Christian Aid Podcasts

Christian Aid’s partner, the South Sudan Council of Churches, is an ecumenical body which brings together the main churches in South Sudan. It has formulated a powerful action plan for peace involving advocacy for peace, supporting neutral forums for dialogue and truth telling, and grassroots reconciliation. In this podcast, some of the key members of the SSCC talk about prospects for peace in South Sudan, and share their Christmas prayers.

Hear Joydip Kundu, a conservationist with the Society for Heritage and Ecological Researches in Kolkata, explain why tigers attack humans and how they keep millions of people in south Bengal safe from the devastating impacts of climate change. This audio is part of Christian Aid’s interactive story: The tiger, the fisherman, his wife and our future.

http://www.christianaid.org.uk/tigers

#ClimateChange #WorldEnvironmentDay #India #Tigers

For World Health Day we are highlighting the work of Tesfa Association, a member of the National Network of Positive Women Ethiopians.
Christian Aid communications officer, Amanda Farrant, recently visited Ethiopia to find out more about Tesfa’s work. She witnessed how Tesfa is empowering men and women living with HIV to go into their communities and show others that it is possible to live happily and live positively.
As Amanda explains, it starts with a cup of coffee…
#health #Ethiopia #HIV

In Kenya, too many children don’t make it through their first day of life – of those who don’t, the vast majority are killed by preventable illnesses or complications in childbirth. And for women in Kenya, childbirth can be dangerous. They are 40 times more likely to die in childbirth than mums in the UK.

Through our Christmas appeal, Christian Aid is determined to change this.

Our partners are working to get vital healthcare to mums and babies. Together we’re providing village motorbikes and rough terrain ambulances to get women safely from hut to hospital. By building local maternity wings, and equipping them with everything from delivery beds to incubators, we’re giving thousands more babies a chance at life. We’re training community health workers and traditional birth attendants to support expectant mothers, wherever they are, to make sure they get the healthcare they need.

These days, wise women don’t bring frankincense. They bring life-saving care.

Support our Christmas appeal this year and the UK Government will DOUBLE your donation. Visit www.christianaid.org.uk/getinvolved/c…as/index.aspx to find out more.

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was a disaster unlike any in recent history. The race to deliver aid and rebuild communities involved coordination between governments and aid agencies on an unparalleled scale. Lessons learned have since been applied in emergencies, such as the Haiti earthquake in 2010 and Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013. In this audioboom, Nick Guttmann, our Head of Humanitarian, describes how the Boxing Day disaster changed emergency work around the world.

This podcast is part of Tsunami: 10 years after the wave, a multimedia production by Christian Aid.

http://www.christianaid.org.uk/tsunami

The impact of #Ebola goes further than those directly affected by the deadly virus. Christian Aid's Tomi Ajayi has recently returned from #SierraLeone. She talks about how our colleague and his family were suddenly quarantined.

For more information visit http://www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies/areas-of-concern/ebola-in-sierra-leone.aspx Photo courtesy of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH.

Fear is sweeping across parts of northern Iraq as hundreds of thousands of people flee for their lives to escape Islamic State militants. Many of them are persecuted religious minorities, including Yazidis and Christians. In this podcast Janet Symes, Head of Middle East at Christian Aid, talks to Middle East Communications Officer, Amy Merone. She describes the fear facing people in Iraq and tells of how these are unprecedented times for Christian Aid in the Middle East.
Help us to reach out to desperate places. Visit www.christianaid.org.uk/Iraq
#conflict #Iraq #Sinjar

Christian Aid believes that while the scale of destruction and suffering in Gaza is unprecedented, the current crisis should not be a surprise to anyone. In this podcast, Communications Development Officer Amy Smith talks to Christian Aid’s Advocacy Officer for the Palestinians and Israel William Bell. He explains why we believe the current crisis is the result of decades of political failure and continuous Palestinian displacement.
Please donate now to the DEC Crisis Appeal to help us provide desperately needed essential healthcare, psychological and social services, and longer term support to the people of Gaza.
http://www.christianaid.org.uk/Gaza

#Gaza #humanitarian #displacement #christianaid

On 22 July 2014 Christian Aid joined the Girl Summit - a global movement to put an end to female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage – hosted by the UK Prime Minister and jointly organised by the Department for International Development (DfID) and UNICEF.
Nyaradzayi Gumbozvanda, of Christian Aid’s partner organisation World Young Women’s Christian Association (World YWCA), was lucky enough to attend. Here she talks to Press Officer Melanie Hargreaves about her own experiences of child marriage, how World YWCA is tackling the issue, and what her hopes are following the Girl Summit.

World Cooperative Day happens every year on the first Saturday of July. When we realised that two members of the Kuapa Kokoo cocoa farmers’ cooperative in Ghana were in London, we jumped at the opportunity to interview them. This year Kuapa Kokoo is celebrating its 20th year so we asked them all about the cooperative, their relationship with Divine Chocolate and what they hope to see over the next 20 years.
#chocolate #cooperatives #divine

Rosie Crowther, emergency programme officer at Christian Aid, talks about her recent trip to South Sudan where fighting continues despite peace agreements signed by President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar. Whilst there she spoke to people fleeing their homes, both within the country and those heading for the border into Ethiopia. Currently over four million people are in need of humanitarian assistance.

