Christian Aid Ireland Magazine: Winter 2018

ISSUE 54 • WINTER 2018

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A Leap of

FAITH Portstewart mum fulfils a long-held ambition

GIRL POWER in Angola

TAX JUSTICE FOR GHANA

WOMEN ELECTED

in Sierra Leone

Tackling Palestinian poverty Solar power for Bolivia

Christian Aid Ireland is the official relief and development agency of the Church of Ireland, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, the Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland, the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Moravian Church, the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), the Salvation Army, and the Irish Council of Churches.

It is a member of the ACT Alliance (Action

by Churches Together), the worldwide ecumenical network for emergency relief.

Christian Aid is a signatory to the Dóchas Code of Conduct on Images and Messages. More details can be found on dochas.ie. Please send any feedback about images in this publication to lfagan@christian-aid.org

Rosamond Bennett Chief Executive, Christian Aid Ireland

Belfast Linden House, Beechill Business Park, 96 Beechill Road, Belfast, BT8 7QN Tel: 028 9064 1833 Email: belfast@christian-aid.org

Deborah Doherty Head of Church and Community

Dublin Canal House, Canal Road, Dublin 6 Tel: 01 496 7040 Email: dublin@christian-aid.org

Leaving a legacy A Will is a final expression of everything that matters to you in your life. It ensures that your loved ones have been provided for and it also reflects your priorities and passions.

A gift in your Will to Christian Aid, even if just a small share of your estate, is a wonderful opportunity to provide hope and practical help to families and communities who live in poverty. Every gift for our work helps us to tackle poverty and change lives for generations to come.

Join us for lunch.

Every Tuesday: First Lisburn Presbyterian Church, Market Square, Lisburn Every Thursday: Hillsborough Parish Church 1st Wednesday of each month: Armagh Road Presbyterian Church, Portadown 1st Friday of each month: Drumbeg Parish Church Hall, Dunmurry

Editor: Lisa Fagan

Cork Hill View, Bandon, County Cork Email: cork@christian-aid.org

Andrew Coleman Church and Community Officer

NI Company no: NI059154 NI Charity Registration no: XR94639 NI Charity Commission no: NIC101631 ROI Company no: 426928 ROI Charity Registration no: CHY6998 ROI Charities Regulatory no: 20014162

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To find out more, visit willaid.org.uk or contact Mark on 028 9064 8133.

CHRISTIAN AID LUNCHES

Jane Burns & Michael Briggs Church and Community Officers

This November, Christian Aid is participating in Will Aid. More than forty solicitors in Northern Ireland are volunteering their time and waiving their fee for writing a basic Will, in return for a voluntary donation to Christian Aid and our Will Aid partner charities. This is also a great opportunity to consider leaving a gift in your Will to Christian Aid. Our supporters know that their generosity helps people around the world not only to work their way out of poverty, but also to create a legacy of hope for their children and grandchildren.

Contributors: Sian Curry, Deborah Doherty, Sarah Leeman, Mark McMahon and Dave Thomas.

Special thanks to Gemma Murray.

Cover photo: Barbara Hall taking part in a tandem skydive. Photo courtesy of Matt Alderdice.

christianaid.ie /ChristianAidIreland

The organisers of the monthly lunches in Armagh would like to thank everyone for their support over the past ten years. Although the monthly lunches will be stopping, the Armagh committee is planning occasional lunches in future.

Mission statement The work of Christian Aid Ireland is based on our Christian belief that everyone, regardless of their faith or race, is entitled to live a full life, free from poverty.

We believe in tackling the root causes of poverty, not just their symptoms. We believe that the world can and must be changed so that there is equality, dignity and freedom for all.

We are driven to make this change happen and to inspire others to make it happen. @ChristianAidIrl

@ChristianAidIrl

Christian Aid Ireland

EDITORIAL

Blessed are the peacemakers...

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travelled to South Sudan in early September when autumn colours were beginning to transform the trees. By the time I came back towards the end of September, there were Christmas displays in the shops. There is no doubt that Christmas is a much anticipated event for many people. For Christians, Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, given to bring hope, love, peace and justice to a broken world. We have the opportunity to spend time with our loved ones, celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace. But for millions of people this Christmas, peace seems like an impossible dream.

Violence and conflict remain the norm for many across the globe, from South Sudan to Colombia. In 2016, more countries experienced violent conflict than at any time in nearly 30 years.

If current trends continue, by 2030 more than half of the world’s poorest people will be living in countries affected by high levels of violence.

Christian Aid Ireland is committed to supporting and funding peacebuilding in 20 conflictaffected countries. Violence is a major cause of poverty. It traps people in horrific situations unable to live a full life, a life of dignity and a life of potential. So, this year, peacebuilding is the focus of our Christmas Appeal.

Northern Ireland has emerged from many years of violence but the peace enjoyed today is the fruit of work carried out by church leaders, politicians, trade unions and civil society. During the worst years of the Troubles, the Corrymeela community was a beacon of hope, shining a light in the darkness, working to promote understanding, overcome division and heal our fractured society. One active member of the Corrymeela community, Bishop Trevor Williams, worked to build trust and conquer fear, to promote dialogue and to foster peace.

For the last eight years, we were honoured to have Bishop Trevor chair the Board of Christian Aid Ireland. We appreciated the experience he brought from his work at Corrymeela, from his parish ministry in north Belfast, and as Bishop of Limerick. Now as he steps down from our board, I wish to pay tribute to him and to thank him for

Winter 2018

his prayerful and practical support. He has been a wonderful source of inspiration and knowledge for me personally and although I will miss him, I know that he will continue to serve Christian Aid in other ways.

