of his local community.

Mahn Tome Sein writes to the International Labour Organisation, lawyers and other NGOs to prove child soldiers are underage.

This simple task, proving a child’s age, can be very difficult in Myanmar.

Children often don’t have birth certificates. They may not even attend school, and the army tends to deny any recruitment of children.

Mahn and other community organisers often work for months, sometimes years, to get these children released. They will contact the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and write to lawyers and other NGOs until they can prove that a child was underage when they were taken into the army.

Since 2012 the army has released over 270 underage recruits, but an estimated 5,000 child soldiers are still believed to be serving in the Burmese Army and other armed groups.

That’s why Mahn is determined to keep going.

“I will never give up. I must fight for justice in my community… I will continue to work for human rights in Myanmar” Mahn’s work is only made possible thanks to your generous gifts.

Together, you are rescuing child soldiers, giving hope to survivors of abuse, and building a safer future for the people of Myanmar. Thank you.

Richard Wainwright/Act for Peace

Khin (left), a former child soldier, was reunited with his father (right) after seeking help from Community Organiser May Lyan (centre).

In March we asked you to support Act for Peace’s child soldiers appeal, to help rescue more children like Khin, who was reunited with his family by Community Organiser May Lyan after being conscripted into the Burmese army as a child.

Your support was truly inspiring, and the appeal raised over $110,000. Thanks to your generosity we will be able to support four additional Community Organisers over the next year, helping many more people in Myanmar to stand up for their rights. Thank you.

To watch Khin’s video, and to find out more about our work with child soldiers in Myanmar, please visit www.actforpeace.org.au/childsoldiers W IN TE R 2014

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Your Global Net work

Your network in action over the last six months

You are part of a global network of people standing alongside survivors of conflict and disaster to confront injustice and build a better world. Over the past six months you have been making real progress in Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Australia, Afghanistan and many other countries.

Richard Wainwright/Act for P

South Sudan Hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese civilians have fled recent violence into bordering Ethiopia. Together with our local partner, you have responded by providing emergency medical care for the most at risk refugees.

Paul Jeff rey/AC T Alliance

Confronting injustice through the ACT

Alliance

a coalition of Through Act for Peace you are a part of countries, called more than 140 organisations across 130 g to create the ACT Alliance. Together we are workin lives of people positive and sustainable change in the tarian crises. affected by poverty, injustice and humani

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Afghanistan

AC T Alliance

Your support has meant that so far in 2014, 14 more schools and nearly 4,500 people have been reached by our Girls’ Education Program. This includes girls, male and female teachers, parent teacher council members and community leaders.

Philippines It has been 8 months since Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines. Your support has helped to build over 4,000 shelters, supply 6,500 people with seeds to grow their own food, provide life saving food and water drops to over 80,000 people across 23 villages and assist in the rebuilding process.

UN Images

ight/Ac t for Peace

Control Arms

Zimbabwe In the past six months you have supported our local partners to meet key Zimbabwe politicians to discuss and minimize political violence during election time. Local partnerships are a key element in our grassroots approach to peace building in a country marred by political violence and conflict.

Australia You campaigned for change with millions around the world, and on the 4th of June Australia formally ratified the UN Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The ATT is an historic international agreement to keep weapons out of the hands of human rights abusers and oppressive governments and will help keep people safe.

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Program Update

Prepared for disaster Clean drinking water is a human right, and in Australia we take running taps and clean, safe drinking water for granted. Yet, for villagers in Vanuatu, disastrous volcanic eruptions constantly threaten their access to this basic necessity.

The small village of Isaka, located on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu, is home to Mount Yasur, an active volcano that has a severe impact on local water quality and limits the food production of communities living nearby. Ongoing minor eruptions create ash falls that spoil the drinking water, causing respiratory problems and eye infections when ingested. And, of course, there is the constant threat of a major eruption or typhoon, after which access to essential safe drinking water becomes even more difficult.

The challenge of finding safe and clean drinking water is an issue for many villages like Isaka across the world. Globally, more than 900 million people do not have access to clean drinking water and more than 6,000 people, mostly children, die each day from diseases caused by dirty water.

For the nakamals (communities) in Isaka, the ash falls mean that water harvested using traditional methods, from roof catchments or shelters, is not safe. Instead they are forced to make a long and often dangerous trek though thick jungle and over steep mountains to find water. The jungle is so dense that travel is only possible by foot, and all the water needed for cooking, drinking, bathing and hygiene has to be carried over these treacherous paths.

first time connecting the village to a fresh water supply unaffected by volcanic ash falls. 34 taps and 34 showers were also installed in the village.

