PWRDF UPDATE February 2008
Welcome to Update - The Primate's World Relief and Development Fund newsletter and information bulletin for subscribers.
PWRDF is the Anglican Church of Canada's agency for international development, relief, refugees and justice issues. This list is an outgoing communication service from PWRDF only. Please contact Yvonne Lane for more information on any of the following items.
Emergency situation in Kenya
Refugee Network
justgeneration youth initiative
Partnership for Life
Fair Trade – links to 2008 Calendar
PWRDF Resources for Lent
Impact on children in Philippine government-rebel conflicts
How our Local Heroes celebrated Christmas
Staffing Update
KAIROS Urgent Action
CFGB Project
International Development week February 3-9
1. Emergency situation in Kenya
PWRDF is continually keeping our partners, friends and Board Members in our hearts and prayers during the ongoing conflicts in Kenya. Please see the latest news on our website about the post election violence in Kenya.
Here are some comments recently received from our partners:
We are glad that PWRDF is continuing to assist Kenya in this time of crisis. The situation is worsening by the day. For the last five days the violence has moved from Eldoret to Naivasha and Nakuru with more than 30 people losing their lives. Some were burnt in their houses while others were cut to death. Today early in the morning an opposition MP has been shot dead in Nairobi. Transport to Western Kenya has been paralysed affecting not only those regions but the neighboring landlocked countries. We are still hopeful that a solution will be reached soon. Humanitarian aid is urgently needed as well as healing and restoration of peace in the affected regions.
And another one:
There was chaos in our town as people who are not indigenous were being driven out. It is a terrible injustice, there were some young men who had sheltered here at the Cathedral, it was painful watching their helplessness.
Sorry I was emotional when I spoke to you, I didn't know if Ndiriri was safe, I feared their school could get targeted because they have children from different communities but I really thank God that it didn't get that bad. One of my sisters (who is visiting us as the university she attends has been closed) had rushed to pick up Ndiriri and they were safe at home. This drama should end it is killing our country and it seems like Kenyans are out to show Mr. Koffi Annan that his efforts are in vain. An ODM member of parliament was murdered last night and since the Annan initiative started even districts that were peaceful have witnessed violence. Over 100 people have been killed from Friday these were killed in places that have been peaceful. It is total madness.
Please continue to keep the people of Kenya in your hearts and prayers.
2. Refugee Network
People working in the Immigration and Refugee sector, could now use an excellent source of information provided by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB).
The National Film Board now has on its web site a whole section entitled "Across Cultures" "D'une culture à l'autre". It has film excerpts, interviews, photographs and short articles dealing with various aspects of the refugee and immigrant experience, Canada's policy towards refugees, experiences of racism, etc. The primary intended use is in high schools, but the material could be useful in many other settings. A great thing is that it is also in French.
3. justgeneration Youth Initiative
A New Kind of Fast! Go Off-The-Grid for Lent!
As we begin to prepare for Lent, justgeneration.ca wants to challenge your parish (especially the youth group!!!) to go on an energy fast by taking your group "Off-The-Grid" for 24 hours (or more - or less!) at some point in the Lenten season. The "Off-The-Grid" event resource from PWRDF is fun, gets us educated about the environment, raises funds for PWRDF partners, and has great fair trade & eco-friendly fundraising prize incentives for participants. Geared towards the 16-24 age range, the event is easily adaptable for intergenerational groups and even younger folks. Just for registering your Off-The-Grid event, we'll send you 2 free fair-trade shirts (2 designs available, and multiple sizes, including so-called 'baby-t's' - made by a womens' cooperative in El Salvador). We also have funky corn-plastic mugs available as a prize and to order! You can check out and download the complete resource at http://justgeneration.ca/offthegrid - or you can e-mail for a kit! Email us for all the details, and to ask how we can support you in planning your Lenten Energy-fast!
4. Partnership for Life
Theological consultation on HIV prevention
Participants from a broad range of Christian traditions will meet in Johannesburg, South Africa between Jan 28 and February 2 to share different views and teachings on HIV prevention and seek to identify common values that undergird their shared commitment to stop the spread of HIV and eradicate AIDS. The Ecumentical Advocacy Alliance is sponsoring the consultation. For more information please check their website.
Work of CoCoSi in El Salvador
PWRDF is one of several organizations that supports the work of CoCoSI. After three years of trying, in 2006 they were finally able to establish six groups made up exclusively of men who are receiving workshops on HIV and AIDS, gender, sexuality, masculinity and domestic violence. In a macho, socially conservative society, this is a major achievement! At the beginning of 2008 CoCoSI has never been busier – in 2007 they gave more than 278 workshops, did street theatre in the countryside and in the cities. They have been invited by the Ministry of Health to help form and work with a new group of persons living with AIDS in the Sensuntepeque Prison. They have a radio program which has become more professional as the youth take production courses from the Radio Victoria team. As one of the staff comments …”as we continue to grow each year I realize how blessed I am to work with these incredibly intelligent youth who were born and raised under the most extreme circumstances – in war.”
