Your support is helping us adapt our projects to meet the areas of greatest need amidst the impacts of COVID-19.
Refugees and people seeking asylum in Angola, Africa have been hit
particularly hard by the pandemic. Restrictions have left many households
without access to basic
essentials, like food and hygiene materials, or the
means to support their families.
To meet immediate needs, our partner, Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), Southern Africa, purchased and distributed food packages containing oil, maize meal, salt, and rice, plus hygiene packs for 318 refugee families in the Lunda Norte province.
Back in March, we started a project with JRS Southern Africa, providing livelihoods skills training in pastry-making and culinary skills to 100 refugees living in Lovua Refugee Settlement. But the training had to stop after just a few weeks when the government declared
emergency restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19.
To help vulnerable people continue to develop new skills and
become financially independent—while keeping safe—the focus of the training shifted to making face masks. This also gave community members access to affordable masks for protection from the virus. JRS Southern Africa recruited 30 seamstresses who had recently completed the Jesuit Mission funded vocational skills training program. They were tasked with making 20,000 masks and, so far, they’ve already produced 10,120 masks!
Thank you for your support to continue reaching the people in
greatest need!
“Last year, I benefited from cutting and sewing training in which I learned new
techniques. This year, the project team chose me to be the group trainer…and gave us the challenge of sewing homemade masks. We were given pieces of cloth, thread, and the model for masks. We started sewing 50 to 60 masks a day. As sales went up, I got a lot of income which greatly improved my economic situation.” - Kally Kasawu, sewing group trainer
Food crisis during the pandemic – and what you can do to help
With the help of supporters, our partner, Myanmar Jesuit Mission (MJM), is on the ground getting vital food to where it’s needed most.
As cases of COVID-19 rise at an alarming rate in Myanmar, the severe shortage of food is devastating communities. With borders closed and the economy collapsed, factories have shut down and supplies have dried up.
Over 70% of the population depend on day labour jobs to feed their families but, with movement restrictions, they have been unable to work. And home quarantine in slum areas is incredibly difficult when five people are sheltered in one room.
MJM is working around the clock to get lifesaving food supplies to families in desperate need. They have made food distributions to four slum areas in Yangon, Taunggyi, and in the internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Myitkyina. Each distribution has reached 500 or more households – supporting almost 15,000 people in total.
As well as providing food, MJM is supporting quarantine centres by supplying masks to keep around 3,000 people safe from the spread of the coronavirus.
““Safety and solidarity” is our motto at this time. We are revising our plan for six months of emergency response, with food and livelihood support in a few places.”- Fr Mark
Raper SJ, Myanmar Jesuit Mission
Supporters
like you can make a huge difference for people living in the slums of Myanmar
without enough food to survive. A $200 gift can provide a family with essential
supplies, like food, for six months.
To
help vulnerable people overcome hardship during the pandemic, please support
our local partners, such as Myanmar Jesuit
Mission, through our Emergency Action Fund
The power of a bridge for connecting communities and making everyday life safer.
For the seven villages located along the edges of the river between Siem Reap and Banteay Meanchey Provinces in Cambodia, it was once a dangerous climb down a slippery slope to the water each day for vital things like bathing and washing clothes. And it was difficult for
people to cross the river to the other side – which meant work opportunities were limited and children often missed out on school.
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With the generous funding of a supporter, we’ve been working on the construction of a cable suspension bridge, sixty metres in length, across the river to safely connect the 7,000 people living across both sides.
On 4th October, the bridge officially opened to the public, named “Bridge of Happiness!” This bridge is a way of strengthening friendship between people on different sides of the river. It opened the day after the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assis - when Pope Francis issued the Papal Encyclical “Fratelli Tutti” on fraternity and social friendship.
The bridge area has become a happy place where people gather. They can safely walk down the stairs to wash their clothes and bathe. Children and teachers can access schools across the river. And the church can extend outreach services to support more villages.
Jesuit Mission Australia calls you to ‘Stand with Stan’
Jesuit Mission Australia and the Australian Jesuits have joined an international group of church groups supporting Fr. Stan Swamy, an 83 year old Jesuit arrested in Ranchi now in jail for doing what he’s done for decades – supporting indigenous tribal people being victimised.
Fr Stan Swamy S.J
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In a campaign entitled “Stand with Stan”, the Jesuit groups and organisations want to throw a bright light on the injustice being done to Fr. Stan Swamy and those he serves.
“Fr Stan Swamy has been peacefully supporting the protection of rights of the Adivasi people in India for the past 15 years, in keeping with his religious vows, our Jesuit tradition and the constitution of India,” said Fr Brian McCoy SJ, Provincial of Australian Jesuit Province.
