Another Good Year

WELL DONE! The 2014 walk has raised £18,800 towards the Uganda project. A big thank you to all of you who walked and raised the money.

The 2015 walk will be on Friday 15 May in Shanes Castle - hope to see you there.

2014 Tearfund Walk ~ 23rd May ~ Shanes Castle

You may recognise these two guys - Richard and Peter Chambers - they won silver medals in the London Olympics. They have visited this year's project - watch their 4 min DVD "One Big Mountain.

Please contact us for sponsorship forms and join us on May 23rd.

Below are full details of where your money will go.

Water & Sanitation Programme

Kigezi Diocese

Uganda

Project for Mid Antrim Walk

April 2014 to March 2015

Overview

Partner: Kigezi Diocese Water and Sanitation Programme (KDWSP).

Location: Kabale District, Uganda.

Purpose: To provide families with better access to safe water and improved health and sanitation services in Kabale District.

Impact: Over three years, 21,302 people will have directly benefited from safer water, better sanitation facilities and improved health. A further 2,000 people will have indirectly benefited from the project too.

Activity dates: April 2014 to March 2015.

Introduction

Once described as ‘the pearl of Africa’ because of its lush fertility, Uganda has seen its enormous potential stunted by dictatorship and civil war. Half a million people died under Idi Amin’s reign of terror in the 1970s and in 1986 another terrible conflict dawned in the north.

At war with the government, rebel group the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) used children as soldiers or sex slaves. Before the LRA was driven into the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2008, tens of thousands of civilians had been killed or kidnapped. Some 1.6 million people had fled their homes. 

Most Ugandans work as small-scale farmers and struggle to grow enough to feed their households. Cash crops are vulnerable to fluctuating global prices. Up to one in five of Uganda’s children aged six to 17 have lost at least one parent, mostly to HIV and conflict. Meanwhile, increased droughts and flooding have had a knock-on impact on malaria and water-borne diseases.

Currently, over a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line and 35% do not access to a safe water supply.

The Need

Kabale District is in a mountainous part South-West Uganda where access to safe water is uncommon. Many people settle on the hilltops and reserve lower fertile soils in the lower parts of hills for agriculture. Most water sources are found in the valleys and this causes people to haul water up steep slopes to their homes.

Women and children walk long distances, sometimes up to three hours, to fetch small amounts of unsafe water for their families.  In some schools, children take alternate mornings off class to collect water for the school. Many also collect water for their households before and after school. Some families survive on just three to four litres per person each day – far below acceptable standards.

Many communities do not understand the connection between dirty water and disease. Much of the population (especially children) suffer from water and hygiene related illnesses such as parasitic worms, diarrhoea, and skin and eye diseases. 

Access to safe water is critical for development. Clean, easily accessible water reduces disease, improves household food production and reduces the amount of time women and children spend collecting water.

Meet the Partner

Tearfund has been partnering with Kigezi Diocese Water and Sanitation Programme (KDWSP) since 1986.

As well as providing water to communities, KDWSP teaches improved sanitation and hygiene and provides on-going support. Their work addresses wider issues such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, food security, nutrition and the environment.

The Ministry of Water and Environment awarded KDWSP the honour of most outstanding NGO in WATSAN promotion in 2005/2006 and 2010/2011.

The Project

This is the final year of a three year cycle. The project will continue to raise awareness on safe water, sanitation and hygiene, and then carry out appropriate action with communities.

The programme will operate in at least 15 local churches (across four government parishes) per year.

KDWSP will promote self help groups which can be crucial in empowering and increasing community participation in bringing change.

Identified vulnerable and marginalised people will be supported to form self help groups. They will be trained in saving and credit, book keeping, market assessment, WATSAN, skills training, conflict management and gender issues.

Special consideration is given to the poorest members of society by placing water taps closer to disabled and elderly homesteads.

Committees are dissolved every two years. New ones are elected and trained to understand and appreciate their roles and responsibilities for efficient management. Women are encouraged to take up leadership positions and have 50% representation on committees.

Project Activities

WATSAN (water and sanitation) skills

Local churches, NGOs, community based organisations (CBOs), other Dioceses, community members and individuals will be equipped with skills, experiences, lessons and best practice in WATSAN.

The project hopes to see: 30% of the 15 target churches actively engaged in WATSAN best practice, 50% of target Dioceses promoting WATSAN projects, 50% of community development teams active and 10% of communities promoting self-supplying their own needs.

·         Church leaders will be envisioned to develop and sustain development initiatives. This will be through workshops, training, exposure visits, 'learning conversations' for community leaders and members and a monitoring and review meeting every six months.

