Thank you for your support!

This slide highlights how PWS&D is working with communities to prevent malaria.

May 6: PWS&D Recognizes 65 Years of Caring, Sharing and Service

For 65 years, our church has been actively supporting people in need through PWS&D. While the global context has evolved since Presbyterian World Service & Development was first formed in 1947, what has not changed is a commitment to Christ’s message of love through justice, poverty reduction and support in times of disaster. Everyday something amazing happens in our world because of small acts of kindness, generosity, solidarity and love by members of The Presbyterian Church in Canada. Thank you for 65 years of your prayers and support! www.WeRespond.ca

May 13: Providing Relief in the Sahel

Due to erratic rains and failed harvests, hunger and malnutrition are affecting nearly 15 million people in the Sahel region of Africa. The situation is expected to worsen in coming months, as families have already begun to sell off their reserves to survive. As an initial response, Presbyterian World Service & Development is working with Canadian Foodgrains Bank to provide food distributions, emergency seed packs, tree sapling and training in order to alleviate hunger, restore livelihoods and create food security. Your support is urgently needed to ensure aid is available to those in need. Learn more

May 20: PWS&D Loves Pennies

The Canadian penny may be phasing out of circulation, but Presbyterian World Service & Development happily accepts pennies for our programs around the world. Every bit counts and when pennies are collected from across the country, they can make a real difference in the lives of others. You can use the PWS&D Coin Box to collect change or hold a PWS&D penny fundraiser. Let’s see how many pennies we can collect for PWS&D! To place an order, contact the Bookroom at bookroom@presbyterian.ca

May 27: Clean Water for All

Clean water is one of the most basic requirements for life, yet more than a billion people around the world still do not have access to it. Presbyterian World Service & Development is working with partners in Malawi and Tanzania to address this urgent need. In 2011, two boreholes and two shallow wells were constructed in Malawi and eight new wells were constructed in Tanzania. Village Water Committees are also being trained in hygienic practices to promote healthier living. Access to clean water and proper sanitation is reducing the prevalence of waterborne illnesses, children are able to attend school, and women have more time to complete household tasks, start small businesses and harvest crops. Water is a gift of life from God for all people. Your generous support is helping PWS&D bring clean water to people in need for healthier futures. www.WeRespond.ca

These days, when you read the newspaper or watch the evening news, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by global turmoil and crisis. Yet, everyday something amazing happens in our world because of small acts of kindness, generosity, solidarity and love by members of The Presbyterian Church in Canada.

Through PWS&D, we reveal our faith and demonstrate our belief that even amidst the bleakest moments, life prevails over death and hope is stronger than despair. Thank you for 65 years of your prayers and support!

“The statistics are sobering: 15 million people are directly affected. More than 200,000 children died of malnutrition last year and another one million are threatened right now.”

The growing food crisis in the Sahel region of Africa was first brought to international attention last December when the United Nations estimated over $724 million would be necessary to respond to the needs of those affected by persistent drought, failed crops and food shortages.

To date, donations have fallen woefully short of this target with relief agencies collecting less than 50% of the aid needed to fund projects. The funding shortfall has been compounded by donor fatigue following famine in East Africa last year.

“To those who are fatigued, we would say that people and children, of course, are not simply statistics,” said Anthony Lake, Executive Director of UNICEF. “All these are families fighting courageously in circumstances that few of us can imagine.”

The precarious situation in Sahel is expected to get much worse in coming months. Entire communities have already sold off their reserves and the next harvest is not due until September.

Conflict in northern Mali has also added another destructive dimension to the crisis. Over 200,000 people have fled Mali and are entering Niger and Burkina Faso while both countries are already struggling to feed their own populations.

Help Make the Difference

Relief is desperately needed to help 15 million people in the Sahel. By acting now, we can prevent millions of people from succumbing to hunger and severe malnutrition.

You can make a donation to PWS&D through your church, mail a cheque to the office, donate online or call 1-800-619-7301 ext. 291. Please mark all donations as “Sahel Africa Relief.”

Click here to download a new Sahel bulletin insert

Click here to find out what PWS&D is doing to combat hunger in the Sahel.

While many are only watching the tragic events unfold, we have an opportunity to each out and help ensure aid is available today. PWS&D is responding to the crisis in partnership with Canadian Foodgrains Bank. To date, a combined $5.5 million has been committed to countries in the Sahel, reaching 248,000 people.

Vulnerable households are being provided with food distributions, emergency seed packages, tree saplings and training to alleviate hunger, improve nutrition, restore livelihoods and create food security.

Help Make the Difference

Help raise awareness of this growing crisis with your congregation and inspire others to take action to make a difference in the lives of millions.

Help your congregation learn more about the work of our church with PWS&D’s new Powerpoint slides. New slides include a full presentation on orphan care and information on how PWS&D is helping create food for the future.

This slide highlights PWS&D’s food programs.

This presentation highlights PWS&D’s orphan care programs in Malawi.