For more than 12 months, Fr. Stan has been harassed by police for the support he lends to the Adivasis (Aboriginal people) in Ranchi, a city in India’s north east, not far from the region where some 50 Australians have served Hindus, Muslims along with Christian and non-Christian tribals over the last 70 years.
The 83 year old Jesuit activist has been charged with fostering division by collaborating with Maoist rebels and was moved to detention in Mumbai, a city on India’s east coast. This work in support of the rights of the indigenous, non-Hindu tribals or “Adivasi” people in and around Ranchi is work that the Australians and others have done for decades and still do.
Fr. Stan, a human rights defender has been in Bagaicha, a Jesuit-run Social Action Centre, for the past 15 years. Like Jesuit Mission’s Uplift support program that empowers Dalits, his work has been primarily with the Dalit Indigenous community, defending and protecting their rights as enshrined in the Constitution of India.
“We at Jesuit Mission are outraged by the arrest and detainment of Fr. Stan Swamy, an incredible man who has devoted his life to serving Jharkhand’s most vulnerable people,” said Helen Forde, CEO of Jesuit Mission.
This is not Fr. Stan’s first brush with Government security forces. His room was raided twice, once on Aug. 28, 2018 and again on June 12, 2019. Then he was questioned for more than 15 hours over five days in July - August 2020.
“As Jesuits involved in education, caring and defending the rights of the poor and vulnerable all over the world, we stand in solidarity with Fr. Swamy and other human rights defenders in India, strongly condemn his arrest and demand his immediate release,” said Fr. Brian.
In a video posted hours before his arrest, Fr. Swamy said that the federal agency combating terror activities — the National Investigation Agency (NIA) — had interrogated him for 15 hours and "Now they want me to go to Mumbai, which I have said that I won't go," he said in the video, citing his advanced age and the pandemic as reasons for his preference to have further questioning through video conferencing.
However, he was arrested and taken to Mumbai, the capital of
Maharashtra state. A special NIA court in that city remanded him to judicial custody for 14 days on October 9.
In Hazaribag town, the base for Australian Jesuits in India, local
Jesuits Frs. Maria Louis and Christopher Kujur organised a silent protest, with many lined up to protest on the side of a main road in a 2 km chain.
“We got very good support for this demonstration from all the religious priests, sisters (very many) and brothers and other lay persons," Fr. Bob Slattery SJ reported. The Australian Jesuits have been in Hazaribag since the 1950s.
“The demonstration was from 4.15 p.m. to 4.45 p.m.,” Fr. Slattery reported. “Of course I doubt very much that our government will listen to our plea to release Fr. Stan. More and more we are under a dictatorship.”
Jesuits in Hazaribag protesting for his immediate release
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Fr. Stan’s case is linked to the Bhima-Koregaon area in Maharashtra state, where a violent clash occurred on January 1, 2018, in which one person was killed and several others injured.
Following investigations, police alleged some nine activists, including Fr. Stan, conspired to organize the violence and have links with the banned Maoists group. Fr. Stan denies the charges. We urge our supporters to join the international movement and stand in solidarity with Fr. Stan. Show your support by signing the petition for his release at https://standwithstan.jcsaweb.org/
Written by Michael Kelly SJ, writer for Jesuit Mission.
In September, the community of the Nasuta village in Timor-Leste gathered to celebrate and rejoice together in being able to access clean water for the first time in their village.
The gift of water – enabled through your generosity – has brought this community joy and hope for a better future.
Many of us take clean water for granted. But for people living in the remote and rural villages across Timor-Leste, walking several hours a day to collect water is just a way of life.
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That’s all changed for the Nasuta community.
Thanks to your wonderful support, 79 families in Nasuta village now have access to clean water, just metres from their own homes.
Our partner, Jesuit Social Service (JSS) collaborated with Nasuta village to install a water tank and other infrastructure to give every household access to clean water.
Over the coming months, JSS will partner with other villages to install water tanks. At the end of the project, more than 3,000 Timorese people across 10 villages will have access to clean running water.
The gift of water is life changing for these villages. It promises disease-free water for drinking, cooking and bathing. It provides opportunities for growing vegetables and raising livestock. Thank you for making this happen.
An island of stability for the young people in Thai refugee camps
With your generous support, the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) team in Mae Hong Son in Thailand is providing young people living in the refugee camps with life-changing education.
For many refugee children who have experienced deep trauma, the routine and structure of a school environment is an island of stability in the midst of an uncertain life. Education is also vital for these children to have opportunities as they grow up. That is why, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the JRS team in Mae Hong Son has been working day and night to find ways to continue offering education to the children living in the camps. The team is doing everything they can to make schools a safe and secure environment for many refugee children who are desperately seeking a sense of normality.
