Issuu

Fida in 2020

From the Pen of the Executive Director

Fida in 2020................................................................................................. 4 Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.............. 6 Kenya: From Circumcising Girls to Defending Them..................... 8 Uganda: A Former Child Soldier´s Life Changed ............................ 10 Uganda: A New Job in the Middle of the Pandemic......................... 12 Congo: Help for Girls and Women ........................................................... 14 Ethiopia: Sunday School Books in New Languages......................... 16 Sponsored Children in Africa .................................................................... 18 Yemen: Help in the Hunger Crisis ............................................................ 20

Asia....................................................................................................................... 22 Nepal: Joy in Remote Learning.................................................................. 24 Myanmar: Motivation and Support in Studies................................... 26 Southeast Asia: The Gospel Reaches the Unreached................... 28 Sponsored Children in Asia......................................................................... 30

Europe............................................................................................................... 32 Turkey: People´s Spiritual Hunger is Growing................................... 34 Kosovo: A Bible School Growing in Popularity................................... 36 Ukraine: Nadya´s Faith Brings Her Hope ............................................ 38 Sponsored Children in Europe................................................................... 40 Fida Secondhand Shops.............................................................................. 42 Fida´s Finances in Short............................................................................. 44

Managing editor Kirsi Koski-Kujala Editing Ninarose Maoz, Hannu Happonen,

Helena Utti, Milla Suonio, Jani Kuparinen, Magdalena Vogt, Anna-Liisa Liljefors Photos by Hannu Happonen, Arto Karvonen, Christian Aare, Shkolla Biblike Iliria, Magdalena Vogt, Fida archives, Istockphoto, Getty Images, Unsplash Cover Photo A learning centre supported by Fida in the village of Inn Kan in Myanmar. The centre has improved the children´s learning results and given their parents hope of a better future. Photographer Magdalena Vogt Design Arto Karvonen Printed by Keuruun Laatupaino 6/2021

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In 2020, something unpredictable happened: a sudden pandemic shut down the world. Adjusting to the pandemic was relatively successful here in Finland, but on a global scale the pandemic was a huge crisis. It became a test for missions organizations of their ability to adjust. This annual review contains encouraging stories from around the world during this unusual year. People have exhibited a lot of strength in facing the new normal. When the schools shut down, new ways of teaching children were crafted. When many people lost their jobs, new ways of earning income were invented. A big thank you goes to Fida´s local partners who by joining forces with the local communities started trying new methods. Churches also continued their activities in the exceptional circumstances. For many of our partners this meant a significant digital leap. For example, our partner churches in East Africa and Asia made use of their social media platforms more actively than before and through them reached people living in the middle of strict lockdowns, who were practically imprisoned in their own houses without food stocks or support systems. While the churches faced challenges, we also received reports of how people were thirsting for the hope of the gospel. Nearly a hundred new churches were born around the world. Personally, I was surprised by how much the exceptional year strengthened global missions connections. International missions network meetings were held as online meetings and gathered a record number of participants. Pentecostal missions leaders around the world started regular prayer meetings together. I felt so blessed by this fellowship through prayer. Keeping in contact these ways also led to new networking opportunities. It is still too early to predict how the pandemic has impacted the overall situation of world missions, but it has been a wake-up call for churches everywhere. There are still thousands of people groups who have never heard the gospel. For Fida the pandemic meant significant changes to plans. Half of our missionaries returned to Finland for home assignment in the spring to wait for the easing of restrictions in their host countries. By fall most of them were able to return to their work locations. In the spring, economic prospects seemed challenging. Fida secondhand shops -chain was closed for a couple of months and Fida´s entire operations were adjusted significantly. The situation took a turn and at the end of the year the sales where nearly at the level of previous years. Fida´s fundraising events produced record amounts and we were able to cut costs. To everyone´s surprise the difficult financial situation turned for the better. We have experienced God´s provision abundantly. The covid year showed us that we are ready to adapt. In the previous decade the situation may have been different. In the middle of the covid crisis Fida´s vision is more relevant than ever: Together with our partners we are building a world in which every human being has hope and a future.

Harri Hakola Executive Director

FIDA´S ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Fida in 2020

Fida´s Supporters

Numbers of Hope and a Future

51 000+ Fida Secondhand frequent shoppers

Fida operated in 53 countries together with local partners

As a result of missions work 94 new churches were born

Fida´s development work reached 295 700 people in poverty-stricken communities

Fida worked among over 49 unreached people groups

We strengthened 121 000 children´s right to education

724 students in Bible training all around the world

Over 90 300 women reached globally

5 000

315

sponsors and monthly donors

supporter members

193

Finnish Pentecostal churches involved in the work

Fida Staff

331 over 75% of Fida staff are women

Fida personnel

160

171

We brought humanitarian aid to Yemen, Congo (DRC) and Lebanon

overseas staff in 36 countries

in Finland

Because of the Covid pandemic:

Food aid was given to over 41 000 people

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Hygiene products and medicine were distributed to 107 000 people

in development cooperation, humanitarian aid and diaconal projects

church ministry

50 Global Professionals i.e. mission work through own profession

123

at the head office

at the Fida Secondhand -chain

FIDA´S ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia Missions work with churches

EtHiopia

TaJikistan

Burundi

IraQ, Kurdistan

KenYa

TanZania THE democratic republic of the congo

LEbanon

Jordan

afgHanistan

Malawi

+south america: ecuador

Uganda

staff in the region

Kenya Tanzania Ethiopia

Development Work for the Rights of Children Humanitarian aid in catastrophes and crises Congo's protracted conflict: 1.3 milLION €

103 000 people received help Yemen, conflict: 1 million €

15 000 people received help LEbanon, beirut explosion: 60 000 €

675 families received help

Miriam from Yemen received psychosocial support from Fida’s humanitarian program. – For the first time in my life someone cared for me and wanted to listen to me. Now I believe that even I have worth. I am going to talk to myself with beautiful words. Thank you! Read more on page 22 on how help reached families living in the midst of the conflict in Yemen.

