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Update Newsletter Dec.09

Welcome to Update – The subscription newsletter of The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund.

PWRDF is the Anglican Church of Canada’s agency for sustainable development, relief, refugees and global justice. With the support of Anglicans from across Canada, PWRDF makes financial and human resources available to support partners’ initiatives to improve the quality of life and address the root causes of poverty and injustice. This list is an outgoing communication service from PWRDF only.

December 2009
1. Christmas Message from Cheryl Curtis, Executive Director
2. Thank You!
3. 50th Anniversary Update
4. KAIROS Urgent Action
5. School Food Program in Tanzania
6. Food Distribution in Kenya
7. News from Temba House
8. Refugee message from the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson
9. Branding Communiqué
10. Local Heroes

Christmas Message from the Executive Director
As we prepare to enter this holy season please take a moment to read PWRDF’s Christmas message.  All of us at PWRDF wish you the blessings of this sacred season!

Thank you from Beth Baskin, Public Engagement team leader
I take this opportunity at the end of the calendar year to say Thank You!
 
Thank you to all the people in the pews who faithfully fill their blue envelope month in and month out. Thank you to the dedicated children, youth and adults who hold coin drives, shave their heads, host concerts and in so many ingenious ways, provide funds to PWRDF partners around the world. Thank you to those who support us monthly with financial gifts and those who contribute once a year. Thank you to those who remember a loved one or celebrate a special occasion with a financial gift. Thanks to envelope secretaries, parish and diocesan treasurers, parish and diocesan representatives, and all others who give of their time to ensure that PWRDF has funds to support the programs. Your prayers and actions go a long way in spreading the story and strengthening the sense of connection and solidarity with partners. Together with your financial gifts transformation is possible.

A girl brought up in a brothel in Bangladesh will be able to choose a life different from that of her mother, a family in Mexico will sleep in their own home tonight because they have been supported in the efforts to maintain their land, a man in South Africa will spend this Christmas with his family because of his improved health through HIV and AIDS education offered in his community that combats the stigma of living with HIV, an Indigenous teenage boy in Northern Ontario will build healthier relationships because of the Wolf Spirit training program, and a family suffering the disaster of drought in Kenya will receive a month’s worth of food rations.

Thank you for praying, acting and giving in support of PWRDF. We have received $2,354,918 in donations from Anglicans to the end of November. We are grateful for the faithful commitment that Anglicans in Canada have shown in these difficult financial times and because we have received is $450,000 less than this time last year, we ask that you and your parish consider offering an additional donation. Donations can be made through your local parish, by telephone at 1-866-308-7973 or online through Canada Helps.

50th Anniversary Update
Christmas cookies over the holidays, a glass of champagne to toast the New Year…’tis the season to celebrate! But remember that “From Cookies to Champagne: 50 CAFE Events" is in season all year round! We are hoping the each Ecclesiastical Province will hold 50 events to celebrate PWRDF’s 50th anniversary and that members of PWRDF’s network will help to spread the word and encourage parishes to participate. To see how many events have been held in your province, visit our “Cookies to Champagne” web page at http://www.pwrdf50.org/cookies-to-champagne. If you know of events being held in your area, please be sure to let us know so that they can be included. Cookies to Champagne kit components are available at http://www.pwrdf50.org/resources if you would like to download them. 

For more information, to order a planning kit or to share information about an event, please contact Jennifer Brown, Donor Relations Officer, at 416-924-9199 ext. 320 or jbrown[at]pwrdf.org.

KAIROS Urgent Action
On November 30, KAIROS Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives learned that the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) would no longer fund their work.

After more than 35 years of working with the churches and ecumenical organizations to combat human rights violations around the world, CIDA cut its funding to KAIROS in spite of a very positive program evaluation. 

Implementing this decision will have devastating consequences for KAIROS’ global partners, as well as for KAIROS’ staff and their overall budget. 

We are asking Anglicans to add their voices to those of ecumenical partners and help get this decision reversed.  Questions are being asked in the House of Commons, articles are appearing in national newspapers and MPs are being contacted, make your voice heard too!

Please respond now!
KAIROS has created Seven Ways to Support KAIROS.  Visit their website to see what you can do – sign the petition, write/call/visit your MP, respond to CIDA with your concerns… there are many options – but the time to act is now!  Parliament is on their scheduled break for the holidays which means MPs are in their home ridings.  It is a great opportunity to get folks together for a visit or a meeting!

Thank you to those of you who have already responded.  Please keep up the good work and encourage others to do the same!  Please keep us informed about what is going on in your community regarding the KAIROS cuts by emailing us at pwrdf[at]pwrdf.org. 

School Food Program in Tanzania
In partnership with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB), the Diocese of Masasi of the Anglican Church of Tanzania and PWRDF are providing food assistance to 6,238 school children in 2,740 affected households in 26 villages in the Masasi and Nanyumbu districts of Tanzania. The project will provide at least one meal of corn-soy-blend per child, per day. Children will be served the meals, which will be prepared in the form of porridge or “ugali” (stiff porridge) at their school compounds. The relief food will be provided for 55 school days from January 4th to March 19th 2010.

October to March is the food shortage period for households in these two districts. Children are among the vulnerable during periods of food insecurity. Many children have to walk some distance to school. Their low energy levels contribute to  increased school drop out rates.  The school feeding project will encourage their participation and improve school attendance.

