Stories of Change

Damage from Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas.

When the Storm Takes Your Legal Identity, Too

Hurricane Dorian slammed into The Bahamas as a Category 5 major hurricane in September 2019. It was the most powerful hurricane to hit The Bahamas since record keeping began. It was also a very slow storm, moving as slowly as one mile per hour. For nearly three days it continued its relentless onslaught, leaving widespread destruction in its wake.

“I lost my 22-year-old sister. The house and everything are gone,” said one participant of the CWS-supported recovery program. “I lost my home and all our documents,” said another.

The issue of lost documents was a critical one for many Haitian migrants and Bahamians of Haitian origin. People need government-issued documents like birth certificates and passports as part of their immigration process and when applying for citizenship. After Dorian, many people didn’t know how to get new documents, or they couldn’t afford them.

Our team learned of this challenge during our assessments in the weeks and months after the storm. So we reached out to the United Nations International Organization for Migration, known as IOM, to explore possible solutions.

We launched a pilot program with IOM in 2020 to help with redocumentation. This would help participants get the legal documents that they badly needed, and it would help both IOM and CWS learn more about the challenges that Haitian migrants face in getting legal status in The Bahamas to inform long-term programming.

The program officially launched in March 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic turned the world upside down. After a few delays, the program got underway. By July, information was circulating within migrant communities, churches and local media that CWS and IOM could help with redocumentation. A three-person independent committee, made up of women from within the Haitian community, reviewed applications for assistance and selected participants based on their need and vulnerabilities. By the end of the pilot program, we had helped dozens of people get a total of 366 different documents including birth certificates, marriage certificates and school diplomas. Most of the program participants were women and children.

Shana Zaporte was on the IOM team who helped people access the documents. “I was familiar with the issue of redocumentation because I used to work translating from English to Haitian Creole and also because I am part of the first generation of children born in the Bahamas to Haitian migrant parents,” Shana says. “I totally understand why they need support.”

Shana and her IOM colleagues worked one case at a time, one document at a time. An application for Bahamian citizenship requires an average of 11 supporting documents. In one case that Shana’s team worked with, the person needed 18. “One of the cases that impacted me the most was a young girl, aged 17, who lost her father and home in the island of Abaco. She had to relocate with her three siblings to Nassau. Her mother would call me every day and would say in Creole (she didn’t speak any English), ‘Thank you! Thank you!’ Three of the children were supported by the project and applied for citizenship,” Shana recalls.

For the families who participated in the program, it was one less thing to worry about as they faced the long road to recovery. It meant less stress and more hope.

The pilot program has also helped IOM to better understand the challenges that Haitian migrants in The Bahamas face in obtaining legal status. This key UN agency is now better equipped to partner with the Bahamian government to find medium- and long-term solutions that will improve the quality of life of Haitian migrants. IOM also built and expanded relationships and collaboration with faith communities, community leaders, migrant advocates and the Bahamian society at large. With a stronger social fabric, the Bahamian society is now that much more resilient in the face of future disasters.

Thanks to Presbyterian World Service and Development, an agency of the Presbyterian Church of Canada,  for their support of this program.

Stories of Change

Ahmed works at his desk at StARS.

“There’s still hope in this world, despite everything.”

Ahmed* is the youngest program coordinator on staff at St. Andrew’s Refugee Services, CWS’s local partner in Cairo. A refugee from Nigeria, Ahmed graduated from the Adult Education Program himself a few years ago. We sat down with Ahmed in late 2019 to hear his story and what St. Andrew’s, known as StARS, means to him.

What country where you born in, and why did you leave?

I was born in Nigeria. The reason why I left was the problem of Boko Haram. I was in high school. Both of my parents were teachers. This made me the epitome of what Boko Haram considered to be infidels. My mother was so worried about me because Boko Haram was after people like me—young people who could be easily brainwashed. For girls, they could take them as their “wives,” as they call them. But for me as a boy, they could brainwash me and arm me to go and fight. Otherwise, I’m a traitor and would be killed. My mom wanted to get me out of the country by any means possible.

