Yemen in Push to Ban Child Brides

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ePrayer – Pray for the child brides in Yemen]

First Phase Digital

Yemen’s rights minister will press for the minimum age of marriage to be raised to 18, after the reported death of a young girl on her wedding night. Rawan, aged eight, was said to have died earlier this month from internal bleeding after sexual intercourse, following her marriage to a man in his 40s. Activists have claimed the bill was shelved when ultra-conservative legislators from the Islamist Al-Islah party blocked it.

The local activist has been involved in a campaign against child brides in Yemen, a nation ravaged by years of strife and widespread poverty. Many impoverished families arranged their girls married in early age to relieve the financial burden and made the bride gift as a source of income. There is no clear definition in the country of what constitutes a child, making it difficult to battle the practice. It said that 14 per cent of girls in Yemen were married before the age of 15, and 52 per cent before 18, citing Yemeni and 2006 data from the UN. In some rural areas, girls as young as eight are sometimes given in marriage to much older men. [AFP]

Pray for the Child Brides in Yemen:

  • Pray that the government can address the problem by rising the legal minimum marriage age to 18 and implementing the law effectively. Pray for an end to the culture practice of Child Brides.
  • May God protect the girls in Yemen. Pray that their educational rights and holistic development will be secured, and they can live out the dignity and values granted by God.

Support Post-war Development in Myanmar

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ ‘SHARE’ Sept-Oct 2013 – Myanmar – A Beam after the War Flame ]　STEP INTO THE WORLD

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CEDAR partners with Christian communities of the Kachin, Shan, Wa, Karen and Mon people groups in the following projects:

  • Providing basic living support for orphans of conflicts and natural disasters
  • Providing agricultural training in impoverished villages
  • Providing land registration and farming assistance for returning families
  • Assisting post-war communities to open schools, protect the environment and manage water resources
  • Helping women and children vulnerable to violence and trafficking at borders

Please support the Myanmar Relief and Rehabilitation Fund so post-war communities can rebuild lives.

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.

Drop-outs and Pre-school Children Benefited from Children Education Project in Bangladesh

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ePrayer – Pray for children education in Bangladesh]

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The partner World Concern Bangladesh implements the programme including supporting teachers’ salary, training,and education material to help the drop-out pupils re-entering into the education ladder. Give thanks that a new component was added in the programme – 10 pre-schools were started with 180 toddlers studied there. The partner is also glad to know that the passing rate of the students from 19 schools in the 1st terminal exam was 96%.

Pray for children education in Bangladesh:

  • Pray that the income generation plan for parents could be executed as the partner cannot afford another new staff to separately run this programme; 
  • May our Lord sustain the Friday schools of Christian education in this Islamic country.

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.

Remember Remote Villages in India Orissa States

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ePrayer – Pray for the community development projects in India]

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Partner EFICOR, in partnership with SCOPE, launched community development projects aiming at sustainable livelihood and capacity building in villages in Orissa, India. It is glad to note reduction in seasonal migration (poor peasants getting to work far from home after the harvest season) and there is increase in crop yield and household income. Local leaders in a village have got involved in resuming water supply. Treatments with medicine and operation by an eye hospital nearby are extended to the villagers. SCOPE staff is graceful in receiving various trainings in skills and knowledge fit for the projects.

Pray for the community development projects in India:

  • Pray for further reduction in seasonal migration;
  • Village children used to quit their studies in response to parents’ command to collect plants for making wines and cigarettes. Pray for these families!

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.

World Population Day 2013: Focus on Adolescent Pregnancy

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ePrayer – Pray for development rights of adolescent girls]

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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.

When Caring About the Community Becomes a Job | TANG Po Shan

Posted on by 施達基金會

[ ‘SHARE’ May-Jun 2013 – Seeing It with Our Eyes ]　CEDAR’S BLOGGER

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Author> TANG Po Shan, Education and Promotion Officer

I often ponder this question: As a staff in a relief and development organisation that mobilises and encourages community concern amongst Christians, how deeply do I actually care about my society, or am I merely doing a job?

Indeed, it is wonderful to have work that combines one’s interests and ambition. It is a good thing if a person cares about his society and is able to work in a civil group or NGO, that promotes social changes through different channels such as education, services, community development, policy initiatives and social actions. Of course, caring for the society is not a privilege of a select few because it is our civic responsibility. In that face of various issues of modern society, we need skilled and able people, such as social workers, to act as frontline promoters and executors. My question is, when our work becomes routine, or when caring about society becomes a livelihood skill, would we be confusing means and ends?

I frequently ask myself, am I someone who cares about society? Outside of work, how much do I care about the society’s current affairs and how much am I concerned with the weak and disadvantaged groups? Do I keep silent in face of unrighteousness? Am I interested in spending time to listen to the poor? Am I willing to contact marginalised groups? I ask these questions not to set criteria, nor to imply anyone who fails to meet them would show that s/he is unconcerned, for I am against legalism. I believe that this is a kind of self-confrontation, to face my own life honestly, admit my self-righteousness and weakness and ask God to watch over me and have mercy on me when I fail.

Truly, concern for society is an attitude and one focus in our lives, and it should flow naturally from life. Caring about society is not about what we do but how we become someone who cares about other people and practises righteousness. I believe that, as Christians, caring for society is a spiritual discipline leading us to see people and the world as the Lord sees them, and in all areas of our life ‘to act justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with God’.

When we have been at our daily task long enough and are so familiar with certain methods and teaching, things can become habitual, and even more alarmingly we ourselves do not believe what we say or do. This reminds me to reflect often on my work, challenge myself to leave my comfort zone and be courageous in walking the path of faith.