15-21 June is World Refugee Week – a chance to highlight the plight of over 15.4 million people worldwide who have fled their homes and countries for fear of their lives. Often leaving home with nothing, they endure arduous and dangerous journeys to new countries, only to end up in makeshift homes and camps with little to survive on.
This podcast looks at one of the biggest refugee crises facing our world today – the fleeing of millions of Syrians from a bloody conflict that has just entered its third year. Christian Aid is working with local partners in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon to support these refugees and help make life better for them. Lucy Batchelor, our programme manager for the Syria emergency explains what she has seen on a recent visit to refugee communities in Northern Iraq, and why it’s crucial that we continue to support them.
For more information please visit: www.christianaid.org.uk/syria
#syria #refugee #iraq #christianaid #humanitarian #aid #war #conflict #emergency

As football fever takes hold of the world this month, Communications Officer Cat Goldson interviews Brazilian Mara Luz – Christian Aid’s Deputy Head of Latin America and the Caribbean – to get an insider’s view of The World Cup. She talks about lots of issues ranging from the building of the stadiums, public expenditure costs, FIFA’s tax breaks and a campaign win for street vendors against a FIFA ruling.
If you’d like to add your voice to our FIFA tax campaign – telling FIFA to stop imposing rules on World Cup hosts that give sponsors huge tax breaks – go to www.lasjugadasdelafifa.inspiraction.org/en
#WorldCup #Brazil #football

Typhoon Haiyan devastated the Philippines on 8 November 2013. In this podcast, Christian Aid’s Ted Bonpin looks back at the courage and strength of people affected, the generosity of supporters, and the inspiration he’s drawn from the communities he’s visited. In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan we were there, in the hardest hit parts of the Philippines, delivering vital relief to thousands of families caught in the path of the storm. More than 14 million people were affected by the typhoon, and a further 4 million forced from their homes. Six months on and for many, already facing a future without precious loved ones, the anxiety and worry of making ends meet remains – the struggle to feed, clothe, house, educate and care for themselves and their families persists. Our local partners have been helping people restore their lost livelihoods and rebuild their lives. Find out more http://www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies/current/philippines-typhoon-appeal/index.aspx (Photo –a community market day organised by Christian Aid partner Coastal Core-CERD brings together households and sellers of fish, fruit and vegetables. Beneficiaries are given cash vouchers. Not only does this enable them to buy vital food items, it also helps stimulate the local economy)

‘We can now live together safely and this brings my children courage and hope. This is so important to us so that we can now begin to forget.’ In this podcast we hear the story of Anoon Aleu, who returned to South Sudan to build a better life for her family and to rebuild her country following independence in 2011. She feared for her children’s safety and wanted a life of freedom for them in their homeland. Anoon and her husband, Madut, have built a new home, with a cash grant received from Christian Aid partner HARD. Anoon sees this new house as a symbol of hope bringing together her family safely under one roof. Christian Aid's partners in South Sudan are working with families like Anoon's to provide long term development solutions, whilst also responding to the current escalation in violence and the crisis facing many of those displaced from their homes.

#caweek #conflict #southsudan #development #emergency

In the 1980s the Ba’ath regime, led by the then Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, launched a genocidal campaign against the country’s Kurdish people. Thousands of Iraqi Kurds were killed in chemical attacks and whole villages destroyed. Today, while many communities have rebuilt their homes and villages, poverty in rural northern Iraq is still prevalent. In this podcast, former communications officer, Antoinette Powell, shares her reflections on visiting a village in northern Iraq where Christian Aid partner REACH works to support a community whose lives were destroyed by conflict and ensuing poverty. #caweek #conflict #peace

How do we know how much benefit our development work actually achieves, and for whom? A recent research study carried out for Christian Aid by the new economics foundation calculated that every £1 of funds spent generated £8 of financial and social benefits not only among people directly targeted by the Filling the Gaps project, but also for their wider communities. Understanding where and how we are delivering value for money is an increasingly hot topic as supporters and donors rightfully expect us to demonstrate our accountability. Measuring this value is complex and there is much debate across the sector around how to do it meaningfully and cost-effectively. In this recent report using a Social Return On Investment approach, we look at the social and financial benefits achieved by two partners in Kenya involved in the Comic Relief funded project to improve the quality of life for people living with HIV through increased access to treatment and therapy. Find the full report here: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/images/Filling-the-gaps-social-ROI-analysis-May-2013.pdf

This Easter, we hear from two Christian Aid staff members who went to visit our partner, CIPCA, last year. CIPCA work with indigenous communities in the Bolivian rainforest helping them to earn a secure income, to produce more food and also to protect the land they live on. Part of Christian Aid’s support has enabled CIPCA to build a chocolate processing factory in the rainforest allowing cocoa growers to transform their beans into more valuable chocolate bars. CIPCA also provide families or groups of families with different types of small animals like sheep and hens which have adapted to thrive in the rainforest environment providing them with an extra source of protein and income.
#chocolate #Easter #chicks #sheep #Bolivia

With the latest findings from climate scientists making grim reading Christian Aid has published a new report Taken by Storm which outlines how 7 different countries are being affected by climate change and what Christian Aid partners are doing to help. Co-author of the report, Christian Aid's Senior Climate Change Adviser, Dr Alison Doig, explains what the latest science means for the planet.
To check out Christian Aid's new easy-to-read report Taken By Storm: Responding to the impacts of climate change, visit http://www.christianaid.org.uk/resources/policy/climate/index.aspx

