Amy Porter | May 20, 2013

In Port-au-Prince, Haiti, CWS supports the Haitian Christian Service (Service Chretien d’Haiti), which was founded by CWS in 1954. Working with CWS, SCH helps people in times of disaster and provides vocational training, agricultural assistance and economic opportunities to help people to climb out of poverty.

APPEAL # 700-G

APPEAL GOAL: $119,000

APRIL 26, 2013

SITUATION: On April 16, at least six people in Pakistan and 40 people in Iran were killed when a major earthquake, with a 7.8 magnitude, struck a region near the Iran-Pakistan border. Tremors were also felt in India and the Gulf states.

The epicenter was in southeast Iran in an area of scarcely-populated mountains and desert. It was located 125 miles southeast of the Iranian city of Zahedan and 155 miles northwest of Turbat in Pakistan.

APRIL 23, 2013

SITUATION:

A magnitude seven earthquake hit a rural area of Sichuan province in southwest China the morning of Saturday, April 20, affecting several Ya’an counties, including Lushan county, the quake’s epicenter. The earthquake has affected 1.5 million people, killing at least 188, injuring more than 11,000 and destroying at least 10,000 homes.

SITUATION: The recent increase in fighting in the Bagh Maidan area of Tirah Valley in northern Pakistan, close to the border with Afghanistan, has resulted in large numbers of displaced communities. The displacement began late last month.

CHURCH WORLD SERVICE DEVELOPMENT AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

SITUATION REPORT:
PAKISTAN* ATTACK AGAINST MINORITY COMMUNITY

March 21, 2013

SITUATION: Earlier this month, more than 200 homes in the Joseph Colony, a predominately Christian area near Lahore, were attacked following an altercation between a Muslim man and Christian man; the Muslim alleged the Christian man made blasphemous remarks. In the resulting violence of March 9, as many as 3,000 persons ransacked and looted the colony, setting fire to houses, destroying them.

CHURCH WORLD SERVICE
DEVELOPMENT AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

UPDATED EMERGENCY APPEAL:
SUPERSTORM SANDY 2012 (U.S.)
APPEAL # 627 W
APPEAL GOAL: $618,000
FUNDS RECEIVED AS OF 02/28/13: $588,290
March 20, 2013

PART ONE: CWS RESPONSE (See also Part Two - Additional Response by Denominations/Communions)

SITUATION: Response operations continue for Superstorm Sandy. Many homes still require debris removal and temporary repairs before they can be reoccupied. This work will continue throughout the spring and into early summer.

When we drove into the CWS-supported Oscar Romero Center in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, I was immediately struck by the contrast. Outside, the city was still broken and bruised by the earthquake of January 12, 2010. Inside the center, the walls were whitewashed and framed by flowers, with inspirational quotations from scripture, Oscar Romero, Mother Teresa, and other peace and justice leaders painted on the walls in blue script.

EMERGENCY APPEAL: GAZA HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

APPEAL # 6828
APPEAL GOAL: $100,000

DECEMBER 28, 2012

SITUATION: Recent cross-border violence in Palestinian-controlled Gaza and Israel has worsened the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where, following an Israel military offensive in early November, 163 Palestinians perished – 42 of them children and 22 of them women.

Living in a foreign country without the ability to communicate with the local community puts refugees and asylum seekers in a vulnerable position especially in case of health emergency situation. Therefore, knowledge on First Aid Training is important for the refugees and asylum seekers (referred to as Persons of Concerns by UNHCR) that can prevent severe injuries and death in case of emergency.