Every time there is a disaster, we feel sad and anxious for the suffering victims. While some people would pray for them, others would donate generously or organise a fundraising campaign, and some people would form a volunteer team to serve the devastated survivors through humanitarian work or counselling support. Although we try to give what we can, in the face of a natural disaster, we still feel helpless and powerless, because what could we do to stop tragedies that are not of our control?
In 2015, the massive earthquake in Nepal brought irreversible destructions: close to 9,000 casualties, 3.5 million people lost their homes, and Kathmandu Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was severely damaged. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated that the overall damage of the quake was about US$10 billion (about half of the country’s GDP). So, is it true that we cannot prevent a disaster from happening?
Written by: Tony Chan (CEDAR’s Senior Partnership Development Officer and Pastor)
Matthew chapters 5 to 7 documented Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. At the end of the teaching, He invited the crowds to make a choice: Enter through the narrow gate and live faithfully according to His teachings. He pointed out the consequence of their choices (7:13-23). Jesus then told the parable of the wise and foolish builders; and the wise would put His words into practice (7:24-27).
Jesus often took reference from daily life to explain through parables about difficult teachings. From the parables of the house builders, we learn that even in Jesus’ times, people were aware of the power of the nature and would try to avoid disaster from happening. These verses are often used as biblical proof of the importance of disaster prevention. But, as we study it, let’s also look at the context of Jesus’ teaching and think how we should respond to it wisely.
Since a renewed outbreak of conflict in Rakhine State of Myanmar in August 2017, another 702,000 Rohingya refugees arrived at Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh; increasing the total refugee population to 915,000. Approximately, 1.3 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in the area.
CEDAR and other Integral Alliance(IA) members have been responding to the situation by not only providing support to the Rohingya refugees, but also assisting the host communities. CEDAR has allocated funds to support Tearfund Bangladesh and the Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh (CCDB) to install facilities like latrines, tube wells, solar light systems; distribute items such as cooking stoves and mosquito nets; and set up Child Friendly Spaces for children and youth to learn. In host communities, we will form Self Help Groups to help improve their livelihoods and increase household income and organise disaster management committees to build capacity of locals and refugees on disaster prevention and disaster risk reduction.
As Lent is coming to an end this year, it’s our hope to have aided you in the journey of loving God, one another, and the land with this “Reconciling with the Land” ePrayer series, through the promotion of mindful uses of resources and ending our habits that would exploit the environment God has given us. However, taking care of the land is not a festive activity! We shall never neglect the consequences of our actions on the environment at any given time, no matter how busy we might be. Our partner, SATHI, and the slum community in Bangladesh, set an example for us in loving the land daily.
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.
[“SHARE” Oct – Dec 2017 ] FOCUS ~ Church and Community Mobilisation
Written and edited by: Tsun Wan Yan, Jojo Poon
The act of poverty alleviation often gives the impression of aid workers carrying with them gifts of livestock and funds sponsoring children and their education to some remote villages. However, have you ever considered that the local churches are better suited in bringing continued and sustainable development and support to the people in need?
