Christian Aid Ireland magazine – Spring 2013 (No. 41)

CHRISTIAN AID IRELAND Spring 2013

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Number 41

CRISIS IN SYRIA

Refugees need our help ■

L AND OF CONTRASTS Black Santa visits India

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C HRISTIAN AID WEEK 12 - 18 May 2013

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 ACT Alliance (Action by Churches Together), the worldwide ecumenical network for emergency relief.

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

Chief Executive, Christian Aid Ireland Rosamond Bennett Belfast Office: Linden House, Beechill Business Park, 96 Beechill Road, Belfast BT8 7QN Tel: (028) 9064 8133 Email: Belfast@christian-aid.org

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Contacts: Deborah Doherty, Head of Church & Community Adrian Horsman, Head of Communications & Media

Dublin Office: 16-17 Clanwilliam Terrace Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2 Tel: (01) 611 0801 Fax: (01) 661 0949 Email: Dublin@christian-aid.org Contact: Peter Byrne, Church and Community Manager (Dublin)

Cork Office: Hill View Bandon, Cork Tel: (023) 88 41468 Email: Cork@christian-aid.org Contact: Andrew Coleman, South West Co-ordinator NI Company no. NI059154 NI Charity no. XR94639 RoI Company no. 426928 RoI Charity no. CHY 6998 www.christianaid.ie

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CONTENTS EDITORIAL Since I last wrote I have had the opportunity to make two overseas trips, one to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory and one to India.

I travelled to India with my colleague Deborah, Dean John Mann and his wife Helen. We met several Christian Aid partners who showed us the fantastic work they are doing in their communities. The most amazing part of the trip was meeting the communities themselves, particularly the local Dalit women. They are the ones who are really making the difference in their community. They are taking charge of the direction of their lives.

They inspired me in so many ways - their strength of character, their hope and resilience, their willingness to learn and their ability to work together to help each other. These women have never been to school but are now occupying leadership roles in their community and providing sustainable livelihoods for their families. They are truly inspirational role models for any woman in business.

There were low points too. One afternoon we visited a Dalit village and the poverty we saw there was heart-breaking. I realised that the only hope of escape for these people is through the support of Christian Aid and our partners.

Although I was very disturbed by what I had seen that day, I was also filled with a stronger sense of purpose. I knew this was God’s way of motivating me further to achieve our goal and making me even more determined to inspire people to help us achieve this goal.

So as Christian Aid Week approaches I am appealing for your support.

What can you do to help this year and who else can you inspire to help?

I know that we cannot do this alone and I am very grateful and humbled by your generosity and support.

Thank you.

Rosamond Bennett Chief Executive Christian Aid Ireland

■ Cover Zara and her two small children, Marina and Christina, are refugees from the conflict in Syria. They have been living in this camp in Northern Iraq for one year. The number of refugees in the camp is increasing weekly. Read more about their story on pages 8 & 9.

Credit: Christian Aid / Madeleine McGivern

13 NEWS ■ 4 EDUCATION FOR

ZIMBABWE ■ 5 FAIRTRADE COFFEE ■ 5 VISITOR FROM THE

CONGO

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FEATURES ■ 6 INDIA

Land of contrasts ■ 8 SYRIA CRISIS APPEAL ■ 10 CHILDREN OF THE

DESERT Life as a Bedouin

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REGULARS ■ 12 CAMPAIGNS

Enough food for everyone IF ■ 13 CHRISTIAN AID WEEK ■ 15 DIARY DATES Run for Christian Aid

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NEWS LATEST VIDEOS

CHRISTIAN AID ON YOUTUBE The video films from the recent visit of a group of young Methodists to see a Christian Aid project in Guatemala can now be seen on YouTube, along with many other Christian Aid films.

There are three short videos on this page, and if you have ‘Layar’ enabled on your smartphone (see page 2 on how you can do this) you can see them by pointing it at these photographs on the right.

Alternatively, go online and type in youtube.com/thisischristianaid for a selection of all Christian Aid’s recent videos.