5. Fair Trade
Fair Trade is the January Focus of the PWRDF 2008 Family Calendar – you can explore this important global concern with your family at any time of the year. For additional resources, please check our website.
6. PWRDF Resources for Lent
PWRDF Resources were sent to all parishes at the end of October, 2007. For Lenten ideas, please check out our website for ideas under the theme – Care for Creation – check under Resources, then 2007/08 Resources
In particular, please see the 2008 Care for Creation Calendar which is designed to be used during Lent, beginning on Ash Wednesday. On the back find out more about how you can Pray, Act, Give and how PWRDF global partners are helping people around the world find long-term sustainable solutions to poverty and ecological degradation – in particular an example of the win/win proposition from solar cooking – trees are saved, the effects of deforestation are eliminated, money for charcoal and the time gathering wood are saved, and importantly, women’s lungs are saved.
7. Impact on children in Philippine Government-Rebel Conflicts
More than 200,000 children were victims of human rights violations because of armed conflicts in the Philippines between 2001 and 2006 involving communist and Muslim rebels, a report recently issued commissioned by UNICEF noted.
The violations of human rights included forced evacuation, torture and recruitment as rebels, the report said.
Some children were killed and others were forced to serve as messengers, guides or spies for soldiers, said the study conducted for UNICEF by the local PWRDF Partner, IBON Foundation, an independent research think tank and two other private groups in eight communities where the communist New People's Army or the Muslim separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front operate. For more information check out our partner's site.
8. How our Local Heroes Celebrated Christmas
St. Mark’s Church, Halifax, NS – parishioners sold hand knitted goods and festive food items at their Sugar Plum Sales with all donations being provided to PWRDF.
Eileen Scully, Coordinator for Ministry and Worship in Church House made Christmas crackers for each table setting which included jokes and chocolates inside. They also included PWRDF HIV-AIDS prayer cards, plus one of the bulletin inserts and the instructions for the AIDS –awareness bead broach. Their donation was the equivalent of what it would cost for a dinner for 12 at a restaurant to PWRDF. The back of the pew bulletin stories were used to advise their guests of the donation.
James Turgeon-O’Brien of St. Mary’s Anglican/United Church in Sorrento, Diocese of Kootenay, BC – during Lent collected bottles from his church community and soon raised $200. The event was so popular that the bottles kept coming – until October in fact, when he finally presented a cheque for $480 to PWRDF for the HIV/AIDS program.
Thank you to all those who made special efforts and contributions over the Christmas period, to those of you who purchased Christmas cards and made donations in lieu of Christmas gifts and those who responded to our Appeal. Your support is gratefully acknowledged – and you are all heroes.
9. Staffing Update
Communications Coordinator – Keith Knight has been appointed interim Communications Coordinator. News story...
In the meantime, the vacant position of Communications Coordinator has been posted on the website.
Canadian Foodgrains Bank seeks Anglican Representative as a volunteer position to its Board of Directors. News story...
10. KAIROS Urgent Action
Kairos has issued an urgent action to end the siege in Gaza – One and a half million people imprisoned and without proper food or medicine, 800,000 without electricity supply, this is illegal collective punishment, an immoral act in violation of the basic human and natural laws as well as International Law. It cannot be tolerated anymore. The siege over Gaza should end now - The heads of the churches of Jerusalem.
According to the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem, between September 1, 2005 and July 25, 2007, 668 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip by the Israeli security forces. Over half were noncombatants and 126 were children. Our partners in the Middle East are asking for your support.
Please use the sample letter provided as a guide in the attached link for your own letters or phone calls to the Prime Minister.
Suggested action
11. Canadian Foodgrains Bank Projects
PWRDF is pleased to report that funds are flowing into our CFGB account for food security projects. Canadian churches, joining together as CFGB and working with the Canadian Government (CIDA) is able to make a significant contribution. Although our equity at CFGB is not quite there, PWRDF was able to transfer $20,000 from our emergency budget to contribute to select projects, beside using our equity already at CFGB.
In the case of Zimbabwe, the Government there declared 2007 a “drought year”. In addition, Zimbabwe’s poor harvest has been exacerbated by the country’s unprecedented economic decline, extremely high unemployment and the impact of HIV and AIDS. There are rampant food shortages in both rural and urban areas. Christian Care is a long-standing bilaterial partner of the United Church of Canada and has in the past implemented projects under the support of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. 9 CFGB members, including PWRDF are contributing their equity to this initiative, bringing the total project grant (including CIDA match) to $7,000,000.
12. International Development Week
Check out the CIDA website to view more information and find out about events being held across the country during the week of February 3 – 9, 2008.
