13 minute read
YEAR IN REVIEW
AFGHANISTAN
WARMTH IN WINTER
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Winters are hard in mountainous Afghanistan with average daily temperatures of 1.2C in December and January. For the most vulnerable, this is life threateningly cold. Our local Christian Partners support immediate humanitarian needs through a winterization program, helping families prepare for the cold by adapting shelters, providing essential medicines, and ensuring there is enough food. A total of 9,924 people benefited from this program. to beekeepers in Nepal and Malawi,’ said Peter Crompton, agricultural teacher at Wycliffe Christian School, ‘that they’d see their beekeeping is part of God’s plan for us to bring the blessings of his kingdom to our world.’
AUSTRALIA BEES FOR GOOD
Beekeeping generates more than buzz—it provides income that is good for the earth and doesn’t require land ownership. That’s why it’s taught in our livelihood programs in Nepal and Malawi. Students in Sydney’s Blue Mountains are also learning beekeeping in their agriculture class. Donations collected from the honey go to Baptist World Aid for livelihood training programs overseas. ‘I’m praying that as we get into beekeeping this summer, the kids will feel a connection
AUSTRALIA LOVE BEYOND OUR BACKYARD
Shirley (center) became a Child Sponsor after hearing about Baptist World Aid years ago at her church in Tasmania. ‘You always hope that having a heart for others rubs off on your kids and their kids,’ Shirley said. ‘It’s pleasing to know that we can make a difference to someone else’s life.’
Following in her footsteps, Shirley’s daughter, Cindy (left), used her childhood pocket money to become a Child Sponsor herself, and is still one today. And Shirley’s granddaughter, Kelsea now works with Baptist World Aid, as an International Programs Coordinator helping build community resilience and respond to disasters.
‘We’re not meant to live as islands,’ Cindy said. ‘As Christians, we’re called to live in community and support each other, even across the globe’. For more on Kelsea’s story, visit bwaa.co/love-beyond.
FROM WAR, DISPLACEMENT, AND NATURAL DISASTERS TO AN UNPRECEDENTED GLOBAL HUNGER CRISIS, 2022 HAS BEEN A TOUGH YEAR. BUT LOOKING BACK, WE ALSO SEE HOPE. HERE’S HOW DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES ARE BUILDING A BETTER WORLD AMIDST THE HEARTACHE, WITH OUR LOCAL CHRISTIAN PARTNERS.
BANGLADESH FISH FARMS AND VEGGIE GARDENS
Before Pomilla met our Christian Partner, her rural life in Bangladesh was not unlike 65 per cent of her country’s population: full of challenges to find food, stay healthy, and get clean water. Poverty was a way of life. Pomilla’s husband is a garment worker, and her daughter is a member of our Partner’s Child and Youth Club. So, when she learnt through the same Christian Partner how to grow a garden, access clean water and build a fish farm, she knew she’d be able to take care of her family. Now Pomilla sells bananas, vegetables, and fish at her local market, and no longer worries about feeding her family.
THIS IS MORE THAN A CARD IT’S Your Gift Towards A INSPIRED?Better World For All. Through our Partners, we provide communities with support, resources and training to overcome poverty. GIVE A GIFT Families are lifted up. They can put food on the table, withstand THAT MAKES tough times and enjoy fullness of life as God intends. STORIES LIKE SCAN AND DISCOVER MORE THESE HAPPEN. bwaa.co/better-world-gifts
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CAMBODIA FOOD IS BETTER SHARED
Each month, Meng, an elderly farmer in Cambodia, opens his home and farm for a fellowship meal with his community. Together, they share food— cabbages, bananas, and fish to name a few—that he learnt to cultivate during agricultural training sessions with our local Christian Partner in Cambodia.
ETHICAL FASHION ABOUT THOSE SHOES
Are your shoes ethical? This year’s Ethical Fashion Report and Guide includes an expanded focus on ethical practices in the footwear industry. It also gives even more transparency over how brands are protecting workers and the environment, so we know which companies we can ask to do better.
‘The 2022 results show us what needs to change to bring justice for workers and protection for our planet,’ said Peter Keegan, Director of Advocacy. ‘It helps us be better informed citizens and provokes us to act.’ Scores have also changed from an A to F grade to a score out of 100, giving shoppers a clearer picture of how brands are performing against ethical standards. Find out more on our website bwaa.co/see-the-guide.
