ADRA-UK News Update

While Sri Lanka’s decades long civil war appears to have come to a sudden end, an ongoing humanitarian crisis is expected to worsen in overcrowded camps holding thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) unless unfettered access is given to aid organizations, said the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).

To mitigate the humanitarian impact among the displaced civilian population, ADRA is preparing to conduct water trucking and distribute hygiene kits to IDPs in the affected region. ADRA plans to provide this assistance through partnerships with the Adventist International School in Vavuniya and local non-governmental organizations.

“ADRA is well-positioned to provide the assistance that is so desperately needed,” said Millie Castillo, public relations and communications officer for ADRA Sri Lanka.

ADRA is the only humanitarian agency in Sri Lanka that owns and operates a drilling rig for borehole drilling, and has extensive experience in several water and sanitation activities, including water tank installation, hand pumps, hand dug wells, water disinfection units and water trucking.

“We have the resources and our equipment is ready. We are just waiting for the door to open,” continued Castillo.

An estimated 280,000 people were forced to flee their homes during the recent fighting that rocked the South Asian nation, with 230,000 currently living in IDP camps and 50,000 in transition, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

“The Government of Sri Lanka is facing great challenges in providing assistance to the internally displaced population,” said UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond at a recent press briefing, citing overcrowding and limited resources as two of the most urgent concerns.

“Efforts are being hampered by the sheer numbers of IDPs, the speed at which they have been arriving, and the limited space available to accommodate them,” added Redmond.

On May 8, UNHCR reported that approximately 54,000 IDPs were residing in Zone 2 of the Manik Farms IDP Camp in Vavuniya District, while the maximum capacity of the camp was only 35,000. In Zone 3, there were 38,000 IDPs in residence, while their maximum capacity was an estimated 26,000.

Updates will be released as response efforts expand.

Source: ADRA International

Through ecologically responsible initiatives that protect and preserve nature, ADRA continues to promote sustainable development, providing assistance in vulnerable communities threatened by environmental degradation and declining natural resources worldwide.

ADRA’s commitment to community development and the environment is allowing people to increase their access to food and water, benefit from higher agricultural productivity, and improve their opportunities for income generation without putting at risk any of their existing resources.

“Long-term development is impossible without the use of environmentally sustainable methods,” said Charles Sandefur, president of ADRA International. “It is essential that we recognise our dependence on our planet and gain a deeper appreciation for its fragility.”

In Ethiopia, ADRA recently completed a project that provides energy saving stoves to residents in the Oromiya region, improving awareness about environmental preservation and meeting the energy needs of the growing population. The stoves minimize the community’s dependence on firewood by as much as 50 percent, producing less smoke than traditional fire stoves and protecting the health of the environment and of the general community as well.

In June 2008, ADRA completed an energy project in rural Nepal, providing 200 man-powered pedal generators to people living in remote regions who lacked access to centralized power systems. By pedaling for thirty minutes, a person can produce enough electricity from one generator to provide minimum light for 200 small rural homes for two weeks.

ADRA’s Sustainable Livelihood and Agricultural Project (SLAP) is teaching farmers in northern Thailand sustainable agricultural methods that prevent soil erosion, provide more efficient natural resource management, and improve the quality of crops through organic farming techniques, including natural fertilization and pest management. Farmers also learn new agricultural methods that shift away from harmful slash and burn agricultural practices, which have been used traditionally to clear and fertilize lands, but directly contribute to increased soil erosion and air pollution.

By 2011, more than 40,000 people in the semi-arid Sahel region of Burkina Faso will have benefited from ADRA’s N’Gurdam Leydi project, which means “protection of the earth” in the Fula language. Through this project, ADRA is helping farmers in 30 villages fight increasing desertification by using water and soil conservation methods, and increasing soil fertility. An estimated 150 farmers will be educated as trainers, and will then teach others how to protect and manage their natural resources. By the end of the project, ADRA expects to have planted 100,000 trees, dug six watering holes for cattle, and rehabilitated thousands of acres of land for agricultural use.

The effects of a worsening drought in East Africa is affecting nearly half the population of Somalia, leaving millions of people without sufficient access to clean drinking water and food.

