CWS’s recent gender analysis in arid and semi-arid lands in Kenya shows that climate pressures are deepening existing gender inequalities, while also revealing that women’s leadership is central to building resilient households and communities. Women and girls in arid and semi-arid lands in Kenya are experiencing some of the harshest effects of climate change. As drought deepens and rainfall becomes unpredictable, families face growing threats to food security and …
Stories of Change
CWS staff distribute menstrual hygiene products to individuals in Nakivale refugee settlement in Uganda
Dignity Restored: How Menstrual Health Is Transforming Girls’ Lives in Nakivale
CWS’s WASH Emergency Response Project in Nakivale Refugee Settlement is restoring dignity and opportunity for women and girls by providing reusable menstrual hygiene kits, training and improved sanitation facilities. For girls like Amina, this support means renewed confidence, uninterrupted education and a powerful reclaiming of agency in displacement.
Building Dignity and Strengthening Girls’ Education
When Amina first arrived at the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda, her greatest concern wasn’t shelter or food—it was survival. Like thousands of young women and girls fleeing the Democratic Republic of Congo, she faced an unspoken but urgent challenge: managing her menstruation with almost no resources, privacy or support.
Before the CWS Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project began, girls like Amina routinely missed up to five days of school every month. With no access to proper menstrual hygiene supplies, many relied on torn cloth, leaves or nothing at all. The shame and fear of embarrassment kept them from school, community gatherings and even the camp’s water points. Untreated infections were common, and the emotional toll was heavy.
Teachers noticed that even when girls did attend school during their periods, they struggled to focus, often distracted by discomfort and worry. What remained largely unspoken was the deeper impact the belief that their bodies were burdens, that their education mattered less and that their dignity was negotiable.
Launching a Holistic Response
In July 2025, CWS launched the WASH Emergency Response Project, recognizing that true dignity requires more than clean water and latrines. The project committed to providing 2,500 upgraded reusable menstrual hygiene kits to women and girls in Nakivale. But distribution was only one part of the solution. Each kit came with training on hygiene practices, proper usage and, most importantly, open conversation about menstruation as a natural, manageable part of life.
Amina remembers receiving her kit vividly. A community facilitator explained each component clearly and confidently—without euphemisms, embarrassment or shame. For Amina, it was the first time menstruation had been discussed with dignity.
A Transformative Impact
After receiving her reusable kit, Amina’s school attendance jumped from 60% to 100%. She no longer lost five days of learning every month. Her confidence returned, her grades improved and she rejoined group discussions, raising her hand without hesitation. She felt visible again—not as a problem to be managed, but as a student with potential.
Across the settlement, something shifted. Girls began talking about menstruation openly. Mothers and daughters shared knowledge without shame. Community health workers incorporated menstrual management into regular health sessions. Menstruation, once a source of silence, became a topic grounded in wellness and empowerment.
Amina’s experience was echoed throughout the community. Fatuma, age 16, once considered leaving school. After receiving her kit, she stayed and now trains other girls, becoming a peer educator respected in her community. Helen, a mother of three, said the kit made her feel seen again. “In the camp, we forget ourselves,” she shared. “We survive. But this project said to me: your body matters. Your comfort matters. Your dignity matters.”
Teachers also noticed dramatic improvements. “Girls are present now—and they’re present fully,” one teacher explained. “They’re not managing pain and worry and shame at the same time. They can just be students.”
Building an Integrated Approach to Sanitation
The menstrual kit distribution was paired with broader WASH improvements, including upgrades to 1,360 latrines with safe sanitation, new handwashing systems and water storage tanks and hygiene education that reached 80% of newly settled refugees. This integrated approach meant girls now had clean, private facilities to change their kits and practice safe hygiene. Menstrual management became part of a larger ecosystem that supported health, dignity and self-reliance.
The most meaningful outcome wasn’t only improved attendance or cleaner facilities—it was the normalization of menstruation. Amina has since become a mentor for younger girls in her neighborhood, discussing their bodies with confidence rather than fear. Moments once driven by shame turned into opportunities for connection and empowerment.
In a refugee context where people have lost everything—their homes, their countries, their security—the ability to manage menstruation with dignity represented something deeper: a small but unmistakable reclamation of agency, identity and humanity.
The menstrual kits were never just products. They represented a commitment to honoring women’s full humanity, protecting their futures and ensuring their education and dignity remain non-negotiable.
To learn more about our work in Uganda, click here.