In South Sudan, I met another peacemaker, Rev James Oyet-Latansio whose work for the Sudan Council of Churches reminded me of Bishop Trevor’s work at Corrymeela. He told me, “We in South Sudan are wounded, traumatised, full of pain; if we can heal, then we can reconcile. Our people are longing for peace.”

South Sudan is the world’s youngest country and our newest global neighbour. Christian Aid is supporting the work of peacebuilders around the world who are bringing hope and healing to countries including South Sudan.

Your support will pay for counselling, for mediation, for reconciliation – for the kind of work that was carried out at Corrymeela during the darkest days of our own conflict.

There was another reminder of healing and hope recently when we welcomed Rev Dr Liz Hughes as the new Chair of the Christian Aid Ireland Board. Liz ministered at Whitehouse Presbyterian Church during very difficult times in the history of Northern Ireland and, in 2002, the main church building was destroyed by arsonists. But when the Church re-opened three years later, it was with financial support from all sections of the community.

Support our call for peace this Christmas.

Thank you for your continued commitment to Christian Aid. Together we can transform lives.

God bless.

Rosamond Bennett Chief Executive, Christian Aid Ireland 3

NEWS

Kelvin Boyes/Press Eye

The Changing Room is changing lives In February 2016, Christian Aid opened its first charity shop in the UK and Ireland. The Changing Room in Garvagh, near Coleraine is managed

by Rachel McCormick (pictured) and a wonderful team of volunteers. Together, they have raised £51,000 to help end poverty and injustice around the world.

Building on this success, a second shop is opening. The Changing Room in Cullybackey will be led by long-term Christian Aid supporters, Oonagh and Michael Dalton.

Thanks to everyone in Garvagh and Cullybackey for their hard work and commitment which are changing lives.

KERALA FLOOD APPEAL

Photo: Christian Aid / Tess Purcell

Staff of the Bon Secours hospital in Dublin, including some from Kerala state, raised €1,600 for the Kerala flood appeal by holding an Indian-themed lunch.

Photo: Simon Woodworth

BISHOP BOWS OUT

Bishop Trevor Williams stepped down recently as Chair of the Board of Christian Aid Ireland after serving the maximum eight year term.

Chief Executive Rosamond Bennett pays tribute to him on page 3.

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Cork COI primary schools raise money for Burundi Around 400 pupils, teachers and clergy attended the Annual Diocesan Schools’ Service at St Peter’s Church, Bandon, County Cork recently, led by Bishop Paul Colton. Represented at the service were all twenty-one Church of Ireland primary schools in the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne & Ross. The children donated €1,637 to the Bishop’s Appeal, money which will enable Christian Aid’s partner, the Anglican Church of Burundi, to work with farmers in the south of the country, helping them to sustainably increase their production of maize and build their resilience in the face of a changing climate.

Find out the latest from Burundi on Page 16.

Christian Aid Ireland

NEWS

TRUDY IS A TRUE GEM

We are very grateful to all our organisers, church reps, volunteers, collectors and coffee hosts who worked so hard to ensure the success of our annual Christian Aid Week appeal.

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ver €522,000 has been received up to the end of August and we would encourage any churches or groups still to remit their fundraising to send it to either the Belfast or Dublin offices.

The focus for Christian Aid Week was our work in Haiti following Hurricane Matthew and those families without a safe place to live as a result of the earthquake in 2010. The photograph shows an example of the type of houses which Christian Aid partners have built and we were so delighted that Marcelin and his family, who featured in the Christian Aid Week promotional material, have now moved into their new home.

Trudy Jeffers, member of Newbridge Parish with Rev Fran Grasham and Very Rev Tim Wright, pictured after the Christian Aid Week service and coffee event in June. Trudy received a Diamond Award certificate to acknowledge her many years of fundraising for Christian Aid Week.

Roscrea Methodists

One of the houses built by Christian Aid’s partner KORAL in Haiti.

The annual Christian Aid Week coffee morning at Roscrea Methodist Church, organised by Gillian Kingston raised €675.

christianaid.ie Have you checked out our new website yet?

In February, we launched our new website to make it easier for you to find the information you need and to demonstrate the life-changing impact that your support is having around the world.

Winter 2018

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GIRL POWE

More than 1,500 young women have graduated from the Girls Building Bridges project. Graduates have shown marked improvements in school attendance and achievement, and there have been very few early pregnancies. At least 27 young women have gone on to university.

In the airy courtyard of an unfinished breezeblock building, voices are raised and braids are flying. Girls gathered in a circle are singing and dancing, taking turns to step into the centre to perform, while their friends cheer them on.

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t’s a captivating display. Some girls are in their element, relishing the opportunity to take centre stage. Others, like fifteen-year-old Brígida, are a little more nervous. But all find their voice in the end.

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Brígida and her friends live in Cazenga, a particularly poor and crowded suburb of Angola’s capital city, Luanda. It’s a tough neighbourhood to grow up in but Brígida still stands every chance of building a brighter future because of the simple fact that she still goes to school.

In Angola, this puts her in a minority. Less than a quarter of girls of secondary school age are still in the classroom.

There are many reasons why so few teenage girls stay in school, but one of the major factors is motherhood.

“Underage sex and pregnancy is the biggest danger for young girls here,” explains Benedita

Fuani, 23, who also grew up in Cazenga, and is now a mentor at the Girls Building Bridges project there.