A recent rapid assessment done by ADRA in central Somalia’s Hiran province reported that the situation is deteriorating rapidly, particularly in the districts of Beletweyne and Matabaan. Most of the villages are suffering from shortages of water, high food prices, livestock deaths, and a lack of purchasing power, which have been worsened by months of increasing civil unrest.

“Water sources have dried up, and water consumption has decreased from more than 29 cups (7 liters) a day to about 13 cups (3 liters) a day,” said Joel Echevarria, country director for ADRA Somalia. “Most of the families that we interviewed are primarily dependent on water that is being trucked in by aid agencies.”

In the Hiran region, ADRA is delivering water to an estimated 4,650 people in the Matabaan district, and distributing jerry cans and basins for another 2,520 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Beletweyn, who are also receiving water supplies from other aid agencies. The amount of water provided for each household per day is equal to 10.5 gallons (40 liters), and will provide the targeted families with safe drinking water. Each individual is expected to receive 1.5 gallons (6 liters) of drinking water for each day.

The current crisis is affecting 3.25 million people, or 43 percent of the population, according to the Food Security Analysis Unit for Somalia (FAO/FSAU).

ADRA is also conducting sanitation awareness talks among beneficiaries to improve both health and sanitation in the targeted region.

In addition, ADRA is currently implementing two emergency response projects in the region through funding provided by the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO).

Since 1996, ADRA Somalia has been implementing water, food security, basic education, economic development, and emergency management projects in the Hiraan region. In addition, ADRA has been operating in Somalia since 1992 implementing emergency relief and development interventions in various sectors, including water, primary health, education, food security, infrastructure, institutional capacity building and economic development.

ADRA International - Tuesday, April 21, 2009

A deadly earthquake devastated central Italy on Monday, April 6, displacing tens of thousands of people, and killing more than 200 people in the worst earthquake to hit Italy in almost 30 years, according to the latest reports from Reuters. ADRA is monitoring the situation in order to prepare an appropriate response for the early recovery phase of the disaster.

“ADRA is committed to helping those who are suffering in this ongoing tragedy,” said Joerg Fehr, executive director for the ADRA Euro-Africa regional office located in Switzerland. “As relief efforts continue, let us remember to keep those affected by this disaster in our prayers.”

During the initial response to the disaster, the Italian Civil Protection Agency, the Italian police, and the Italian army are on the ground, searching desperately for more survivors in the rubble. When the early recovery phase begins, humanitarian aid agencies will be prepared to provide the aid that is so urgently needed during the recovery stage.

The 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck near the capital city of L’Aquila, in the Abruzzo region at 3:32 a.m., local time, on Monday morning.

Recent reports indicate that the earthquake injured at least 1,500 people, and killed more than 200, many of them in the town of L’Aquila, located approximately 70 miles (110 kilometers) east of Rome, and surrounding towns and villages.

Updates will be released as response efforts expand.

Sponsored Cycle Ride for ADRA UK
by Philip Herbert

A Team of 6 Cyclists, led by Vernon Dublin, rode the distance of 90 miles from Skegness to Leicester on 5th April 2009 in a sponsored cycle ride, to raise funds for the Annual National ADRA UK Appeal. Members of the team included Vince Halliday, Ivan Browne, Sam Roberts, Andrew Dublin and Andrew Saddler.

Five of the cyclists are members of the Leicester Central Seventh Day Adventist Church on London road and Andrew Saddler hails from the Leeds Church on Meanwood Road. The aim of this event, was to generate as much funding as is possible through the sponsored Cycle ride, for the UK department of a Charity that has a Global presence. They have undergone regular training to ensure that they were up to the rigours of this marathon cycle ride to help this charity.

Vernon Dublin, the organiser of this event states that he was involved in this event, “in order to raise funds for the annual ADRA Appeal. We wanted to do something different this year. Something that would be fun and challenging but at the same time, raising the profile of the appeal, as well as ultimately generating funds for needy causes.”

The team set off early on Sunday 5th April, taking the A52 from Skegness to Grantham, continuing by moving on via the A607 to Leicester. The weather was particularly kind in that there was some warm sunshine and no prevailing winds across the flat Lincolnshire terrain, which could have made travel across the route difficult.