#IPCC

Crisis in South Sudan
More than 900,000 people have been displaced amid escalating violence in South Sudan since 15 December 2013. The UN estimates that considerably more than 10,000 have been killed.
Political tensions have been building for many months in South Sudan since President Salva Kiir – leader of the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Movement (SPLM) - dismissed the entire cabinet in July last year.
Despite the signing of a Cessation of Hostilities agreement on the 23rd of January this year, violent clashes between the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army (SPLA) and opposition forces loyal to former Vice President Riek Machar have continued unabated.
An estimated seven million South Sudanese are at risk of food insecurity this year, with the UN Security Council now warning that the deteriorating humanitarian situation and continuing violence could result in famine at the beginning of 2015.
Listen to our policy advisor Natalia Chan who explains more about the current crisis in South Sudan.
For more information visit our website http://www.christianaid.org.uk/index.aspx

In the second of two podcasts to mark three years since the start of the conflict in Syria, Mark Ohanian, Director of Programmes at IOCC, a Christian Aid partner, talks about the work of the organisation inside the country. Working through their local partner, the Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development, they have reached more than 1 million people in desperate need. To find out more about our work in the region, or to donate to our appeal, visit www.christianaid.org.uk/syria.

International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8th every year. Its aim: to celebrate the achievements of women whilst focusing world attention on areas in which women and men are still unequal. And gender based violence is just one such manifestation of gender inequality that exists the world over. This podcast showcases a new approach to tackling gender based violence which partners in Zambia and Sierra Leone are championing; involving men as part of the solution. As Emma Mwinga (pictured) from Zambia National Women's Lobby says: "We're engaging men and boys to be advocates of change within our communities."

In this podcast, Adrian Ouvry, Head of Humanitarian Division at Christian Aid, explains the huge need that remains in Haiyan hit areas, the challenges ahead, Christian Aid's emergency response and what we’ll be doing in the near future. It’s three months now since Typhoon Haiyan tore through central Philippines on 8th November 2013. More than 14 million people were affected and a further 4 million forced from their homes. In the coming weeks and months Christian Aid partners will be supporting farmers and fishers as they slowly begin to restore their livelihoods http://www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies/current/philippines-typhoon-appeal/eyewitness/efren-fishing-boat-livelihoods-income.aspx

Since the conflict in Syria began in March 2011, almost 900,000 refugees have crossed the border into Lebanon in search of sanctuary. For a country with a population of just 4.5 million, the influx of refugees has swelled the population by almost 25 per cent. Lebanon is a country that is teetering on the edge of breaking point; struggling to cope with the burden of so many refugees in desperate need. Christian Aid partners are working in Lebanon to provide practical, as well as emotional, support to some of the most vulnerable refugee communities. In this podcast, Communications Officer, Amy Merone, reflects on her recent trip to Lebanon. #Syria #Lebanon #conflict

Brazilian Paulo Ueti is a Bible scholar, theologian, and passionate campaigner against gender violence. He brings these elements together in his work supporting faith communities to deal with violence against women and girls.
In this fascinating interview, he discusses the role of church and theology in facing this issue, in the country with the 7th highest rate of domestic violence in the world. Part of our 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence series.

Christian Aid press officer Melanie Smith is currently in the Philippines and travelled to Ormoc in Leyte province - one of the hardest hit areas. She explains the dire situation facing people affected by the recent typhoon. To donate to the DEC emergency appeal and help our local partners provide urgent assistance visit http://www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies/current/philippines-typhoon-appeal/index.aspx
#Typhoon #Haiyan #emergency #humanitarian #Philippines

During and after emergencies, such as conflicts and natural disasters, women and girls are at the most risk of abuse. Lack of protection and provision for their needs leaves them vulnerable to sexual exploitation, violence, mental and physical illness and death. This week, the government’s Department for International Development (DFID) has organised a high-level event to ensure that the prevention of, and response to, violence against women and girls is prioritised in emergency situations.

Coree Steadman, Christian Aid regional emergency manager for Asia and the Middle East, talks about the humanitarian situation on the ground and explains how our local partners are helping with the relief effort.
To donate to our emergency appeal and help our local partners provide urgent assistance visit http://www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies/current/philippines-typhoon-appeal/index.aspx
#Typhoon #Haiyan #emergency #humanitarian #Philippines

South Sudan is the newest country in the world. Wracked by two civil wars, insecurity and unrest are still a challenge in some states. In this podcast, John Gang Amot, a Christian Aid partner speaks to Gen Lomax, a Communications Officer, about his lost childhood as he was taken from his parents at the age of 12 to become a child soldier. In this heart felt account he tracks his long and dangerous journey across the desert to Ethiopia, tells of the hardships of training camps and how he survived life in a refugee camp in Kenya, before returning home to find his family and rebuild his homeland.
#conflict #development #South Sudan #poverty # Ethiopia #Kenya #child soldier

This week the Christian Aid Collective launch a new film and spoof campaign, Leftovers For Africa, to raise awareness of poverty and hunger. The film follows eager entrepreneur Dan Stirling as he tries to encourage people to save their leftover food in charity envelopes to send to Africa, in a bid to solve world hunger. Aiming to inform young people of how they can be part of the fight against world poverty, the film ends with a positive – and more practical - message from the Christian Aid Collective telling viewers how they can really help.
To watch the film go to: www.leftoversforafrica.org.uk

Christian Aid recently took the decision to phase out our Jamaica programme where we have been working since the 1990’s. In this podcast, Communications Officer Cat Goldson interviews Andy Croggan - Christian Aid's Head of Latin America and the Caribbean - to find out why this decision has been made. She also interviews Rhian Holder - Christian Aid's Jamaica Country Manager - to find out about the work we have supported and what we have achieved.