·         40 artisans will receive extensive residential training in water and sanitation facility construction.

·         12 artisans will receive on the job training for rainwater harvesting each year.

·         80 CBO members will be trained in ferrocement tank construction each year.

·         Technical support will be provided to dioceses, artisans and organisations.

Promoting improved and sustainable water and sanitation services

The project aims to see: a 50% increase in hand-washing practice in the targeted communities, a 30% reduction in distance (maximum of 500m) to water points and improved water quality to less than ten fc/100ml.

·         Local churches will play a part in community elections for committees, training committees, data collection, analysis and a baseline report to KDWSP.

·         100 beneficiaries will benefit from two days of tailored health education.

·         At least ten demonstration homes will be established in each community.

·         Equipment and work will include building gravity flow schemes, rainwater harvesting systems, bio-sand filters, san-plats, 420l and 1,500l rainwater jars, ferrocement tanks, institutional tanks, springs and hand-washing facilities.

·         Refresher training will be provided for WATSAN committees, church leaders and CBOs.

·         30 gravity flow scheme attendants and 30 spring caretakers will receive refresher training.

Environmental sustainability, HIV/ AIDS, family planning and food security

The project aims to see 50% of people living with HIV/AIDS practicing positive living, 30% of communities carrying out improved environmental practices and a 30% increase in family planning.

·         20 ferrocement tanks will be built for people living with HIV/AIDS.

·         Five communities will be trained on HIV/AIDS and attend two sessions on voluntary counselling and testing.

·         100 people will attend training on environmental issues for each community per year.

·         100 people will be trained on food security twice a year.

·         100 people will be trained in food and nutrition twice a year.

·         Each community will be trained on family planning.

Advocating for improved access to safe water and sanitation in Kabale District

The project aims to see: 40% of technical institutions in Kabale District adopting water and sanitation training programs, and 20% of sub-counties in Kabale District adopting WATSAN by-laws which are endorsed and known by the communities.

·         30 people from KDWSP staff and other key stakeholders will meet yearly to outline research and advocacy plans.

·         Research and a baseline survey will be carried out on the community situation.

·         A position paper on advocacy issues will be developed.

·         KDWSP will host a meeting with the District Education Office and other bodies each year.

·         KDWSP best practice will be documented.

·         KDWSP will lobby at regional and district levels for improved WATSAN programmes.

·         Four sub-counties will establish new by-laws regarding the making of trenches and contours (for better water access).

·         There will be an emphasis on sharing good practice with other sector organisations (UWASNET, URWA) and partners.

·         1,000 brochures, 500 t-shirts, 400 newsletters and 300 calendars will be produced.

Budget

Tearfund was asked to contribute £121,976 towards the project for 2013-2014.

A BIG thank you to all who walked at Shane's Castle on our 2013 walk, helping to raise £18,000 for our project.
We will back at Shane's again for our 2014 walk - please keep Friday 23 May free and plan to join us. We plan to support a "water" project in Uganda.

Tearfund walk - April 19th 2013 - at Shanes Castle.
This year, with the sun shining, some 350 people enjoyed the 5K walk on the beautiful Shanes Castle estate.

With your generous help we will support the following children's project in Colombia, South America.

Overview

Partner: Red Viva Colombia

Location: Barranquilla and Cartagena

Purpose: In order to prevent crime, drug addiction, and early pregnancy among young people living in poor areas of Barranquilla and Cartagena, Red Viva will work with church leaders and children’s workers over 3 years to promote a healthy environment for child development through sport clubs, with emphasis on moral values.

Impact: Over 3 years, 600 children who were in situations of risk in Colombia will become secure and will be given development opportunities. A further 200 church members will benefit indirectly from this project.

 The Need

The main cities in Colombia are home to thousands of people displaced from the countryside during the years of conflict; many of whom have no option but to live in marginal areas with few amenities and which are prone to landslides or flooding. Unemployment and underemployment are high, leading many to seek work in the ‘informal sector’. Family disintegration is common.

Young people and adolescents from marginal areas of the cities are exposed to many risks including enrolment into illegal armed groups, violence, injury, death, drug and alcohol addiction, teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases including HIV, family breakdown, domestic violence and natural disasters. Their families often cannot provide fully for their needs and some suffer from malnutrition.

There is therefore a significant need for intervention in Colombia at a grass roots level - one that will lead to a positive and lasting change in the lives of the young and vulnerable.

Meet the Partner

Red Viva Colombia is a Christian Non-Governmental Organisation committed to improving the lives of children and families at risk in Colombia. Their work includes awareness raising, advocacy and the facilitation, training and accompaniment of a network of local churches and childcare initiatives. The organisation was established in 2000 and works in 5 Colombian cities.

Project Activities

Building on experience already gained, this three year project (Jan 2012 – Dec 2014) will work with church leaders and children’s workers to provide training, support and opportunities for personal development for vulnerable young people.  It encourages the different groups to work together for the benefit of children and families in their communities. In order to achieve this, Red Viva will be carrying out the following activities with carefully selected churches and local communities over the next 3 years:

1.    Relationship building

In each city, strong relationships will be established with church leaders and the leaders of childcare initiatives committed to child protection and development supporting sport club initiatives.

2.    Sports clubs

20 sports clubs will be developed in Barranquilla and 10 in Cartagena. Every sports club will be strengthened and empowered by a series of weekly workshops focused not only on sports but on leadership, bible studies and Christian values and lifestyle.

3.    Workshops and training

Two week-long workshops and monthly day-long workshops will be held each year for the general church membership. These will include training in the Children and Adolescents Code and Child Protection Policies.  A self-evaluation tool will be provided for children’s workers to use in order to identify areas where they need strengthening. They will subsequently receive training in these areas in order to aid their personal development and hence improve their childcare strategies.

4.    Sports league

A sports league will be established in every city to develop tournaments between the sports clubs. Sports activities will run once or twice each week, with a 5 month tournament running from July each year. At the end of the three years a Christian Football Championship will be developed between 5 cities in Colombia.

Budget

The entire cost of the work being carried out in the 2^nd year of this project (Jan - Dec 2013) is £55,698. £15,000 has already been paid towards Year 2 hence Tearfund is seeking to raise a further £40,698. Below are the costs relating to the 2^nd year of the project. Note, Year 1 had the same budget and Year 3’s budget will increase to £70,000.

ITEM	TOTAL (£)
Activities & materials	22,500
Personnel	6,500
Sports field improvement	10,000
Transport	1,000
Admin Assistant	4,200
Regional trips	3,800
Administration	2,000
Total	50,000
Funding already raised	(15,000)
*UK Admin & Central Coordination Costs	5,698
TOTAL REQUIRED	40,698

Stories of Transformation

We hope you will be encouraged by this amazing story of physical, spiritual and emotional transformation as much as we have been.

For the first time in his life, Luis (aged 9) realized that the river close to his home could be not only his friend but also a destructive force that could destroy lives – and almost destroyed his house.

Last November, the Magdalena River flooded the small town where Luis lives, destroying houses and leaving poor families without their basic belongings.

As a result, Luis and his friends found themselves depressed and without any vision or hope for their lives. Some of his friends migrated with their families to other places leaving Luis feeling incredibly lonely; it was like his whole world had ended.

Due to the circumstances Luis found himself in, he did not want to return to school for the new year (in Colombia the school year begins in January or the first week of February). Without his friends, school simply wasn’t the fun place it used to be.

However, Luis heard about a new project in the school - “Sports for Life”, and decided to go and have a look one Saturday. He was surprised that children he had never met before were so friendly and allowed him to train with them. Trainers invited him to be part of a team; they also spoke about the possibility of having new dreams and hope in life and taught him about building a personal relationship with God.

The coach shared Radamel Falcao’s (a famous Colombian football player) testimony with the children. Radamel is an Evangelical Christian and a living example that God can make dreams come true. After hearing the story, Luis decided to receive Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour.

Now, Luis cannot wait to go to school every day! He is working hard to get the best marks in order to get a place in the team representing the school in a local football championship. He has had a second chance in life!  

Thank you for taking the time to consider this project and for your continued support and prayer concerning Tearfund’s work.

Tearfund Walk 2012

This was a 5 mile sponsored walk in Glenariff Forest Park, on 27th April 2012.

We had a great day at Glenariff - a big thanks to the hundreds who walked.  The aim of our 2012 walk is to raise £18,000 to support 100 children in North India. We'll keep you posted.

Suraj lost his parents to AIDS when he was 5 years old. He is now 7 and lives with his elder sister, brother-in-law and nephew. He is HIV+ and has to travel 3 hours to get his antiretroviral drugs. Tearfund has linked up with the local church and is giving monthly support to Suraj. A church leader calls with Suraj each month, bringing practical help and spiritual support. This vulnerable family knows that there is someone there for them when they need it.

For more information keep reading.

 

Partner: Christian AIDS/HIV National Alliance (CANA)

Location: North and North East India

Purpose: To provide short term monetary support and long-term holistic care to 100 children infected and affected by HIV & AIDS within 11 states in North & North-eastern India, through the work of the local church.

Impact: 100 children will receive holistic care and support from their local churches, communities and extended family members, enabling them to better cope with the trauma of living with HIV.

