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Category: Learn a Little More

Ten Years of Graceful Service

Written by Dustin Tang (Donor Services Officer) As of September 2024, I have served in CEDAR Fund for ten years. Looking back, apart from changes in roles and tasks, God’s grace has always been with me. Ten years ago, I was introduced to CEDAR by a sister from my church. Initially, I participated as a volunteer and took part in administrative support work, such as contacting and inviting churches to participate in our activities, inputting participant information, preparing event materials, etc. Later, I became a part-time staff member and transitioned to a full-time role. My role and work have changed from being ‘behind the scenes’ to being ‘in front of the scenes’, sharing and leading experiential activities in

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Sustainable Development Goals: Quality Education

Written by Samuel Ip (Intern) The notion that our planet is in a state of decline is no longer a foreign concept. As we witness the tangible effects of climate change, environmental degradation, and social inequalities, this idea has transcended the realm of abstract concern. The urgency of addressing the sustainability of our society has become an undeniable reality, compelling us to explore proactive solutions on both global and individual scales. In response, the United Nations has introduced the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a transformative agenda that aims to reshape the global landscape by 2030. As a guide for nations and stakeholders, these goals aim to integrate sustainable development into countries’ policies. The anticipated outcomes of such changes

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Unveiling Human Trafficking

Written by Tony Chan (Partnership Development Consultant) For years, CEDAR has been sharing the issue of human trafficking and has found that many people misunderstand this issue and the victims involved. Let us unveil the dark industry behind human trafficking. Myth: All victims suffer from sexual exploitation Click here for the truth The forms of exploitation that victims suffer vary, including sexual exploitation and forced labour. The author knows a survivor who was once sold to religious fanatics as a sacrifice and was thankfully able to escape in the end. Myth: Only women are sold Click here for the truth About 40% of victims worldwide are men, which is rising. In addition to labour exploitation, they are often

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Remittance Affected by the Pandemic

Written by Clara Chiu (Head of Partnership Development) The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly spread worldwide in 2020, prompting various countries to implement measures such as school and work closures and different types of quarantine to control the outbreak. These actions had a significant impact on the global economy. Global remittances have decreased, which reflects the impact of the pandemic. When workers from a country go abroad to work and send back a portion of their earnings in the form of cash or goods to support their families back home, this transfer of money is referred to as worker or immigrant remittances. The pandemic has caused significant unemployment and salary reductions, particularly in the hospitality, tourism, and construction industries, resulting

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Words from a Youth of Nepal

Written by Ness Ma (Communications Officer) In November 2022, the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC(COP27) took place in Egypt. Shreya KC, a 24-year-old youth from Nepal, spoke at the conference, ‘we constantly live in fear of being drowned(by the ice water).’ Why did she say that? What the climate conference has to do with Nepal’s glaciers? In fact, the impact of climate change has not only resulted in such phenomena as storm surges and sea level rise, which we often hear of, but it also led to the threat of flooding in Nepal, located in the Himalayas. The water that floods the country’s land is not the sea but the melting ice

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5P-Approach to Combat Human Trafficking

Author: Ness Ma (Communications Officer) Once mentioned human trafficking, some cinematic scenes might pop into our mind: how the police get deep into a criminal organisation and make arrests. However, this is just part of the anti-human trafficking work. The following list is the 5P-Approach adopted by our Indian partner, Evangelical Fellowship of India Children at Risk (EFIC@R), to combat human trafficking: As seen in the above, if we have to combat human trafficking effectively, we must work from prevention to survivor’s rehabilitation. The prosecution is just part of the process. Improving the public’s knowledge and building a mutual support network are more critical. Let’s read Vanya’s story of the rescue below. Vanya, a 15-year-old girl, was forced

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Cultivating Peace in Hong Kong

Written by Edward Lai (Senior Communications Officer) He is a professor, wearing various hats of administrative management in university. Although he is a busy bee, he always spends time listening to youngsters’ desires and struggles. Regarding the recent unprecedented socio-political changes in Hong Kong, he believes that there are still many things to do for the common good, and more companions are needed for collaborations. When we asked about his goal in the next ten years, he responded without a second thought that it must be cultivating the value of peacebuilding in communities. It is ‘cultivating’ because peace cannot be built in one day but years. It is ‘building’ because peace is not given but built by people,

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CEDAR’S PEOPLE. CEDAR’S TOUCH.

Banner Photo: Bonnie with her husband who has supported her throughout the years. Written by: Edward Lai  (Senior Communications Officer) Editor’s note: In this issue of ‘Learn a Little More’, we’ll introduce you to our ‘coffer keeper’, Bonnie. Through sharing her experiences and thoughts while serving with CEDAR, you will understand more about what kind of Christian community CEDAR is, and witness God’s unending grace. ‘Time flies when you’re having fun. In a blink of an eye, I have served CEDAR for 23 years,’ said Bonnie Ho during her sharing in a prayer meeting with co-workers. Over the past 23 years, Bonnie has witnessed several milestones of CEDAR. From the 1990s, when founder Mr Oliver Mark ran CEDAR

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How to Combat Child Trafficking under the ‘New Normal’?

Written by Edward Lai (Senior Communication Officer) As the pandemic is raging around the world, criminals do not only “hunt” civilians in a hidden way in poor villages, they also target their prey via the internet. By using their poor and fragile situation, they can easily force or lure the victims to work in sex industry, or engage in forced labour or any work that is obviously not commensurate with pay. Facing the “new normal” under the pandemic, Aashima Samuel, EFIC@R’s National Director, who has been engaged in anti-child trafficking for many years, shared her team’s coping strategies. Q: How does your team equip churches and local communities to fight child trafficking? A: In terms of preventive education,

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An Overloaded Clinic in Lebanon

Written by: Edward Lai The pandemic makes us realise the importance of having a sound medical system, which does not only require sufficient medical personnel, but also a stable supply of medicine. Lebanon has been identified as a priority country in the United Nations’ COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan. As the country that has the highest per capita proportion of refugees in the world, Lebanon has taken in 1.5 million Syrian and 200,000 Palestinian refugees, who currently make up more than 30% of the country population. The exponential growth of refugees in Lebanon has put the already fragile medical system under pressure. The outbreak of COVID-19 further places enormous burden on its medical services, brining them to the

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