Child Rights for ALL Children

As a peer educator, Taslima (middle) often catch up with other girls in the community to learn about issues they are facing

[“SHARE” Oct – Dec 2017 ] JOIN HANDS JOIN HEARTS

Every individual has their rights despite their social status, age, gender, and education level. According to the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, every child should have the rights to survive and thrive, to be protected, to participate and make their voices heard.

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Using Local Resources to Transform Communities

In response to the Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh and Myanmar, CEDAR and other Integral Alliance members are in the process of providing emergency relief to the displaced. Amidst emergencies and crises, outside help is much needed, such as food aid and medical supply, to provide life-saving help to the affected. But when it comes to development work, the most important changes are brought about by the community itself, using its own resources.

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South Asia Floods Relief Enters New Stage

CEDAR’s partner, ACN, in Nepal has been distributing much-needed relief aid to vulnerable families

Nepal, India, and Bangladesh have been facing the worst monsoon rains in 15 years, triggering severe flooding across the three countries. Over 1,200 people have been killed, and 41 million people have been affected. CEDAR’s partners begun their responses the week after the flooding intensified. The initial responses were carried out in Nawalparasi district in central Nepal and Bihar state in northern India, providing emergency relief items for affected communities.

The response is entering a new stage right now. CEDAR has allocated funds for Asal Chhimekee Nepal (ACN) in Nepal to provide hygiene kits and winter items for 600 households and provide half-month food supply for 200 families (most of them are single-mother households) in Nawalparasi. In Bihar, India, CEDAR is supporting EFIC@R to set up 5 medical camps in affected communities to provide health services and medication, and to also promote human trafficking prevention to help flood-affected people, especially women and children, to safeguard themselves from traffickers.

We have also received a grant of HK$2.88 million from the Hong Kong government’s Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee to conduct aid distribution through our India partner, Evangelical Fellowship of India Commission on Relief (EFICOR), in one of the worst-hit states, Bihar. The distribution will benefit at least 5,000 families, and each household will receive:

  • Food aid: 35 kg rice, cooking oil, flour, etc.
  • Household items: 3 bed sheets, 2 floor mats and 2 mosquito nets
  • Hygiene kits: containing soap, laundry detergent, tooth brush, tooth paste, water purification tabs, and sanitary pads

Two of our colleagues will travel to India to monitor and evaluate on the response, as well as to learn about the condition of the flood-stricken communities. Please continue to support through prayers and donation for the relief effort of CEDAR and its partners in Nepal and India.

Prayer items:

  • Pray for the flooded communities in Nepal, India, and Bangladesh, especially those located in remote areas, may God provide safe shelters for the survivors, give them clean daily food, protect them from diseases despite the poor hygiene condition after the floods.
  • May God use CEDAR and other Integral Allicance* members and their local partners in the three countries to bring timely and effective assistance to the survivors.
  • Please pray for the two colleagues who will be traveling to India. Pray that God keep them safe, and have a smooth and fruitful collaboration with EFICOR’s staff.

Donation:

(Please mark “South Asia Floods Relief”)

[1] All funds received will go to “South Asia Floods Relief”. 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

CEDAR’s Relief and Rehabilitation Work in the past: http://eng.cedarfund.org/relief
CEDAR Approach on Relief and Rehabilitation: http://eng.cedarfund.org/relief-approach/
FAQs on Relief Appeal: http://bit.ly/cedar-relief-FAQe

integral_s21
*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. CEDAR and 14 other members of Integral Alliance are responding to flood-affected communities through local partners and churches.

41 Million Affected by Heavy Flooding in South Asia

Incessant rainfalls have triggered widespread flooding in South Asia, affecting over 41 million people, including vulnerable women and children.

Torrential downpour have caused severe and widespread flooding in India, Bangladesh and Nepal, killing 1,200 people and affecting 41 million people. Countless homes have been damaged and destroyed. Many are displaced and deprived of food and water for days.

