Churches who participate in MBC’s programme realise their mission to serve their neighbours and community through Bible studies
We have shared with you CEDAR’s work in Yunnan in a previous ePrayer where we are actively facilitating churches in China to take part in transforming their own communities. Using the SALT model, we hope to help believers to establish relationship with their community as the salt of the world. We thank God for the great testimonies told by them. Today, we would like to share our similar efforts on mobilising churches in Myanmar to take part in their community.
Over the last three years, CEDAR have been partnering with Myanmar Baptist Convention (MBC) to encourage about 50 churches to train their congregation in transforming their communities, using the Umoja approach. Following the lead of the Holy Spirit is a core value of Umoja. Facilitators would conduct regular Bible studies to help believers realise their mission given by God; and through prayer, they would ask for the Holy Spirit’s help to think about ways to practise their faith in their community.
This was taken when an IA member organisation visited refugees in Bangladesh. The site was filled with makeshift shelters Rohingya build for themselves
In August, the Rohingya people received attention from the international community once again. Since late August, violence and conflicts in Rakhine state, Myanmar have caused at least 620,000 Rohingya to flee to Cox’s Bazar in the southeast part of Bangladesh.
According to the United Nations, there are about 1.2 million people – including the 200,000 Rohingya arrived before the new influx in August and host communities – in need of assistance.
Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh (CCDB), a local Christian relief organisation in Bangladesh, told us that many Rohingya families have established themselves in spontaneous sites and lived in temporary shelters built with bamboos and tarps. Besides the highly overcrowded environment with poor hygiene condition, the makeshift shelters are vulnerable to fire, heavy rain and strong wind.
The first five years of a child’s growth is very critical, thus malnutrition could cause detrimental impact on a child’s development, putting them at greater risk of diseases and death
The site where Rohingya are staying does not have sufficient sanitation facilities. CEDAR and partners hope to improve the community’s hygiene and prevent outbreak of diseases through the project
To respond to the urgent needs of the Rohingya families and the host communities in Cox’s Bazar, CEDAR is partnering with other Integral Alliance’s member agencies to support CCDB to provide following assistance:
Sanitation & Hygiene:
Establish 25 new latrine facilities for 250 households
On site sludge management for 250 temporary latrines that cover 4,000 households
Provide hygiene promotion messages to 4,000 households
Nutrition:
Reach out to 4,000 Rohingya households to identify and refer children with moderate to severe acute malnutrition to appropriate clinic for treatment
Reach 4,000 Rohingya households who have children under 5 with moderate to severe acute malnutrition with nutrition related information, preventive and curative knowledge
Shelter and Non-food Items:
Provide 1,000 Rohingya households and 500 local families with shelter repair and maintenance kits, as well as winterisation kits (including blankets, mats and clothes)
This relief project begins in November for 6 months. The total project budget is HK$2.8 million, partially supported by CEDAR.
Act now! Support our humanitarian response in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
Donation:
Cheque payable to “CEDAR FUND”
Deposit to HSBC A/C No. 600-385678-001, enclosing with the deposit slip
[1] All funds received will go to “Rohingya Refugee Response”. If funds raised exceed the budget devised from the disaster evaluation, the additional amount will go directly to CEDAR’s “Emergency Relief and Disaster Preparedness Fund”.
[2] CEDAR is an approved charitable institution and trust of a public character under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Please visit Inland Revenue Department website for details.
[3] Donations over HK$100 are tax deductible in Hong Kong with our receipts.
[4] Please DO NOT fax any donation information.
Contact Information:
Tel>2381 9627
Fax>2392 2777
Email>sharing@cedarfund.org
Add>G.P.O. Box 3212 Hong Kong
Integral Alliance is a global alliance of 23 Christian relief and development agencies, working together to present a more effective response to poverty worldwide. CEDAR Fund is one of the member agencies.
Ethel, a participant of this year’s Barefoot Walk, writes, “It was my first time to join CEDAR’s Barefoot Walk. I was excited and ready to walk for the victims of human trafficking. But when the moment comes to take off my shoes, suddenly, I felt insecure: would I get bacterial infection if my feet get hurt? As if this anxious feeling was urging me to step out of my comfort zone.”