AN EDUCATION INNOVATION FOR ZIMBABWE’S FORGOTTEN PUPILS Christian Aid Ireland has partnered with Open Schools Worldwide to deliver an exciting new education programme to the thousands of children who have missed out on the traditional school system in Zimbabwe.

The schools system in Zimbabwe is rigid and inflexible and does not lend itself to the particular and personal circumstances of those who need it most. Traditional schools in Zimbabwe adhere to a system which requires parents or guardians to pay tuition fees and development levies and requires pupils to attend classes at a set time, in a set location and wear a set uniform.

Many thousands of children aged between seven and eighteen years are excluded as they come from families who cannot afford the cost of schooling and uniforms.

Poverty often forces pupils out of school as they are required to work in order to provide for their families or care for ill parents or orphaned siblings rather than have the ‘luxury’ of attending school.

Christian Aid Ireland

Two Christian Aid partners in Central America make the link between tax dodging and problems of malnutrition.

Together, Open Schools Worldwide and Christian Aid Ireland are committed to tackling this education deficit in Zimbabwe and are taking this new programme into villages and rural areas. Tutors will provide lessons at times and in locations which are more convenient for their pupils. It is not uncommon for lessons to take place under the shade of a tree!

This programme gives children who would otherwise miss out on education, the opportunity to improve their reading, writing, spelling and basic mathematics.

Tutors are trained to work with children who have left education at various stages and each lesson is tailored to meet the particular needs of the children receiving tuition at that time.

Often there are no tables and chairs for the children to use during their lessons and Open Schools Worldwide has designed its own unique lap desk which formalizes the education experience. These lap desks are designed not only to serve as desks but as creative learning aids featuring on one side (numerical tables and flags) and a chalkboard on the other (very handy for tutors).

METHODIST VISIT TO GUATEMALA When a group of Methodist youth leaders visited Christian Aid partner Bethania in Guatemala, they saw for themselves how a simple idea can make a big difference.

Each lap desk costs £12/f14 and it is Christian Aid Ireland’s aim to provide one thousand lap desks for one thousand children in Zimbabwe within one year.

If you or your class would like to get involved and raise money for this project please get in touch with us.

Please contact Sarah Leeman, Belfast: 028 9064 8133, Michael Briggs, Dublin: 01 611 0801 or Andrew Coleman, Cork: 023 88 41468 4

TAX JUSTICE

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WHEN MOE MET SANTOS In their own words - some memorable encounters made by young Irish people in the mountains of Central America.

DIPLOMATIC RECOGNITION FOR FAIRTRADE COFFEE The appointment of Paul O’Toole of Bewley’s Coffee as the Honorary Consul of Nicaragua to Ireland has been warmly welcomed by Christian Aid CEO Rosamond Bennett.

The Bewley’s Coffee company in Dublin pioneered the introduction of Fairtrade coffee into Ireland in 1996, and the company has a close commercial relationship with Christian Aid partner SOPPEXCCA – a coffee farmers’ cooperative in Nicaragua. Christian Aid also helped set up the Fairtrade Foundation more than 20 years ago.

Receiving his official documents at Bewley’s iconic café in Dublin’s Grafton Street, Paul O’Toole acknowledged the role Christian Aid has played in the development of the communities living in the mountains of northern Nicaragua.

And he added, ‘At Bewley’s, concern for the livelihoods and social wellbeing of all our coffee and tea producers is at the forefront of all our buying practices.’

L-R: Patrick Bewley, Paul O’Toole, Rosamond Bennett and Nicaraguan Ambassador Dr Ricardo Alvarado

VISITOR FROM THE CONGO Political leaders in both Belfast and Dublin were the focus of attention for our latest visitor from Africa. Salomé Ntububa, Christian Aid’s central Africa emergencies officer, is from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Salomé was in Ireland to talk about the war in her home country, and in particular the plight of women who live in an area that has become known as the ‘rape capital of the world’.

Salomé Ntububa with (from left) MLAs Chris Lyttle, Basil McCrea, Jennifer McCann and Anna Lo Salomé was welcomed at Stormont and Leinster House.