Boko Haram attacked our houses many times. We had to run from house to house. This had been going on for a long time. Then we ran to another state. And from there, we found the father of one of my classmates. When my mom told him about my story and that I was in desperate need of help to move me anywhere, he said he was a frequent flyer with an Egyptian airline. He could take me to Egypt. He arranged for my passport and everything. Here I am in Egypt, far away from Boko Haram. I am one of the lucky ones who made it. I hope others will have the same opportunity or they will find a nice place where they can feel safe.

How did you first hear about StARS?

I was at home one day. I had been battling this identity crisis, if you want to call it that. I was debating with myself to take a dangerous journey to cross water and go somewhere, because I felt that staying in Egypt wasn’t an option for me. I didn’t know what to do. Then one day my roommate came back, and he brought a book. And he said, “Look at this. I know you have been asking for an English program.” I asked where it was, and he told me about StARS. “There is a center where you see lots of refugees. Also, they run English classes,” he told me. I said, “Oh my goodness. Tomorrow you will take me there.” From that moment, I would come to StARS every day. Eventually, one day the Adult Education Program coordinator told me, “you are accepted as a student now.”

Since you became a student, what positions have you had at StARS?

After I graduated from the Adult Education Program, I came back as a volunteer, then as a part-time teacher, then as a senior teacher. Now I’m the one leading the program; the coordinator of the Adult Education Program.

What is the Adult Education Program?

The Adult Education Program is a program designed for adult refugees who come to Egypt. Unfortunately, some of them didn’t go to school in their home countries or haven’t had any opportunities to expand their education. Usually the classes start at 3 o’clock, and they go until 8. Because it’s adult education, many of the students work, so the mornings aren’t a good time for them. We also offer vocational classes that are designed to help women with their livelihoods. It’s difficult for refugees in Egypt to survive without any training. So we offer classes in henna design as well as handicrafts, sewing and hair styling. Some of our students have started their own businesses. Right now all the classes are for women, but we are hoping to add classes for men. They have been asking for classes in plumbing, tailoring and other things.

Could you tell us about a success story from the program?

A lady from Yemen came to us empty handed. She didn’t know what to do, so we advised her to join our hair styling program. She did, and now she is running her own shop in her community. It’s incredible. She has even hired two people who are working for her now.

Why do you think it’s important that the vast majority of StARS staff are refugees?

I’ll be honest with you – if it wasn’t for StARS, I would have left this country a long time ago by any means possible. For me, StARS is like finding an oasis in the middle of the desert. We have other centers helping refugees in Egypt, but StARS is a place where you come and feel like “this really belongs to me.” I’ve heard from other refugees too that when you set foot in StARS, you feel totally safe and at home. Every refugee who comes to StARS is treated fairly and with tolerance. We see everyone has human beings. Every day is a learning day here. I call it the marketplace of ideas. Our small United Nations. Everyone who comes here is fully aware of your situation. People who understand you before they even talk to you. I hope that every refugee, wherever they are, they will find a haven like StARS.

You arrived in Cairo alone as a 16-year-old. What advice would you give now to someone in that situation?

I would tell them to never lose hope. There’s still hope in this world, despite everything. We live to see another day. I would tell them to not lose hope no matter how hard the situation looks. There are places like this. There are people who are hoping to help you. It’s just a matter of time before you come across them. I like to joke when people ask me how old I am that I am 8 years old. I started counting my years from the moment I discovered StARS.

*Name changed to protect identity.

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Ruthelaine Destin. Photo courtesy AGEHPMDNG

Small Investments Lead to Big Joy

Throughout 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic took a catastrophic toll. Haiti’s Northwest department was no exception. Unemployment soared, and people lost their livelihoods. This meant that many people spent what little savings they had.

When planting season arrived in November, farmers had fields that they had prepared to plant. But many couldn’t afford to buy the seeds that would go in those fields. CWS and our partners knew that a small boost now would lead to a huge impact for families when harvest season rolled around. So we provided seeds to 100 farmers. These seeds were short-cycle, which means that they would be able to harvest sooner. Of the 100 farmers, 70 were women. The seeds they received to plant included corn, peanuts, black beans, white beans and lima beans. 

Now, five months later, farmers are reimbursing us with part of their harvests. These repayments will ensure that seeds are available for future planting seasons if farmers need the boost again. Each farmer pays back 1.5 times the number of cans of seeds they received. 

Gedeon Sidernier received peanuts and corn to plant.  When he came to reimburse corn, Gideon said: “With one can of corn received, I was able to harvest a yield of 80 cans.” 