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Pastor Julius Rukiyaa from Tanzania has started many churches in different towns. Rukiyaa participated in the missions focused Kairos course, coordinated by Fida. It opened a whole new world for him: – I have attended many kinds of courses in my life, but this was something unprecedented for me. I understood God´s mission more deeply. Julius Rukiyaa is part of Tanzania´s Kairos team, and his dream is to see the Kairos course continue to encourage new churches to do missions work. Together with Tanzanians, Fida spreads the Kairos course around Tanzania. When Christians get on fire for missions, it becomes possible to reach the unreached people groups even in Tanzania.

Yemen

Uganda

*Due to security reasons, we do not list all the countries

”This Was Unprecedented”

Malawi

Jordan

Tajikistan

Kenya

congo DRC

Afghanistan

In East Africa, a Total of 490 090 Trees Were Planted In Tanzania, 2000 village residents received clean water as a result of our program in which we protect water sources from pollution and repair water systems. Advocacy work is worth it! In Iraq, trainings on the rights of children with disabilities were held, and we witnessed how attitudes changed in 79 schools. The schools are now willing to receive children with disabilities as students. During the year, 317 children with disabilities started school!

Tanzania

Burundi

Uganda

Iraqi Kurdistan

Our program in Burundi has been fruitful: over the last three years, the food security of 600 families has improved. They now survive through the dry spells. In Congo, over 600 children with disabilities got access to education. In Tanzania, the fight against taboos continues. Men are involved in speaking about challenges related to menstruation. 336 men participated in the trainings and now 75% of them feel they can talk about menstruation with their daughters.

FIDA´S ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

africa development cooperation

”If Only Our Children Wouldn't Have to Experience Mutilation” My name is Melita Koye. I live in Kenya in the remote mountain village of Loita. I belong to a Maasai -community. We Maasai have many old traditions and rituals. One of them is female genital mutilation, which has been a practice in our culture for hundreds of years. Even though it is illegal these days, it is still widely practiced among the Maasai as well as other tribes. When I was young, I often assisted the older women in our village to perform this ancient ritual. I helped them to hold the arms and legs of the girls writhing in pain while their genitals were being cut with razor blades. I believed I was helping the girls to become real women, and after the circumcision they would be ready for marriage. By observing the work of the circumcisers, I eventually became qualified to do circumcisions myself, which we Maasais call enkamuratani. I have circumcised dozens of girls. From my daughter I heard about a local church, which I started attending. The pastor spoke about the many negative effects of the circumcision ritual. When I heard what physical and psychological damage it causes the girls, I understood that it is wrong. The next time I was conducting the ritual I only pretended to be cutting the girl, even though in reality I didn´t even touch her. I knew that I couldn´t go on pretending so I would just have to stop circumcisions altogether. These days I attend worship services regularly. I attended a training in which I learned more about the dangers of female circumcision. After that I was chosen as the representative of the girls and women in my community. I do advocacy work together with my church and Fida, so that the circumcisions which are harmful to health would be abandoned. I travel around to other Maasai communities too, to talk about the dangers of the ritual. I hope that our children wouldn´t have to experience mutilation anymore.” . In 2020, 5300 girls in Kenya received training on menstrual and sexual health. Around the world "Any girl saved from genital mutilation is there are approximately 200 million cause for joy and it means that change is girls and women who have experipossible." enced genital mutilation. Every year Paula Konttinen, Regional Program around four million girls are at the Manager, East Africa risk of mutilation (THL, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare)

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FIDA´S ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

africa development cooperation

A Former Child Soldier´s Life Has a New Direction Florence Akidi from Uganda was abducted as a child. After becoming free she had an opportunity to join a program designed for former child soldiers, which helped her to address her traumas. Eventually she became the leader of the women in her village community.

A former child soldier Florence has a very respectable position in his community these days. She is the secretary for her village bank and teaches other young people tailoring: – I am proud of the fact that I can bring permanent change to my community.

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Florence´s nightmare began in 2003, when a Ugandan rebel group called LRA (Lord´s Resistance Army) abducted her. – When the rebels attacked our village, my dreams were shattered. It was like a nightmare: I was beaten and forced to carry heavy burdens, to steal other people´s property and to walk long distances, Florence says about her time in captivity. Florence´s childhood in Eastern Uganda was not easy even before the abduction. She had to work, for example, to get enough money to go to school. She dreamed about studying in university after grade school. Eventually Florence was able to return to her home village. – My parents cried. They had In Uganda, 207 former child already stopped hoping that I was soldiers participate in a livelihood alive. My return brought joy back to program. In 2020, they started my family. 30 new small enterprises, and Florence´s life was still difficult: many people doubled their annual Her community did not treat her, income! nor the other children who had returned from captivity, well. – I was called by the most horrific names. When I walked on the street, people would run away fearing that I would attack them. My family sent me back to school, but it was hard for me to make friends with anyone. I was traumatized and I felt very lonely.

Newfound Self-Confidence With the help of her teachers Florence finally started feeling accepted. Then she heard about a program started by Fida in which abducted Ugandan youths receive help. They

are offered psychosocial support, in the form of, for example, therapy. – With the help of therapy, I experienced significant change, Florence says. The young woman became more open, and her self-confidence improved. Now she is 25 years old, married and a mother of two daughters. Her husband was also abducted by the rebel group when he was young. The couple, as many other young people, has received help from the marriage seminars arranged by Fida on surviving family life and how to build their relationship.