The brightly coloured swings and roundabouts on Gaza’s beaches are filled with children whose laughter and chatter fills the air. Despite the ongoing conflict in this tiny strip of land, life goes on. But what is it like for a child or young person to grow up in Gaza? What effects does living in, and through, conflict have on children and young people, and what is life like for the people of Gaza? In this podcast, Communications Officer Amy Merone speaks to Majeda Al Saqqa from Christian Aid partner the Culture and Free Thought Association (CFTA), to find out how they supported children and young people following the conflict in November last year.
#Gaza #MiddleEast #conflict #development

For Christian Aid, unequal distribution of power and unfair abuses of power are at the heart of poverty. And the greatest, most pervasive inequality in the world is that between women and men. Communications officer Lilly Peel talks to Christian Aid’s gender champion Nina O’Farrell about why it is so important to put gender equality at the heart of our development work. She also explains Christian Aid’s theological perspective on gender and how we are working with faith leaders in countries such as Brazil, Ethiopia and Nigeria on new readings of the Bible to address gender-based violence and harmful gender norms. Find out more about Christian Aid's gender work here: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/whatwedo/in-focus/gender/
#gender #faith #development #faithleaders #Brazil #Ethiopia #Nigeria

Early monsoon rains believed to be the worst in 80 years have affected up to a million people in the state of Uttarakhand, northern India. Over 800 people have died and with thousands still missing the Indian government suggest the death toll could rise above 5,000. Christian Aid partner CASA is already on the ground providing immediate relief. In this podcast, Yeeshu Shukla of Christian Aid reports from Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand - one of the worst affected areas. Donate now to the India Floods Appeal http://www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies/current/india-floods/index.aspx

Joseph Stead, Christian Aid’s Senior Economic Justice Advisor, talks about Christian Aid’s new report, ‘Invested Interests: The UK’s Overseas Territories’ Hidden Role in Developing Countries’ and reveals that UK-linked tax havens are at the centre of a global financial system that encourages crime, corruption and aggressive tax avoidance in developing countries.
Joseph explains both what the UK government can do and also how Christian Aid supporters can get involved through the Enough Food IF campaign. http://enoughfoodif.org
The report is available on the Christian Aid website: www.christianaid.org.uk/Images/Invested-interests-tax-report-June-2013.pdf
#tax; #havens; #campaign; #campaigning; #G8; #IF; #enoughfoodIF; #food; #hunger

While Kenya exports a wide variety of crops, many Kenyans continue to go hungry. The World Food Programme estimates that more than a million Kenyans will need food assistance this year and malnutrition remains one of the country’s biggest childhood killers.

As the G8 summit approaches, Christian Aid has joined more than 200 other organisations to call on them to take decisive action to tackle hunger around the world as part of the IF campaign. In this podcast, Antoinette Powell talks to Alvin Mosioma, director or the Tax Justice Network, Africa, about how tax could lift millions of Kenyans out of a cycle of poverty and hunger. To find out more about the IF campaign visit www.christianaid.org.uk/actnow
#tax; #IF; #Belfast; #G8; #campaign; #food; #hunger; #ChristianAid; #charity; #enoughfoodIF; #Kenya; justice; #Mosioma; #TJNA

Twenty years ago, a young couple called Orestes and Alcinda were living with their three young children in a makeshift black plastic tent, with no services or sanitary facilities, and cooking over a campfire, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in the south of Brazil.

Today, Orestes and Alcinda have their own home and their own farm, and are members of the cooperative that is Brazil’s largest producer of organic rice.

Hear their voices and their remarkable journey in this podcast, made to celebrate small holder farmers and land rights for the poor, critical in global food production, as we get ready for the Enough Food for Everyone IF campaign's Big IF rally in Hyde Park on Saturday 8 June.

More than 150,000 people have arrived in northern Iraq, fleeing the ongoing crisis in Syria. In this account, Christian Aid communications officer Antoinette Powell reflects on the news from Syria she hears each day through the BBC and her time spent meeting refugees in informal camps in northern Iraq.

Christian Aid’s Syria Crisis Appeal is enabling our partners in Lebanon and Iraq to respond to the growing Syrian refugee crisis. Christian Aid partner REACH is working in informal refugee settlements around Sulaimaniya, providing essential items such as food and hygiene kits to 1,500 refugee families. Our ACT Alliance sister agency, International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), is also providing support to people in desperate need inside Syria itself. Please visit www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies to support the appeal.

#Syria; #Iraq; #refugees; #displaced; #IDPs; #displacement; #conflict; #emergency; disaster; #MiddleEast; #ChristianAid; #charity

Alex Prats, Christian Aid’s Principal Economic Justice Policy Advisor, talks about Christian Aid’s new report, 'Who Pays the Price? Hunger: The Hidden Cost of Tax Injustice', and explains how the scandal of world hunger could soon end if the revenues that developing countries lose through tax dodging were available to them to invest in agricultural development. Alex also explains how Christian Aid supporters can get involved and hold politicians to account by joining the Enough Food IF campaign.

http://enoughfoodif.org/

To read the report http://www.christianaid.org.uk/images/Who-pays-the-price-Hunger-the-hidden-cost-of-tax-injustice-May-2013.pdf