Stories of Change
Above: CWS Blankets are delivered in South Carolina
Warmth in the Storm: How Community Support Is Helping South Carolina Recover
In the aftermath of Winter Storm Fern, CWS is providing warmth, safety and stability to families across South Carolina. From distributing emergency blankets to offering temporary housing, we are meeting urgent needs while preparing to send additional blankets and kits to six more locations. Together with our supporters, we’re ensuring that neighbors impacted by the storm are met with compassion, comfort and hope.
Delivering Comfort and Dignity After Winter Storm Fern
In the wake of Winter Storm Fern, communities across South Carolina have been grappling with freezing temperatures, power outages and the emotional toll that comes with sudden displacement. But thanks to the generosity of our supporters, hope is arriving—one blanket, one kit, one safe place at a time.
Last week, CWS delivered emergency blankets to neighbors directly impacted by the storm. These CWS Blankets carry more than warmth. They offer dignity, comfort and a powerful reminder that no one faces hardship alone.
As recovery efforts continue, our team is also providing temporary housing for families who need a safe place to stay as they rebuild stability in the aftermath of the storm.
“When the storm struck, our Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery (EPPR) team mobilized immediately to support communities across the region,” said Zachary Wolgemuth, CWS Director of EPRR. “Through swift coordination, we were able to deliver critical supplies and provide nearly 100 nights of temporary housing for individuals who were displaced.”
Expanding Aid to Six More Communities in Need
And the support doesn’t end there. In the coming days, we will be sending an additional 1,920 Blankets, 600 Kids Kits and 2,000 Hygiene Kits to six more locations across South Carolina, expanding our reach to ensure that more families have the essentials they need.
“Because of the generosity of donors and congregations, CWS Blankets and CWS Kits were ready when winter storms hit—and continue to be shared in the days that follow. Your compassion makes it possible to respond quickly and meet ongoing needs, helping neighbors stay warm and cared for during some of the coldest days of the season,” shared Matthew Stevens, CWS Director of Congregational Campaigns.
Every blanket, every kit and every shelter placement reflects the compassion of a community that shows up when it matters most.
Together, we’re creating warmth, safety and hope—right when our neighbors need it most.
To contribute to our CWS Blankets program, click here. Consider making a contribution to our Emergency Response Fund to support neighbors near and far when disasters strike.
Stories of Change
Top: CWS staff member kneels alongside a farmer in his garden Middle: Bruly Cornet Bottom: Distribution of goats to program participants
Building Resilience in Haiti: Voices of Hope Amid Crisis
When disasters, drought and violence collide, resilience becomes a lifeline. In Northwest Haiti, families in Baie‑de‑Henne are enduring one of the harshest years in recent memory. From climate shocks to economic isolation, the challenges are immense, but the stories emerging from this region also reveal strength, ingenuity and hope.
Families in the Lower Northwest Department of Haiti have been hard hit over the past year. Major cuts to international assistance have left more than 10,000 farming families without seeds at the beginning of the planting season. The few crops they managed to sow failed to germinate as delayed rains stalled the start of the season. Families who still had access to water carried it by hand to their garden plots, only to watch insects devour their seedlings because drought had eliminated other food sources.
The second planting season in August offered brief hope, but that disappeared quickly. Flooding in September and Hurricane Melissa in October destroyed most plantain and cassava crops just as they were ready to harvest. At the same time, gang‑related roadblocks and violence further isolated the region, cutting families off from national markets and causing food prices to skyrocket.
In the face of these overlapping crises, two projects supported by Growing Hope Globally, implemented locally by OPFSLDIBH with the accompaniment of Church World Service (CWS), have become a crucial support system. These initiatives offer families the tools, training and confidence they need to adapt. As Isaiah 41:18 promises: “I will make rivers flow on barren heights… I will turn the desert into pools of water.”
A Spring Restored, a Community Renewed
One of the greatest accomplishments of the past two years reflects that promise: the rehabilitation of the Dumercy natural spring, which had been dry in earlier years but has now flowed continuously for two years, even surviving the severe floods and hurricane.
The spring now provides essential water for laundry, animals and cooking. Around it, previously infertile land has been transformed. Families have planted plantains, taro, corn and pumpkins, feeding their households and selling surplus at the Mare Rouge market.
This transformation was possible thanks to extensive soil‑conservation efforts. Forty‑one people received specialized training in soil‑conservation techniques, and together with trained supervisors, 195 manual laborers applied those methods across eight hectares surrounding the Dumercy source. Their work included the installation of rock walls, wattle fences, soil‑fixation barriers and vetiver hedgerows—structures that held firm during both the September floods and Hurricane Melissa.