A Successful Small Business Owner The program offers occupational training for young people. They have been trained, for example, on handbag-making and bead embroidery. They have also learned other business and trade skills, and many have opened their own small enterprises in their home villages. Florence completed the training in 2019. Since then, she has acquired her first sewing machine and started her own business in which she sews clothes for her customers. The young woman has since then been able to purchase two more machines. With them she has been teaching other young women to sew. Through Fida´s program Florence has also learned about beekeeping. She now has her own apiary which she expects to produce at least ten kilos of honey in the coming harvest season. Florence has also been teaching her village community about farming. She is proud to be the women´s leader of her village and to be able to support them. .

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africa development cooperation

Miracles in Karamoja

With support from Fida, village banks, saving groups of sorts, have been founded. Village banks offer microloans for starting livelihoods. Loice Chepserum set up a shop that sells tea and sugar. – I receive so much income already that I am able to send my kids to school, she rejoices.

Kuvapankki tms

Selina has participated in her village’s health group. According to her she has become better at breastfeeding because of it. – Now I know how to hold my baby in a better position, and she gets more milk. She doesn´t complain anymore! I have also put into practice the other things I have learned: my home is clean, and we have an outhouse. This has changed our lives.

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In the middle of the covid year Fida started work in a new area in Uganda together with the partner, the Pentecostal Church of Uganda (PCU). Transformation took place in a matter of months. Hellen Kamunuga, Fida´s Country Program Manager, explains: – I was born in the remote region of Karamoja in Northern Uganda, where my father worked as a police officer. We moved away from the area when I was still a baby. The region is plagued with unrest. Its residents support themselves by herding cattle, but violent cattle theft is rampant. Development work is sorely needed in the region: Girls are circumcised at a young age and most children do not go to school. Because of the unrest I had never visited there as an adult. In the beginning of 2020 time was finally right for Fida to start work in Karamoja. We found a partner there from an organization called Sign of Hope. I was so excited to go there – I would finally see my birthplace! Then the pandemic started, and we were only able to start the work in October.

Fida decided to bring up discussion about difficult taboos. The villagers are gathered into discussion groups about the issues evident in the community, such as circumcisions and child marriages. One of the groups gathers at a local school. 18-year-old Esther had had to drop out of school when she became old enough to marry. After learning about her rights, Esther was able to convince her parents that education is better for her than getting married. – Once I´m educated I can get a job and take care of myself, Esther says confidently.

A Pleasant Surprise In December I travelled to check how the work in the area was progressing. I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. God´s hand had touched these people who were so attached to their traditions: They accepted our help and were willing to embrace new ideas. 500 people attended our meeting. They sat under the scorching sun in the shade of stunted shrubbery and eagerly anticipated seeing me. Their faces shone with joy. I was a representative of an organization that had changed their lives. The people welcomed me by dancing. I felt so humble being met by such a reception. I felt so at home! People were praising Fida´s work in Karamoja. The men described how their lives had changed thanks to the trainings: Now they helped their wives with chores and with taking care of the children. Homes were peaceful. The women in turn were happy that they had caring spouses. The girls said their parents had stopped demanding for them to get married. The community had realized that raising cattle was not the only available livelihood. Two men were proud to show me their handmade beehives. 30 people had saved a total of 350 euros in order to buy chickens and seven people had started an enterprise. Some showed me their new gardens. I was amazed that such a visible change had occurred in less than three months! .

F I D A ´ S A N N U A L R E V I E W 2 0 2 0 13

africa development cooperation humanitarian aid

Humanitarian aid gave a new direction to life

Ngoy learned to make soap

My name is Ngoy Nkulu. I am only 27 years old, but I have met a lot of suffering in my life. I had to flee from my home due to conflict. Both of my parents died in the attack. I have lived in the refugee area for four years already, together with my younger sister and my two-year-old child. I am raising my child alone. Despite the difficulties, I have experienced miracles during 2020, as I have participated in the activities arranged by Fida and the local partner church. I had to manage my pregnancy alone and I had financial challenges. From the Fida program I got support for starting my own business. With my child I have been attending the activities held in the child-friendly safe space. Fida and the partner church built it for the children in the camp. I feel like even I have received a lot of moral support there. I have been learning to make soap and now I am already so good at it that I can sell it. Soap-selling makes it possible for me to support myself, my child, and my sister. I feel secure about my future even though I am raising my child alone. I am thankful to the project workers for showing compassion toward an abandoned person like me. .

Hope in the Midst of the Protracted Conflict in Congo Fida and CEPAC Pentecostal church enhance the rights of children, women, and people with disabilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Blind Safi was best in her class 18-year-old Safi has been blind since birth. Now she is studying business administration. Safi´s path to education has been rocky, just like many other children with disabilities in Congo. A program run by Fida, and CEPAC-church (Communauté des Eglises de Pentecôte en Afrique Centrale) supports children with disabilities in their studies. Safi says that the project changed her life. She had previously lost her support person, so independent study as a blind person would have been impossible. – I was already prepared to fail. I didn´t know how I would do in school and who would help me. Then I was invited to join the Elimu Haki program. I was offered school materials, financial support, and psychological help. I did my best in my studies and I ended up being one of the best in my class. Eventually I got a certificate and an honorary mention. My teacher and my family were proud of me! On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities I spoke to the other girls with disabilities in my community. I encouraged them to stand up for themselves and to study. .

