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Tag: Children and Youth Development

Rayak Learning Centres

Project Name Rayak Learning Centre Project Location Lebanon Project Natures Children and Youth Development Project Objectives Provide high-quality education for Syrian refugee children to prevent them from dropping out of school. Beneficiaries Syrian refugee children aged 5 to 15 who are unable to access formal education or are interested in learning at the education centre. No. of Beneficiaries Approx. 150 Key Activities Provide accredited basic Arabic, English, science, and maths courses, along with physical education, music, or craft activities to prepare them for future entry into formal schools. Offer trauma-informed education for both students and teachers at the education centre. Supply school uniforms, learning materials, and healthy snacks. Organise summer activities such as day camps, sports competitions, craft

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Gender Equity and Child Rights Promotion

Project Name Gender Equity and Child Rights Promotion Project Location Bangladesh Project Natures Children and Youth Development Advocacy Project Objectives Reduce gender-based violence (GBV) in the community by empowering females and community support system Promote the rights and protection of children and children with disability Beneficiaries Adolescent and youth boys and girls, adults and children with disability from poor families (over 75% are female) No. of Beneficiaries Approx. 2,715 Key Activities Organise training for peer educators and adolescent and youth girls and boys group leaders with lessons on basic life skills, including on positive and supportive gender roles. Support People Institutions (PIs) as local community leaders to plan, set up and manage a community training centre to provide

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‘I don’t want to miss out on studying!’ said the Syrian children.

Written by Edward Lai (Senior Communications Officer) ‘I want to become a doctor when I grow up,’ said Bayane. ‘I really enjoy coming to the learning centre. Whenever I am here, I feel extremely happy. I never want to miss out on my daily study sessions at the centre!’ said Bayane, a 14-year-old Syrian refugee. In Lebanon, 90% of Syrian refugee families live in extreme poverty, a condition characterised by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, shelter, sanitation facilities. Refugee families are already under considerable financial strain. In order to survive, they usually resort to negative coping mechanisms, including child labour. Since 2019, CEDAR has been supporting the operation of two learning centres, ran by our

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Fortunate, Unfortunate, or Called? – Children in God’s Eyes

Written by Dr. Sarah Shea (Assistant Professor of Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary, Vice President of Asia Academy of Practical Theology) No one can choose their mother; we are accustomed to calling children of wealthy families lucky and those born amidst poverty, war, disasters, or disability unlucky. Is this interpretation of children precise and comprehensive? We suggest the contrary, that children are the called ones. Based on the Scripture, children are not arbitrarily manipulated by destiny, instead, they are the actors endowed with different missions in families and communities (Bunge 2001). In the Bible, the vocations of children can be varied, spanning from respecting their parents, loving the Lord, studying and practising the Word, and even teaching adults

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THE LETTER FROM CEDAR | JAN 2022

Dear supporters, Year 2021 has gone, but we are still living under the influence of COVID-19. Life in the pandemic hasn’t yet changed. Additionally, the world is still very volatile in economy, society, and governance. We ought to keep changing our mentality to face daily challenges at different degrees, so that we can live positively with people around. One of my family members passed away last year. I understand how helpless and painful families could be when they can’t stay with and care for their loved ones in quarantine. By the time of writing this letter, over 5.2 million people died of COVID-19. We can imagine the enormous pain and regret their families are bearing. The COVID-19 tragedy

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‘Go on Fighting!’ Interview with CEDAR’s Acting Chief Executive

Written by: Edward Lai  (Senior Communications Officer) When she was young, she walked through the northwest, southwest and central plains of China. She used to climb mountains and ridges; not to visit the most beautiful lakes and mountains or participate in cross-country competitions. She went to respond to the clear voice in her heart – to serve the poorest of the poor. For the past 30 years, she has never doubted or denied this voice. When she is exhausted, she is strengthened by her aspiration and carried on. She often says that she is just an ordinary woman, but the Lord lets her see the plight of the poor; this cannot be overlooked. Since last May, she has

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Children Ministry – Commitment and Collaboration

Written by Clara Chiu (Head of Partnership Development) In order to transform the society, we first have to give children a chance to grow up healthily so that they can become leaders of good character who obey God’s will. We provide basic life and human rights protection, learning opportunities and spiritual courses for poor children in many countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. In the previous year, CEDAR supported 14 partners and carried out a total of 17 children and youth development projects. Among them, we have a 15-year-long project in Zimbabwe to empower children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in the suburbs of the local city of Mutare. In the first phase of the project

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Refugees Get Schooling through TV – Cries of the Middle Eastern and Northern African Children

Written by: Edward Lai (Senior Communications Officer) The Syrian War has already been 8 years and it is still far from over. Chronic warfare resulted in uncountable casualties and destruction. More than 11 millions of civilians lost their homes, and were either displaced within the country or have fled to countries in the Middle East and North Africa to seek asylum, such as Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan [1]. When their homelands are still devastated by conflicts, rebuilding their country seems impossible. How do these refugees live in neighbouring countries? Why are their children and other Middle Eastern and North African children described as the “lost generation”? While facing multifaceted challenges, how does this younger generation bear hope for

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Life Education for Ethiopian Youths

Written by: Edward Lai (Senior Communications Officer) What kind of person would you like to be? When discussing dreams with youths, despite where they live, they somehow think of being a doctor, pilot, lawyer, teacher or entrepreneur. Dreams may fade in a blink, but it may also be planted in hearts, awaiting to sprout. CEDAR’s Ethiopian partner [1] entered local poor communities, determined on discussing dreams, meanings and values of life with youths. Ethiopian youths are not different from other kids. They also face problems of identity during their growth: Who am I? Who do I belong to? Why did I come to this world? These questions point to the root: What is my outlook on life? Our Ethiopian partner

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Fear Not the Slander and Shadow, but to Break the Silence – Interview with Indian Anti-Child Trafficking Activist

Banner image: Aashima Samuel, the National Director of EFIC@R, interviewed by CEDAR “In Indian villages, when we and church pastors advocated anti-child trafficking, some Hindi nationalists accused us of, or even attacked us for ‘brainwashing’ villagers to convert them into Christians. In fact, among them, there were traffickers slandering us to extinguish our anti-trafficking voice,” said Aashima Samuel, the National Director of Evangelical Fellowship of India Children At Risk (EFIC@R), CEDAR’s partner. Samuel experienced obstruction at the entry into villages, unreasonable accusations, being tailed many times, and not being helped by the police, and more. She has experienced all these at work. Although the risk of and resistance against anti-child trafficking ministry are gigantic, Samuel perseveres to break

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