She also spoke on BBC Radio Ulster and NewsTalk Radio about the war which has received so little coverage in the mainstream media. Salomé also spoke to supporters, schools and churches throughout Ireland about how our partners in DRC are helping the victims of the war to Salomé speaking on the BBC’s ‘Sunday Sequence’.

Photo credit: Deborah Doherty

rebuild their lifes.

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FEATURES

INDIA – LAND OF CONTRASTS Deborah Doherty

As we travelled round the rural areas of the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in south India, the glossy images on the Bollywood posters which adorn the streets of cities such as Chennai and Hyderabad bore little resemblance to the people we met as we visited Christian Aid’s partners working in the region.

Despite its growing economy, just under half of India’s population (400 million) continues to live on less than US$1.25 per day. To put that into perspective, 26 African countries have a total population of 410 million. There are still 1.3 million people in India who earn their living cleaning human excrement.

Bachimlaksmi with one of her children in her home. Despite being HIV positive herself, all three of Bachimlaksmi’s children were born HIV negative thanks to a simple drug.

Photo credit: Deborah Doherty

and female means you have little worth and more likely to suffer abuse and discrimination than any other part of society.

Rosamond Bennett and I were travelling with Dean John Mann and his wife Helen to visit some of the projects which have benefitted from the generous donations raised through the Annual ‘Black Santa’ Christmas Sit-Out at Belfast Cathedral.

To be born a Dalit (formerly known as ‘untouchables’) and excluded from the ancient caste system which is still so prevalent in India today means that you are less likely to receive an education, access to healthcare or have the opportunity to earn a decent income. But to be born a Dalit 6

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Bachimlaksmi’s cooking facilities are extremely limited. She was unaware that she was entitled to a widow’s pension, until volunteers from Christian Aid partner Arogya Agam helped her.

Photo credit: Deborah Doherty

Christian Aid’s partners are working exclusively with the marginalised, the vulnerable, the excluded, those who are mistreated and discriminated because of their caste and it was a total inspiration to see what they had achieved.

For example, the Indian government introduced a system of HIV testing for pregnant women in order to reduce the number of babies born with HIV, but many Dalit women who turned up at the hospital for the test were turned away because they were considered untouchable. Four years ago only 7% of people were availing of this service.

Deborah Doherty, the Dean of Belfast John Mann and his wife Helen with volunteers from Christian Aid partner Arogya Agam.

Photo credit: Arogya Agam

If the drug Nevirapine is administered to the mother in labour and to the newborn in syrup form, then the child will most likely be negative. The role of the volunteer is absolutely vital in ensuring that the mother and child receive this care and treatment.

Christian Aid’s partner, Arogya Agam (meaning ‘Place of Health’) established 21 community volunteer networks in the Theni District. These are male and female volunteers, many of whom are living with HIV themselves.

We visited Bachimlaksmi in her home. She had married a widower, unaware he was HIV+, but she was identified in her pregnancy by Rada, the District Co-ordinator for the Theni PTCT (parent to child transmission group). Despite living with HIV herself, Bachimlaksmi’s children were all born negative.

Her husband died just after the birth of their third child, leaving Bachimlaksmi destitute.

The volunteers identify women in their own communities and accompany them to the government clinics to ensure they receive HIV testing. Those who test positive are monitored throughout their pregnancy and, as well as emotional and practical support, the volunteers accompany them to the hospital for delivery.

With no education, Bachimlaksmi was unaware she was entitled to a widow’s pension from the Indian government.

Arogya Agam’s volunteers helped her to complete the documentation and secure her a pension of 1,000 Rupees a month for life, as well as free access to anti-retroviral medication and school uniforms for her children.

Sadly, a high number of Dalit women are illiterate and unaware of the services available to them. But as a result of the intervention of the Arogya Agam volunteers, the number of women using the government testing service has risen to 98%.

Throughout our visit we saw how Christian Aid partners were linking the poorest communities into the systems and services to which they are entitled, but to which they had neither the means nor the knowledge to access.

Women in the communities were taking the lead, making their voice heard and taking control over their lives and the future of their children in a way their mothers and grandmothers only dreamt of.