Earlier this year Judith Sadler, North East regional manager at Christian Aid, visited Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. In this moving podcast she reflects on her time in the region; sharing her personal insights and experiences. If you would like to pray for peace in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, and across the Middle East, you can join the Act Palestine Forum prayer vigil on the 24th of every month. For more details visit www.actpalestineforum.org/vigil. #MiddleEast #conflict #peace #HolyLand

This Christian Aid Week (12-18 May 2013) we're focusing on projects around the world that are helping communities to bite back at hunger. In this podcast, Christian Aid's Susan Barry reflects on her time visiting the Bhejela community in Zimbabwe with whom she shared food and worship. The community have been working with Christian Aid partner the Dabane Trust to build a sand dam to provide them with a reliable source of water which they are using in their community garden to grow food. For more information please visit www.caweek.org

Dr Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, became Chair of Christian Aid’s Board of Trustees on May 1 with a plea to Christians to become agents of social justice. Having stepped down from his former job as Archbishop in December, Dr Williams said he was pleased to still be working with and for people living in poverty around the world. ‘In the last few years as Archbishop of Canterbury I became more and more aware of the priority of development and aid issues worldwide,’ he said. ‘I wondered before I stepped down from office how best to carry on with the work that had really excited me and engaged me. So when the suggestion came to chair Christian Aid I was really delighted.' Dr Williams, who is also Master of Magdalene College Cambridge, begins as Chair less than two weeks before the start of Christian Aid Week which kicks off on May 12. For more information go to www.christian-aid.org.uk/caw.

Dr Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, became Chair of Christian Aid’s Board of Trustees on May 1 with a plea to Christians to become agents of social justice. Having stepped down from his former job as Archbishop in December, Dr Williams said he was pleased to still be working with and for people living in poverty around the world. ‘In the last few years as Archbishop of Canterbury I became more and more aware of the priority of development and aid issues worldwide,’ he said. ‘I wondered before I stepped down from office how best to carry on with the work that had really excited me and engaged me. So when the suggestion came to chair Christian Aid I was really delighted.' Dr Williams, who is also Master of Magdalene College Cambridge, begins as Chair less than two weeks before the start of Christian Aid Week which kicks off on May 12. For more information go to www.christian-aid.org.uk/caw.

Dr Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, becomes Chair of Christian Aid’s Board of Trustees today, May 1, with a plea to Christians to become agents of social justice. Having stepped down from his former job as Archbishop in December, Dr Williams said he was pleased to still be working with and for people living in poverty around the world. ‘In the last few years as Archbishop of Canterbury I became more and more aware of the priority of development and aid issues worldwide,’ he said. ‘I wondered before I stepped down from office how best to carry on with the work that had really excited me and engaged me. So when the suggestion came to chair Christian Aid I was really delighted.' Dr Williams, who is also Master of Magdalene College Cambridge, begins as Chair less than two weeks before the start of Christian Aid Week which kicks off on May 12. For more information go to www.christian-aid.org.uk/caw.

This Christian Aid Week (12-18 May 2013) we're focusing on projects around the world that are helping communities to grow themselves enough food to eat, not just for today but for tomorrow. In this podcast, Christian Aid’s Susan Barry explains how a simple text message containing weather forecast information is proving to be revolutionary for farmers in Kenya. Susan talks to Jimmy Wetindi who works for Christian Aid in Kenya about why this project is necessary, and also interviews Truphena Iriri, a local farmer, about the change these text messages have brought for her and her family. For more information please visit www.caweek.org

The good news is malaria deaths in Africa dropped by a third between 2000 and 2011. The bad news is more than half a million children still die each year. But the worst bit is that these deaths are preventable. Malaria is both preventable and curable, for relatively little money, yet access to nets, treatment and diagnosis is not equal. As we approach World Malaria Day 2013, Antoinette Powell talks to John Kitui, Christian Aid’s programme advisor on community health, to discover how our partners are helping to address this inequality. Find out more about Christian Aid's work on malaria at www.christianaid.org.uk/whatwedo/in-focus/hiv-malaria-health/index.aspx #malaria #prevention #inequality #nets #Africa

Tens of thousands of people took action as part of the “Enough Food for Everyone IF” campaign ahead of the government’s Budget and together we all played a key role to make the government keep its 0.7% aid promise.
However, if we want to be the generation to end global hunger, we’ve still got more big IFs to tackle. So far the government hasn't delivered on their tough talk and made big companies spill the beans on the taxes they owe overseas.
To understand why we need to keep the pressure up, CA_Global speaks with Mara Luz, Christian Aid’s Country Manager for Brazil, Jeanne Kamara Country Manager for Christian Aid in Sierra Leone and Charles Usie, Programme Manager for Christian Aid Nigeria.
For more information visit www.christianaid.org.uk/if

Few people would think of church leaders if asked to name heroes of the HIV response. But since its launch members of the International Network of Religious Leaders Living with, or Personally Affected by, HIV and AIDS (INERELA+) have been pioneering a new approach to prevention and challenging stigma associated with the virus. Antoinette Powell talks to one of its founding members, Reverend James Matarazzo, who explains why it was high time for leaders within the Christian church and other faiths to begin championing this work. Find out more about Christian Aid's work on HIV at www.christianaid.org.uk/whatwedo/in-focus/hiv-malaria-health/index.aspx #HIV #AIDS #INERELA+ #ANERELA+ #faith #prevention #SAVE #ABC #prevention #FaithLeaders #religion #stigma