Ruthelaine Destin is a single mother of three. When she came to our partner AGEHPMDNG to reimburse her seeds, she said:

“In November I received corn, black and white beans, and lima beans. It was a good moment for me to receive this, because my land was prepared, but I had no money to buy seeds. [AGEHPMDNG and CWS] gave us seeds to plant. I had nice crops, good crops. I have already harvested black and white beans and lima beans. Even though the harvest of black and white beans could have been better, it was still good.

They gave me one can of beans, with which I made a yield of 6 cans, without counting what I have eaten and donated to others. As for lima beans, I made 14 cans out of 1 can. I shared with others, I sold a part, I paid for school for my children, and I used part for our own consumption. On top of that, I have 14 cans saved.

They gave me one can and now I have come to reimburse 1.5 can, while the rest is mine to keep, so that I can take care of my family and our daily needs. That makes me really happy, because this season, even though I had finished preparing my land, it looked like I was not going to be able to plant.

With these seeds, I am doing well. Right now, I am harvesting the corn. If you go to my house now, you will see the bags of corn. Once I am done harvesting the corn, I will reimburse three cans, because they gave me two cans. This is my joy and this will help me advance, because I am progressing thanks to this group that gave us these seeds. My lima beans are already giving a second harvest. If you look at them, it seems they are beans that have just been planted, giving such a good yield, while I already harvested them once.”

With a small investment, a huge harvest of joy is underway right now. Thank you, CWS family, for making these stories possible!

Stories of Change

Nelson Valdez

Leadership During Hard Times in the Dominican Republic

“My name is Nelson Valdez. I am the president of the youth group Jóvenes Unidos por el desarrollo de El Batey [youth united for the development of the community of El Batey in the Dominican Republic].

My family is my mother, my father, my grandmother and three sisters. One of the worst things I saw during COVID-19 was mass unemployment that left people and families totally unprotected. I saw sick people and also know of people who had to move from their community looking for jobs elsewhere. Fortunately, I did not lose any relatives to COVID, but it was a tough time for my family.

COVID-19 made me stop my education. When COVID-19 began, I was pursuing studies in mathematics at the university and attending a finance and accounting course at INFOTEP, the government´s vocational and professional education agency. The university closed down due to COVID, which also affected my finances because my monthly scholarship for excellent grades of $104 was suspended. This affected not only me personally, but also my family.

One of the main lessons I learned in the [CWS-supported] entrepreneurship training was that, if I do it right, I can begin a new business despite how big difficulties seem to be. Even though the pandemic has hit many people so badly, there are people that innovated and move forward. I learned that while many people want to do businesses in good times–we called these times “tiempo dulce”–a true entrepreneur shows leadership during hard times.

I learned from participants who in the middle of the pandemic began to produce and sell masks and gloves. After the training, I spoke to one of my cousins about an idea I had after I saw the tree nursery the community is building [through the CWS-supported program]: I want to plant fruit trees in a vacant lot of land in the community.

The tree nursery project is very important for the community and especially for youth because it will create jobs. The only job opportunities around here is to go the town of La Loma or to move to the capital city of Santo Domingo, where you can find jobs and education. If young people can make a decent living here, then at least we have the option to stay if we want.

I am part of the tree nursery project, and one of the aspects of the project I like is that we will travel to other communities to sell our plants and we will learn things from them. In the community of Juan de Herrera (pop.12,000), for instance, we can meet new people, share ideas and learn from them. So it won’t be just about selling our production and make a profit but new learning and making new friends. Of course, the tree nursery will help members to expand their income as well.”

Nelson participates in a CWS food security and livelihood program that engages rural communities in the Dominican Republic. Our local partner is Servicio Social De Iglesias Dominicanas, and Growing Hope Globally supports this work. 

Stories of Change

Donaldo in one of his fields.

New information means a new outlook in Nicaragua

Note: This story was written in the fall of 2020, before Hurricanes Eta and Iota slammed into Nicaragua’s Atlantic coast. Communities participating in this program were severely impacted, as you can see here. With CWS support, Accion Medica Cristiana responded immediately. We are now working together to plan longer-term recovery support, but we do know that the information and practices families like Donaldo’s have put into place through our ongoing program are making them more resilient. Donate to this relief effort here.