The water system means the community no longer needs to risk using polluted water, or make the long trek to the stream. It has been a welcome relief, particularly to the women in the community who are responsible for food preparation, cooking, cleaning, and bathing the children.

“As the Chief I am so happy that we now have running water. Everyone can drink and bathe and the mamas now can stay at the house and not have to work so hard preparing everything because the water is here in the village. Thank you so much” Chief Namalc Jimmy, Isaka village Isaka is one of 30 communities in the Pacific participating in Act for Peace’s Community Risk Reduction Project. The program is equipping thousands of people with the knowledge, resources, and technical assistance to install appropriate water systems, adapt to the effects of climate change, and reduce the risks they face from natural disasters, such as typhoons and volcanoes.

“When we need water it would mean having to collect any containers we could find and walk along the bush track for a long way until we reached the main stream. We then fill our containers and bathe before making the long way back. It is very hard work and takes many hours everyday” Emma Kota, Mama. Isaka village, Tanna Island In March 2014, life for the nakamals in Isaka changed for the better. As part of Act for Peace’s Pacific Community Risk Reduction Project, over 2 kilometres of water pipes were laid over rugged terrain, for the

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Tracey Robinson/Act for Peace

Mount Yasur’s eruptions threaten local water supplies.

Tracey Robinson/Act for Peace

The Isaka community were extremely proud to finish the water project with your support.

The results

2km of pipes

connect

to

fresh water

village

Tracey Robinson/Ac t for Peace

Children from Isaka village now enjoy clean and safe water piped directly to their community.

34 taps & 34 showers

have been installed

Facts: Isak a Vill age

Ash polluted water supplies

Steep And rugged terrain

Active volcano

Tracey Robinson/Act for Peace

Thanks to your ongoing support, families in Isaka can now access safe running water.

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Issue Spotlight

Local partnerships, global impact Janet Cousens, Programs & Policy Director at Act for Peace, argues that building local partnerships can often be the most effective way of achieving global change, particularly for communities affected by conflict.

In September 2000, world leaders came together to commit their nations to reduce extreme poverty with a series of targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the world’s poorest. Since then, significant progress has been made in health and education, and the number of people living in extreme poverty has halved.

So what has been driving this progress, how do global initiatives like the MDGs get implemented?

Ultimately, of course, poverty reduction needs to occur within poor communities themselves.

Wells need to be dug, health workers trained, girls sent to school, livelihoods improved. Global and regional agreements, national governments and institutions, NGOs, community organisations and, most importantly, poor people themselves have all played a vital role in this progress.

However, these improvements have not been felt by everyone.

As other poor countries have developed, lifting people out of

poverty, many conflict-affected countries have been left behind.

In 2005, around 20% of the world’s poor lived in fragile states. By 2015, that number is expected to be over 50%. That’s why Act for Peace focuses on supporting survivors of conflict and disaster – put simply, they are the people that need our help the most.

Conflict not only kills directly, it also forces people from their land so they can’t harvest their crops (as we are tragically seeing now with the impending famine in South Sudan). It destroys businesses, schools, hospitals.

It pushes people into vulnerable situations, and it often means that government or other social safety nets are no longer there to support people. So what can be done to assist people, when their own governments can’t or won’t?

In these type of situations, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have an even bigger role to play, providing humanitarian relief and helping people to rebuild their lives. And it’s Act for Peace’s belief that working in partnership with local organisations is the

most effective way for NGOs to create change within these conflict-affected communities.

Let me explain what local partners are, and what working in partnership with them means.

Act for Peace’s local partners are mainly organisations that are set up, staffed and run by people who come from the communities in which they operate. They speak the language, they understand the culture, and they know the people of influence in the area. They have a long-term commitment to the local people, because they are the local people.

Richard Wainwright/Act for Peace

Janet Cousens works with local partners to achieve long lasting solutions for communities.

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Many of our local partners are Councils of Churches, who are very well placed to assist people when other institutions fail them. Churches have strong networks, meaning they can mobilise volunteers and reach people quickly when a crisis occurs. They are also trusted leaders, are motivated by faith, and able to communicate important messages and promote peace and reconciliation.

Compared to foreign aid workers, who may only work in an area for a few months or years, local partners are often better able to win the trust of the community and achieve a faster or more effective impact.

Crucially, programs run by local partners are often more sustainable, being owned by the communities themselves and less likely to come to a halt once aid workers leave.