Of the one million refugees who have fled from the conflict in Syria, more than 114,000 of them have sought refuge in northern Iraq. Living in hastily erected makeshift structures that offer no protection from the cold or the storms, refugee communities are in desperate need of water, food and medical assistance. In this podcast, Nameer Sallu from Christian Aid partner organisation REACH, speaks to us from Iraq about the refugee situation and how the organisation is seeking to help those in need. To donate to the Syria Crisis Appeal please visit www.christian-aid.org/emergency #Syria #Iraq #MiddleEast #conflict

19 March 2013 marks the 10-year anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq. The humanitarian impact of the invasion has been devastating. A lack of security, as well as access to basic services such as sanitation, water and health, continue to affect the lives of millions of Iraqis.
Christian Aid has been working in Iraq for almost 20 years. As well as providing assistance in the aftermath of the 2003 invasion, our partners are working in both the north and south of the country to support the poorest and most vulnerable communities. We are seeing seeds of hope as families rebuild lives.
I caught up with Phoebe Aranki-Stoves, recently returned from Iraq, to hear about the situation and our work there first hand.

The number of refugees who have fled the conflict in Syria has reached 1 million. Half of these refugees are children and most are under the age of 11. Many have made an arduous journey overland with their parents, hoping to find refuge in a neighbouring land. Christian Aid partners Association Najdeh and Mouvement Social are working in Lebanon to support refugee children who may be experiencing psychological and social problems as a result of their experiences. In this podcast, Janet Symes, Head of Middle East Region at Christian Aid and Tanya Khahil, Coordinator of Psychosocial Support at Association Najdeh, explain the effects of conflict on children, and the work that is being done to support refugee children from Syria. To donate to our Syria Crisis Appeal, please visit www.christianaid.org.uk/emergency #Syria #Lebanon #Conflict #MiddleEast

In the latest stages of the IF campaign we are asking supporters to email or meet their MPs to ‘spill the beans’ on tax dodging in the run up to the government’s pending budget review. Find out more about how important it is for the government to maintain its commitment to the aid budget and the life changing impact that taxes would make to people living in developing countries.

To take action visit http://www.christianaid.org.uk/ActNow/if-enough-food/if.aspx

#IFcampaign #if #enough #aid #tax #ChristianAid #campaign #campaigning #lobby #budget #MP #parliament #food #hunger #justice #Ghana

Millions of Britons are using consumer power to boycott companies seen to be avoiding their fair share of UK tax, new research reveals.

A ComRes survey about public perceptions around tax avoidance, commissioned by Christian Aid, found a third of Britons say that they are currently boycotting the products or services of a company because it does not pay its fair share of tax in the UK.

Almost half (45 per cent) say they are considering a boycott. Find out more and add your voice to the debate at http://www.christianaid.org.uk/lobby

In late December 2007, Kenya descended into violence. Clashes which had been sparked by President Kibaki’s declaration of victory were spiralling out of control. The conflict rocked Kenya and shocked the world. It took more than a month for peace to be restored. On 4 March, Kenya will again go to the polls - the first since these violent clashes. Christian Aid communications officer Antoinette Powell spoke to colleagues in Kenya about what the organisation is doing to prepare. For more information on our work in Kenya and around the world visit www.christianaid.org.uk
#Kenya #Kenyan #elections #presidential #polls #vote #voting #democracy #violence #conflict #Nairobi #KarimiKinoti #NicholasAbaya #Christian #Aid #ChristianAid #NGO #charity

For centuries, Haitians have been migrating to the Dominican Republic for work. The Dominican economy relies on this labour, yet Haitian migrants have no rights in the Dominican Republic and often work in bad conditions for very low pay.

The children of Haitian migrants born in the Dominican Republic are also facing discrimination. Their Dominican citizenship is being taken away from them and the result is that they become stateless.

Francisco Leonardo is a human rights lawyer from Christian Aid partner Centro Bono. He is helping to lobby the government for better rights and treatment for both Haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent.

#Haiti; #DominicanRepublic; #humanrights; #statelessness; #poverty; #identity; #migration; #discrimination; #identity; #migrant; #exclusion; #inequality

The violent conflict in Syria has affected more than four and a half million Syrians, over 800,000 of whom have fled the country. Christian Aid’s emergency appeal for Syria and the Middle East is helping those in desperate need. We spoke to Janet Symes, Head of Middle East region at Christian Aid, to find out how our partners in the region are responding to the humanitarian needs of those affected by conflict. To donate to Christian Aid’s emergency appeal please go to www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies. #emergency #Syria #Lebanon #Iraq #MiddleEast #humanitarian

As fighting continues in Mali, with French and allied African troops pushing rebel groups further north, thousands of families have fled the conflict. This has put pressure on food supplies that were already scarce, leaving many more facing hunger. Communications officer Lilly Peel speaks to Christian Aid’s country manager, Yakouba Kone, about the organisation’s response and what is being done to assist displaced families in Mali and in neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso.
For more information about our ongoing West Africa food crisis appeal visit www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies/current/west-africa-food-crisis/index.aspx
#Mali #conflict #hunger #WestAfrica #FoodCrisis

Claire Aston, Christian Aid's Churches Resources Manager, describes how the new 'Count Your Blessings' app, for Apple iPhones, iPads, iPods and HD Android, will help inspire your reflections throughout the 40 days of Lent.

Available on the app store and Google Play from 9th February. Visit http://www.christianaid.org.uk/getinvolved/lent-2013/count-your-blessings/apps.aspx for more information.