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Wars and crises disable children both mentally and physically. We have made these children the focus of our work. They are the future of Congo! My dream is that my country would be a more just place to live. Together with Fida and my church we work toward that goal. Welongo Faizi, Fida´s Country Program Manager

FIDA´S ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

africa missions

Newly Translated Sunday School Materials Bring Light to Children in Ethiopia The now global teaching ministry initiated by Raili Väisänen and Mirjami Ylenius-Kuosmanen started in Kenya decades ago, and through various phases is now also advancing in neighbouring Ethiopia. New language versions of the Sunday school teaching materials, created by these pioneers of children´s ministry, are currently nearing release for use by the Pentecostal churches in Ethiopia. When Mirjami Ylenius-Kuosmanen and Raili Väisänen were training Sunday school teachers in Kenya in the 1980´s, they realized that the local teachers only had three Bible stories available: the creation story, the gospel in miniature and the parable of the prodigal son. Due to the inadequate teaching material they decided to produce material themselves. This is how a six-book, 144-lesson teaching package for Sunday school teachers was born. In addition to this, they prepared two manuals for training Sunday school teachers. The teaching material has now been translated to 30 languages in Africa, Asia, and Europe. In Finnish the material is called Raamatun helmiä (Treasures from the Bible). Raili Väisänen´s love for Sunday school ministry springs from the difficult childhood years she experienced. – The insecurity I experienced as a child later opened my understanding to the needs of children around the world: For many, fear is a perpetual state of being. Because of my personal experiences I was able to recognize mental distress, and the children and adults living in difficult circumstances resonated with my story, Väisänen says. These long-time missionaries to Kenya

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made annual training visits to Ethiopia from 1983 through 1996 and in the 2000´s, the last trip was in 2006. Training materials weren´t yet available in the official languages of Ethiopia other than Amharic. In the 1990´s, when the Amharic translation was made, it was the only official language of Ethiopia.

From a Thank You -Visit to a Translation Project The translation work in Ethiopia goes forward slowly but surely. The schedules have in part been impacted by the covid pandemic which has also been affecting Ethiopia. Out of the six Sunday school teaching books, currently five have been translated into the Oromo language. The teaching manuals are also ready for print. Two out of the six teaching books have been translated into the Sidamo language and the first one of the Sunday school teacher training manuals. The new language versions are printed first for the use of Fida´s partner church, Guennet. To ensure quality control in the Sunday school ministry, a coordinator will be hired for the project, whose job is to guide and instruct the local churches. The next step is to also start using the books in the Sunday school programs and Sunday school teacher trainings of other denominations in Ethiopia. Interdenominational cooperation has a long history. The makers of the Sunday school books continue to have a clear vision, which was already motivating them in Kenya in the 1980´s. – My wish is that in Sunday school, the children receive proper Bible teaching. The teaching material has been compiled in such a way that the children learn to know the most essential Bible stories and Bible characters, and also receive a doctrinal foundation for their faith. I also hope that through this teaching a lot of children will come to faith, Mirjami Ylenius-Kuosmanen sums up. . Fida has been doing missions work in Ethiopia since 1951. From the beginning, social ministry has been done right alongside proclaiming the gospel. In 2020, there were five Fida missionaries working in the country.

F I D A ´ S A N N U A L R E V I E W 2 0 2 0 17

africa sponsored children

Joel Misses School The boy has a very unique dream occupation: I want to be an orthopaedic surgeon. Joel sends his greetings to Finland: - Thank you everyone, may God bless all the sponsors!

A New Kindergarten Opens in Burundi In the village of Rusengo in Burundi, 194 children from the Batwa -community started school in the newly opened kindergarten. In the picture: Kindergarteners receiving school supplies.

Ethiopia

Burundi

Uganda

Tanzania

Kenya

With the support of the sponsors, children continue going to school in spite of the pandemic In East Africa, systematic work is done to ensure that children have better opportunities to go to school and families´ livelihoods are improved The Covid-19 pandemic has made the life of underprivileged Africans an ongoing fight. With the support of the sponsors the families were provided with food aid and the parents provided with adequate information and knowhow on how to protect their children in the middle of the pandemic. In Uganda, schools were closed on one day´s notice and 15 million children were sent to their homes. Ugandan government started publishing school materials in newspapers, on the radio, on television, and on the internet. Sponsors have made access to these materials possible for

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Joel, 11, lives on the coast of Kenya. At the moment he does school from home because of the pandemic. Joel misses his classes a lot already. The school is a special place for all the children in the village. Joel and the other children used to walk a total of 14 kilometres to the school in a neighbouring village. Fida´s program built a school in their village, and now Joel is happy about only having a 200-metre walk to school.

many low-income families. Fida volunteers have visited the sponsor children and encouraged them to study. Teenage pregnancies and early marriages have increased during the covid pandemic. Some parents have married off their underaged daughters possibly because of financial distress. Some youths have ended up getting an illegal abortion. In sponsorship locations everything is done to protect children and youth from such difficult experiences. Children´s rights have been discussed with guardians and different types of help has been available to the families. .

”I Am Now Able to Support My Family” Amina from Tanzania has a physical disability, because of which she has experienced discrimination in her own community. When Amina came to the centre for youth with disabilities, which is supported by Fida, she was insecure about herself. She was not able to do things independently and interacting with others was difficult for her. Thanks to the knowledge and skills she learned through the centre, Amina has become quite the businesswoman! She has a little kiosk from which she sells food. −I used to think that I was useless, as many people thought that about me. Your support has helped me prove that they were wrong. Now I am the one who supports the family. In the future Amina wants to expand her business. She dreams of one day opening her own restaurant.

FIDA´S ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

the middle east humanitarian aid

15 000 Yemenis received help through Fida Food for the Victims of the Hunger Crisis in Yemen In the summer of 2020, Fida started food distribution in southern Yemen, in the Taiz governorate, where people fleeing the war have relocated. 2000 families receive food-aid every month. The families also receive psychosocial support for processing their traumas. The crisis in Yemen is the world´s worst humanitarian crisis: Over two million young children are starving. If more help does not reach the country, the hunger catastrophe is in danger of spreading.