At Act for Peace, our approach to partnership is just that, a genuine two-way relationship. Rather than coming with an agenda, we trust the local organisations we work with to identify the priority needs of the communities they serve, and to deliver programs in a way that takes account of local sensitivities. In return, we provide funding and what we call capacity-building, which is essentially sharing best practice from across the world in how to design and implement programs that make a real impact.

By working with partners, we ensure that our programs are sensitive to the local context, but there are some fundamental principles that all our partners adhere to and that we will never compromise on. These include working with the most vulnerable without discrimination, regardless of race, religion, gender or disability; never using humanitarian aid to pursue a particular political or religious partisan standpoint; and always upholding the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and accountability.

We believe that the most effective and sustainable change occurs when it is owned and driven by the affected communities themselves. As an ecumenical organisation, we also know that by working together we are stronger than the sum of our parts. That’s why we are a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of 144 grass-roots organisations working to confront injustice in 130 countries. Together we share resources, best practice, and work together to influence change at the global level.

We believe that this combination of local empowerment and global coordination is one of the most effective ways to achieve change, especially for survivors of conflict who are being left behind as more peaceful countries develop.

When Typhoon Haiyan struck in November, our local partner the National Council of Churches in the Philippines was able to use its existing network to rapidly mobilise volunteers and reach thousands of people quickly with ACT Alliance

emergency supplies.

When disaster hits you work together with local communities to respond fast.

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Your action, your impact

The boy who wouldn’t die David Nyuol Vincent is a Sudanese refugee and Act for Peace volunteer who survived famine, war and 15 years in refugee camps, finally finding a new life in Australia.

He now shares his story of survival with communities in Australia, inspiring others to learn more about the plight of refugees around the world and encouraging them to take action.

David Vincent was just a young boy when he fled southern Sudan with his father as war ravaged their country. For months David and his father walked across Sudan, barefoot, desperately searching for safety, food, and water. He was afraid for his life and suffered under the extreme conditions of the desert.

He experienced severe dehydration, malnutrition and starvation. Perseverance and determination kept David alive. Against all the odds he survived the perilous Saharan journey and crossed into bordering Ethiopia.

However, his hardships did not end there. Shortly after the crossing he was separated from his father and conscripted against his will into the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) as a child soldier.

Although he was trained for brutal militia activity, David deems himself lucky to have never been involved in direct combat, managing to escape when the camp he was being held in was bombed.

He survived the next 17 years without family in refugee camps; struggling against starvation, air bombings, and people determined to kill him and his people.

In 2004 David was offered a Humanitarian Visa and was resettled to Australia. Traumatised by what he had seen and endured, he went about the slow and painful process of making a new life for himself – a life away from hunger, away from guns, away from death.

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AP Images

David Vincent sharing his story of survival with a community in Melbourne.

David survived horrors that most people would try to forget. But instead of putting his past behind him, David is determined to use his experiences to raise awareness and help other refugees in need.

“I’ve never stopped sharing my story in the hope that people will have a greater understanding of refugees and their struggles” David volunteers as an Act for Peace Refugee Ambassador. In this role, he gives talks and media interviews and shares his story of survival with communities around Australia in order to educate, inspire, and encourage people to stand up and take action for refugees around the world.

“I raise my voice for Act for Peace who continue to raise these issues of refugees. I want for the wider Australian community to understand what it is and how it is like to be a refugee” Sadly, David’s experiences are all too familiar for millions around the world. According to UN figures just released, there are now 51.2 million people who are forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations – the highest number since World War II. David’s story reminds us of the real people – the sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, daughters and sons – behind these statistics. He reminds us of

our humanity, of our moral obligation to stand in solidarity with our global family, and his inspiring example shows us that we each can make a difference.

“My message is that when we talk about refugees and asylum seekers, let’s talk about them as human beings, as people… I think it’s incredible when you give a refugee an oportunity to be human again.”

Richard Wainwright/Act for Peace Richard Wainwright/Act for Peace

Refugees in Ethiopia can now access emergency medical care.

Providing humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees

You are standing alongside some of the world’s most vulnerable refugees Act for Peace has a long and proud history of protecting refugees. It started in 1948, when people like you helped Eastern European refugees who had fled the violence of World War II. Since then, you have continued to support survivors of conflict and natural disaster around the world, and today you are making a life-saving difference in: SYRIA/JORDAN: You are providing urgent humanitarian aid, including health kits, shelter, and food packages to refugees fleeing conflict in Syria.

Australian Churches Ref

ugee Taskforce

ETHIOPIA: You are providing emergency medical care to refugees from Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, & other conflict affected African countries.

