How people in Zimbabwe are fighting back against climate change with renewable energy

August 18, 2016

Takura Gwatinyanya works for CAFOD partner Caritas Harare in Zimbabwe. He recently met CAFOD supporters in England and Wales to talk about how Caritas Harare is using renewable energy to help to tackle the effects of climate change in the southern African country.

Takura and Caritas Harare are helping people in Zimbabwe face the challenge of climate change
Takura and Caritas Harare are helping people in Zimbabwe face the challenge of climate change

Pope Francis warns in Laudato Si’ that our interference with nature is particularly affecting areas in which the poorest people live.

This is all too evident for the communities that Takura and Caritas Harare serve in Zimbabwe. As we have caused the climate to warm, drought has dried up people’s water supplies, destroyed their crops and livelihoods, and increased the spread of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and diarrhoea.

Speak up to your MP for action on climate change

Takura recently visited parishes around England and Wales to talk about how the support of Catholics in this country is enabling people in Zimbabwe to overcome the challenges thrown at them by our exploitation of nature.

Continue reading “How people in Zimbabwe are fighting back against climate change with renewable energy”

“For the poor people of Rio, ticket prices for the Olympics are too high”

August 10, 2016

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Maristely, centre, leaning on a water butt at a workshop learning how to conserve water.

Maristely is the narrator of one of our Connect2: Brazil partners. She is currently a student in her final year at university, but alongside her studies she continues to participate in activities to defend the rights of people living in favelas and poor informal settlements with our partner, Movement for the Defence of Favelas (MDF) in São Paulo. Here Maristely talks about the 2016 Olympics taking place in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil this summer.

“On the sporting front, there is anxiety in making sure the Olympic Games take place.  But the way these Games will happen is depressing.

Since the World Cup and the Olympic Games were first announced in Brazil these kinds of mega sporting events were seen as opportunities for improvements in basic infrastructure of the country, but in the preparation process, there has been little space for civil society participation and technical  experts who know about urban development were not involved in the discussions.

Find out about Connect2: Brazil and how your parish can get involved

As the deadline approaches, there is a need for an accelerated release of funds to ensure that the games take place and that the infrastructure is ready. This leads to works that are not ready in time and rushed through quickly, resulting in the removal of poor urban inhabitants from good locations.

Continue reading ““For the poor people of Rio, ticket prices for the Olympics are too high””

Human rights: Dignified burials in Peru

August 10, 2016

Bea Findley travelled to Peru with CAFOD as part of the Step into the Gap programme, and in this blog explains how our partners are working on human right issues.

Bea with Clotilde, who is supported by CEAS
Bea with Clotilde, who is supported by CEAS

I’m writing this blog today because the political conflict in Peru feels like more than just history to me now; I have a real understanding of what the people went through and the difficulties of the recovery.

CEAS are the social action group of the Peruvian Bishop’s Conference. I met two women, Bernadina and Clotilde who receive support from CEAS in response to their suffering during the internal political violence which ended in 2000.

During that terrible time, approximately 70,000 people were killed or disappeared. 75% of these were from rural areas and 73% were speakers of the indigenous language, Quechua. A terrorist organisation called Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) began the violence and the army responded with more violence.

There were horrific mistreatments of people and breaches of human rights: people were tortured, killed, displaced and disappeared. Both the Shining Path, the army and other armed groups were responsible. Nobody could be trusted.

Continue reading “Human rights: Dignified burials in Peru”

Spotlight on Brazil: protecting indigenous peoples

August 9, 2016

Esther Gillingham is CAFOD’s Brazil Programme Officer. As the Olympic Games get underway in Rio, this World Indigenous Day (9 August) Esther turns the spotlight on our work with Brazil’s indigenous peoples.

Brazil is once again under the world’s spotlight. Just two years ago, Brazil spent roughly USD3.6bn of public money on stadiums for the 2014 World Cup. Now, when 25.8 million Brazilians live in poverty, and the country is experiencing its worst political and economic crisis in decades, Brazil is hosting a second mega sporting event: the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro from 5 to 21 August.

7 facts about Brazil you probably won’t hear at the Olympics

Brazil’s most vulnerable

In preparation, an estimated £3.8bn of taxpayers’ money has been spent and 77,000 people have been evicted from their homes. Here in the UK, I’ve found it difficult to ignore the headlines about the Zika virus, entrenched political corruption, and Olympics-related security breaches. But we rarely, if ever, hear about the threats posed to Brazil’s poorest and most vulnerable people.

On 14 July 2016, CAFOD’s partner, CIMI Tefé (Indigenous Missionary Council) organised a demonstration of indigenous leaders in defence of their rights, and presented a petition to the authorities demanding effective implementation of public policies. (Credit: CIMI Tefe)
On 14 July 2016, CAFOD’s partner, CIMI Tefé (Indigenous Missionary Council) organised a demonstration of indigenous leaders in defence of their rights, and presented a petition to the authorities demanding effective implementation of public policies. (Credit: CIMI Tefe)

Continue reading “Spotlight on Brazil: protecting indigenous peoples”

Supporting Kitui farmers with a Wessex Way bike ride challenge

August 5, 2016

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Paul and Wayne during their Wessex Way challenge to raise money for CAFOD’s work in Kitui, Kenya

Paul Bennett is Executive Chairman at CAFOD corporate partner b:ssec. Here he tells us about the challenge he and Wayne Ward, Managing Director of b:ssec, took on in May in support of vulnerable farmers in Kitui, Kenya.

What do you do when you’ve just cycled 187 miles off-track over three days?  Plunge yourself into the icy sea of course! Taking a cooling dip off the Eastbourne coast was an exhilarating end to a tough but amazing 3 days.