Year In Review CONTINUED
INDIA HEALTHCARE FOR ALL
When the second wave of COVID hit, hospitals in India faced a crisis, running out of beds and medical equipment. Our Christian Partners provided new beds, PPE, flooring, and essential medical equipment. One hospital received a portable X-ray unit, which meant staff no longer had to transfer COVID patients to the X-ray room and risk further infection. Another hospital’s staff had to travel 150km away to the nearest oxygen plant to refill their small tanks two to three times a month. Our Partners provided larger tanks, which meant fewer trips and fewer patients turned away. They also gave 1,499 Indian households a subsidy to meet basic needs, including COVID tests and medication. ‘It was satisfying to welcome all who came without worrying about financials,’ said a hospital staff member.
INDONESIA FOOD RELIEF DURING COVID
COVID-related lockdowns meant people across Indonesia, whose livelihoods depended on daily wage jobs, struggled to feed their families. Our Christian Partners provided multi-purpose cash grants for vulnerable families, to spend on food, medical expenses, and education. Our Partner also sent 810 nutritious food packs to vulnerable families impacted by the lockdown in Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, and Nepal.
KENYA
LEBANON DOCUMENTS BRING HOPE
Farah’s* parents dream of the day she and her sisters will receive official ID papers. She lives in Lebanon with her family; all except her mother are stateless. In Lebanon, a woman is unable to transfer her nationality to her children. Only a father can do so. When Farah was nine, our Christian Partner helped her mother find a school where she could enrol with only a birth certificate. ‘I was so happy when my daughters were accepted; at last they would have an education!’ her mother said.
‘With the help we are getting, we feel more hopeful. Our life is hard and we sometimes are helpless because of the situation. But we are not alone anymore, and we can hope for a better future for our daughters.’
*Name changed for privacy
LEBANON HELP FAR FROM HOME
A FARMER NAMED JUDY
There was a time when Judy wasn’t sure she and her husband would have enough food to last more than a few months. Working their 1.5 acres of land in the Kitui county of Kenya, Judy struggled to expand their crops, especially with erratic rainfall. But since she learnt new agricultural techniques through our Christian Partners, she saw her crop yields grow 700 per cent! Today, Judy produces 720kg of maize and 225kg of mung beans, despite the below-average rains. ‘Now we have enough to eat and usually a balanced meal,’ she said. ‘Our children can study at night too with our solar lights and their performance has really improved.’ After years of distress, Wafaa and her husband fled Syria to Lebanon with their six young children in search of peace. She is one of 89 million people around the world today displaced by conflict. In Lebanon, Wafaa’s family live in an unfinished one-room stone house along with her sister’s family. They are now safe from the bombs, but life is still difficult.
INDIA INDONESIA KENYA LEBANON MYANMAR NEPAL
Through the work of our Christian Partners, the family has food, blankets, mattresses, and heating supplies. They’ve enrolled their younger children in an education centre, facilitated by local churches who provide education for the children, and pastoral care and social interaction for the whole family. ‘Some people from our community were not pleased with us getting to know the church,’ said Wafaa. ‘So I told them that I wished we all were like the Christians and that we all had the mercy, love, and honesty that they have within their hearts.’
MYANMAR JOIN OUR PRAYER
Dear Lord, please bring an end to the violence in Myanmar and help leaders to find their common humanity. Help vulnerable, internally displaced people find strength, protection, and provision in you. We pray for justice, and practical care for innocent children, vulnerable people, and families who have fled from their homes due to military attacks. We pray for wisdom for the international community, and for mercy from neighbouring countries. May your presence to be evident throughout Myanmar. In Christ, Amen.
NEPAL
SUSTAINED AND THRIVING TOGETHER
No matter how hard Sani and Deepson worked, their farm in Nepal couldn’t produce enough to support their family. Both parents were forced to take on second jobs, meaning that Deepson moved to Mumbai, while Sani stayed behind to care for the farm and family. Things became even more difficult when COVID lockdowns struck and they both lost their jobs, leaving them struggling to care for their three children. Our Christian Partner provided resources, equipment, and training to help Sani and Deepson get the most out of their property. Soon, their farm was able to sustain them all, and even produced enough to pay for extra expenses like school. ‘The people of Australia have helped us,’ Sani said. ‘I would like to thank them very much.’