The dancing girls above are all current students with the project, which is run by Christian Aid’s local partner organisation, the Christian Women’s Union (UCF). It works intensively with girls aged 10-17 to reduce early marriage, early pregnancy and domestic violence, and to support girls to stay and thrive at school.

Angola’s teenage pregnancy rate is among the highest in the world. Over a third of girls aged 15-19 are already mothers, and 30% of girls marry before they turn 18. Early marriage Christian Aid Ireland

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GENDER JUSTICE

in Angola

by Sian Curry

Photo: Elizabeth Levitz

or motherhood usually marks the end of a girl’s education, at great cost to her own prospects and those of her children.

Benedita knows the value of the project’s work first hand because she attended it herself as a teenager. Today, she is at university, studying to become a clinical analyst.

Benedita credits the project with steering her safely through her teenage years and improving her performance at school.

“I could have had a lot of difficulties if it weren’t for UCF, because of a lack of knowledge,” she explains.

“There were things we didn’t discuss at home, and also not Winter 2018

at school, they were taboo. But there we spoke about them.”

Like many Angolan girls, Benedita grew up in a household where sex wasn’t ever discussed.

“It isn’t considered proper,” she explains. But silence leaves teenage girls dangerously uninformed, increasing their risk of early pregnancy and HIV. At the Girls Building Bridges project, puberty, sex and healthy relationships are all openly discussed, as part of a comprehensive life skills programme. The course also focuses on developing girls’ assertiveness and public speaking skills.

Many Angolan girls have been trained from infancy to be quiet and do as they are told – especially when instructed by a man. “It’s in our culture. The man is the ‘cockerel’, he’s the one who speaks,” explains Benedita.

So, encouraging girls to speak up, and especially to dare to say no sometimes, is no easy task. But when girls are able to be articulate and assertive, they can achieve much more in their schools and future workplaces.

And it helps to keep them safe.

Christian Aid’s support is helping girls develop the confidence to put their hand up in lessons and join in class discussions, while also empowering them to decline unwanted sexual advances and stand up for themselves if someone treats them badly.

And when they are comfortable speaking in public, these girls can make waves.

By spreading the word that girls should be schoolgirls first and mothers later, the girls themselves can transform attitudes and behaviour

throughout their community.

This is what the song and dance session is all about.

In classroom presentations and performance activities, the girls repeatedly practise speaking or performing in public, gradually building up the skills and confidence they need to hold their own at school, in their personal relationships and in their efforts to bring about wider change.

Brígida’s shyness used to hold her back. But not anymore. “The programme has helped me to be braver and speak in public,” she explains. “I speak up in school and I answer the teachers. I used to be embarrassed to ask teachers questions, but now I’m not. It’s helped me a lot in school.”

But the programme’s impact hasn’t been confined to the classroom. Brígida recently organised and hosted a public meeting in her own backyard, inviting schoolmates and neighbours to come along.

There she gave a compelling presentation on teenage pregnancy. The parents of all ten girls who attended were so impressed that they’ve signed their daughters up for the next Girls Building Bridges course.

And so begins a chain reaction.

In a culture which often demands that girls should be seen and not heard, Brígida’s is a ground-breaking voice for change. And in a country where teenage mothers may outnumber teenage schoolgirls, her message couldn’t be more important.

Christian Aid has supported the Girls Building Bridges project for over a decade. In 2018, this work is generously funded by Irish Aid and the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

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GENDER JUSTICE Photos: Mark Stedman

(L-R) Fattu Favour Fomba, Social Enterprise Development; Christine Sia Pettiquoi, Network Movement for Justice and Development; Róisín Gallagher, Christian Aid Ireland; Hon. Bernadette Wuyatta Songa, Hon. Rebecca Yei Kamara, Sarah O’Boyle, Christian Aid Ireland, and Hon. Emelia Lolloh Tongi.

Women of Sierra Leone Three MPs from Sierra Leone told Lisa Fagan how Christian Aid-funded work helped them to make history in March, becoming the first women elected to represent their constituencies in parliament.

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on. Rebecca Yei Kamara, Hon. Emelia Lolloh Tongi and Hon. Bernadette Wuyatta Songa were in Dublin to attend the International Congress of Parliamentary Women’s Caucuses, addressed by Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD and former Acting Leader of the British Labour Party, Harriet Harman MP. Forty-two countries were represented at the Congress by almost 200 female parliamentarians.

Rebecca, Emelia and Bernadette were elected to their national parliament on 7th March 2018. The three women credit their success to the support they received from two Christian Aid-funded projects supported by Irish Aid (the

Irish Government’s agency for international development) and the Hamilton family in the UK. Christian Aid worked through its local partners, SEND (Social Enterprise Development) and NMJD (Network Movement for Justice and Development) on the ‘Power to Women’ and the ‘Women in Governance’ projects in Kono and Kailahun districts respectively, to ensure

Christian Aid Ireland

GENDER JUSTICE

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We have a saying that the female chicken cannot crow – which means that women are not allowed a voice and cannot lead. I had to do something to make a change.

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that there are more female voices in politics.

The projects enable women to gain leadership experience and the opportunity to engage with political parties and traditional leaders to promote the nomination and election of female candidates.

Christian Aid believes that at the root of poverty lies the unequal distribution of power and, in order to effectively tackle poverty, it is essential to challenge gender inequality.

Low representation of women in politics leads to women being marginalised and denied a voice. In Sierra Leone, the traditional patriarchal culture means that women’s voices are not often heard in their communities.