Donaldo Justiniano Nicho is a father of six. His family lives in Kuiwitingny, the same community on Nicaragua’s Atlantic coast where he was born and raised.

Kuiwitingny is one of 13 communities in the area where CWS and our partner Accion Medica Cristiana work. Our program focuses on nutrition, especially for young children. We’ve teamed up with farmers here for years through our training center model. Community volunteers called agricultural promoters gather at training centers, where they share ideas and learn new ways to improve their harvests. When they return home, promoters share what they’ve learned with neighbors. 

“I am very grateful and cheerful because I am preparing as a community agricultural promoter, with the support of Accion Medica Cristiana’s program in my community,” Donaldo says. “For me, the training I am receiving is very important and valuable, and I am realizing the great opportunities that I missed in the past when I only focused on other tasks for my survival.”

Reflecting on the impact of the program, Donaldo says:

Everything I learned I’m putting into practice. Before I didn’t know how to set up my farm. I planted the crops in a messy way and on small plots, just to produce something so I could feed myself. But now I know the importance of having good food through crop diversification.

That is why I have established my production farm for this year, and I have already managed to obtain the first harvest of basic grains: 40 quintals of rice, 10 quintals of maize, and a large amount of cassava. I also have established 300 banana plants, 50 cane plants, 100 malanga and 100 quequisque that they gave me through the project. I am also starting to cultivate several species of fruit plants such as pejibaye, mango, soursop, orange, lemon, guava, coconut, avocado, pear, and cashew .

My main idea is to establish a diversified production, and at the same time raise hens and pigs.

I thank AMC and those who help with financial funds to make these efforts possible for families in need.

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Rosalie François with her two new sheep.

“Thank you very much for this beautiful program.”

Many families in Haiti earn a living by raising livestock. People breed animals such as sheep, goats or pigs and then sell the offspring. In recent years, though, disasters have struck the nation and claimed the lives of many families’ animals. Families may also have to sell their livestock as a last resort to meet urgent needs, ending this sustainable income stream. 

In 2020, CWS distributed sheep to many Haitian families to help them start or restart raising livestock. Here’s what a few program participants had to say:

Rosalie François:

“My name is Rosalie François. I am married to Iliado and am a mother of three daughters and three sons. Two nephews and my father are also living with me. My father is blind. I am a merchant, a farmer and I do animal breeding. I used to have a cow, two sheep and three goats, which were very helpful for me, but due to circumstances I had to sell them so that I could solve some problems, purchase food and send my children to school.

During the [CWS-supported] training…I learned to build a shelter for the sheep, to regularly clean the shelter, and to collect excrements and leftover food to produce compost. That is what I do now and then I will use it for my crops. I know that I should not build the shelter on a steep hill, so that the animals are comfortable in the shelter. I apply what I learned at the training. My shelter was built well and water cannot cause the animals any problems.

I will respect the contract I signed and reimburse the firstborn lambs to the leaders so that they can distribute them to other people who haven’t received any yet. Thank you very much for this beautiful program.”

Pelita Decelouis:

“I am 43 years old and married to Junel. We have four daughters and one son. I am a farmer, I have a small business and also some animals. I used to have four goats, two donkeys and four sheep, but right now I do not have any animals at all. This animal breeding program of MOSODEL and CWS has a major importance in the community. Many people who had no sheep, now received two ewes. If they take good care of them, they will have lambs, they will reimburse some and the rest will be theirs to keep.

I already took my sheep for mating and now it is pregnant. Before I received the sheep, I gathered materials and built a shelter for the sheep, because I learned during the training that a shelter is a protection for animals. It protects them against wind, sun, rain, and other animals that can attack them.

When my sheep will have lambs, I will reimburse the firstborn lamb to the leaders of MOSODEL, so that they can pass them on to people who have not yet received any sheep. I give many thanks for these sheep that I received.”

Watnie Atilus:

“Watnie Atilus is my name. I am 26 years old, I have two daughters and I am married to Louis Jean Baptiste. I am a merchant and practice animal breeding. This program and AGEHPMDNG have a lot of importance for me. If I was not a part of this group, I would not receive any sheep.