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COVER STORY

SYRIA CRISIS APPEAL Northern Iraq is one of the regions where people fleeing the conflict in Syria have found refuge. Christian Aid’s Maeve Bateman visited two informal refugee camps there where our partner REACH is about to start work.

Horea and Habib are grandparents to 5-year-old Khazim. They spent a freezing winter living on a hard cold ground in this tent in northern Iraq.

In the first camp, I met Zara and her two small children, Marina and Christina. She left Syria with her husband a year ago and they have been in an unofficial refugee camp in Sulaimaniya in northern Iraq, ever since.

The refugees have been given permission to stay here by the local government, and the camp is made up of tents provided by UNHCR and a few abandoned buildings which the refugees have cleared out – some of

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Christian Aid Ireland

them were used to house animals before their arrival.

The younger men sleep six to a tent, to try and allow as many of the women and children as possible to sleep in the buildings. Each of these structures now houses five families.

Zara described the horrors they left behind in Syria. She spoke of how difficult it was to live in fear of the violence taking place around them, and how she ultimately had to leave

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her home for her children’s safety, saying ‘I

just want peace for my children.’

For many in the camp, their memories of what they had seen in Syria only increases their fears for the family and friends they left behind. One man told me ‘Every

time I used to go out to buy bread, we would say our goodbyes because I didn’t know if I would see my family again.’

Zara and her two small children Marina and Christina have been living in this camp for one year.

Photographs: Christian Aid/Madeleine McGivern

Zara’s husband was unable to find any work until just one month ago, when he started to get casual work as a day labourer. Like many, Zara’s family left Syria with what savings they could access and the belongings they could carry: for the first eleven months the family’s savings were used to help them survive. In this time, the children have been unable to attend school.

The number of refugees in the camp is increasing weekly.

At the second camp we visited, I spoke to Horea and Habib, grandparents to 5-year-old Khazim.

Horea spoke of her concern for her husband, who has cancer. They are unable to access treatment for him.

‘We have nothing’, she said.

Ten-year-old Hamoudi has been living in this refugee camp for six months with his grandmother and other family members. He has to share one contaminated drinking and washing water source with the rest of the unofficial camp’s 150 people.

Here there are no buildings to provide shelter and Horea and Habib spent a freezing winter living on hard, cold ground in this makeshift camp, along with six hundred other Syrian refugees. The prevalence of illnesses, especially amongst children, has increased.

There is only one toilet for every thirty families, and no facilities for them to wash themselves or their clothes.

The family’s blankets and mattresses are a mixture of what they could carry when the fled Syria, as well as donations from the local Kurdish community. Christian Aid partner REACH will be helping families with small children like Khazim, by providing

infant kits containing nappies, warm clothes, and blankets for babies and small children.

The work of Christian Aid partner REACH is vital. They are seeking to support 1,500 families who are living in these informal camps and will be providing essentials such as food, warm blankets and infant kits. Despite the generosity of local families, people at this camp reported that they were still going hungry.

These refugees’ stories and experiences reflect those of many; the conflict in Syria has now forced over 3 million people from their homes. They urgently need food, shelter and medical care.

PLEASE DONATE The Syria Crisis Appeal is enabling Christian Aid partners in Iraq and Lebanon to respond to the growing Syrian refugee crisis.

Our ACT Alliance sister agency, International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), is also providing support to people in desperate need inside Syria itself.

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Please make your cheque/postal order payable to Christian Aid Ireland and post to: Syria Crisis Appeal Christian Aid 96 Beechill Road Belfast BT8 7QN

OR Syria Crisis Appeal

Christian Aid 16-17 Clanwilliam Tce Dublin 2

Include your name and address, and please do not send cash by post.

For credit card donations, please telephone Dublin (01) 611 0801 or Belfast (028) 9064 8133.

Or visit www.christianaid.ie/syria

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FEATURES IF I SAY THE WORD BEDOUIN, WHAT SPRINGS TO MIND? Well for me the word Bedouin used to conjure up mental images of men in flowing robes, large luxurious tents and exotically dressed women.

Mariam baking bread over an open fire

CHILDREN OF THE DESERT The reality of life as a Bedouin as witnessed by Rosamond Bennett

arrived in this very desolate, remote spot, the mother Mariam immediately started baking bread to welcome us.