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”Hunger Doesn´t Disturb Our Sleep Anymore” Nadia had to flee the fighting raging on in the city of Taiz. Now this mother lives with her small children in a refugee camp, where life has been difficult. The family has had very little food – and even that Nadia got by begging on the corner of a market. Sometimes she has returned home with food for her children, other times with nothing. Nadia has often gone to bed feeling sad, knowing that also her children are hungry. -I can handle the hunger but my children cannot, Nadia says. In the summer of 2020, Nadia began to receive monthly food aid through Fida and a partner organization in Yemen. After a few months she says they are doing well. – I haven´t been forced to beg in the scorching heat anymore. I have been able to cook in my own kitchen. You gave me back my human dignity. God bless you! Before we hardly ate once a day, and even then, just tea and bread. Now we eat three real meals a day and feel satisfied. Our situation has stabilized. Hunger doesn´t disturb our sleep anymore and we don´t have to be humiliated by begging anymore. I am even trying to save some money by doing work on a field. I am hoping that with my money I could buy a cow for my family´s livelihood. .

FIDA´S ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

asia

Bangladesh

Bhutan

India

Laos

Missions With Churches

Myanmar

Nepal

staff in the region Japan

India

Papua new Guinea

Japan

cambodia Papua new Guinea

22 missionaries cambodia

Pakistan

Sojol from Bangladesh Saved from Child Labour The teachers at the village schools supported by Fida in Bangladesh went above and beyond after the pandemic closed the schools. They provided the children with private lessons and visited homes. They also gave essential psychosocial support to the most underprivileged families. The work bore fruit! For instance, Sojol, a sixth grader was saved from child labour. Sojol´s family of five live in a small rural village. His father supports the family with the modest income of a day labourer, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic he lost his job. Sojol had to go work in a jewellery store. Sojol had done well in school, but now his face was filled with sadness. Sojol´s teachers went to visit the family to discuss the boy´s future. The parents are illiterate, so they do not have professions. In tears they said how they were in a poverty cycle. The teachers suggested that they would begin to grow vegetables and poultry. Now the family already has a small monthly income. Sojol was also able to go back to school! In Bangladesh, Fida is developing 18 schools and educates communities about the rights of children. In 2020, 87% of the teachers in our schools said they knew children´s rights.

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Thailand

12 new churches born in Asia

Work supported by 58 churches from Finland

*Other countries (due to security reasons we do not publish a complete list of the countries)

Thailand

Church-planting in process among 25 unreached people groups

Sunday schools and camps in Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, and Thailand

”These Camps Have Changed Our Children” In Papua New Guinea, a country of numerous languages and tribes, a churches´ children´s camp was arranged in the Eastern Highlands region for the fifth time. Over 300 children and teens gathered for a week to play, sing, and learn Bible stories. The village community gave positive feedback about the camp: - These camps have affected permanent positive change in our children. Organize this every year! In Papua New Guinea there are a lot of opportunities for churches to have children´s ministry, as one third of the population are under 14 years of age. The Pentecostal church´s Sunday school ministry also took steps forward when a fourth Sunday school book was completed in Tok Pisin. Over 800 tribal languages are spoken in the country. Tok Pisin has developed into a shared trade language which is commonly used throughout the country. Translating Sunday school books into Tok Pisin started in 2017.

Development Cooperation for the Rights of Children

Bhutan

cambodia

Laos

Myanmar

Nepal

Bangladesh

In Nepal, 49370 trees were planted! In cooperation with local government, schools, and village communities, many more trees were planted than originally planned. We improved the sanitary facilities in 29 schools in Nepal, in cooperation with the local government. Over 8000 children now have access to functional toilet facilities. In Nepal, 93 wells were completed. Over the span of three years, 6118 families have received clean drinking water. Village communities participated by paying 65-70% for the well and Fida contributed the remaining 30-35%. The communities are independently in charge of maintaining the wells and the pumps.

FIDA´S ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

asia development cooperation

in nepal, fida has

partner schools, in which over

10 000 girls study

A Bagful of hope 27746 Nepali children received a distance learning package when the schools closed.

It was wonderful to see the smiles on the children´s faces when they received their colour-printed distance learning books! Usually, only pupils who go to private schools receive colour-printed books. Jay Prakash, Project Coordinator 24 F I D A ´ S A N N U A L R E V I E W 2 0 2 0

A distance learning book, a notebook, pencils and colouring pencils, a sharpener, and an eraser. The children are unpacking the orange canvas bags in the schoolyard of their village in southern Nepal. The bag also contains a packet of cookies and hand soap – a reminder about the importance of washing hands. The schools have been closed for a few months but as Nepal is ravaged by covid there is no telling when going back to school is possible again. The children are ecstatic. Many families are struggling even more than before and there is no money for anything extra. When the Covid-19 pandemic shut down Nepal in March 2020, Fida, together with the local partners pondered ways to respond to the situation, in which the children´s right to education was threatened for a long time. The Ministry of Education of Nepal produced a printable online distance learning study book on their website but providing distance learning otherwise was not plausible. Very few schools have computers or smart devices, not to mention the students themselves. The Ministry of Education requested the help of NGO´s in organizing distance-learning. Fida responded to the request. Together with the local part-

ners a decision was made to print schoolbooks and distribute them together with school supplies. This would motivate the children to continue studying and would give them something instructive to do during curfews. Every single school child in the areas where Fida works received the package: A total of 27746 children and youth. The number of students was mapped out together with the municipalities and schools, and responsibilities shared. Despite a curfew, the packages were distributed to the remote villages in a matter of weeks. Joy was abundant when the children arrived to pick up their packages from the schoolyard. Many students said that they had themselves been worried about the progress of their studies. The schools and local government have expressed their gratitude for the support the students have received during the difficult time. – Although the crisis is not over yet, I am pleased with the smooth cooperation we have had with the local schools and officials, as well as our partners. It has enabled us to operate quickly and, most importantly, to secure the educational path of the children in our area, Vesa Mättö, the Country Program Manager, says. .