I already received two female sheep and I benefited from many advices during a training that I attended for two days. At that training I learned to keep an eye on the sheep so that I can take them to mate when the time is right. I also know that I should not let the sheep roam around freely, because then they can get lost, thieves can catch them, or they can die. I tie them with a rope at a place where they can find fodder to eat. In the afternoon, I put them in a shelter that I built for them before I received the sheep.

I feel proud when I look at my sheep, I am very happy. I hope that everyone keeps their promise to reimburse the firstborn lambs so that the program can continue to advance. I give thanks to all those who have contributed to this program in one way or another.”

Alène Desir: 
“My name is Alène Desir. I am 51 years old and have one daughter. I am not married. I live with my mother and take care of her. I am a merchant, a farmer and I do animal breeding. I have three goats, one pig and 21 chickens.

During the training I learned there are three ways people look after animals in Haiti. There are people who choose free roaming of animals, others tie them with a rope, and others put them in a shelter. I learned about the importance each method has and also the disadvantages. Now, I have chosen to apply the rope method, because during the day I tie my animals close to grasses and in the afternoon I go get them to put them in a shelter and feed them again for the night.

Often it is a problem to find fodder for animals in the community because of drought. I learned at the training that when it rains a lot of grasses grow and I can cut them to dry them in the sun and tie them together to make hay. Then when I feed the hay to the animals, I can water it with some water with salt. I have already started to produce hay to give to the animals when the next dry season arrives.

I built the shelter before I received the sheep. I feel comfortable when I look after the sheep and I also believe that the sheep themselves are comfortable when they can be in the shelter without any problems. That makes me happy.

This program helps me a lot, especially when the sheep will start tot have lambs. They reproduce quickly so I can sell them to solve any problems I have, for example with my house or to feed the children. I hope that the program will continue so that people who haven’t received any animals can also have them, while I will give my own contribution when I reimburse the firstborn lambs. Thank you very much.”

Ifanie Daté:
“These sheep that I received are my future.”

Thanks to Latter-day Saint Charities for their support of this program.

Stories of Change

Anastasia stands in front of the pen where she keeps her pig.

Happiness and hope for Anastasia’s family in Tanzania

Anastasia Malembeka has relied on farming and selling fruit and vegetables to earn a living. She has always wanted to start a livestock business, but she didn’t have the startup capital. She also didn’t know what the best type of animal would be to raise in order to provide for her family. 

Things changed in 2020, when CWS introduced a new part of our work in the region of Tanzania where Anastasia lives. With the support of Latter-day Saint Charities, CWS offered families like Anastasia the resources and information they needed to start raising pigs. Before the program, Anastasia thought it would be a challenge to raise pigs. Nevertheless, she signed up and has seen success.

“Now I know how to rear a pig in most effective way,” Anastasia says. “I can prepare pig feed using the feed formula that was taught to us by CWS, I can easily manage my piggery unit by myself and I can even identify common pig diseases and furthermore prevent them.”

“I am thankful to CWS because through this project, I have fulfilled my dream of livestock rearing, which will in turn diversify my family source of income. This project has also provided a platform for farmers to meet and discuss challenges faced and how to solve them accordingly. This has been helpful since it gives us an opportunity to learn and encourage one another,” she continued. “The lead farmer has been very helpful to us by providing technical advice and further support whenever needed.”

“My sow is now growing healthy, and I expecting her to be ‘in heat’ anytime–something we are all looking forward to as a family, and we are very  prepared for that,” she says. “At the moment my family and I are very happy because we believe that this project will enable us to increase our family income.”

Stories of Change

A program participant in Ban Mae Surin with her new poultry. Photo courtesy TBC.

Over 500 refugee families in Thailand now have poultry raising businesses

For families all over the world, raising chickens is a great way to eat better and earn extra money. 

More than 500 refugee families in Thailand are now raising chickens. They can add eggs and meat to their diets or sell eggs and chickens to earn money. This program is implemented by our longtime partner, The Border Consortium.

The refugee families living in Mae Hong Son province are originally from Myanmar. They now live just across the border in Thailand in a series of refugee camps. Among other support, The Border Consortium focuses on helping families with young children eat healthy and improve nutrition. CWS supports the “Healthy Babies, Bright Futures” program, which specifically focuses on improving mothers’ diets during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and on ensuring nutritious complementary foods for young children. 