The cyclists were well supported by friends and family who met them in Grantham, and at various points along the route to provide energy bars, sandwiches, bananas, malt loafs, isotonic drinks and the odd massage,for sustenance during the journey. Medical support was available from Dr. Linda Browne, whose support enabled one of the riders to continue after a sustaining an injury, following a fall. The route was completed in five hours and forty-five minutes.

Vince Halliday who was also involved with the cycle ride event said, “we approached this project in a spirit of togetherness and team work, in order to complete the course: as well as raising as much money as we can to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves.”

The team was welcomed home on London Road, with enthusiastic, congratulatory, cheers by members of the Leicester Central Church. It was a rewarding event in that £2,000 had been raised through the efforts of this team.

The Leicester Mercury and BBC Leicester helped, by being willing to publicise this event, through an article and an interview.

Annual Appeal Update

Head massage, make-overs and pampering were par for the course last Saturday night as ladies of the Newbold community raised over £250 for ADRA in just three hours.  Meanwhile, others jumped in cars and headed out ‘pubbing’, collecting generous donations from customers in pubs across parts of Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey.

“The first week of the 2009 ADRA Annual Appeal is almost over and we have only a short time left to raise as much as we can to help make a difference in the lives of the poor of this world,” states ADRA-UK director, Bert Smit.

Oxford Adventists have been making good use of that time reports Sophia Nichols.  “We launched the ADRA UK 2009 campaign with a wonderful sacred and classical music concert,” she says. On Saturday, 21 March, Oxfordshire based professional Christian pianist Michiyo Machida, stunned the audience with her passionate, performance with pieces from Beethoven and Chopin. Michiyo expressed that “her dedication to God inspires her music and commitment". The J. Ahn piano trio, three sisters based in Stanborough Park, provided an atmosphere of wonder as they played sacred pieces known and loved by many in the audience. Over 100 visitors from the local area and from the Health Living Supper club – a health project run by the church – attended the concert collecting over £600. The following Saturday a further performance from the Newbold College Choir, directed by Dr Sandra Rigby – Barrett continued the ADRA and public awareness theme.

On Sunday morning BBC Radio Teeside’s presenter Mike Hill Sunday interviewed Colin Woodford, pastor of the Middlesbrough church. During the live programme Colin spent 8 minutes sharing about the work of ADRA and our Church.  According to local ADRA agent Judy Hamilton-Johansson, ‘it was great stuff’.

While it is early days for formal reports, Smit states that it has been encouraging hearing from “supporters going from door-do-door or ‘pubbing’ saying that the general public is very willing to help the work of ADRA.” The new calendar cards are a welcome item with many actually putting the card in their wallets. “This is a great way to remember ADRA throughout the year and the calendar points to the website as a place to make future donations,” Smit enthuses.  The number of hits on the ADRA website has doubled in the last few weeks. With close to 6,000 visits in March he sees it becoming an important fundraising tool. Resources for the Annual Appeal are also available online on the website (www.adra.org.uk). The most popular item is the new Fundraising Powerkit, a manual to help organise fundraising events. One of our supporters moved into a new home recently and organised a ‘house warming party’ for ADRA. The new booklet and donation envelope are welcomed by many as a great package to present to colleagues, friends and family to ask for financial help for our work.

Fund raising events are happening across the country.  This Sunday Croydon Adventist church is organising a 12 mile cycle tour of Richmond Park, while Oxford Adventurers and church members will run, walk or cycle around Cutteslowe Park, Oxfordshire distributing tracts and ADRA UK material finishing with a church picnic. Newbold College holds its Annual ADRA fundraising concert on Saturday 18 April. The SEC FunRun will take place the following day at Crystal Palace Park, London (start between 10:00 and 12:00 and participation is FREE).  Some are already looking ahead to 2010 with Oxford planning an annual music festival to build on their evangelistic outreach and raise funds for ADRA UK.

Smit is grateful for the thousands of volunteers. He says, “Only when we work together we can continue to make a difference in the world."  You+ADRA=hope