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HON. REBECCA YEI KAMARA

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ebecca was one of those who benefited, winning almost half the vote share to make history, becoming the first woman to represent her constituency in the national parliament.

Rebecca received training from NMJD’s ‘Power to Women’ project on leadership, self-confidence and public speaking. But she has been involved with NMJD for many years. In 2015, NMJD set up the Women’s Network and, as chair for her district, Rebecca lobbied for bye-laws prohibiting violence against women and girls.

NMJD made Rebecca their ‘Woman of the Year’ in recognition of her work. Speaking just after a Christian Aid and Trócaire seminar on Women in Politics at Trinity College Dublin, Rebecca explained that the award had enabled her to expand her work into schools: “With the award I was able to visit ‘Gender Clubs’ in schools and engage with young girls about sexual harassment.”

NMJD operates a referral service for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), also funded by Christian Aid, which encourages women and girls to report their experience, supporting them through the judicial process.

Physical violence and sexual abuse of women and girls used to go unreported but NMJD is bringing it out of the shadows: “Our sensitisation work is leading women and girls to acknowledge and confront the problem of GBV.” It was this work that led Rebecca to enter politics. And it’s clear that she intends to use her recent election as a platform on which to grow her grassroots movement: “So, for me to become an MP through this ‘Power to Women’ project, GBV is one of the things I really want to step on. And although my party is not in government, I believe that it’s important to work with other women in the communities who will be able to talk to men to see how they can control these sexual offences.”

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GENDER JUSTICE

HON. EMELIA LOLLOH TONGI

HON. BERNADETTE WUYATTA SONGA

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melia was born and raised in Sierra Leone but spent many years in France working at the Sierra Leone Embassy and later with an international bank. While in Europe, she paid regular visits to her hometown Beudu where the hardships of her people motivated her to return home and work for change.

Two years ago, Emelia joined the Kailahun ‘Women in Governance Network’ run by Christian Aid’s partner SEND. There, she received training in gender, leadership, advocacy and political intelligence which enabled her to challenge culture and traditions that disempower women, and those who promote them. Ahead of the elections in March 2018, Emelia campaigned using the Women on the Move radio programme, sharing her manifesto with the public and building support for her policies.

But Emelia faced many challenges. The incumbent MP used the secret societies to try to persuade people not to vote for a woman, saying that a woman has nothing to offer. She was intimidated, her house burnt down, properties destroyed and there were even death threats.

Of the three MPs, Emelia was the only one who faced the particular challenge of fighting the election as an independent. But she wasn’t alone because she had the support of SEND. Speaking in front of the Irish Parliament building, she thanked SEND for their support: “SEND has been so great, SEND was there when I was panicking. They said, ‘We will support you. We know your potential.

We believe in you.’ And this is how I got to win this election, with the help of SEND and I will always be grateful to them.”

One staff member at SEND came in for special praise: “Joseph would call me early in the morning and tell me ‘get up, go house to house, knock their doors, talk to them and convince them’ and indeed I did all these things, I followed their advice and it worked. He was always there.”

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lso in Dublin was Hon. Bernadette Wuyatta Songa. At the age of 18, she fled war in Sierra Leone to settle in London where she married, had three children and worked as a psychiatric nurse. On visits home, she was moved by the plight of women in her country whom she describes as ‘oppressed’ and ‘intimidated’. Speaking on the last of a 4-day visit to Ireland, she said: “We have a saying that the female chicken cannot crow - which means that women are not allowed a voice and cannot lead. I had to do something to make a change.”

But it was a change that would come at huge personal cost. In October 2017, Bernadette quit her nursing job, locked up her home and left her three children in London with her sister, to work on women’s emancipation and nation-building in the country of her birth.

Her sacrifice was rewarded in March 2018 when she was elected as MP for Kailahun District. But she reveals that a last-minute hitch almost prompted her to pull out of the race: “I was imposed with a clause from my constitution that MPs cannot have a dual citizenship. So, I came back to the UK and renounced my British citizenship’” Losing her ‘British book’ meant applying for a visa every time she visited her children. But she sees hope in the faces of her constituents: “They have this look like, ‘you are the Messiah, you are the person who is going to make changes’. It has gone down in history as the first election of a woman in my constituency. It means so much to see my people, the women, being very bold, knowing that their self-esteem is coming up.”

Editor’s note: after our interview, Bernadette left Dublin for London and brought her youngest, a daughter aged eight, back to Sierra Leone to live. Her eldest children, aged 18 and 20, remain in the UK where they are in full-time education.

Christian Aid Ireland

FUNDRAISING

Autumn walks September Stroll in the Park

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ater in the month, Christian Aid’s first ever September Stroll in the Park took place in the Killiney Hill Park in south Dublin. This family-friendly walking event attracted around 60 participants who enjoyed sea views and woodland trails. There was also a drumming circle and

Sheep’s Head Hike

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hether you love nothing better than getting on a pair of hiking boots and clambering up a mountain or if a leisurely dander around your local park is more your cup of tea, there was a Christian Aid walk to suit everyone this autumn.

On 1st September, more than 200 walkers took part in the 10th annual Sheep’s Head Hike along the Sheep’s Head peninsula in west Cork. And as the mist lifted from the mountains and the sun broke through the clouds, it wasn’t hard to see why this headland is so popular with walkers. Participants were treated to breathtaking views of the wild Atlantic coastline and unspoilt countryside.