PWRDF is also working with the Diocese of Masasi in these districts to reduce future drought and famine. PWRDF is training villagers in sustainable agricultural practices, specifically for dry-land farming, and the provision of supplies to enable this; multiplication of suitable hybrid seed varieties of corn and groundnuts; draught animal technology, specifically provision of oxen, ox-implements and training; and training in nutrition, food preservation and food preparation to increase health and well being.
 
If you would like to read some background on PWRDF’s relationship with the Diocese of Masasi, please check out this story. 

Food Distribution in Kenya Continues
We have been receiving regular updates on the food assistance project from PWRDF partner the Anglican Church of Kenya.   According to the latest email from the Directorate of Social Services of the Anglican Church of Kenya, “the November 2009 food distribution was completed this week with 2,000 beneficiaries receiving their monthly rations (40kgs of maize, 8kgs of split peas, and 2 litres of cooking oil). The December deliveries will be done by the supplier next week and distributions will be done the first week  January 2010.  We will share further information with you early next year.” 

Meanwhile, let us continue praying for those who have been severely impacted by the drought and famine in Kenya and for our partners who have been trying their best to bring sustainable solutions to the challenges of hunger.

News from Temba House
With financial assistance from the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB), PWRDF is supporting a 3-year project with partner Temba House in South Africa. Temba House works with people affected and impacted by HIV and AIDS.  This 3-year project started in June 2009 and completed its first six-month period at the end of November 2009. Here are some of the results:

• 84 males and 103 females who were chronically ill were admitted to the shelter during this six month period. 90% of clients recovered and 70% of those were discharged at the end of November and were able to return to work or normal daily activities. 
• 210 children and vulnerable elderly people benefited from a soup kitchen and a children’s club.  140 who are chronically ill have benefitted by receiving necessary food parcels.
• A vegetable garden has been established on the premises of Temba House and it provides 25% of vegetables, especially greens to shelter residents. 50 trained people (70% females and 30% males) have initiated home gardens in the community by growing seasonal vegetables. 

Temba House is featured as one of three partner stories in a recent DVD produced by PWRDF called Learning from Partners in Africa.  The DVD comes with a study guide and makes for a great PWRDF learning and discussion group for parishes. Contact your PWRDF Diocesan Rep to borrow a copy.

Refugee message from the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Clarkson was born in 1939 in Hong Kong and came to Canada in 1942 with her parents William and Ethel Poy. The Poy family were refugees. This has endeared her to the many people who continue to work for the protection and resettlement of refugees in Canada and around the world. Madame Clarkson has had a rich and illustrious career since her arrival on Canadian shores. She has worked in journalism, broadcasting, the arts and in public service. She is a prolific author and has been recognized for this with several awards and appointments. She was sworn in as Canada’s 26th Governor General on October 7, 1999. Her passion for Canada is evident in all she does. Her years at Rideau Hall were spent promoting tolerance, public responsibility, a sense of community and belonging that are now engrained in the Canadian conscience.  To read the whole story, visit the website.

Branding Communiqué
PWRDF launched a participatory branding exercise earlier this year and we were ready to test names in December and January.  However, we are now slowing down this work until Vision 2019 (a strategic plan for the ACC) direction and the recommendations that may emerge after General Synod 2010. In the interim, PWRDF will undertake improvements to our communications architecture.  We will keep you up to date as this piece progresses. Please check out our website for more information.

Local Heroes
• Crumbs from the Table is a registered charity in Antigonish, Nova Scotia with the mandate “to help alleviate world starvation by collecting donations from restaurant patrons and channeling the proceeds through established charities”.  They started placing donation coin boxes in the area in July 2007. Crumbs from the Table supports charities with low overhead that are grounded in grassroots projects. This year they have chosen to donate part of their income to PWRDF.

With the help of volunteer collectors they place collection boxes in restaurants and invite patrons to donate a small portion of what they have just spent on a meal.  Volunteers are essential to make this work happen!  St. George’s Anglican Church in New Glasgow, NS has taken this on as an outreach project.

This year they made $2500 in donations to various charities. $1000 of this has been donated to PWRDF. For more information check out their web site at www.crumbsfromthetable.com.

• Former PWRDF Board member Denise Hambidge has initiated a special fundraising drive for the upcoming Lenten season.  After her trip to Bangladesh she decided to challenge her church, All Saints Ladner, to raise extra money (over and above what they already contribute to PWRDF) to support the Jagoroni Chakra’s Children’s Haven. The goal is to raise an extra $2000 to cover school uniforms for the 100 children in the Centre.  Denise is speaking to other churches to help support other projects in the region.  Thanks Denise for your hard work and dedication!

• St. Luke's, in Hubbards, Nova Scotia has been busy raising money for PWRDF! They have set up a Perpetual Book Sale in their church hall.  Parishioners have donated many beautiful books and every Sunday, or whenever the church is open, the congregation is reminded to shop at this very unique bookstore.  Any donation is welcome for the purchase of a book.   Since September, $90 has been raised from book sales and $250 from the sale of beaded pins and bracelets for PWRDF.  The fundraising will continue into the New Year! 

Thank you for supporting The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund!