[ePrayer – Pray for development rights of adolescent girls]
There are over 600 million girls in the world today, more than 500 million of them in developing countries. About 16 million girls under age 18 give birth each year. Another 3.2 million undergo unsafe abortions. The vast majority — 90 per cent — of the pregnant adolescents in the developing world are married. But for far too many of these girls, pregnancy has little to do with informed choice. Often it is a consequence of discrimination, rights violations (including child marriage), inadequate education or sexual coercion. Complications from pregnancy and child birth are the leading cause of death among girls aged 15 to 19. On World Population Day 2013, UN raises awareness of the issue of adolescent pregnancy in the hopes of delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. [UN]
Pray for development rights of adolescent girls:
Pray that the value and rights of girls will be truly recognised and legally protected.
Pray that adolescent girls can have their say on marriage, life development and pregnancy.
South Sudan marks two years of independence on 9 July 2013, but the millions who continue to face displacement, hunger, disease and extreme poverty will be hard pressed to find any reason to celebrate.
Over the past two years, inter-communal violence and conflict between the rebels and Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) have caused nearly 350,000 people displaced. Fighting in southern part of Sudan has forced over 220,000 people fleeing into South Sudan. In addition, nearly two million South Sudanese have returned home since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, and so the country is facing serious food shortage. Further, South Sudan is in dire need of trained health workers and health centres and the government has faced criticism over its poor human rights record, such as poor prison conditions, widespread child and forced marriage, arbitrary detention and deteriorating press freedom. [IRIN]
Pray for South Sudan:
Pray for peace and reconciliation in South Sudan;
Pray for timely food and medical relief, and for comprehensive and appropriate rehabilitation.
[ePrayer – Pray for the post-drought rehabilitation in Ethiopia]
Ethiopia and Kenya were seriously affected by drought in 2011. CEDAR supported partner Tearfund UK to provide emergency relief in Ethiopia. By the end of 2012, partner has also started a post-disaster rehabilitation project in Moyale District in partnership with a local Christian group Ethiopian Mulu Wongel Amagnoch Church Development Organization (EMWACDO). The project focuses on rehabilitating 7,000 poor and vulnerable households to improve their livelihood with selected interventions such as restocking of the livestock, income diversification through introduction and promotion of high yielding agricultural inputs, construction of water schemes for human and the livestock consumption, and promoting money saving and credit culture through organising self-help groups.
Praise the Lord for the good rainfall and calm after conflict. And now, the project fits in well with the government strategies. The district government, therefore, plays an active role in providing veterinary support and vaccination to the goat purchase and distribution process.
Pray for the post-drought rehabilitation in Ethiopia:
Local partner EMWACDO is the first NGO to train women in vegetable production. The District Agriculture Bureau will scale it up to other areas. Pray that more communities will be benefited;
Now, 30 self-help groups are organised, which is over double of what we planned. Pray for good coordination and facilitation.
The progress of goat purchase and distribution is quite behind; and the pilot introduction of drip irrigation is in utmost urgency. Please remember the implementation of different components of the project.
[1] CEDAR is an approved charitable institutions and trusts of a public character under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Please click Inland Revenue Department website to check for details. [2] Donations over $100 are tax deductible in Hong Kong with our receipts. [3] Please DO NOT fax any donation information.
[ePrayer – Pray for violence against women in Pakistan to cease]
Praise God that good progress has been made so far on the Violence Against Women Prevention Project by partner CGDC. This project has set an example for churches in Pakistan to speak out on Violence Against Women (VAM) with a focus on promoting Christian family life and teaching people what the Bible says about domestic abuse. In the first 6 months, pastors in 4 churches were trained to counsel victims and deal with perpetrators; 31 field visits were conducted. A video documentary will be produced by this August, hope that it will be completed on time.
Pray for violence against women in Pakistan to cease:
Pray for the many visits and family counselling activities to be done;
Give thanks: on the First National Conference on VAW, delegates from 3 provinces participated and they found it informative and eye opening;
There are many requests for VAW sessions to be launched in other areas. Pray that many different district areas can join this project in the next phase.
[1] CEDAR is an approved charitable institutions and trusts of a public character under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Please click Inland Revenue Department website to check for details. [2] Donations over $100 are tax deductible in Hong Kong with our receipts. [3] Please DO NOT fax any donation information.