She lit a fire from dried shrubs and leaves and baked the bread on a hot stone in the cooking tent. My eyes were stinging and watering from the acrid smoke of the fire but Mariam seemed to be immune.

In January, during a trip to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, I actually got to meet and spend some time with a Bedouin family. I soon found out that life is very harsh for these communities and every day is a struggle.

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Bedouins are herdspeople and make their living by selling lambs and goats at sale time in March. But it is becoming more and more difficult as they are evicted from every place where they try to settle. They resort to selling animals to local Israeli settlers one at a time just to get enough money to keep going, which means that there are few animals left to sell come March.

The family I met were living in the Dead Sea hills in tents covered in torn plastic sheets to try and keep out the worst of the wind and rain. As soon as we

The bread she baked was thin and stretchy. It was delicious but not very filling. I soon found out that this is their only staple food. They live on this bread and use whatever money they have to buy water. There is no money to buy meat, fruit or vegetables and it was easy to see the effects of this. The children were all underweight and many were suffering from rather hacking coughs. The children aren’t the only ones who are suffering. Mariam is only in her thirties but looks 20 years older.

Mariam and her husband have six children but only one goes to school, because it is a walk of several kilometres there and back and it is simply too arduous.

They used to live in a cave nearby but they were evicted by the Israeli

government. ‘It was better’ said Mariam, ‘it

had walls and we were protected more from the weather. Now we get flooded all the time.

We have woken up during the night to find our bedding soaked as rivers of rain flow through our tents.’

After they were made to leave they had to pay the Israeli Government for the cost of their eviction.

Christian Aid and our partner YMCA are helping Mariam and her family in two ways. We are helping them with the everyday essentials they need to survive this winter - providing blankets, clothing for the children and repairing tents damaged by the recent storms. We are also working on a resilience programme to help this community have a more secure future.

Mariam and her family with Rosamond, and the Chair of Christian Aid Ireland, Bishop Trevor Williams.

LEAVING A LEGACY ‘We believe in Life after Death’ took on a new meaning as we gave thanks in Belfast Cathedral for those who left a legacy to Christian Aid, or whose families gave donations in lieu of flowers in memory of loved ones.

Recently we have been channelling money received in this way to water projects in Malawi and Ethiopia. Access to clean water is such a basic human need and it was my privilege (writes Deborah Doherty) to see communities in Malawi who have benefited from this very practical support and experience the joy of watching clean, safe water pouring from a pump.

Our Service in St Anne’s reminded us that many people would live because of the generosity of those who had died and in our prayers we gave thanks for those gifts.

If you would like more information about leaving a legacy to Christian Aid, we have produced a new legacy guide which we can post out on request.

Brid McColgan of Tughans Solicitors was at the Thanksgiving Service in St Annes and has offered her advice to anyone considering leaving a legacy to Christian Aid, Brid said, ‘It is important to ensure that a Will is properly drafted and any legacies left to charity are correctly included and will be valid after your death. The gift itself is exempt from inheritance tax and enables the work of the charity to continue into the future’. Brid.mccolgan@tughans.com Photo credit: Christian Aid/Sarah Filbey

‘ I want my legacy to be that my children and grandchildren have more education and can solve their own problems.’

Gabriel Tutuuali, aged 100 or thereabouts, and his 7 year old grandson Wisdom.

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Photo: Christian Aid/Sarah Filbey

CAMPAIGNS

ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYONE IF...

On 23rd January Christian Aid launched the IF campaign in Belfast along with staff and supporters from more than a dozen of Northern Ireland’s international development agencies, church bodies and trade unions. The launch involved scores of supporters forming a giant human IF on the lawns of Queen’s University Belfast.

The aim of the IF campaign is to highlight the fact that although there is enough food in the world for everyone, not everyone has enough food. We want to urge the leaders of the G8, including David Cameron as the UK host of the G8 and Enda Kenny as the Irish President of the EU this year, to take action on some of the root causes of poverty and hunger globally.