Like so many places around the world, school closures were unavoidable in the Mae Hong Son camps. JRS used this time to make the necessary preparations for the students to return to a COVID-19 safe school environment.
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Teachers were trained on the importance of washing hands, wearing masks and social distancing. JRS provided COVID-19 preventative materials such as face masks, infrared thermometers, washbasins, hand sanitisers and soaps to the schools in the camps.
Thanks to supporters like you, students are now back in class with masks on and are maintaining social distance. Thank you for giving these children brighter futures by helping them to continue with their studies.
Paw Meh is one of the students in the Mae Hong Son camp who is delighted to be back at school. She is only nine years old but she’s already made her mind up to become a nurse to help those who are sick. She works hard, studies independently and is in the top three in her class – she even loves homework as it’s a chance for her to study more!
“Being a good child and student is a gift I can give in gratitude to the people who supported my education,” she says. “I want my parents and teachers to be happy with me, and I want to help people.”
If you’d like to read more about Paw Meh, and help young people like her to pursue their dreams, please click here.
Srey Neang, in the middle, smiling and chatting with her sisters
“How will my sister live?” This is a question Hy Buney would often ask herself about her little sister, Srey Neang. She was afraid for Srey Neang’s future, knowing that life would not be easy for her.
Srey Neang, now 21 years old, has been living with mental illness and a behavioural disorder since a young age. She never knew her father because he abandoned the family when she was a baby. Her mother suffered from alcohol abuse and died when Srey Neang was just five years old leaving Srey Neang and her seven siblings to survive on their own.
Srey Neang’s eldest sister, Hy Buney, took on the role of parent and worked tirelessly from a young age to raise her brothers and sisters. It was especially hard for Srey Neang who was not able to take care of herself. Hy Buney told us how heartbreaking it was to see Srey Neang hiding away from other people – finding refuge in being alone as her mental health illness became more apparent. But, the isolation made Srey Neang’s condition worse as she was not able to develop her communication and social skills. Even a simple conversation with another person felt like too much for Srey Neang to handle. So, the outside world became a frightening place for her.
Hy Buney worried that Srey Neang would never be able to live a normal life as an independent person.
Then came a ray of hope.
Because of supporters like you, Srey Neang was able to join the Enhancing Life of People with Disabilities program run by Karuna Battambang Organisation (KBO) in Cambodia. Srey Neang was involved in the support program for three years. She is now no longer afraid to talk to other people. She can take care of herself, and even help out at her sister’s shop making and selling food. Hy Buney shared how she can now see a brighter future for Srey Neang.
You have helped Srey Neang to overcome enormous challenges
and live independently with confidence – free from fear of the outside world.
Thank you!
“Now I have my own skill as a cook. I can make coffee, make sweets, and lemon tea. Thank you Karuna Battambang Organisation, and especially my lovely sister who always helped me so that I can have a good day like today”, beams Srey Neang.
Watch here how Srey Neang is living an independent life.
In early August, two deadly explosions decimated the port and nearby streets of Beirut. The explosions killed more than 170 people, wounded 6,000 and left nearly 300,000 people homeless.
On the same day of the explosions,
the main hospital in Beirut, treating the city’s coronavirus patients, announced
it was on the verge of reaching full capacity.
Then just days after the
explosions, Beirut saw record daily highs of new coronavirus cases – placing
even more pressure on the fragile health system.
For Lebanon, the explosions and
the COVID-19 pandemic have occurred during a time of social and political
turmoil, making recovery efforts even more challenging.
Situated just two kilometres from the explosion site, several Jesuit offices were badly damaged with blown-out windows, shattered walls and ceilings. Fortunately, there were no Jesuits or staff seriously injured in the blast enabling them to respond to the emergency.
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Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Lebanon was already providing COVID-19 relief through food and hygiene supplies as well as assistance to vulnerable families.
After the explosions, JRS expanded its efforts to support blast-affected families in the Bourj Hammoud and Karantina – two neighbourhoods that were badly damaged and where JRS has been working for the past few years.
The JRS ‘Beirut Blast Emergency Response’ program will target 500 families or 2,500 people who have been most affected by the explosion. Over the next four months, JRS will provide them with emergency shelter assistance, food, mental health and psychosocial support.