NEPAL HEALTHY MUMS AND BABIES
NEPAL FROM AUSTRALIA WITH LOVE
Imagine a pregnant woman walking several kilometres over hilly dirt roads, just to reach the closest hospital because no safe transportation is available. That’s what Rajmati faced when she went into labour and her husband walked her to the nearest government health centre, only to be referred to another centre 56km away. It was an obstetric emergency, and her family couldn’t afford an ambulance. Thankfully, a nurse knew of a support fund our Christian Partners provide, that immediately offered to pay the ambulance fee. Rajmati’s baby was safely delivered and today, Rajmati and her baby are healthy and well. ‘Many here can’t afford the transportation,’ Rajmati said. ‘So, I am grateful they helped to save my child’s life.’ The Queensland Baptist Women partnered generously with Baptist World Aid at their Anew Conferences this year. In countries like Nepal, COVID has meant maternal and neonatal deaths are on the rise and children are more at risk of early marriage. Women at these conferences gave over $18,700 to our New Life Appeal. A number of women also became Child Sponsors, some partnering with more than one child.
Year In Review CONTINUED
NEPAL
HOPE FOR EQUALITY
Citizenship and the right to own property in the Kapilvastu region of Nepal is typically restricted to men, even when husband and wife are working side by side. This affects the women’s sense of value, and negatively impacts the occurrence of gender-based violence. But things are changing. With support from the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), our Partners are helping couples work through actionreflection steps to understand what it means to be joint owners of property. Through these processes, any fears around the change are addressed, and couples together choose an equal status. homes damaged nation-wide. In the immediate aftermath, they supported families with basic shelter kits after their homes had been destroyed and now, they’re continuing the long task of helping rebuild homes in the communities they serve. ‘I’m so thankful someone could help us,’ said Leah, mum of two, ‘so we can rebuild our house.’
PAPUA NEW GUINEA KEEPING HOSPITALS OPEN
Our Christian Partner helped keep Baptist-run hospitals in Papua New Guinea open during the pandemic, with one hospital providing healthcare for over 153,560 people in a 12-month period. ‘This was a tough year for us, especially with COVID and other related financial constraints we experienced as a nation. We were so grateful for support, so that we were able to provide and deliver this very important service to the rural population of PNG,’ said a hospital staff member.
THE PHILIPPINES REBUILDING AFTER RAI
Our Christian Partner in the Philippines has been helping communities recover after the devastation caused by Typhoon Odette (Rai) in December 2021. The typhoon destroyed over 4,000 homes in the region where our Partners work, with 1.7 million
SOLOMON ISLANDS PROTECTION FROM COVID
Because of prior training and planning, when the COVID outbreak occurred in Solomon Islands, our Christian Partner knew what churches would need to provide effective disaster response. Baptist World Aid funded the distribution of hand sanitiser, masks, and disinfectant. Eight water tanks were also purchased and installed for villages across Solomon Islands to ensure hand washing facilities were available to all.
SOLOMON ISLANDS YOUTH CREATING A BETTER FUTURE
Many young people in the Solomon Islands face challenges with drugs, alcohol, and young pregnancy. This year, our Christian Partners continued to implement the Model Community Development program (MCD) throughout the country, engaging youth in various initiatives and providing training in health, landscaping literacy, agriculture, and more. Participating in this work equips the youth with valuable skills for the future. Over the past year, 2,080 people have been provided with access to clean water and sanitation, five communities have graduated from the program
NEPAL PAPUA NEW GUINEA THE PHILIPPINES SOLOMON ISLANDS TONGA UKRAINE
as ‘model communities’, and secure footpaths have been built to improve safety. ‘We now experience life like never before. Thank you, Baptist World Aid, for supporting us,’ said one community member.
TONGA RISING FROM THE ASHES
When Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai volcano erupted in Tonga, people from Mango, Atata and Kanokupolu islands lost their homes and fled to the main island of Tongatapu. Still living in evacuation centres, they now face the challenging task of feeding their families. Our Christian Partner is helping 2,000 people from 12 displaced communities construct greenhouses to grow nutritious food. They have provided items from local suppliers such as gardening tools, greenhouse materials, and fencing, so families can eat and be nourished.
UKRAINE HELPING PEOPLE SURVIVE WAR
The conflict in Ukraine has left 6.6 million people in the country without homes, and in need of food and emergency supplies. Our Christian Partners have provided support in a variety of ways, including: • 48 trucks filled with packages of long-life food to Ukrainian communities. From the end of May to June, 10,000 children, women and men received these packages; • 150 tonnes of food (that’s as heavy as the Statue of Liberty) to Western Ukraine, as well as medical teams to provide care; • Families displaced in Ukraine received cash transfers to help
By May 2022, Andriy and his colleagues had delivered food and other items from our Partner to over 24,000 people in 32 locations around Ukraine.
them survive, with plans to support those returning home, and trial the provision of teams, materials, and tools for small-scale house repairs; • Each day, Baptist Churches in
Ukraine provide temporary shelter for up to 45,000 people who are journeying west to cross the border into neighbouring countries.
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