There are over 170 organisations UK wide involved in Enough Food for Everyone IF, which is the biggest joint campaign of its kind since the 2005 Make Poverty History campaign.

Since the launch we have been organising letter writing and lobby meetings where local supporters meet with local politicians.

In March we celebrated our first big success with the budget announcement that the UK government will become the first of the G8 countries to meet its 40 year old promise to devote 0.7% of gross national income to overseas aid. We hope that at the G8 the UK will be able to persuade others to follow.

For more information contact Dave Thomas dthomas@christian-aid.org or www.christianaid.ie/if 12 Christian Aid Ireland

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The issues that the campaign highlights, which need to be tackled IF we are to see an impact on hunger, are: AID – IF governments keep their promises on aid LAND – IF we can stop big companies grabbing land from poor farmers TAX – IF we can stop big companies dodging their taxes TRANSPARENCY – IF governments and companies are open and honest about their actions In the Republic of Ireland we are working with other members of the IF campaign to ensure that Ireland uses the opportunity of the Presidency of the EU to raise the issue of global hunger.

On the Saturday 15th June we are planning a large event in Belfast to demonstrate to the G8 the level of public support for action on poverty and hunger. Please keep this date free.

Sunday 16th June IF Campaign Service in St Macartin’s Cathedral, Enniskillen. Please ensure you register your email and/or contact details with the Belfast office, Belfast@christian-aid.org (028) 9064 8133 to receive more information about these events and the very special guest speakers.

12–18 MA Y This Christian Aid Week we are challenged to ‘Bite back at hunger’. Every day we throw away seven millions slices of bread, yet every night 1.2 billion people go to bed hungry.

Christian Aid’s Head of Church & Community, Deborah Doherty, writes about what you can do – and the difference that will make.

You might recall that a number of years ago we featured a partner called DDS (Deccan Development Society) and a lady called Chandramma. I had the privilege of meeting Chandramma on my recent visit to India. She described how just 20 years ago she owned one sari, one cow and struggled to feed her family.

Then DDS enabled her to benefit from a land reform scheme introduced by Indira Ghandi. The land she and the

other women were given to farm was full of stones, had no topsoil, but they worked hard to prepare the land and using seeds from DDS starting growing their traditional crops.

Using local knowledge of seeds and crops handed down from her own mother, Chandramma and her neighbours now grow enough food to feed 16,000 people.

And despite her lack of education she has become a world expert on seed varieties and built up a comprehensive seed bank which people travel from all over India to buy their seeds.

A selection of Chandramma’s huge collections of seeds in her home in Pasta Pur village in Andhra Pradesh

Seed expert Chandramma in her home in Andhra Pradesh

Chandramma said, ‘From

a hungry community, we have become a people who can feed the hungry’.

We spent hours at her feet listening as she passionately described the purpose of each seed, the best time and place to plant and how there are no weeds! Everything which is grown is used, whether for food, for medicine, for animals or for fertiliser, Chandramma and her neighbours can see the fruits of their labours and thanks to the support they received over 20 years ago from Christian Aid they can enjoy a dignified and secure life with their ‘seeds of hope’ assuring a future for their children.

There are excellent resources and films you can either download from caweek.ie or you can telephone Ann in Belfast (028) 9064 8133 or Jennifer in Dublin (01) 611 0801 to have them posted out to you.

There are stories from Zimbabwe, Bolivia and Kenya which illustrate the very practical ways in which Christian Aid partners are combatting the effects of hunger and reducing the vulnerability of poor communities to drought and food shortages.

Please help us this Christian Aid Week in whatever way you can – by holding a house-to-house or a pew collection – or maybe a coffee event or cake sale. Everything raised, large or small, helps us to bring effective and long lasting change.

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FUNDRAISING BREAD & SOUP Rev Stanley Gamble and the young people from Kilmood and Killinchy Parish in County Down at their Christian Aid bread and soup lunch.

LENTEN LUNCH The new rector of Taney Parish in Dublin, Canon Robert Warren, welcomed Christian Aid’s Peter Byrne and Michael Briggs to one of the parish’s recent fund-raising lunches. Beryl Tilson and members of the Lenten Lunch Team put on the lunch every Tuesday during lent.