In India, 2.27 million people are living with AIDS and the number of people infected with HIV, but not yet suffering the full blown affects of the disease, is known to be even higher. Tragically, India also has one of the largest numbers of AIDS orphans (children from 0-17 years who have lost either one or both parents to HIV) and it is estimated that this number will double over the next five years.  In addition, hundreds of children themselves are becoming infected with HIV every year. The Indian Health Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, announced in July 2009 that there are nearly 53,000 HIV positive children in India. Of course, that number is now likely to be much higher.

When a parent becomes infected with HIV the repercussions for the rest of the family are grave: Family roles begin to change, as parents become weak and are no longer able to care for their children. The household economic resources begin to dwindle due to climbing medical bills and the parents’ inability to cope with working. The effects on the children are huge as nutrition, education, health and other needs are compromised to save money. If there are no other adults in the household, children often have no choice but to leave school in order to either earn money, perform household chores and/or care for their sick parents. If the HIV diagnosis within the family becomes known in the community, children will often face prejudice and social exclusion. Friends of the family may come to visit less often and children may be harassed at, or denied access to school. Discrimination in accessing health care is also common for all family members.

Such changes in the family dynamics can cause children great psychological distress, which is then further compounded by having to watch their parent(s) suffer over an extended period of time. The detrimental impact of HIV on so many children is creating an overwhelming need for a new type of care and support. For a long time, such children have been assisted through institutional care, but CANA, supported by Tearfund, have a vision to address this need through the local church and Church Based Organisations (CBOs).

Tearfund Partner, Christian AIDS/HIV National Alliance (CANA) is an Indian National Christian (interdenominational) non-governmental organization, which formed in April 1999 with its headquarters in New Delhi. It acts as a coalition organisation, drawing together Churches, CBOs and Christian practitioners. These parties are brought together to engage in Christian response to HIV & AIDS. Together these groups network, capacity build, advocate and provide program facilitation and consultancy services with Christian perspectives and Biblical mandate.

CANA has a vision to envision and empower Churches, related organisations and networks to develop sensitive and effective responses to HIV & AIDS, thereby reducing the suffering caused in the life of individuals, families, communities and society as a whole. One of CANA’s main focus areas is Children infected and affected by HIV & AIDS.

The aims of this project are two-fold:

Firstly, to facilitate churches and church based organisations to actively involve in the provision of care and support to those children infected and affected in their own congregation and community. CANA will teach these groups how to demonstrate practical acts of compassion as shown by Christ. They will learn how as a community they can love and care for people affected by HIV & AIDS, help communities become aware of HIV and AIDS; how to prevent the spread of the disease and how to care for people affected by it.

Secondly, to extend provision of monetary support and a better standard of living to the poorest children infected and affected by HIV within the community, as identified by the local church and CBOs.

The geographical areas focused on within this project are eight states in North India (Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh) and three states in North East India (Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya).

The following activities will be carried out with carefully selected children, churches and communities:

1.    To build the capacity of the local church and CBOs to respond to the needs of children infected and affected by HIV in their local communities, though the means of workshops and training sessions.

2.    To provide for the children’s welfare, CANA will award each of them a certain amount of monetary support each month, based on whether they are HIV infected or affected:

·      75 HIV + children will receive 900 Rupees (£11.28) per month for 3 years

·     25 HIV affected children will receive 700 Rupees (£8.77) per month for 3 years.

3.    To identify churches and CBOs working with orphans and vulnerable children in the local area and establish partnerships with them, enlisting their assistance in caring for the identified children.

Those who primarily benefit from this project are children. There are 75 children being assisted who are HIV positive and 25 others who are being negatively affected by HIV in some way, perhaps through being orphaned, or having to care for and support dying parents. The majority of these children are aged below 14 years, though a couple range between 14 – 18 years old. The priority by which children have been selected to take part in this project is as follows:

·     1st – Fully Orphaned (both parents deceased) and HIV +

·     2nd – Semi Orphaned (one parent deceased) and HIV +.

·     3^rd - Living in relatives home (uncle/aunt, grand parents) and HIV +

·     4^th - Living in relatives home (uncle/aunt, grand parents) with relative who is HIV +.

·     5^th - Living with HIV + parents and HIV +

·     6^th - Living with HIV + parents

·     7^th - Under institutional care and HIV +

·     8^th - Under institutional care and relative who is HIV +

Of course, the parents / immediate families of these children will also directly benefit through the help given by CANA

The total cost of the entire 3 year project is £55,457, whilst in 2011/12 (final year of the project) the amount required is £18,844. This is our target figure for the 2012 walk.