About Count Your Blessings:
Change lives, help end hunger and learn more about the world we live in with Count Your Blessings from Christian Aid. Each day from Shrove Tuesday to Easter Sunday, you’ll get a short fact or story, a stunning photograph and the opportunity to reflect, act or pray to help end poverty. You can take part on your own, or get your friends and church to join you.

The conflict in Gaza last November caused widespread destruction and devastation to homes, agricultural lands and infrastructure. The effects of trauma and shock endured by Palestinians during the week of intense bombing have emerged. In this podcast, Hala Gishawi from Christian Aid partner the Women’s Affairs Centre in Gaza, explains how the organisation is supporting women who experience poverty and injustice in their lives as a result of the Israeli occupation and the continued blockade of Gaza. Christian Aid has launched an appeal to help the people of Gaza and across the Middle East who are suffering as a result of violent conflict. Please visit www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies/current/gaza-middle-east-crisis-appeal/index.aspx #Gaza #Palestine #MiddleEast #Israel #gender #women #poverty #injustice #healthcare #conflict #occupation #blockade

On the evening of 23 January the London launch of the “Enough Food for Everyone… IF” campaign was held at Somerset House. The campaign will focus on ending global hunger and is the first time since Make Poverty History that the international development community has joined together to mobilise people for change. The launch was presented by Lauren Laverne and attended by hundreds including Bill Nighy and Bonnie Wright. In this podcast, Antoinette Powell, Christian Aid Communications Officer, spoke to The Right Rev Dr Alastair Redfern, Bishop of Derby, about what the "Enough Food for Everyone... IF" campaign is calling for. Find out more about the campaign at www.christianaid.org.uk/IF #tax #hunger #IF #Enough #campaign #ChurchTimes #Derby #Bishop #Redfern #SomersetHouse #BillNighy #BonnieWright #LaurenLaverne #BillGates #land #food #nutrition #health #poverty

The London launch of the “Enough Food for Everyone… IF” campaign was held at Somerset House on the evening of 23rd January 2013. The campaign, focussed on ending global hunger, is the first time since Make Poverty History that the international development community has joined together to mobilise people for change. The launch, presented by Lauren Laverne, saw a stunning 3D projection onto Somerset House. A host of famous faces added their support to the campaign, including Bill Nighy, Bill Gates and Angelique Kidjo. In this podcast, Christian Aid's Antoinette Powell catches up with some of the people who came along for the event. The overwhelming feeling surrounding the launch was one of optimism. Although the odds sometimes seem against us, we can end global hunger IF we choose to care and IF we all join together to take action. IF this happens, 2013 will be the year global hunger becomes part of our history, not our present. As Bill Nighy said in his speech “We are electing not to forget. We are choosing to care.”

‘It was like someone drowning in a sea and wanting any kind of help’ recalls Mahmoud Hussein (on the left of the picture). It’s been two years now since the popular uprising but the situation is far from settled. In this podcast we’ll hear from Mahmoud Hussein and his friend Mokhtar Mohammed Abdallah, both of whom were given the opportunity to earn a much needed income by Christian Aid partner CEOSS, in the wake of the uprising that began on 25 January 2011 and ended 18 days later with the fall President Hosni Mubarak and his near thirty year regime. Moktar and Mahmoud had never met before the cash-for-work project. Their strong friendship firmly forged in the face of adversity. To find out more go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/christianaidimages/sets/72157632552231504/ #egypt #revolution #uprising #tahrirsquare #solidarity #struggle #emergency #anniversary

There is enough food in the world for everyone… yet every night 1 in 8 people go to bed hungry. Today (23 January 2013) Christian Aid along with over 100 other UK organisations are launching a campaign called "Enough Food for Everyone…If"
It is the first time since Make Poverty History that the international development community has joined together to mobilise people for change. Together, we want to call for a fairer food system that works for all and ensure that 2013 is the beginning of the end for the global hunger crisis.

In this podcast Christian Aid’s Director, Loretta Minghella, explains the importance of the campaign, and how we can work together to fight the greatest injustice of our time: hunger.

To find our more please go to www.christianaid.org.uk/if
#hunger #if #campaign #aid #tax #transparency #land #food #enough

On 12 January 2010 at 16:53 local time, an earthquake struck Haiti of a magnitude not felt in more than 200 years. Measuring 7 on the Richter scale, the epicentre of the earthquake was just 10 miles from the capital city, Port-au-Prince. Combined with the shallow depth of the quake, just 5 miles below the surface, this natural disaster had an extreme and devastating effect on the country. More than 220,000 people died and many more were left homeless after building collapsed.

Paula Plaza, Communications Officer with Christian Aid, visited Haiti shortly after the earthquake. In this podcast, Paula reflects on the impact of the disaster and speaks to Prospery Raymond, Christian Aid’s Haiti Country Manager, about what has been achieved in the three years since the earthquake struck.

Visit www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies to find out more about Christian Aid's response to the Haiti earthquake.

#ChristianAid #Haiti #earthquake #disaster #emergency #appeal

As Typhoon Bopha devastated the lives of millions in the Philippines in the run up to Christmas 2012, the leaders of the world dithered in Doha.

This podcast recalls the damage done in the last year by extreme weather in the Philippines and what Christian Aid is and has been doing in response. Christian Aid's Mariana Paoli also tells us why the deal agreed at the recent UN climate change talks, held in Doha, Qatar between 26 Nov - 7 Dec, is weak and why the campaign for climate justice must continue.

