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<strong>NEWS</strong> cover the cost of training, equipping and supporting a volunteer and running complementary activities, such as radio programmes and sports events, which can be used to reach large numbers. You can find out more about how your church can be involved in this special appeal by calling Eleanor Ledesma on 020 7523 2368 or by visiting christianaid. org.uk/tacklemalaria Christian Aid/Sarah Filbey £500 malaria appEal to churchES Christian aid is asking churches in Britain to join the fight against malaria in africa by raising at least £500 each to support the work of a volunteer malaria control agent for a year. this initiative aims to raise funds to start a new antimalaria programme in sierra Leone. Volunteers play a vital role in combating malaria in africa. Kelezo nganga from the Western Province of Zambia lost her six-year-old son to malaria in 2002. determined that other parents would not suffer in the same way, she trained to become one of Christian aid partner the Zambia anglican Council’s volunteer malaria control agents. now Kelezo teaches other parents how to reduce the vulnerability of their Kelezo Nganga with her surviving son, Eric children to the disease, how to recognise its signs and symptoms, and where they can go for immediate treatment. Kelezo says that she now feels confident about keeping her second son, Eric, safe. this latest church appeal is designed to raise money to start a similar volunteer programme in the Eastern Province of sierra Leone. Malaria is one of sierra Leone’s most deadly diseases, accounting for the death of thousands of children every year. the project is centred on the provincial capital of Kenema and plans are in place to recruit around 40 volunteers to provide communities with life-saving education about malaria prevention and treatment. at least 30,000 people will benefit. the £500 raised by each church will Nets for Life hits 500,000 target Four YEars aFtEr Christian aid began work with nets for Life in nigeria, the 500,000th net has been delivered. the nets for Life programme works across africa with partner organisations that distribute insecticide-treated mosquito nets and information on prevention. it also advocates for diagnostic testing and more effective drug therapy. Malaria accounts for more than a quarter of deaths in children aged under five in nigeria, and has a huge impact on the country’s economy due to work days lost and the cost of treatment. so combating the disease is critical. Providing nets and educating people about protecting themselves is a costeffective way of preventing malaria. ‘these nets have such an impact on reducing frequent malaria cases,’ explained daniel shitindi from local partner adds Makurdi. ‘these villages where we work have a very high incidence of malaria and it really helps to reduce their visits to clinics, save them money on drugs, and increase their strength for income generation.’ in the coming year, Christian aid will continue to work with partners to educate communities about malaria and to ensure that the nets they have provided continue to be used effectively to ensure a healthier population. drc ChristiaN aid joiNs eLeCtioN observers as CitiZEns in thE democratic republic of Congo (drC) went to vote in elections for the second time in 40 years, Christian aid was part of a team of 100 international election observers in the country. Working alongside national civil society organisations, the observers from EuraC – a European network of 50 non-governmental organisations focused on central africa – collated reports to assess how effective and fair the elections were. delivering democratic elections here is rife with challenges – financial, logistical and political. Christian aid has been working on accountable governance with our partners in the drC for many years. donatella rostagno from EuraC said: ‘Civil society groups such as Christian aid’s partners face big challenges but do a lot with the little they have.’ the results were still being collated as Christian Aid News went to press but to hear a podcast about work in the drC visit christianaid.org.uk/ whatwedo/africa/ 10 Christian Aid News