FIDA´S ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

asia development cooperation

PHOTOS Magdalena Vogt

Illiterate Jayzara Wants an Education for Her Grandchildren

Village Chief in Myanmar: ”Our Dream Came True” Previously the residents of the village of Inn Kan in Myanmar were struggling to provide their children with basic education and many children dropped out of middle school. Thanks to Fida´s country program children´s learning outcomes have improved, and parents are committed to the education of their children. Village chief U Myint Aung says that only 10 years ago the villagers were earning their income by selling firewood. Then they lost their land and now they do not have work. Some keep a vegetable patch next to their house, some leave for Yangon to look for work, but most live in poverty. Children are in danger of ending up in child labour. Without supplementary tutoring, against payment, it is difficult to succeed adequately in school, and because of this many children had to drop out of school. – Then Fida came to our rescue. Our dream came true, U Myingt Aung says. A lesson at Fida´s learning centre is about to start, and the children gather around their young teacher, Ma Chaw Yu Aung. She says that when Fida purchased the tablets for the centre, the children got excited about learning math. There are not enough tablets for everyone, so some wait for their turn. After that is singing time. Some of the songs are in English, which is one of the subjects at the centre.

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Swe Myint, 10, is one of the students who are enthusiastic about English. She does not need much help from the interpreter for the interview – a great accomplishment in a country where not even very many adults know fluent English. – I was not able to go to school myself, one mother says. If our children do not receive education, when they grow up, they´ll be like us. But if they get an education, they can also help us. .

Digitalization creates new opportunities especially in the education sector and opens a whole new world for the children in underprivileged communities. Jukka Tasanen, Regional Program Manager

An autumn afternoon in Myitkyina, the sun is setting over the horizon. Jayzara is picking up her grandchildren from the learning centre with a smile on her face. Jayzara is a 60-year-old single guardian of her three grandchildren. The children´s parents passed away tragically a few years ago. Jayzara is a modern grandmother: She wants her grandchildren to have a proper education. According to her own parents girls did not have to study, knowing how to do house chores sufficed. Before the learning centres founded by Fida and the local Assemblies of God church came, Jayzara was very worried about the children´s future. The children run happily out of the classroom and grab on to Jayzara´s skirt. Joy is overflowing even though the day has been long. The morning was spent at school and in the afternoon the children came to the learning centre to do homework and to review what was learned at school. In Myanmar, the level of education in many of the village schools is very low, and one teacher may have up to 80 students in the class. At the learning centres founded by Fida, there are approximately 80-100 children and always at least two teachers. The teachers have been trained in creative teaching methods. Jayzara says that she is grateful for how actively the local church and the village community are supporting the children´s education. Previously Jayzara did not have any chances to do that herself: She could not afford tutoring and she herself was not able to help the children with their homework, because she is illiterate. The sun is beginning to set and the children head home. Before saying goodbye Jayzara says that she is relieved and happy to know that her grandchildren have a bright future ahead of them. .

FIDA´S ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

asia missions

”We Found a New Way to Reach Seekers” Due to the covid-19 pandemic, many missionaries returned to Finland temporarily. Sharing the gospel has continued virtually and inspired new ways of doing the work.

”Your Life is Valuable to God” How a young man´s life of violence and despair was changed. I was born into a Christian family. My father was a farmer and my mother a stay-at-home-mom. My childhood was not peaceful. I grew up in a rough neighbourhood and I got used to violence already at home: my parents were quarrelling and fighting in front of us children. My father´s advice to me, his son, was that it is better to fight than to steal. I was 21 years old when I was first sent to jail. I was drunk when my sister and I were approached by a man who started threatening us. I got so angry I picked up a stone and hit the man. Then I held him while my friend stabbed him. The lawyer who defended me argued that the doctor had been too slow and that is why the man died in the hospital. I only got a twoyear sentence. Five months after I got out of jail, I was partying with my friend at a local night club. We were drinking and ended up in a fight between two gangs. Many people were injured but one died. I was given a four-year sentence. Around that time a team of evangelists visited the prison every day. I listened to the things they said eagerly. One day the pastor said that my life is valuable to God. I had been des-

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perate and believed that my destiny was to always be the bad guy. When I heard the pastors words, I gave my life to God. After the meeting I got my own Bible. Together with some other prisoners we started a Bible study, in which we read the Bible, and worshipped God. The guards gave us special protection, even though the other prisoners made fun of us. Before my sentence ended God gave me the following words in a vision: “Time is short. It is time for you to proclaim the gospel.” I applied to many Bible schools but all of them said the application period had closed. One day someone called the pastor of my church and asked if anyone in the church was ready to attend Bible school. I was among the last who were accepted to study. I go to Bible school so that I can go and fulfil the call God has given me. My vision is to go and plant new churches where Christ is not yet known. . This Bible school situated in Southeast Asia prepares youth to church ministry in unreached regions. During the year 2020, 151 students graduated from the school. Eight new churches were opened around the country.

We live and work in Asia, among an unreached people group. We came to Finland in the spring of 2020 forced by circumstances. We racked our brains for ways to continue the work from a distance. It was time to start something new. One of the ideas was to translate and subtitle Christian videos on a YouTube channel targeted for the language group and people among whom we live. There is not much material for them online. This kind of a YouTube -channel has been a dream of ours already before but we never had the time for it because of other work. We had been looking into different materials over the years. We got permission from many different producers of Christian channels in English to use their material freely. Starting a new channel is challenging: Where do we find viewers and how do we engender active discussion? It was more challenging than usual for us because due to security reasons we could not advertise the channel anywhere. For many months we quietly continued our work and tried to complete 1-2 videos a week. Our supporting churches began to pray for the work. Almost as a Christmas gift we had our first conversation opener with our target group. We pleasantly spent our Christmas break engaged in online conversations about spiritual matters. This was a start to lively communication! Now we get new subscribers and questions weekly. Such deep discussions on spiritual matters would not be very easy to start face to face. On social media people are not afraid to ask even the most difficult questions.