#climate #doha #philippines #typhoon washi #typhoon bopha #justice #cop18

Climate blog -
http://www.christianaid.org.uk/ActNow/blog/december-2012/climate-qatar-strophe-in-doha.aspx

In 2011, thousands of Christian Aid supporters heard the story of Rogers Ochieng Otieno from Usenge, Kenya. For Rogers, Christmas Day was not a holiday. As a volunteer community health worker with the Rural Transport Network, run by Christian Aid and Virgin Unite, he would continue his work delivering vital healthcare advice and vital medicines around Nyanza province. One year later, we caught up with Rogers to find out how his work was going. For more on Christian Aid's work around the world visit www.christianaid.org.uk

In the run up to Christmas, as churches start holding Advent services and we begin to hear carols everywhere we go, many of us are thinking about a difficult journey through Biblical lands. Ten-year-old Salsabeel lives in today’s West Bank, and makes a painful journey to East Jerusalem three times a week to receive critical medical care. Nothing should stand between a seriously ill little girl and the medical services she needs. Yet Palestinian Salsabeel faces many barriers to treatment because of the Israeli occupation. Listen to this podcast to be carried along on Salsabeel’s long journey with her, and visit www.christianaid.org/christmas to find out more about her story and download Christmas resources. #Israel #Palestine #IOPT #WestBank #Jerusalem #PHR #health #rights

Fifteen per cent of the world’s population live with some form of disability. Yet despite this, around the world people with disabilities experience marginalisation and discrimination in their access to essential services. In this podcast to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December, Nader Abu Amsher, director of Christian Aid partner the YMCA rehabilitation programme in the occupied Palestinian territory, talks about a partnership with the Lebanese Physically Handicapped Union, which is helping to restore hope to the lives of people living with disabilities in the occupied Palestinian territory and Lebanon.

#disability #disabled #handicapped #Palestine #MiddleEast #Humanrights #international #Lebanon #YMCA #rights #employment #minority #discrimination

HIV related stigma and discrimination remain some of the main challenges in responding to HIV. They discourage people from getting tested and prevent open discussion about the virus. Christian Aid works with faith leaders in Burundi to challenge discrimination and promote care and support across communities. In this podcast, Christian Aid's Ally Carnwath reflects on witnessing the personal testimony of Tharcisse Harerimana, an HIV positive Pastor and member of Christian Aid partner BUNERELA+, who is working hard to encourage a greater openness and understanding within the community around HIV. Find out more about Christian Aid’s work on HIV http://www.christianaid.org.uk/whatwedo/in-focus/hiv-malaria-health/index.aspx #WorldAIDSDay #HIV #AIDS #Burundi

India's March for Justice (Jan Satyagraha) 2012 stands as a victory for the tens of thousands of people who marched. Their demands for greater rights to land, natural resources and shelter are inscribed in a written agreement signed by the national government. So what now? In this podcast Ekta Parishad's Jan Satyagraha campaign coordinator, Ramesh Sharma, rounds up the gripping events of the days leading up to the agreement, in conversation with Christian Aid's communications officer Sarah Filbey. On the same day that the Task Force set up to put the agreement into action met for the first time, Ramesh explains why he feels confident that promises made by the government this time will be kept. And why the campaign is far from done. http://www.christianaid.org.uk/whatwedo/in-focus/india-march-for-justice/index.aspx www.ektaparishad.com #EktaParishad #JanSatyagraha #marchforjustice #land #resources #rights #peacefulnegotiation #RameshSharma #India

Following the escalation in violence in the Gaza Strip Christian Aid has launched an appeal to respond to the humanitarian situation there and across the wider Middle East. We spoke to Christian Aid's consultant in Gaza Azzam AlSaqqa to find out what life is like in Gaza at the moment and how Christian Aid's partners are responding. To donate to Christian Aid's emergency appeal please go to www.christianaid.org.uk/emergency #emergency #Gaza #MiddleEast #humanitarian

Violence against women is the norm in most countries of the world. One in five women will be raped at some point in her life; seven in ten will be the victim of some form of violence. This is why the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence, which takes place between 25 November and 10 December, is a critical campaign, even if it doesn't have a very catchy name. In this podcast we look at some of Christian Aid’s work on this issue around the world, and speak down the line to Reverend Phumzile Mabizela in South Africa about wearing black on Thursdays to make this invisible issue visible. For more information about Christian Aid’s work on gender, visit www.christianaid.org.uk/gender

On 19 November people around the world will mark World Toilet Day. Christian Aid’s Antoinette Powell caught up with colleagues Sarah Filbey, Jonathan Allan and Susan Barry to hear about their best and worst toilet experiences and some of the 2.6 billion people living without access to good sanitation. In this podcast she reflects on the impact of poor sanitation and finds out what Christian Aid partners are doing to address it. To find out more about Christian Aid’s work please go to www.christian-aid.org.uk

Lebanon is classed as a middle income country, yet for the 10% of its population who are living with disabilities life can be a huge challenge. In this podcast Sylvana Lakis, programme manager for the Lebanese Physically Handicapped Union, a Christian Aid partner, talks about their work at all levels of Lebanese society in promoting the rights of people living with disabilities. From challenging the law, to helping people find jobs, LPHU believe that a society based on equal rights for all is the only way that justice can truly be achieved. #Lebanon, #MiddleEast, #Disability, #Disabled, #HumanRights, #Development, #ChristianAid, #Employment, #Law.