MYANMAR (BURMA): You are providing food rations, shelter, and training to Burmese refugees who have fled the 65yr civil war.

INDIA/SRI LANKA: You are helping Sri Lankan refugees return home.

AUSTRALIA: Right now, you are working with others through the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce (ACRT) to influence policy-makers to enact just and humane policies for asylum seekers and refugees.

OfERR India

Karen Rasmussen/Act for Peace

Helping Sri Lankan refugees to return home.

Our nursery feeding program in a Burmese refugee camp.

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Your action, your impact In the last six months you have made a huge difference to survivors of conflict and disaster around the world.

Thank you for your ongoing dedication, time, effort, & support.

Eating like a

refugee

During Refugee Week in June, 100 brave supporters helped us pilot the first ever Act for Peace Ration Challenge, raising an amazing $58,000.

They took on the challenge of eating exactly the same rations as a Burmese refugee living in a camp on the Thai-Burma border. Just a small amount of rice, split peas, fortified flour, salt, oil, fish paste, and water. That’s it. No meat, veg, coffee, or alcohol!

“This challenge appealed to me to ‘walk in another’s shoes’ or eat like a refugee on rations. It was a compassionate and Christian way to help others in need. Novel too.”

Peter Hartley, whose family raised $1,710.

“It’s definitely been a worthwhile experience and I’m so proud of my family…the support we’ve received from people has been overwhelming” Tim Wallis, whose family took part raising over $1,100.

“The challenge has certainly been just that.[It] will stay with me a long time. Eating rice with very little to flavour it for a week was tough, although I did enjoy drinking hot water! How fortunate we are to live comfortably and never have to worry about not having enough to eat” Jenny Monger, whose family raised $2,275.

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Ben Littlejohn/Act for Peace

A woman cooking with her rations in Mae La refugee camp.

“The smell of cheese and veggie muffins cooking in the oven tonight just about killed me .... Who’d have thought preparing lunch box snacks for my kids would be so tough?

Reminding myself how awful it would be not to be able to provide healthy food for my kids. How lucky we are.”

Bernie Bissett We were blown away by the creativity and dedication of every single person who made the Ration Challenge their own. Thanks to generous sponsorship from friends and family, they raised a fantastic $58,000 to support refugees forced to flee by the conflict in Burma, who are now living in a refugee camp without the means to support themselves. This money will help make sure the refugees get the rations they need to survive, and provide tools and training to help them become more self-sufficient.

To see more great photos of the first ever Ration Challenge or to be the first to hear about how to participate in next year’s Ration Challenge visit www.actforpeace.org.au/rationchallenge

You can leave a lasting legacy By remembering the Christmas Bowl with a gift in your Will, you will be leaving a lasting legacy – a fairer and more just world.

Ben Littlejohn/Act for Pea

ce

Your bequest will ensure the continuation of the work that the Christmas Bowl began in 1948, standing alongside survivors of conflict and disaster and building a brighter future.

To find out how to include the Christmas Bowl in your Will please call Claire on 1800 025 101 or visit www.actforpeace.org.au/bequests

Marking 65 ye ars of the

Peace Ben Littlejohn/Act for

Christmas Bowl This year will be the 65th anniversary of the Act for Peace Christmas Bowl and we would love to hear from supporters, churches, schools and organisations who are interested in holding a special fundraising event to mark the occasion.

We are putting together some special 65th anniversary resources so if you’re planning to hold a fundraising event, or think you might be interested in holding one, please get in touch with Jenny by emailing info@actforpeace.org.au or by calling us on 1800 025 101.

Ben Littlejohn/Ac t for Peace

Top: Friends Blair, Corinne, Karen and her brother Chris share a group meal during the Act for Peace Ration Challenge.

Middle: Delphine from Bondi, NSW, organised workplace activities to raise awareness for refugee issues during the Act for Peace Ration Challenge.

Bottom: One month’s rations for a family of Burmese refugees; rice, oil, fish paste, split peas, and fortified flour.

Thank you…

The team at Act for Peace.

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“ There are many cases of abuses in Myanmar, like child soldiers and human trafficking.

I stand up for my community” Mahn Tome Sein, Community Organiser, Myanmar

Richard Wainwright/Act for Peace

ACT FOR PEACE Locked Bag Q199, Queen Victoria Building NSW 1230 T 1800 025 101 F 02 9262 4514 E info@actforpeace.org.au W www.actforpeace.org.au Facebook /actforpeace

Twitter @actforpeace