This annual event has become an eagerly anticipated date in the west Cork calendar and there is a real sense of community with walkers coming from all over the county and further afield - from Carlow, Kilkenny, Dublin and Galway - to take part.

The event ended with a well-deserved barbeque courtesy of the Gourmet Grill in Kilcrohane. More than €5,000 was raised which will go towards Christian Aid’s ‘Breaking the Barriers’ Harvest Appeal. Next year the walk will take place on Saturday 7th September 2019.

Winter 2018

face-painting for added appeal. And dotted along the walk route were photo exhibitions highlighting the impact of Christian Aid’s work overseas. On the day, almost €1,800 was raised for our Harvest Appeal.

Laganside Walk

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he series of September walks finished with the Laganside Walk along the towpath in south Belfast. A regular feature in the Christian Aid fundraising calendar, this riverside walk is suitable for all ages. Around 65 people joined the event and raised over £800.

Thank you to all our supporters and volunteers who helped to make these three walking events successful and so much fun. As Christian Aid continues to walk alongside those living in poverty around the world, we value the support of so many across Ireland who take part in events like these and give so generously towards our work.

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Photo: Matt Alderdice

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REAL Matthew Mackey/Press Eye

ACHIEVER takes a leap of faith...

Portstewart mum who lost 4.5 stone has fulfilled a longheld ambition to complete a skydive, raising £8,000 for Christian Aid. Barbara Hall shared her story with Lisa Fagan.

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Portstewart woman who shed more than 4 stone has fulfilled her ambition to jump out of an aeroplane, more than twenty years after her first application to go skydiving was rejected on account of her weight.

Barbara Hall completed the 10,000 ft tandem jump at the Wild Geese Centre near Garvagh on 29th September.

But her story began in 1997.

Then living in England, she enlisted for a skydive but was dismayed to discover that she was over the weight limit. Now four and a half stone lighter, Barbara is marking her 50th 12

birthday by jumping out of an aeroplane to raise funds for women in developing countries.

Speaking on the eve of the jump, the daring mother-of-two could barely contain her excitement: “I have everything laid out in the spare room - trainers and lots of layers. I want to get there early so I can be one of the first to jump. The forecast is good so I’m hopeful it will go ahead. I have no qualms whatsoever – I might get addicted to this!”

But skydiving is just the latest high-adrenaline activity that Barbara has ticked off her ‘bucket list’. She has already tried

abseiling, hot air ballooning and parascending. And although she has wanted to complete a skydive for more than two decades, she reveals that it was a personal tragedy that motivated her to shed the pounds: “Soon after my 30th birthday, my husband died suddenly from a heart attack. He was only 34.

I was alone in England, three months pregnant with our first child. I knew I needed to be healthy for my baby which is why, two years after he was born, I joined Weight Watchers and lost four and a half stone. I also moved home to Newbuildings, Christian Aid Ireland

FUNDRAISING

near Derry to be closer to my family.”

Barbara’s weight loss inspired others and she began working as a Weight Watchers leader – a job she enjoyed for 15 years.

She also remarried and completed her family with a daughter, now aged 13: “My son is 19 and at university in Southampton. But my husband and daughter will be cheering me on tomorrow, looking up to the sky and listening to my squeals.”

She admits that her impending 50th birthday played a big part in her decision to sign up for the skydive: “I’ve wanted to complete this challenge for a long time and when I saw it on Christian Aid’s Facebook page, I said to my husband ‘it’s now or never’.”

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I’m just so pleased that the money I’ve raised will help women escape from poverty

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It’s clear that Barbara is a ‘glass-half-full’ sort of person who has been counting her blessings: “Christian Aid’s Breaking the Barriers appeal struck a chord with me because I’ve had so many fantastic opportunities in my life. I’ve had a university education, I’ve qualified as a solicitor and I’ve done lots of travelling. I’m very lucky to have the support of my family and church community.”

“I love the idea that this appeal will raise funds to empower women and improve their social standing – earning money from renewable energy businesses. These women just need a chance; they just need someone to give them a break.”

Barbara was also attracted by the match funding. Every £1 she raises is worth £5 to Christian Aid because of EU match funding, which means that the £1,600 Barbara has raised is worth £8,000 to the charity. She pays tribute to the generosity of her family, friends, colleagues and neighbours but reserves special praise for the members of her Church - Portstewart Presbyterian: “I stood up in church and talked about the skydive and everyone has been so generous.”

Barbara’s husband, Brian describes her mood after the jump: “She was on a huge high - she was absolutely elated - ecstatic.”

Maybe Barbara’s other achievements - losing weight, surviving tragedy and rebuilding her life - make jumping out of an aeroplane seem insignificant? She laughs: “This one was easier, of course. But I’m proud of myself for doing it. And more than that, I’m just so pleased that the money I’ve raised will help women escape from poverty and achieve their potential too. It’s a win-win.”

SEPTEMBER SKYDIVE Twenty-two brave individuals took part in our September Skydive.

Each participant was set a fundraising target of £500, with many exceeding it.

All the money raised will go towards our ‘Breaking the Barriers’ Harvest Appeal which aims to increase rural women’s involvement in the

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sustainable energy sector, promote gender equality, and strengthen women’s social status in Malawi, Ethiopia, Honduras and Burkina Faso. The Harvest Appeal this year is eligible for EU match-funding, meaning that for every £1/€1 raised, Christian Aid receives £5/€5.

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Forced to Flee

not neglect to “ Do show hospitality

to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.