Happy 90th!

Georgie Dickson, who for many years organised the Christian Aid collection in Ballynahinch, requested the presence of family and friends and not their presents at her 90th Birthday party! As a result she raised £260 for Christian Aid which she handed over to Helen Maries.

School Walk Ashton School students Aisling Deasy and Katie Sheehan in Cork presenting a cheque for F2,000 to Christian Aid’s Andrew Coleman. The money was raised during the school’s Action Week and a charity walk.

THANK YOU 14 Christian Aid Ireland

University Challenge The group of Christian Aid supporters who visited the Museum Building in Trinity College Dublin in March as guests of the University’s Church of Ireland Chaplaincy.

Christian Aid would like to thank everyone who took the time to respond to our recent supporter survey in the Republic of Ireland.

Your answers and comments will assist us greatly as we plan our communications to supporters and we appreciated the prayerful encouragement.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

RUN FOR CHRISTIAN AID Belfast City Marathon: Monday 6 May Run the full 26 miles or enter as a relay team.

Flora Dublin Women’s Mini Marathon: Monday 3 June 10km - run, jog or walk but you must be female!

CORK CITY MARATHON: Monday 3 June Get involved in Cork’s largest running event.

DUBLIN CITY MARATHON: Monday 28 Oct Join 10,000 runners this October bank holiday.

FAMILY FRIENDLY DAYS OUT

Rhiannon McCleary is among those running in the Belfast Marathon for Christian Aid on 6th May. Please sponsor her: www.justgiving.com/ rhiannonmccleary

Belfast One World Run:

Great Greenway Cycle, Co Mayo

Sunday 19 May

Saturday 8 June

OZONE CENTRE, ORMEAU PARK

The Great Western Greenway Trail is the longest off-road walking and cycling trail in Ireland. It follows the route of the Westport to Achill railway which closed in 1937.

10km run, 3km run or a family friendly 3km fun walk.

This popular annual event has been raising money for four Irish based overseas charities, including Christian Aid, since 1986.

Supporters’ Thank You Picnic

The cycle sets off from Newport Harbour at 11:00am, following a 31km/20mile trail to Achill.

Registration: g30 adult, g10 teenager or g60 family.

Saturday 1 June - 2pm

Strangford Sportive, Co Down

If you’re involved in Christian Aid Week in your community in Northern Ireland, whether as a collector or a helper at an event, we’d love you to join us at our Thank You Picnic at Hillsborough Fort, Co Down. Please contact the Belfast office for more details (028) 9064 8133.

Saturday 5 Oct

The barbecue is being provided courtesy of the Good Little Company of Downpatrick.

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A fun day’s cycling for all ages at Delamont Country Park in Killyleagh, Co Down.

There’s a route to suit everyone, including 2 ½ miles around the park for children and families, as well as a 25 mile and a 50 mile route around the hills of Co. Down for the more serious cyclist.

Minimum donation: £20 adults, £5 children.

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I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13)

Photo by Stephen Lynas

Issa Birba is a vegetable farmer in Bingbo village, Burkina Faso.

During the rainy season he grows millet, rice and onions, but it is the dry season market gardening which helps him grow food to eat when the rains fail, and also earn extra income to send his children to school.

€20/£18 could provide a dry season market garden for a village in Burkina Faso.

hting g fi n i d e v l o Get inv his t y t r e v o p d hunger an EEK. W D I A N A I CHRIST 12-18 MAY The world has enough food for everyone, yet one in eight people go without food each day.

Christian Aid believes the world can and must be swiftly changed to one where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty. Christian Aid has a vision - an end to poverty - and we believe that vision can become a reality, with your help.

Find out how you can give, act and pray for some of the world’s poorest communities.

Contact us for information and resources.

Dublin Office: Tel. 01 611 0801 Email: dublin@christian-aid.org Belfast Office: Tel. 028 9064 8133 Email. belfast@christian-aid.org

www.caweek.ie

Northern Ireland Charity number XR94639 Company number NI059154 Republic of Ireland Charity number CHY 6998 Company number 426928.