Natural Solutions for Hard Times
Among the dozens of farmers who strengthened their skills is Michelet Nacius, a 51-year-old resident of Bombel and father of seven. “For a long time, I have had insects ravaging my crops, with a negative impact on yield. However, based on this training, insects will no longer devastate my crops. I already started producing and using natural pesticide, with good results. Before, I had no means to combat pests. Thank you, OPFSLDIBH and CWS, for this initiative that helps me combat damage caused by insects.”
His experience is shared by many in the agroecological groups. Natural pesticide has become a vital tool during a year when drought forced insects to aggressively seek green crops. These trainings have allowed farmers to protect their fields without relying on expensive or unavailable chemical products.
67-year-old farmer Bruly Cornet also saw life-changing results after spending years battling erosion. “When it rained, erosion caused me a lot of problems because it left holes and took away the top soil.” After soil‑conservation structures were built on his land, everything changed. “I already harvested beans and corn… The structures played a big role in the increase of my yield.” He now protects the conservation work and encourages his neighbors. “They are very useful for the land… I will continue to protect my other plots.”
Despite losing 96% of their harvests, living under gang‑induced isolation, and facing rising food costs, families in Baie‑de‑Henne are not giving up. They are rebuilding soil, restoring springs, adopting climate‑resilient farming techniques and strengthening their small businesses.
This is what resilience looks like in Northwest Haiti: farmers harvesting again, women expanding businesses, elders protecting their land and families standing together, even in the storms.
We are grateful to Growing Hope Globally for their support of this work.
Learn more about CWS’s work in Haiti here. Visit the CWS Latin America and Caribbean website here.
Stories of Change
Top and Bottom: Program participants pose at a local honey fair Middle: Midwives present at an educational training
Indigenous Women Driving Change in the Paraguayan Bajo Chaco
In Paraguay’s Bajo Chaco region, nine Enxet Sur Indigenous communities are strengthening leadership, securing access to safe water and building sustainable livelihoods. Through training, advocacy and productive activities like beekeeping and home gardens, families are gaining greater autonomy, economic stability and the tools to defend their rights.
Over the past three years, nine Indigenous communities of the Enxet Sur people in the Paraguayan Bajo Chaco have worked to strengthen community leadership, defend their rights and build sustainable livelihoods. The Pastoral Social Diocesana de Benjamín Aceval (PSDBA), with support from Church World Service (CWS) and Growing Hope Globally, has led the Integral Rural Development in Nine Indigenous Communities of the Paraguayan Bajo Chaco project, now in its final year.
Communities face persistent challenges including limited access to safe water, weak health and education services and vulnerabilities related to climate change. The project has focused on building local capacity, strengthening community leadership and supporting their advocacy for basic rights.
Water and Honey: Engines of Well‑Being
In the last year, more than 300 people—mostly women—participated in 70 workshops on water purification, leadership, human rights, Indigenous education and climate change adaptation. Productive initiatives such as beekeeping, home gardens and small livestock rearing are now strengthening food security and family income.
In addition, more than 50 families are producing honey, and 10 villages sell up to 70% of their harvest in fair markets. “Thanks to them [the bees], I already bought my refrigerator, bed and freezer,” shared Genara Martínez, from the Espinillo community.
Access to clean water remains critical. Since water comes from shared tajamares (small community rainwater ponds), simple purification practices are vital. At least 150 households now boil or treat their water, and 16 community water structures have been built or improved. As Elsy Ramos of Yakye Axa explained, “We learned that by purifying the water, we prevent diseases like diarrhea.”
Defending Their Rights
For many participants, this is the first time they have received training on their rights as Indigenous peoples. In 2025, more than 230 women were trained in human rights and community leadership. “It is the first time we are being trained in our rights. We are very happy with you; you open our eyes and help us learn more about our Indigenous law,” said Julia, one of the participants.
The demand for water remains urgent. “If we do not have water, we cannot do anything—we cannot cook or bathe, and the children cannot bathe,” said Aparicia González from Sawhoyamaxa.
Where abandonment once prevailed, hope is taking root. As the project nears completion, communities are more organized, women are more empowered and families have stronger tools to claim and defend their rights.
This program is implemented by our local partner, Pastoral Social Diocesana Benjamin Aceval, with financial support from Growing Hope Globally. To learn more about our work in Latin America, click here.
