Praise to Peace Agreement between KIO and Myanmar Government

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ePrayer – Pray for Kachin community in Myanmar]

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The Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) signed a tentative peace agreement with the Myanmar government in late May, the last of the 11 major ethnic armed groups to do so since 2011. Key issues are yet to discuss including how to develop an equitable peace economy and proper regulation and management of Kachin’s rich natural resources. CEDAR partner KLCC has been taking care of displaced families who take shelter at church compounds, school hostel and displaced camps.

Pray for Kachin community in Myanmar:

  • Pray that the peace agreement will secure lasting peace in the country.
  • Pray for God’s provision as KLCC start to secure new land to settle displaced families in Government allocated area. 
  • Pray that God to raise up HK churches/Christians to partner with CEDAR to respond to needs in Kachin State. 

Donate Now! Click here.

Other Methods of Payment

  1. Cheque payable to ‘CEDAR FUND’
  2. Deposit to HSBC A/C No. 600-385678-001, enclosing with the Pay-in slip
  3. Autopay (only applicable to regular fixed donations), enclosing with a completed Autopay Authorisation Form (Download: WORD or PDF)
  4. Visa/ Master Card

Download Donation Form

Please send a completed Donation Form, enclosing with cheque or pay-in slip, to CEDAR FUND, G.P.O. BOX 3212, HONG KONG.

Donation Form: WORD or PDF

[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.

Security Concerns Rise at Syrian Refugee Camp

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ePrayer – Pray for the refugees camps in Jordan]

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The conflict between for and anti-Syrian Ba’ath Party government is still ongoing after its break out in March 2011. Till February 2013, the Syrian conflict has caused 70,000 deaths, about 1.2 million displaced in Syria and as many as 1 million Syrian refugees fleeing to neighbouring countries such as Jordan.

Za’atari camp is one of the camps for the Syrian refugees in Jordan. It was originally built to accommodate around 60,000 Syrian refugees yet it is now hosting at least 140,000. As the numbers in Za’atari have swelled, safety and security have degenerated. Aid workers have frequently faced attack during aid distributions. Tents, mattresses, gas and other products are smuggled in and out through a thriving black market, which often charges refugees exploitative prices for essential goods. The Jordanian government is implementing measures to improve security for the camp, but aid workers say the efforts are limited by funding constraints and have yet to make a difference. [Guardian, CNN, Reuters]

Pray for the refugees camps in Jordan:

  • Pray for God’s protection and provision to Syrian refugees in Jordan;
  • Pray for the safety of aid workers, journalists and citizens there;
  • Pray that people with experience and proper training can support the fundraising, aid distribution and management of refugee camp sites.

New Opportunities for Post-conflict Resettlement in Myanmar

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ePrayer – Pray for the Myanmar resettlement project]

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In the past few decades, there were continuous conflicts between the Karen and Burmese government army in the mountainous areas in Mon State, causing countless deaths and injuries. A year ago, the Burmese government went through a big reform and ceased the fire, bringing peace to Karen people. CEDAR supports local partner to implement post-conflict resettlement project there.

Give thanks that 4 ladies from a protection and resettlement programme in Mon State were selected to spend 6 months in India to receive training on solar engineering! They are the first group in the country to receive this training opportunity. Three agricultural experts will carry out a habitat assessment and data analysis to provide discussion and develop action plans on watershed management and agroforestry to 4 project villages in Mon State.

Pray for the Myanmar resettlement project:

  • Pray for the ladies’ adjustment, time of learning and their families back home. 
  • Pray that through the exchange and training local villagers and leaders can result in a blueprint of how best to protect and improve the water quality and other natural resources in the watershed.
  • Pray for partner’s logistical arrangement and coordination with local leadership and related authorities.     

Donate Now! Click here.

Other Methods of Payment

  1. Cheque payable to ‘CEDAR FUND’
  2. Deposit to HSBC A/C No. 600-385678-001, enclosing with the Pay-in slip
  3. Autopay (only applicable to regular fixed donations), enclosing with a completed Autopay Authorisation Form (Download: WORD or PDF)
  4. Visa/ Master Card

Download Donation Form

Please send a completed Donation Form, enclosing with cheque or pay-in slip, to CEDAR FUND, G.P.O. BOX 3212, HONG KONG.

Donation Form: WORD or PDF

[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.

Pray for Conflict Affected Lisu in Myanmar

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ePrayer – Pray for the displaced Lisu]

Last June, the conflict between the Burmese government and the Kachin rebel group in Myanmar has forced some 75,000 people displaced. CEDAR has been supporting one local Lisu church partner to provide emergency relief (food items and clothes) to displaced refugees. Unfortunately, the conflict has intensified recently.

For many years the Lisu people are caught in between the fighting and conflict of the KIA armed group and Burmese military forces. The Lisu people have no arms and do not fight but often out of their will reluctantly became a source of supply to the two armed groups. Their crops & livestock get taken away, their children get kidnapped and conscript to work as porters and child soldiers.

Our local church partner is now taking care of displaced Lisu people who are seeking safety at their churches and student hostels. As these newly arrived Lisu children and youth do not speak Burmese, our partner is hoping to provide tutoring lessons to assist them to pursue an education while giving the the children protection at the hostel. The annual cost to recruit four teachers is US$7,200.

Pray for the displaced Lisu:

  • Pray that our partner is able to hire teachers to give lessons to the war affected Lisu children;
  • Pray for more humanitarian access into the conflict area to meet the dire needs of the large displaced population;
  • Pray for a long-lasting peace in the affected areas.

Donate now to provide learning opportunty & education to displaced Lisu children.

Afghanistan Community Development Project

Posted on by 施達基金會

Farza was once a fertile piece of land in Kabul of Afghanistan and was especially famous with its grape vineyards.  But it has been for the past few years the frontier of conflicts between the Taliban and the Northern Alliance.  When the Taliban retreated, people began returning to their villages.  The place has been converted into a devastated state by reason of the war.  It lacks health and sanitation facilities.  It was reported that about 45% of the children there can go to schools, but actually the figure may be lower.  People’s living there is difficult by reason of unemployment, lack of arable land, illiteracy, poor health, gender inequalities and vulnerability to disasters.

CEDAR has been supporting our partner in Afghanistan in its services for over 1300 villagers in Farza since 2007. A group based approach is applied in building up relationship of mutual trust, love and aid among the villager members.  Each of the 44 self-help groups receives some basic health and literacy education and skills training of different kinds every week.

Agricultural trainings bring solution to villagers’ problem on unbalanced diet.  In the project, new farming techniques on fruit tree farming and kitchen gardening are introduced bringing improvement to villagers’ health as well as the environment. A number of livelihood trainings including animal husbandry, fish farming, tailoring and carpet making are also provided.  The project also consists of micro-credit loans to assist those unemployed villagers in setting up their own small businesses.  Some would do animal and poultry husbandry and sell the fresh eggs and milk in the local bazaar at reasonable price.  Meanwhile, women groups will receive education on basic health care bringing improvements to their physical health.  The project also encourages mutual aid funds among group members for community developments.  Eight of the groups have started money saving plans for installation of water blocks so as to protect their field from flooding.