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Hebrews 13:2

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almata Bulama and her children Yagana and Bakuvu live in appalling conditions in a makeshift community just outside Maiduguri in north-eastern Nigeria. Falmata and her family are among thousands forced to flee their home as a result of violence perpetrated by the militant group Boko Haram.

Falmata is not a refugee, therefore there is no provision or protection for her and for many other displaced people. In order to be eligible for refugee status a person must have crossed an international border and be seeking refuge in a country in which they do not have citizenship.

The United Nations estimates that of the more than 65 million displaced people in the world today more than 43 million of them are Internally Displaced People (IDPs), which means they are displaced within their own country. IDPs face the same types of abuses and insecurity that force refugees to flee but are often

overlooked by the international community.

The majority of IDPs live with host families, however these host families receive no form of international aid, most of which goes to support those in camps. Christian Aid has been providing practical support to IDPs in places like Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Iraq and Kenya. And together with thousands of supporters, we have been lobbying the UK Government and the United Nations to put in place solutions for people displaced in their own countries. The UN and its member states are currently working on two new agreements on refugees and migration, yet neither will tackle the problem of internal displacement.

In large part thanks to our campaigning, the UK Government is supporting the creation of a Global High-Level Panel, to come up with solutions for internal displacement. The UK is also beginning its own Parliamentary inquiry into forced displacement in Africa.

‘Uprooted’ exhibition at St Anne’s Cathedral Christian Aid has produced a touring photo exhibition featuring stories of displaced people in Iraq, Nigeria and Kenya, to help raise awareness of the plight of internally displaced people. The ‘Uprooted’ exhibition has been on display at St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast and is available for churches and supporters to borrow and display in their own venues. Visit caid.ie/ uprooted for more information or contact our offices on either belfast@christian-aid.org or dublin@christian-aid.org

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Christian Aid Ireland

CAMPAIGNS

Internally displaced people face the same types of abuses and insecurity that force refugees to flee but are often overlooked by the international community.

Falmata Bulama and her children are among 40 million people displaced within their own borders.

Photo: Christian Winter 2018 Aid / Tom Pilston

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BURUNDI

SUSPENDS INTERNATIONAL

NGOS

Photo: Sarah Rowe

CHURCH-FUNDED PROGRAMMES

Caritas Niyonizigiye is a maize farmer supported by Christian Aid’s partner, the Anglican Church of Burundi in Matana, generously funded by Cork diocese.

A planned visit from Christian Aid Ireland to Burundi had to be put on hold at short notice in October when the Burundian Government announced a 3-month suspension of the activities of all international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in the country.

T

he Government of Burundi has requested that all organisations provide evidence that they are correctly registered, abide by all banking regulations and meet government requirements for ethnic balance among their employees. Christian Aid Burundi is working hard to prove that they meet all these requirements so that their important work can resume.

Cork diocese of the Church 16

of Ireland has been fundraising for an agricultural project in Burundi which is run by our partner, the Anglican Church of Burundi. The team due to travel included Rev Eithne Lynch from Mallow who had hoped to visit the project supported by her diocese to see firsthand the impact of that work.

David Thomas, the trip organiser said, “It’s very disappointing to have to cancel our visit as we were really

looking forward to seeing the work of Christian Aid on the ground in Burundi. However, it highlights the precarious and changeable circumstances that our partners and country offices often work under. The work they do is so important to the communities in Burundi and we can only hope that they are able to resume activities as soon as possible. We are hopeful that the trip can be rescheduled sometime in early 2019.”

Christian Aid Ireland

CHURCH-FUNDED PROGRAMMES

Methodist President’s visit to Bolivia I

n January 2018, the President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Rev Dr Laurence Graham travelled to the Bolivian Amazon to meet communities who are facing threats from the changing climate, mining and logging companies, and megaprojects such as hydroelectric dams which are threatening to sweep away their livelihoods.

Irish Methodist World Development and Relief (MWDRF) has been supporting

The introduction of solar ovens, enables families to cook and boil safe drinking water.

Christian Aid’s partner Soluciones Practicas for over three years, helping them to build the resilience of vulnerable communities by drawing on one of nature’s most powerful gifts sunshine. Funding from MWDRF has been transforming the lives of remote forest communities by providing solar panels to light homes, charge phones and radios; solar pumps to provide clean water for those affected by the contamination of their rivers;

and solar driers to improve the quality of their cacao beans.

Another achievement has been the introduction of solar ovens, technology which is enabling families to cook and boil safe drinking water. This saves up to 3kg of firewood per day and up to 4 hours spent collecting it. There are health benefits too as people no longer cook over smoky fires.

The prayerful and financial support of the Methodist Church in Ireland is greatly appreciated as it continues to enable Christian Aid to reach some of Bolivia’s poorest and most remote communities, and to demonstrate to decision makers that there are sustainable ways of development. For more information on Christian Aid’s work in the Bolivian Amazon please contact Mark McMahon mmcmahon@christian-aid.org

PRESBYTERIAN World Development Appeal Rev Elineide Ferreira, manager of the Casa Noeli Safe house in Ariquemes, Brazil. The Safe House will be the focus of this year’s Presbyterian World Development Appeal. It offers a safe haven for women and their children who have suffered domestic violence and also works with local community services to support affected families. The Appeal raises more than £500,000 annually for the work of Christian Aid, Tearfund and Presbyterian Mission projects.

Winter 2108

17

POLICY & ADVOCACY

Settlement Goods Bill I

n July, the upper house of the Irish parliament voted in favour of a Bill banning the importation of products from Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, paving the way for the country to become the first EU nation to impose such a ban.