Finding Safety and Hope Along the Thailand–Myanmar Border
January 30, 2026
Trigger warning: This story contains references of depression and suicidal ideation. Along the Thailand–Myanmar border, democracy activists and displaced families are finding safety, mental health support and essential resources through CWS’s partnership with the New Myanmar Foundation. Stories from Aye* and Aung* show how this assistance and access to safe shelter restores dignity, stability and hope for people facing trauma …
CWS Blankets in Action: Because of Your Love, People Found Warmth and Care
January 29, 2026
As a dangerous winter storm swept across the United States, CWS Blankets reached communities just in time—offering warmth, comfort and care to neighbors facing life-threatening cold. Thanks to the generosity of supporters, partners were ready to respond before, during and after the storm. Blankets That Arrive When They’re Needed Most When a powerful winter storm swept across large portions of …
From Salon Worker to Business Owner: Yvette’s Path to Economic Independence
Through phased support from the Hanga Ubeho Project, Yvette turned her dream of owning a salon into a sustainable business after years of surviving on daily wages. Her success is now creating jobs, skills and new opportunities within her community. Before joining the Hanga Ubeho (Igniting Innovation) Project, Yvette Ingabire faced a challenge shared by many entrepreneurs in Rwanda. Although …
Stories of Change
Top: Members from Community World Service Asia (CWSA) distribute emergency supplies. Bottom: Prepared meals distributed to survivors of the earthquake. Photos courtesy of CWSA.
Surviving the Kunar Earthquake: An Afghan Father’s Story of Loss and Hope
A young father from Afghanistan’s Kunar Province reflects on a life once shaped by peace and nature and how a single night of disaster changed everything. His story reveals both devastating loss and the fragile hope made possible through timely humanitarian support.
Ahmad Wali*, 27, lives in the Masood Ghazi Abad village of Mazar Dara in the Nurgal District of Kunar Province, Afghanistan. The valley is known for its natural beauty, framed by high mountains, green fields, flowing streams and fresh air that bring a sense of calm and comfort. Life there was simple yet deeply peaceful. Before disaster struck, Wali and his wife lived with their two children, working together as a family each day farming, caring for their animals and supporting each other in regular household tasks.
Their mornings began early, and evenings ended with rest at home. The children played freely outdoors, surrounded by nature, and the strong sense of unity in Mazara Dara brought happiness and hope. Like many in the valley, Wali believed this peaceful life would continue and that his family’s future would unfold in this beautiful place.
A Night That Changed Everything
Everything changed the evening of August 31, 2025, when a powerful earthquake struck the entire Mazar Dara valley. Homes were damaged, people panicked and the sense of safety that defined valley life vanished.
For Wali, the impacts were devastating. “During the earthquake, my family suffered very serious losses,” he says. His eight year old daughter and mother were both killed. His son was injured and needed medical treatment. Along with the loss of loved ones, the family’s livelihood vanished. Goats, cows and sheep that had provided food and income did not survive, and their house was completely destroyed.
Across the valley, families were left shocked and uncertain. Aftershocks continued to shake the ground, forcing people to live in constant fear. With homes destroyed and exposure to rain, wind and harsh weather, daily life became a struggle. Food, clean water, medicine and safe shelter were suddenly scarce, leaving children, women and elderly individuals especially vulnerable.
Help, Hunger and a Fragile Hope
In the aftermath, a team member from CWS’s local partner, Community World Service Asia, visited the area to assess urgent needs. They found families surviving on maize leaves and raw maize due to extreme food shortages. Shelter, clean drinking water and medical care were critically lacking.
With support from CWS Japan, emergency food assistance began reaching affected communities. Every day, Wali’s family and around 1,500 others received cooked rice, cooked meat, fresh bread, clean water and fruit. For many, it was the first proper nourishment since the earthquake. Wali describes the relief vividly. After days of hunger, receiving cooked food brought visible joy. The assistance met immediate needs and restored something just as important: the feeling that they had not been abandoned.
Today, Wali and his family still live under extremely difficult conditions without proper shelter, sufficient food or full medical care. Yet he remains grateful and hopeful. While the support received has eased some hardship, he says continued help is essential so families can rebuild their lives and ensure safety and dignity for their children.
In a valley once defined by peace and now marked by loss, even small acts of support shine as a vital light for the future.
* For the protection of the individuals in this story, a pseudonym has been used.
Learn more about our disaster response work here. Consider making a donation to our Emergency Response Fund, which enables CWS to remain prepared in the face of emerging disasters like these.
Period Packs: Sharing Care When It’s Needed Most
January 26, 2026
Many families struggle to access essential supplies during times of crisis. Thanks to our generous donors, CWS Period Packs offer comfort, dignity and practical support when people need it most. Essential Care Through CWS Period Packs Across the United States, women and families facing difficult times often lack access to basic menstrual supplies. In moments of crisis—whether after an emergency …