Are you looking for a special gift to give this Father's Day? Why not browse our Gifts for Change shop to find a gift with the power to transform lives. MORE
Thank you for rebuilding the lives of returned migrant workers in India
Participants of the Jesuit Coronavirus Relief Program in Chatra, India
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After a slow start, the coronavirus
is spreading like wildfire throughout India. With over 2.5 million active cases
and more than 50,000 deaths, the numbers continue to rise exponentially.
Thousands of workers in the cities have lost their jobs and have made harrowing
journeys back to their rural villages. People are desperate and unable to
provide food for their families.
Through the financial generosity
of Lenity Australia, the Jesuits in Hazaribag are responding to the pandemic by
providing emergency food supplies, a ‘cash for work’ program and an income-generating
scheme.
Targeting vulnerable families and
unemployed migrant workers, the Jesuit Coronavirus Relief Program will support
nearly 7,000 people, primarily from Dalit and tribal backgrounds, across 200
villages in Jharkhand state.
Sanjay Bhyuian at his Chow Mein stall
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For 25-year old Sanjay Bhyuian,
the program has offered his family life-saving support.
As the pandemic gripped India and the country went into lockdown, Sanjay was forced to return to his village after losing his job as a Chef at a Mumbai Hotel. Uneducated and only able to write his name, Sanjay recognised providing for his wife and child was going to be difficult.
Through Lenity Australia and your generous support, Sanjay was able to buy cooking supplies through the Jesuit coronavirus relief ‘small-income generating scheme’. Just three days later, Sanjay had set up his own food stall selling Chow Mein in the local market. For Sanjay, the program upheld his dignity, retained his independence and revived his ability to provide for his family.
Your
generosity has enabled Sanjay and many other returned labourers to re-establish
their lives in their home villages by starting up small food stalls, raising
pigs, and running rations shops. With your support, the program upholds dignity
and empowers the local people to provide for themselves – even in these
unprecedented pandemic times.
“Many are getting help in a
dignified way for they earn, and at the same time, useful work is done in a
village”, said Fr Bob Slattery SJ, one of the Jesuit’s involved in running the
Coronavirus Relief Program.
Are you looking for a special gift to give this Father's Day? Why not browse our Gifts for Change shop to find a gift with the power to transform lives. MORE
Scholarship students at Xavier Jesuit School Cambodia
On the evening of the 12th August, we
successfully held our first Gratitude Webinar. Hosted by Jesuit Mission CEO,
Helen Forde, the 30-minute webinar was held to thank our friends of Jesuit
Mission – like you – for your ongoing support, particularly during these
difficult past few months. We are so blessed and are truly grateful for your
generosity!
Korean Jesuit, Fr Jinhyuk Park joined the webinar to share his experiences of working and living through a global pandemic at Xavier Jesuit School (XJS) in Cambodia.
Fr Jinhyuk talked about delivering emergency food relief to XJS
students and families in their home villages.
He also discussed how the closures of schools in Cambodia has highlighted
the educational inequalities for students from low-income families as they
consider discontinuing their studies to support their families.
Here is one story of how your support to our Emergency
Action Fund has changed one girl’s life by enabling her to continue her
studies.
Mardi is one of the oldest scholarship students at XJS. She started high school later than her peers due to hardships at home. When she was younger, her house burnt down leaving her family with nothing. They never fully recovered from that disaster. Mardi’s mother, as the sole breadwinner of the family, was a migrant worker in Thailand. However, with the COVID-19 border closures, she had to return home and has not been able to find any work in her village. With no support from the government, she struggled to provide her family with three meals a day.
Mardi with her mother standing in front of their chicken coop
Fr Jinhyuk and his team came to know of this dire situation
when they visited Mardi’s home to deliver emergency food relief. They knew that
this food relief was not going to last very long and needed a sustainable
solution. So, they invited Mardi’s mother to join the chicken bank
income-generating project where the school supports the participants to start
raising free-range chickens to sell at the market.
Everyone was relieved when Mardi’s mother agreed to take
part in the project, as Mardi was considering discontinuing her studies to work
in Thailand with her mum once the borders open up again. With her mother’s
involvement in the chicken project, Mardi felt less guilty about her desire to
finish high school.
Fr Jinhyuk recalls Mardi’s smile when her mum accepted the
invitation to join the chicken project. He said that smile spoke volumes. “I
felt happy as if we found a lost sheep. At the same time, I felt sorry for what
they had to go through. I believe there are many others like Mardi in Cambodia
and other countries”.
“With your generous support, they can still continue to build their bright future. You also enabled us to accompany our students more closely and continue to find ways to provide quality education for students. I thank you for your solidarity with our students and their families and us here”.
Are you looking for a special gift to give this Father's Day? Why not browse our Gifts for Change shop to find a gift with the power to transform lives. MORE