Thanks to Latter-day Saint Charities, we were able to expand the program in 2020 to include providing chickens to 515 refugee families. Now that they are raising poultry, these households can add eggs and protein to their diets. They are also earning money that they can spend on buying household supplies and meeting other basic needs. This was even more important during this time of COVID-19 restrictions which reduced refugees’ prospects for livelihood activities due to restricted movement. For many, this program is truly life-saving. 

The ‘gai baan’, or local free range chickens, were sourced from a hatchery in the province and from Thai villagers who raise chickens. 

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A meeting in Cao Binh to discuss the new water system.

Fair water access promotes peace in Cao Binh, Vietnam

Most of the people who live in Cao Binh village are from the Tay ethnic group, Vietnam’s largest ethnic minority. The name of their village comes from its location in the mountains of northwest Vietnam: “Cao” means “high” and “Binh” means “flat.” So, it’s the flat area on a high mountain.

Cao Binh’s residents use a small stream about a mile from the village center as their drinking water. The stream’s flow changes seasonally, so families often face water shortages. This is especially true in the dry season from December to March.

Not surprisingly, facing so many water shortages means that people don’t care much about water quality. They are only able to focus on quantity. 

As a result, there was often tension and conflict among neighbors over water, especially during shortages. And, since families haven’t traditionally shared water among themselves, things could get pretty bad. Better-off households had money to build simple pipelines to tap upstream water, which left poorer families with little or no water downstream. 

With the financial support of the CWS family, CWS staff joined community leaders early this year to find a way to address the problem. Together, we conducted what’s called a “community needs assessment” and surveyed households about their water needs and usage. With findings in hand, Cao Binh’s official leader Mr. Thang met with Women’s Union members, school leaders, other villagers and People’s Committee leaders. And, with our team, they brainstormed, discussed and planned a solution to their water crisis.

In two community meetings, everyone had a chance to share ideas. Then, a consensus emerged: a gravity-fed pipe system was the best way forward. A total of 43 families registered to join a new Water Users’ Group. Importantly, they also agreed to contribute their labor to dig trenches and transport materials. Additionally, each family agreed to pay 300,000 Vietnamese dong ($13) to buy a water meter and small pipe to connect the main pipe to their house.

An operation and maintenance team was also formed. Everyone agreed on a three-person team. Then, water use fees were agreed for operations and maintenance costs. Each family agreed to pay 1,000 dong (about 4 cents) per cubic meter of water used for the first 20 cubic meters, and 2,000 dong if they used more water. After these agreements, CWS helped the team create a water use and fee collection record system to ensure transparency.

Recently, Mr. Thang told our team, “People are now satisfied with the water supply system. It is well designed and, as planned, easy to use and maintain. With meters, people are more responsible in using water. Also, homes at the end of the pipeline now have enough water. And village solidarity is improved and conflicts over water no longer happen.”

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Azizah in front of her family's new bathroom.

Household latrines help families in Indonesia stay healthy during COVID-19

Disaster struck the village of Balongga in Indonesia in September 2018. A massive earthquake–and the resulting tsunamis and land liquefaction–destroyed or badly damaged most houses here. 

Today, many families in Balongga still live in “temporary” shelters that organizations including CWS helped them build. They are meant to be an intermediate solution and have a couple of sturdy rooms in each one. But there’s a key problem: those rooms don’t include a bathroom. 

Recognizing this shortcoming, CWS and our partners set out to help families build bathrooms near their shelters. So far we’ve reached 273 families in 14 villages, including Balongga. We also team up with community members called Community Health Promoters to lead hygiene and sanitation workshops.

Azizah, Dwi and their family are participating in this program. During a chat with CWS staff, Azizah said, “I feel grateful because we now have our own toilet. And I now know more about hygiene. The Promotors reminded us about behaviors that help us create and keep a clean, healthy home environment. For example, we heard about the basics of community-based total sanitation: stop open defecation, wash hands with soap, protect safe drinking water and manage household waste properly.”

This year, Promoters have also shared information about COVID-19 and how to prevent its spread. Dwi said, “Now that we have our own toilet, I don’t have to worry about the physical distancing rules [for shared public spaces]. Since we no longer use the communal latrines, which is good, [we are safer].” Azizah chimed in, “I agree! And, since we’ve had our own sanitary toilet, my children no longer have diarrhea.”