Around 600,000 people live in settlements in east Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Golan Heights. The settlements are recognised as being illegal by the UN, the EU and the UK and Irish Governments. Christian Aid believes they are an impediment to peace in the region, and a major contributor to poverty among Palestinians. By continuing to trade with the settlements, Ireland is tacitly endorsing them and helping them to thrive economically.

Estimates put the value of settlement-made goods sold to Ireland at between €500,000 to €1m annually but proponents of the Bill say it would be of huge symbolic value and could chart a path for other EU states to follow.

Only goods from the illegal Israeli settlements would be banned under this law. Trade in goods from Israel proper would continue unaffected.

Frances Black, the independent senator who sponsored the bill, said in a statement that ‘trade in settlement goods sustains injustice’: “In the occupied territories, people are forced from their homes, fertile farming land is seized, and the fruit and vegetables produced are then sold on Irish shelves to pay for it all.”

Christian Aid has been calling for a ban on settlement produce since 2015. Since 2017, Christian Aid has been working with Trócaire and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to support Senator Black’s office as the Bill makes its way through the legislative process.

There are several hurdles to clear before the Bill becomes law, as Sorley McCaughey of Christian Aid explained: “The Bill will be back in the Seanad on 28th November, and it’s important we continue to support Senator Black in her efforts to make this Bill law. But even this first vote is a momentous move for Ireland, leading the way on an issue which Christian Aid, civil society and governments have consistently stated is one of the main obstacles to peace in the region.”

Photo: Mark Stedman

Frances Black celebrates with supporters of her Settlement Goods Bill after it passes its first Seanad vote.

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Christian Aid Ireland

GHANA-IRELAND TAX TREATY Sorley McCaughey

T

he Oireachtas has been considering a new tax treaty between Ghana and Ireland which Christian Aid opposes in its current form because it is disadvantageous to Ghana.

Ireland is Ghana’s biggest foreign investor, underlining the importance of the deal for the developing African economy.

The treaty will reduce Ghana’s ability to tax crossborder income, depriving the country of revenue that could be invested in health and education.

This is especially worrying in a country where 4 million children live in poverty and 1 in 20 die before their 5th birthday.

Absent from the treaty are adequate safeguards against tax avoidance. These omissions were made despite Ireland committing to include such safeguards in all its tax treaties before signing the Ghana deal.

Agreed last year, the treaty is now going through the ratification process. This required the Minister for State at the Department of Finance to appear before the Oireachtas Finance committee to explain the virtues of the treaty. Ahead of this meeting, Christian Aid briefed members of the committee on the weaknesses contained in the treaty - the factors that disadvantaged Ghana and skewed the treaty Winter 2108

in Ireland’s favour. Seven key questions contained in the briefing were put to the Minster again and again. Unusually, and as a result of Christian Aid’s intervention, the Committee refused to ‘consider the Ghana tax treaty positively’, instead triggering a full Dáil debate.

The debate took place on 4th October during which Christian Aid’s main concerns were repeated by a number of TDs. And while the amendments that would have allowed more time to make the treaty equitable were ultimately lost, having the debate was a victory of sorts.

“

Ghana is an Irish Aid recipient: Ireland is giving with one hand and taking away with the other.

”

Crucially, it highlighted the importance of greater parliamentary oversight of tax treaties with developing countries and enhanced Christian Aid’s credibility with Oireachtas members. An issue that can have huge implications for developing countries, normally hidden beneath layers of technical jargon, has been brought into the open where it belongs.

Christian Aid and Oxfam held

a conference at the University of Limerick recently to consider the subject of policy coherence.

The event organiser, Gráinne Kilcullen, Governance Advisor at Christian Aid explained: “Ireland’s new tax treaty with Ghana is an example of incoherent government policymaking. The treaty will deprive a developing country of taxing rights that are vital to reducing aid dependency. Ghana is an Irish Aid recipient: Ireland is giving with one hand and taking away with the other.”

The conference which was chaired by journalist Vincent Browne heard a case study from Zambia: a South African company sourcing sugar from a Zambian plantation had avoided paying tax to the Zambian government by rooting its profits through Dublin and back to South Africa, paying a lower tax bill as a result. Ireland derives no benefit from this ‘loophole’ but it is to Zambia’s detriment.

Ireland’s development assistance to Zambia amounts to €16m while the Zambian government could have collected €8m in tax from the sugar transactions.

Sorley McCaughey, Christian Aid’s Head of Policy and Advocacy concluded: “We need to ensure that government policy supports rather than undermines policy on overseas aid and development.”

19

CAMPAIGNS

10 YEARS of the UK Climate Change Act

M

any things have changed over the last ten years. In 2008, the news was just breaking of a global financial crisis, Britain was a key member of the European Union and Donald Trump presented the American version of ‘The Apprentice’.

In November of that year, the UK Government passed a Climate Change Act, the first of its kind in the world. For Christian Aid, and others, the UK Act was a successful outcome to a long campaign for climate change targets to be enshrined in law. Christian Aid Ireland’s campaign for a UK climate change act included a 1,000mile climate march, beginning in Bangor, County Down in July 2007. A group of 20 volunteer marchers including Rev Neil Cutcliffe, a Church of Ireland minister in Newtownabbey, set sail from Bangor to Troon, Scotland as part of a flotilla of yachts. The group then walked through Scotland, Wales and England, speaking at events, lobbying politicians and raising awareness of the impact of climate change. The 20 marchers were joined by hundreds of other campaigners as the march reached its final destination at the heart of the UK Government in Westminster.