We had had many conversations with one username. The user had many questions: Who is God, what does Yahweh mean, how about Elohim? Why did Jesus cry out on the cross: “Eli Eli, lama sabaktani”, doesn´t that mean that He was not God? We answered the questions by explaining the message of the Bible, especially the Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament and their fulfilment in Jesus.

A unique dream Then the conversation turned to the spiritual realm and visions. We started praying that Jesus Himself would reveal Himself to this seeker, just as He has done for so many others, in a dream. After a couple of days we got a message: ”I´ve had a dream I want to tell you about. In the dream I saw someone dressed in white, full of splendour. His hair was to his shoulders, his face youthful. He walked among a crowd of people. I saw His splendour, but I didn´t know Him. Then I heard a voice say: ´God and Jesus are the same. ´ I asked how it was possible that God and human were the same. After that I saw riders, who came to kill people in the group I was in. I started looking for my wife. Eventually only my wife and I were saved from death. After I woke up, I wondered if that someone dressed in white was Jesus. I prayed to God that I would be His beloved. And that I too could become a spreader of the faith, that I would be given a task like that. I have seen that someone dressed in white in a dream once before: that time He had a shepherd´s staff in His hand.” .

FIDA´S ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

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Annika Becomes a Trailblazer Annika is in eighth grade. She is the first girl in her class. Many wonder why she would need an education, as traditionally the community thinks that after marrying, the woman´s place is in the kitchen. Annika has told the naysayers that a modern woman can maintain a home and build a career at the same time. Annika participates in voluntary work and in the health group at her school. The school which was closed during the pandemic organized an information day about how to prevent covid transmissions. Annika represented the health group and lead the handwashing demonstration. She also shared some other important ideas about how people can protect themselves. Everyone listened carefully to her and afterwards concluded that girls and boys are equal.

The Covid Year Also Brought Hope to Sponsored Children The Covid-19 pandemic made going to school difficult for the sponsored children. We did our best to ensure that the children would not fall behind in their studies. The children were provided with study materials delivered to their homes and in some communities also distance learning was arranged. In every country quick action was required in responding to the changing circumstances and people´s distress. Food-aid and hygiene products were received with gratitude. Hygiene education has always been an important part of the club activities for sponsored children. Now its importance was further heightened.

A Despised Community Become Helpers The Kalbeliya Roma community living in the Udaipur district has a negative reputation in the surrounding communities. Many of the Kalbeliya earn a living by collecting trash. When a nationwide lockdown was announced in India due to covid, the Kalbeliya community was stirred to start helping the residents of the surrounding slum area in cooperation with Fida. – They helped with food distribution and finding the families most desperate for help. We could not have continued providing help in the middle of the lockdown without the active participation of this community. Even one local politician was really glad to see this ostracised community become active for the common good, Fida´s community worker rejoices.

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Reshma Overcame Her Shyness

Light for Udaipur Homes

Six-year-old Reshma has five siblings. Reshma´s parents have been worried about her development: She speaks selectively and prefers to be alone. Because of social challenges Reshma had to stop going to school only after half a year. The parents had been trying to find help for her. Reshma´s little brother is an enthusiastic attendee of Fida´s children´s club for sponsored children. After a lot of persuasion Reshma also came along. The club´s leader gave her time especially to Reshma and made sure the girl enjoyed herself in the club. She promised to help with school lessons too, if necessary, which got Reshma interested in learning. At first Reshma was only observing from the sidelines but soon also started participating and talking in the group. She has made friends and her parents are relieved to see Reshma playing with the other children.

The Lohar Roma community of the Udaipur district live in poverty. To earn a living, the Lohar collect scrap metal and iron. They have traditionally been nomadic and live at the bottom of the caste system. When society was shut down by covid and everyone was forced to stay home, a good opportunity to teach Lohar women to read and write arose. Many women were excited to grab a pen for the first time in their lives! Another big transformation occurred in the life of the community in the middle of the covid year: Fida´s community workers helped over 70 families to get legal electricity connections. When one older couple got their first very own electricity meter, they wanted Fida´s community worker to bless the electricity before starting the use officially. This was done and after the prayer the worker was given the honour of switching on the first light in the house!

FIDA´S ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

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Missions Work with Churches

Albania

france

Belgium

Romania

Bosnia and Herzegovina

germany

Bulgaria

spain

Ukraine

austria

hungary

Kosovo

estonia

Latvia

belarus

Lithuania

russia

Poland

Turkey

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Small miracles were witnessed in Hungary in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. The director of Hungary´s Romani mission, László Surman tells us that over the summertime, 70-80 new Roma believers were baptized, among them many young people who come from very underprivileged and difficult circumstances. "I used to spend my time with the types of friends I should never have ended up with. I learned to do drugs and got sent to jail. When I got out, I decided to follow the Lord and asked that He would change my life. This also happened! I have been waiting for the day when I can be baptized. I am thankful that I can start a new life and belong to Jesus." – Sándor, Hungary

Israel In Ukraine, schools started in September. The very popular afternoon clubs in the Roma villages started then as well. Not all Roma families can afford to send their children to school but at the clubs, preschool lessons are provided to all children. Because of the severity of the covid situation, some of the clubs gather in tents outside.

