Situation: A deepening food crisis is affecting an estimated 12 million people concentrated primarily in the West African region of the Sahel, with the fear that famine is imminent. The governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Chad and Niger have already declared states of emergency and called for international assistance. The United Nations says that a shortfall of more than …
CWS, interfaith coalition to Congress: Save Farm Bill food aid funding, reform U.S. policies
April 12, 2012
Editors: See full text of letter as sent to members of the Senate: www.churchworldservice.org/farmbill Washington, D.C. — As U.S. lawmakers are set to resume deliberations of the 2012 Farm Bill, global humanitarian agency Church World Service and other members of a leading interfaith coalition called on lawmakers in Washington on Wednesday to fundamentally change U.S. food aid policies to lower …
CWS hails USAID Nairobi forum, donor pledges to avert future Horn of Africa crises
April 10, 2012
NEW YORK/NAIROBI — The head of global humanitarian agency Church World Service is hailing fresh commitments announced by USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah and African development leaders aimed at developing greater drought and famine resilience to prevent future crises in the Horn of Africa. CWS applauded also the U.S. announcement last week that it will provide an additional nearly U.S. …
Micronutrient supplements helping overcome child malnutrition, but more needed for long-term food security
March 30, 2012
KINANGO DISTRICT, Kenya — In the dry and poor east Kenya district of Kinango, humanitarian worker Sammy Mutua watched and listened as mothers recounted how their small children, suffering from malnutrition, had been listless and had little appetite, but now were eating heartily after only one month of daily multi-micronutrient powder supplements (MNPs) sprinkled in their porridge. Mutua, staff member …
March 30 Lancaster conference seeks to strengthen refugees’ integration
March 28, 2012
Strengthening the integration of refugees being resettled from around the world to Lancaster County, Pa., is the goal of a community conference set for Friday (March 30) and cosponsored by Church World Service and Franklin and Marshall College. The conference is the latest in a series of collaborations between CWS and the college, whose president, professors and students actively support …
Principles, priorities for a ‘faithful’ federal budget unveiled
March 23, 2012
WASHINGTON, DC -— Church World Service is among supporters of the “Faithful Budget” proposal unveiled March 22 for congressional consideration. The proposal contains a set of comprehensive and compassionate budget principles that will protect the common good, value each individual and help lift the burden on the poor. CWS executive director and CEO the Rev. John L. McCullough, who will …
Global Activists Set to Tackle Economic Justice at D.C. Conference
March 14, 2012
WASHINGTON, DC –– In little over a week advocates, activists and presenters from across the United States and around the world will gather outside Washington, D.C., to explore the economy, livelihoods and national priorities. With the theme “Is This the Fast We Seek,” the tenth international Ecumenical Advocacy Days Conference (March 23 – March 26) will include presentations, workshops and …
International Women’s Day: CWS empowering women around the world
March 7, 2012
Most of the more than one billion people in the world today living in extreme poverty are women and girls. “Their impoverishment is a product of inequality, circumscribed participation in decision making, and being deprived of economic opportunities, access to resources, education and support services,” said CWS Executive Director and CEO John L. McCullough. This International Women’s Day (March 8) …
CWS emergency appeal: 2012 severe storms and tornadoes
March 5, 2012
Appeal Number 627-T Update Revised Appeal Goal: $110,000 New Appeal Goal: $110,000 Situation Two series of tornadoes and severe storms have affected large swaths of 13 states on Feb. 28 and 29 and then again on March 2 and 3. In all, 51 people perished in the two sets of storms – 39 in the recent storms, 12 in the …
CWS emergency appeal: Syria humanitarian crisis
February 24, 2012
Appeal #: 6827 CWS appeal goal: $100,000 Situation: The ongoing political crisis in Syria has caused tens of thousands to be caught in the crossfire between government and opposition forces. The result? Thousands of Syrians have fled their homes, choosing to escape the violence. Many have migrated to neighboring countries, and many are arriving to more stable areas of Syria. …