The 2008 Climate Change Act was ambitious for its time, requiring the government to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. By November 2018, the act will be ten years old and out-ofdate. The scientific understanding of climate change has deepened and it is now accepted that an 80% reduction in carbon emissions is insufficient and that 2050 is too late.

A recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that if global average temperatures continue to increase at their current rate, global warming of 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels could be reached as early as 2030. The report acknowledges that even 1.5 degrees is not without negative impacts, but to allow the temperature rise to exceed that will lead to much higher risks of sea level rise, droughts and 20

In July 2007, twenty volunteers sailed from Bangor, County Down to Troon in Scotland.

From there, they walked to Westminster to demand legislation to curb carbon emissions. Among the climate marchers was Rev Neil Cutcliffe, a Church of Ireland minister in Newtownabbey, County Antrim. increased rainfall associated with tropical cyclones.

At the 2015 UN climate conference in Paris, nations agreed to limit temperate rise to well-below 2 degrees, but to aim to limit it to 1.5 degrees.

The IPCC report emphasises how important that commitment is. To meet that target the world must aim for ‘net zero’ carbon emissions. That means any greenhouse gas emissions produced must be counter-balanced by the amount being absorbed. This is the only way global average temperature rise can be kept below 1.5 degrees.

Otherwise, those on the frontline of climate change in places like Ethiopia, Bolivia and the Philippines will experience worsening impacts of climate change such as erratic rainfall, extreme weather, intense storms and flooding - which exacerbates poverty and hinders development progress.

Ten years on, we need to urge our politicians to bring the UK Climate Act up-to-date for the sake of those living with the impacts of climate change.

Please write to your MP calling for a net zero target for carbon emissions by 2050. You can find more information at caid.ie/climatechangeact10 Christian Aid Ireland

EMERGENCY appeals caid.ie/typhoonmangkhut

caid.ie/keralafloods

Thank you for your generous support for the three appeals we launched since August: the Kerala monsoon floods; Philippines typhoon Mangkhut; and Indonesian earthquake and tsunami. Please see our website for up-to-date information on how your donations are helping survivors pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives: Please consider making a regular donation using one of the direct debit forms overleaf - because predictable giving means that we can respond immediately when disaster strikes.

caid.ie/indonesiatsunami

Thank you for your generous support for our work. Please consider making a regular donation using one of the forms below because predictable giving allows us to plan our long-term work and respond immediately when disaster strikes.

Northern Ireland Please complete form in full and BLOCK CAPITALS and return to Freepost RSGJ-GRXE-CTRY, Christian Aid Ireland, 96 Beechill Road, Belfast, BT8 7QN, or call us on 028 9064 8133 Name and full postal address of your Bank or Building Society Bank/Building Society Name

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Yes I want Christian Aid Ireland to treat all donations I have made for the four years prior to this year, and all donations I make from the date of this declaration until I notify you otherwise, as Gift Aid donations. I am a UK tax payer and 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.

If you already receive information from Christian Aid Ireland we will continue to send it unless you tell us otherwise. By supplying your telephone or email address above, you are consenting to us contacting you this way.

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The Direct Debit Guarantee This Guarantee is offered by all Banks and Building Societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit Christian Aid Ireland will notify you 10 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request Christian Aid Ireland to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by Christian Aid Ireland or your bank or building society, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society – If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when Christian Aid asks you to You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.

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A032503

Thank you for your generous support for our work. Please consider making a regular donation using one of the forms below because predictable giving allows us to plan our long-term work and respond immediately when disaster strikes.

Republic of Ireland

SEPA Direct Debit Mandate

SEPA Direct Debit Mandate

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By signing this mandate form, you authorise (A) Christian Aid Ireland to send instructions to your bank to debit your account and (B) your bank to debit your account in accordance with the instruction from Christian Aid Ireland.

As part of your rights, you are entitled to a refund from your bank under the terms and conditions of your agreement with your bank. A refund must be claimed within 8 weeks starting from the date on which your account was debited. Your rights are explained in a statement that you can obtain from your bank.

Make your gift worth more at no extra cost to you If you are a Republic of Ireland tax payer, Christian Aid Ireland can claim back the tax if you donate €21 per month or more. With effect from 1st January 2013 you can sign a tax efficient giving form which lasts for 5 years. CHY3 forms are available on our website however if you are unable to locate these forms please contact us at Dublin@Christian-Aid.org or +353 (0) 1 496 7040 Please fill in the boxes below if you are happy for us to contact you regarding future campaigns, news, events, products and the work you are helping to make possible.

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Remember you can update your communication preferences at any time by calling us on 01 496 7040.

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23

‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.’ Matthew 5:9

Be a peacemaker this Christmas

Peace is broken every day, but it is also built every day through the tireless work of peacemakers across the world. Like Bishop Paride Taban who is working for peace in South Sudan, where millions are suffering from hunger caused by years of civil war.

He is a peacemaker.

You can be too.

Find out more and donate at caid.ie/christmas #WeAreThePeacemakers Christian Aid Ireland: NI Registered Charity no. XR94639 NI Company no. NI059154 Charity Commission for NI no: NIC101631 ROI Registered Charity no. CHY5998 ROI Company no. 426928 Charities Regulatory Authority no: 20014162. The Christian Aid name and logo are trademarks of Christian Aid. Christian Aid is a key member of ACT Alliance. © Christian Aid 2018 Photo: Christian Aid/Natalia Chan