Tag: Humanitarian Relief and Disaster Risk Reduction

The Poor Amidst the Drought in Zimbabwe

This July, the world experienced perhaps the hottest month in over a century. It is true that the climate crisis can produce very divergent impacts on the rich and the poor. As UN expert pointed out recently, the rich have money to find ways to mitigate the threats of global warming, but the poor are powerless to protect themselves. They are left to bear the resulting heat, famine and diseases. CEDAR has had an insight into the great affliction that the poor in Zimbabwe in southern Africa have to endure. Recently, El Nino caused a drought in Zimbabwe. The World Food Programme warned that over 2.3 million farmers in the country are on the verge of starvation. Yield of maize, the

Flooding in South Asia Displaced over 10 Million People CEDAR Calls for Donations to Help Victims in 3 Countries

(Updated on 30th August, 2019) Many countries in South Asia have been inundated during the monsoon season this year. Although the rain has eased up in some of the hardest stricken areas and water levels have subsided, up to 22 July, over 650 people had been killed and over 10 million had been displaced. In light of the severity of the disaster, CEDAR provided a grant of US$60,000 (around HK$470,000) to our Christian partners in India, Bangladesh and Nepal to provide emergency relief to the victims in the region. CEDAR would like to ask all of you for donations to support disaster victims to overcome the adversity. From June to October every year, monsoon rains bring widespread calamities

CEDAR’s Second Phase of Relief Assists 2,500 Burmese in Western Myanmar

Banner image: Villagers who fled conflicts are temporarily living in an abandoned government office building The conflict between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army, an armed group fighting for greater autonomy in western Rakhine, has not ceased since December 2018. In June 2019, the Myanmar Government ordered telecommunications companies to shut down mobile internet service across local townships, hindering external access of updated information which the safety of civilians are of concern. [1] CEDAR Fund and our partner in Myanmar, Full Moon Children Development Family, began the first phase of relief work in the conflict-affected region in February 2019. Collaborating with us in relief distribution was a local team led by Pastor Aung Din, who had rich experience

CEDAR’s Emergency Relief to 2,100 Displaced People while Conflict Continues in Western Myanmar

Banner image: People in western Myanmar evacuated due to conflicts The Myanmar military and the Arakan Army, an armed group fighting for greater autonomy in western Rakhine, has been in conflict in Rakhine and Chin states since December of 2018. The conflict has caused over 30,000 people to flee from their homes [1]. The Myanmar military oppressed the rebels by bombing villages and executing extrajudicial murder, which resulted in heavy injuries and deaths of the innocent. In May this year, Amnesty International gathered evidence and said that the military is committing war crimes and other human rights violations. Noticing a vast group of displaced people, CEDAR and its partner Full Moon Children Development Ministry distributed food and blankets

CEDAR Staff Revisited the Indonesian Earthquake and Tsunami Region to Witness the Revival of Livelihood

Cynthia (left) and mother, residents of the Boladangko Village In January this year, CEDAR commenced phase two of its relief and recovery work in central Sulawesi of Indonesia. Our partner PESAT has been working with six post-disaster communities and its people by providing assistance on livelihood, education, and psychosocial support. http://www.CEDARfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/20190619-video.mp4Thank You from Indonesia (video in Chinese) As a response to the previous visit of the affected area, CEDAR initiated a phase two work proposal with PESAT which aimed to benefit more than 770 families, including two of the piscatorial communities, Bamba and Talise. We observed that remains could be found along the sea from earlier damage, and a large residential area was razed to the ground and

Winter Assistance Brings Warmth to over 10,000 Displaced People in Syria

The conflict in Syria begins its ninth year with no sign of ending at the moment. As global attention drifts away, more than 6.2 million internally displaced people are still struggling to shelter and feed themselves. The most critical time for these refugees is to live through the brisk winter every year. Between December last year and January this year, it was reported that at least 29 children and newborns died, mainly from hypothermia, while fleeing to refugee camp in the eastern region of the country or shortly after arrival [1]. Child in Syria The survival of the harsh winter is yet another challenge on top of the issues of poverty and internal conflicts that have brought immense

Cyclone Idai: Two Meals a Day, One Meal a Day, then…

In mid-March, CEDAR shared on Facebook (Chinese only) about a trip in Zimbabwe in southern Africa. Zimbabwe was continuously hot and dry, and Zimbabweans discovered that a particular fruit was growing which indicated forthcoming drought. When villagers were still waiting for rains and hoping for harvests in April and May, the sudden attack of intense tropical cyclone Idai shattered not only their homes, but also their hearts. Expected drought became unexpected windstorm and floods. http://www.CEDARfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/20190327-video.mp4 (Video in Chinese only) Pui Shan, CEDAR’s staff, shares about situation in Buhera after Cyclone Idai Cyclone Idai first destroyed a port city on the east of Mozambique with a wind speed of 170km/h. Then it moved inland to Zimbabwe and Malawi. As of 27

How do Churches Instill Hopes to People in the Midst of Disaster?

Banner image: Herda, elder of Boladangko Church (Right) and Cynthia, who lost her father Written by: Jady Sit (Communications Officer) In early November 2018, a few CEDAR’s staffs visited Sulawesi of Indonesia to learn about the local conditions from partner PESAT and visit families devastated by the earthquake. The article below is our staff’s sharing after her visit. If you would like to understand more about CEDAR’s relief work there, please visit the page “Indonesian Earthquake and Tsunami Relief”. “During the earthquake, the door was locked, and thus Cynthia’s father was trapped inside the house. When it collapsed, he died,” Herda, an elder at the Boladangko Church, said emotionally with her arm surrounding Cynthia. Sulawesi was struck by an

Indonesia Earthquake & Tsunami Relief Enters New Stage CEDAR Continues to Help the Affected on Recovery

Banner image: CEDAR’s Indonesia’s partner, PESAT, meets with representatives of an affected community and talk about their livelihood needs CEDAR and its local partner completed the first phase of relief work (until November 2018) in central Sulawesi, Indonesia, where earthquake and tsunami hit last September. CEDAR allocated a fund of 20,000 US Dollars (around HK$150,000) to support its partner, PESAT, in the first phase to distribute emergency food, cooking kits, hygiene kits and medication to 1,347 affected families. Last November, chief executive of CEDAR Fund, Dr. Raymond Kwong and two staff visited Sulawesi, and learned about partner’s post-disaster work, visited the affected people, and explored further response work through our partner. After a few days of visitation, observation,