The region’s monsoon season last from June till September every year, but some aid agencies said things are worse this year. The United Nations said the situation could possibly deteriorate further as rains continue in some flood-affected areas and flood waters move south.

affected_area

In India, over 32 million people are affected. Several rivers are flowing at dangerous levels in some regions, and helicopters are being sent for rescue operations. The government has established nearly 2,000 relief camps for the displaced.

One-third of Bangladesh is inundated by flood. A total of 32 districts and over 8 million people are affected. The flood has damaged and destroyed about 700,000 houses. Directorate General of Health Services in Bangladesh said there are 13,000 confirmed cases of waterborne diseases, and 2,000 medical teams have been deployed to provide medical support for the affected.

In Nepal, at least 1.7 million are affected by the flood. 460,000 people have lost their homes. Some areas recorded the heaviest rainfall in 60 years. Multiple infrastructures like schools and health facilities are destroyed. As flood waters washed away crops and damaged farmlands, communities’ livelihoods will be severely impacted.

20170830_SA Floods_02s1Houses are damaged or destroyed amidst flooding, leaving over a million people in despair.

20170830_SA Floods_03s1CEDAR and other Integral Alliance members are supporting local partners to respond to the urgent needs of the affected.

CEDAR and 12 other members of Integral Alliance are responding to flood-affected communities through local partners and churches. The initial response includes:

  • Distribution of food aid to affected households
  • Distribution of hygiene kits and water filters to secure communities’ health
  • Distribution of other items such as tarpaulins, shelter kits, mosquito nets and cooking utensils

Prayer items:

  • Pray that flood waters will subside, so that relief teams can access remote areas to bring aid to more survivors.
  • As flood-stricken communities are prone to outbreaks of waterborne diseases, pray that the affected can receive medical support; and pray for the health of relief workers.
  • Pray for wisdom for our partners to plan the next phase of response.
  • Pray for the people who have lost family, homes, livestock and farmlands. May God bring them comfort and help them to stand back up again on the road to recovery.
  • Pray for God’s providence of funding, so our partners could carry out response work; may all help and support from churches and brothers and sisters make an impact in the lives of the affected, bringing them love and hope.

Donation:

(Please mark “South Asia Floods Relief”)

[1] All funds received will go to “South Asia Floods Relief”. 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

CEDAR’s Relief and Rehabilitation Work in the past: http://eng.cedarfund.org/relief/
CEDAR Approach on Relief and Rehabilitation: http://eng.cedarfund.org/relief-approach/
FAQs on Relief Appeal: http://bit.ly/cedar-relief-FAQe

integral_s21
*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.

 

Sources:
http://news.trust.org/item/20170825093321-6vomq/
http://reliefweb.int/report/india/flood-situation-uttar-pradesh-remains-grim
http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/ROAP_Snapshot_170828.pdf
http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Monsoon%20Floods_Bangladesh_HCTT_SitRep1_28Aug17.pdf

South Asia Floods: The Disaster that Didn’t Make Headlines

Incessant rainfalls in South Asia have triggered massive floods and landslides, destroying farmlands, houses and roads, as well as killing innocent lives. It is estimated that up to 41 million people are affected in India, Nepal and Bangladesh, where over a million people are displaced. Survivors are experiencing food and water shortages, and humanitarian workers fear the outbreak of waterborne diseases.

Continue reading South Asia Floods: The Disaster that Didn’t Make Headlines

We Shall Not Give Up

A group of former trafficked and prostituted women gather to pray at the Salvation Army centre

As you may have read our July – September newsletter or ePrayer articles over the past few weeks, we are focusing on human trafficking issues this quarter. We have shared about how CEDAR and our partners fight against human trafficking particularly in Asia. Through Rescue, Prosecution, Rehabilitation and Prevention, we serve trafficking victims as well as high-risk groups.

Continue reading We Shall Not Give Up