There’s still time to sponsor our Wessex Way challenge

All those months of evening training rides after a hard day’s work paid off.  Wayne and I not only completed the Wessex Way challenge we’d set ourselves, but finished in good spirits and in not too much discomfort! And the guilt-free cream tea before the train ride home was the icing on the cake. Continue reading “Supporting Kitui farmers with a Wessex Way bike ride challenge”

Spotlight on Brazil: the power of sport

August 5, 2016

Victoria Ahmed works in CAFOD’s Education Team.  She reflects on the transformative power of sport.

It has been a pretty amazing summer of sport so far. From cheering on the Wales football team to the semi-final match of the Euros, to celebrating Andy Murray’s Wimbledon championship win, I’ve been swept up in a summer of sport. So now I’m really looking forward to the biggest sporting event of the summer: the Olympics in Rio.

Find out more about our work in Brazil

As August rolls around I find myself recovering from an injury. With each warmer day I feel a little bit stronger, and I’ve been surprised at how much I’ve drawn inspiration and strength from athletes. Though not particularly sporty myself, I recognise the power of sport to transform – the drive, commitment and teamwork on display this summer has definitely helped me on the road to recovery.

Continue reading “Spotlight on Brazil: the power of sport”

Spotlight on Brazil: Passing on the Olympic torch

August 3, 2016

John McBride carrying the Olympic flame trough Barnard Castle
John McBride carrying the Olympic flame through Barnard Castle

John McBride is CAFOD’s Learning and Development Coordinator. Here he shares his fond memories of carrying the Olympic flame for CAFOD, and about meeting some of the partners who have inspired him to continue speaking out to protect our common home.

We are shining a light on Brazil this Olympic Games

2012 was a big year in Britain, Bradley Wiggins won the Tour de France, Andy Murray won at Wimbledon and Rory McIlroy won the US PGA. We also hosted the Olympic Games that proved to be a triumph. We showed the rest of the world that we were good at sports. In a small County Durham town, I made my contribution to the summer of sport by carrying the Olympic flame, representing CAFOD supporters and partners through the market town of Barnard Castle.

Continue reading “Spotlight on Brazil: Passing on the Olympic torch”

Connect2: Brazil: communities connected through the power of cake

August 2, 2016

The Chesham Union of Catholic Mothers at St. Columba’s RC Church have baked hundreds of cakes to raise funds for Connect2: Brazil
The Chesham Union of Catholic Mothers at St. Columba’s RC Church have baked hundreds of cakes to raise funds for Connect2: Brazil

The Chesham Union of Catholic Mothers (UCM) group at St. Columba’s RC Church have a long history of supporting CAFOD’s work with our partners in Brazil. Starting from fundraising to supporting children in need in general, they explain how they came to be a Connect2: Brazil parish.

Learn more about Connect2: Brazil

We have always raised money for children who were in need and following a presentation about sewer children in Mexico, we decided to change the focus to South America. Parishioners, past and present, of St. Columba’s RC Church in Chesham have regularly and for many years donated to CAFOD via the CAFOD Envelopes. CAFOD has been an organisation dearly close to our hearts and is always well supported within the parish.

Continue reading “Connect2: Brazil: communities connected through the power of cake”

One community, two years and 25 million litres of water – the Hands On story in Kenya

July 29, 2016

Starting in April 2014, nearly two thousand dedicated CAFOD supporters joined Hands On, and over the past two years have been funding an incredible water project in Kitui, eastern Kenya. As the project comes to an end, Sally Kitchener looks at the impact of these generous donations.

Tabitha records the rainfall in Kitui, Kenya
Tabitha records the rainfall in Kitui, Kenya

Tabitha holds the small plastic rain gauge up to the light to take the reading. She carefully leans over, balances a blue chart on her knee and writes down the measurement. It’s another zero. It should be the beginning of the rainy season here in Kitui, Kenya, but Tabitha’s rain gauge hasn’t recorded a drop of rain for months.

Two years ago, the late rains would have been a disaster for Tabitha and her family. With their local reservoir dried up, and the nearest river two hours’ walk away, the lack of rain would have meant thirst, hunger, and illness. But since then, Tabitha’s life has changed dramatically.

£21 a month, over two years, can build a water storage tank to irrigate a whole farm

In just 24 months, Tabitha, along with 1,440 women and men in her community, and more than 1,700 CAFOD supporters, have worked together to restore their reservoir and bring water back to Kitui. Continue reading “One community, two years and 25 million litres of water – the Hands On story in Kenya”

HIV and AIDS: An emergency once again

July 27, 2016

Harriet Jones, CAFOD’s HIV Advisor, talks about her experience at the recent International AIDS conference in Durban, South Africa.

Harriet Jones, CAFOD’s HIV Advisor, talks about her experience at the recent International AIDS conference in Durban, South Africa.                                                         

Find out more about our HIV and AIDS work

The International AIDS conference brings people, involved in every aspect of HIV

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21 International AIDS conference (2016) Durban, South Africa 22/07/2016. Durban ICC Random Pictures Photo International AIDS society / Abhi Indrarajan

response, together – from activists to health care workers, non-governmental organisations to pharmaceutical companies. Faith leaders to scientists, celebrities to government officials, and most importantly, women, men, and young people from around the world, living with and affected by living with and affected by HIV and AIDS

The AIDS conference was last held in Durban in 2000, in Durban, South Africa. Then, the epidemic was considered an emergency, with significant numbers of people dying each month, without access to the antiretroviral treatment keeping people alive, that we have now.

Watch our HIV/AIDS animation 

The theme of the conference was ‘breaking the silence’. Nelson Mandela addressed those in Durban, and called upon the world to, “break the silence, banish stigma and discrimination, and ensure total inclusiveness within the struggle against AIDS.” Continue reading “HIV and AIDS: An emergency once again”