FIDA´S ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

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Spiritual Hunger is Growing in Islamic Turkey Turkish people´s interest toward Christianity has increased during covid time. Despite many challenges, new churches are being planted in a growing pace. Fida is involved in supporting local churches with local church-planting and the spiritual growth of believers. Out of the approximately 85 million people in Turkey only a fraction are born-again Christians. The interest toward Christianity shown by Turkish people, however, is growing. During the covid year the number of people listening to the Christian Radio channel Shema via internet doubled. According to an organization that distributes Bibles, Christian literature is being requested more and more. Fida´s partner in Turkey is the Kurtulus Church founded 25 years ago. In recent years it has seen very strong growth despite the many challenges, which the churches and those who convert to Christianity, experience. In 2015 there were eight churches, now the denomination consists of 35 churches located around Turkey. The number of churches has thus tripled in the last five years. Four of these were founded last year even though the covid situation in Turkey has had an impact on churches´ activities.

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Kurtulus is present in one third of Turkey´s 81 provinces. Especially central and eastern Turkey has areas in which the gospel has not been heard yet. In cooperation with Fida and an organization called World Challenge founded by David Wilkerson, Kurtulus aims to reach these areas. One of the plans is to offer, for example, community health education.

expanding brings challenges too The churches´ leaders would be eager to expand the ministries to new areas. Most of the Christians are still young in their faith and spiritual leaders do not rise at the same pace with new churches. Those who convert to Christianity need teaching on

the basics of the Bible. The country has great need for pastors who would have the necessary skills to teach new believers with ways that take the church members´ background into consideration. The eagerness to spread the gospel is not even stifled by the fact that in Turkey, churches´ activities are restricted in many ways. For example, property-owners do not want to let spaces to churches. Church leaders are called in for interrogations and foreign workers get extradited. Also those who convert to Christianity face many kinds of adversities in Turkey. They might be discriminated against in the job market and bullied because of their faith. Mehmet used to work in construction, and his story is typical: After he was born-again, he started to courageously witness about his faith, because of which he lost his job. Some Christians are so afraid of the pressure that they do not have the courage to confess their faith publicly. Especially in central and eastern Turkey Christians often encounter persecution from their family members too.

an unexpected encounter with god In spite of these challenges, people keep coming to faith in Christ. Often the pivotal experience is a dream or a vision, in which Jesus appears to the seeker. This is what happened to Fatma, who ended up finding the website of the Christian channel Kanal Hayat. There she heard a fellow-Turk´s personal

story in which she told how she had received a living relationship with God and how Jesus had answered her prayers. Fatma was a devout Muslim but had felt that despite all her striving and efforts she had no connection with God. Impacted by the testimony she had heard she listened to several more testimonies. The next night she had a dream in which someone dressed in white appeared at the foot of her bed. Fatma says she felt deep peace inside of her. The next day she contacted Kanal Hayat by phone. Through them Fatma ended up in a church meeting in which she told her story and wanted to publicly confess that Jesus is the Son of God and has died for her sins too. Muslims commonly believe that God can give dreams and visions. As in Fatma´s case, the supernatural encounters experienced by many Turkish Muslims leads them to turn to the true God.

what could i do? Turkey´s churches need help from the churches in Finland. The country´s economy has suffered a lot from the Covid-19 pandemic and the churches´ financial situation is weak. The local Christians do give from what they have but they do not have much to give. In addition to financial aid, prayer can do a lot. Please especially pray that the Turkish Christians would grow in their faith. This requires new shepherds -spiritual fathers and mothers. .

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good news from kosovo In the fall of 2016, historical moments were experienced here in Kosovo: Together with Fida we opened the country´s first evangelical Bible school in Pristina. Some of the first students started ministry service soon after graduating, some started churches and some became youth workers. The Bible school is popular, and many churches have sent their youth there to study. The development has been right out baffling. When Fida´s Bible school and missions training advisor Ulf Strohbehn tried to inspire the leaders of Kosovo´s evangelical churches to start a Bible school six years ago, the motion was passed with barely a majority vote. Now the Bible school called Shkolla Biblike Iliria has become very important to the country´s evangelical churches.

bible school growing in popularity A fourth generation of students is currently studying at the Bible school, 19 women and men. These numbers are big considering that there are only 500 born-again Christians in Kosovo and 96% of the population adhere to Islam. In the beginning of the Bible school´s operation only one church sent some of its members to study. Now many of the country´s evangelical churches guide their members to join the Bible school. The increase in the popularity of the Bible school has been impacted by the fact that church leaders have been trained to be teachers and the study material has been developed locally here in Kosovo. I want to share two stories with you about some students from our school. Fatmir is known all over the city. He works

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as a police officer and has become famous for being unbribable. Fatmir tells how working in the corrupted system causes issues daily: He is constantly put to temptation by criminals and there is friction between him and his colleagues. He, however, continues to get more and more police officers on his side. In the long run it will change our society for the better. Fatmir says that his time in the Bible school was pivotal in his life. The teaching and interaction with fellow-Christians gave him the spiritual foundation for his occupation as well. To conclude, another encouraging story about the life experiences of one of our first-year students. Let´s call him Mr. A. During the Balkan war, enemy soldiers took his family and all the village residents to a field. There the little boy had to watch as his loved ones were shot to death. As a teenager he came to faith in Christ. It was a transformational experience, which also led him to emotional healing. At the Bible school it became evident that Mr. A had a calling for spiritual leadership, but also that before this calling could be fulfilled a few more sharp edges had to be smoothened. God kept working in him and the development of his character was not lost on anyone. Now, five years later, Mr. A is a full-time church planter and leads one of the missions organizations in our country. This is one of those many good stories about what Jesus is doing in Kosovo. . Leonora Maloku, Bible School Guidance Counsellor

FIDA´S ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

I run an afternoon club for the children in my village. I love teaching children! I hope that all of them learn to read. I worry about my youngest son. He is deaf, and here we have no support for special needs children on offer. My hope is in my faith and my church. Nadya, Pasika Roma village, Ukraine

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FIDA´S ANNUAL REVIEW 2020

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Loving One´s Neighbour in the Balkans