Climate Change: talk is just not enough Christian Aid journalist Rachel Baird was in Durban to follow the twists and turns of the UN climate change talks. Here, she analyses an outcome that has left Christian Aid campaigners still concerned but determined to keep fighting It’s always ImpossIble to know exactly what will emerge from the United Nations climate change summit held every December. but one safe bet is that governments will put off big decisions altogether, if they can. In the short term, it’s easier than agreeing to something potentially unpopular at home. this year was no exception. although many negotiators left the summit in Durban, south africa, claiming success, the truth is that they simply agreed to keep talking. In a world in which global emissions of greenhouse gases are rising steadily, with scientists warning that urgent action is needed to avoid dangerous climate change, talk is not enough. the ‘breakthrough’ claimed was that the more than 190 countries present agreed to work towards a new international climate agreement, which for the first time will, in theory, cover every country, including the world’s two biggest polluters – China and the Us. the UK and european Union, with allies from the least developed and most vulnerable countries, pushed hard to maintain the existing carbon-capping legislation, the Kyoto protocol, and forge a new deal to come into operation by 2015 with all countries included, meaning binding commitments for all big emitters. but in the end they were overpowered by the self interests of big, wealthy emitters including the Us, Russia, Canada and Japan, who refused to accept any binding commitments until 2020. without such countries on board, India and China also refused to support a more ambitious deal. Indeed it is likely that had not UK secretary of state for Climate Change Chris Huhne stood beside the european Christian Aid/Ally Carnwath Commissioner Connie Hedegaard in pushing hard for a road map to a globally binding deal then the outcome would have been worse, with possibly no binding commitments and no room for further negotiations. Nevertheless, while a global deal could – if done well, with proper protection for people living in poverty – be an excellent weapon to curb emissions, Christian aid remains deeply concerned about the Action in 2020 will come a decade too late for poor people on the front line – they need it now Durban outcome – commitment to act by 2020 is simply too late. experts such as the International energy agency and the world meteorological organisation were practically queuing up in Durban to warn of the urgent need to cut global emissions, which threaten to push the average global temperature rise above a generally recognised ‘safe’ limit of 2°C. mohamed adow, Christian aid’s climate talks expert, judged the outcome ‘a political compromise which saves the climate talks but endangers people living in poverty.’ His warning was bleak: ‘action in 2020 will come a decade too late for poor people on the front line – Campaigners found a novel way to urge the EU to commit to a Kyoto-style deal they need it now. their lives are already ravaged by floods, droughts, failed rains, storms, hunger and disease. these will worsen as climate change bites.’ the Kyoto protocol, which Christian aid supporters have campaigned vigorously to defend, he says is now ‘Kyoto in name only’. even though some governments agreed that they will extend it into a second commitment period, in truth this now amounts to little as so many of its provisions – notably ambition to stay below 2°C and fair action by developed countries – have been removed. one positive Durban development was that the Green Climate Fund, set up to help poor countries cope with the effects of climate change and develop in a carbon-clean way, will be given staff and an office, although as yet very little cash. Christian aid will continue working for urgent action on climate change. above all, governments must commit to deeper emissions cuts to come into force before 2020. much is technologically and economically feasible, such as investing in renewable energies, energy efficiency and better-utilised public transport. Christian aid will continue to call on governments, as well as private companies and organisations like the world bank, to use their power to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and help create sustainable, green economies. Christian Aid News 11
Page 1 and 2: CHRISTIAN AID NEWS Issue 54 Winter
Page 3 and 4: 020 7620 4444 CONTENTS F1986 EDITOR
Page 5 and 6: To view the audio gallery, please g
Page 7 and 8: malawi Grant funds £10.1m climate
Page 9: afghanisTan updaTe CHRISTIAN AID NE
Page 13 and 14: Every day we hear more than 100 voi
Page 15 and 16: Last November, Christian Aid’s Af
Page 17 and 18: nd SHip Tax havens: we’re gaining
Page 19 and 20: WEEK CHRISTIAN AID WEEK CHRISTIAN A
Page 25 and 26: Inspired Enraged Send your views to
Page 27 and 28: ✁ DO IT YOUR WAY GOT YOUR OWN BRI
Page 29 and 30: AROUND NORTH ENGLAND From Genesis t
Page 31 and 32: AROUND THE SOUTH EAST Regional news
Page 33 and 34: AROUND WALES ¡Viva Guatemala! The
Page 35 and 36: EVENTS IN NORTH ENGLAND MONDAY 16 J
Page 37 and 38: Regional news and events in London,
Page 39 and 40: PuDS DO GOOD After-pud entertainmen
Page 41 and 42: Sweet gifts for your sweetheart on

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