In this edition:

Inspirational women How women are tackling discrimination and speaking up for their rights in Nepal

Responding to EbolaP4 P8

P2

Spring 2015

Hope in Haiti

Around the world All We Can’s partners are helping women and girls to escape violence, claim their rights, access education, and gain financial independence. In rural Western Nepal, All We Can’s local partner Kopila has a network of staff and volunteers who travel from village to village to raise awareness of women’s rights. They work with communities to set up Self-Help Groups (SHGs) for women to gather together, learn new skills, earn extra income and discuss issues that affect their lives. For over ten years, All We Can has worked alongside Kopila at every stage of its development, providing funding, advice and training to help the organisation grow and respond to the changing needs of the community.

2 Ishowari Giri (left), with Bina Silwal, Director of All We Can’s local partner Kopila Nepal. © All We Can/Purple Flame Media.

Inspirational women

Ishowari Giri is one of a group of determined women living in the remote mountain communities of the Himalayas who, with support from Kopila, are tackling discrimination in their villages and speaking up for their rights.

Having lost her husband, she says, “The life of the widow in my village is very bad. I was suffering from harassment and abuse. I realised I was always feeling sad inside but then Kopila came and encouraged me to join a Self-Help Group. I found it a place to help myself and to meet friends so I decided to be a member of the SHG.”

When asked what difference the SHG has made to her life, she explains, “The first thing was the development of my self-confidence. Before, I always felt too shy to go out and found it difficult to meet with people. But now I don’t feel any difficulties speaking out with people in the village and outsiders.”

Share our storyIn March 2015 our new Inspirational

Women Appeal will celebrate the women

involved in our partners’ work, our own

lives, and the Bible, and raise money to

support more women in some of the

world’s poorest communities to become

all that they can. You can find out more

about Kopila’s work in our new worship

resources for Mothering Sunday and

other services in March, available now.

Go to page 10 for info on how to order.

Front: Ishowari Giri. Above: Women carrying traditional baskets.. © All We Can/Purple Flame Media.

Inspirational women

PODCAST

“The women in the group faced a lot of harassment and violence but thought that was because of their own bad luck, and so they felt like they had to keep quiet. That is why they weren’t saying anything about the bad things happening to them. But now they know that this is abuse, this is exploitation, this is violence, that is why we should speak out.”

Kopila has also been working hard to improve dialogue between men and women and help to challenge traditional customs which discriminate against women. Speaking about the power of

working as a group, Ishowari comments: “One person alone can’t do anything, but the group is the most powerful tool. It’s the thing that can easily change the attitude of other people and help us to feel self-confident.”

With support from Kopila, Ishowari, who was once illiterate, is now a leader

But now they know that this is abuse, this is exploitation, this is violence, that is why we should speak out.

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in her local community. She represents women in a variety of forums from school management committees to local government consultations and works tirelessly to ensure that the concerns and voices of women are heard. She says “Many people invite me to speak to their groups. But if I am not able to participate in each forum I always ask other women to be involved.”

All We Can’s partnership with Kopila is strengthening the voices of inspirational women in Nepal, and reflects our commitment to working with communities that need us most.

Vice-President Gill Dascombe with Reverend Yachelle Watson, Deacon in Petion-Ville Circuit. 4

Hope in HaitiThe earthquake that struck Haiti on 12 January 2010 threw a global spotlight onto the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, where 70% of the population were living below the poverty line. In all, 220,000 people are estimated to have died and 300,000 people were injured.

was this general feeling of a country still recovering. There were a lot of piles of rubble and broken down buildings. There was a feeling of the poverty and the sense that they still had a lot to do to recover from the earthquake.”

The Methodist Church’s health services consist of 12 health clinics – one in each of the Circuits in Haiti. The clinics were damaged during the earthquake and are often cramped and under-resourced due the absence of any government financial support and also the limited availability of medical equipment and pharmaceuticals. Although healthcare professionals work in the clinics, they are managed by the Circuit Superintendent Ministers and staff who have limited training for this type of specialist work.

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PrayTurn to page 10 to find a prayer for Haiti

or visit www.allwecan.org.uk/haiti. Learn

more about the Church CAN initiative at

www.allwecan.org.uk/churchcan

Methodists were quick to respond to the emergency appeals made by both the Methodist Church and MRDF, as All We Can was then known. Our appeal raised over £465,000, which helped to provide food, water and shelter. Thanks to this generous support, we have been able to make a long-term commitment to communities in Haiti.

In the years since the earthquake, All We Can has continued to provide practical assistance to affected communities, helping them to rebuild homes and livelihoods, through partnerships with The Methodist Church in Haiti (Église Méthodiste d’Haiti - EMH), the US-based United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), as well as several other local organisations and international agencies.

Vice-President of the Methodist Conference, Gill Dascombe, visited the Methodist Church in Haiti with All We Can in December to see how this work is progressing. Her first impressions of the country were of: “the heat and the light…and the busyness in the town centres, lots of comings and goings of people buying and selling. But behind all that there

In the past year, through our new Church CAN initiative, All We Can has collaborated with the World Church Relationships team of the Methodist Church in Great Britain and UMCOR to provide training and advice to build the expertise of a new Health Board for the Methodist Church in Haiti. The new Health Board has begun to make a difference and Methodist mission partner John Harbottle is also providing technical expertise to the new Health Board Administrator, Dr Benjamin, whose post was funded by All We Can.

The Vice-President was able to draw on her professional experience in the NHS. Reflecting on the trip she commented: “It was great for me because I felt as if I wasn’t just going there to look as a VP, but I was able to offer some practical ideas as well, which made the visit satisfying for me.”

Gill attending the Sunday morning service at Methodist Frère’s campus in Port au Prince.

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Janet Woodward is the All We Can Coordinator at Bridge Street Methodist Church in Andover – promoting All We Can and inspiring support in her Church. This year marks Janet’s eighteenth year in the role, representing an impressive commitment to doing all you can for as long as you can!

Could you tell us a little about what you do as a Coordinator?We have worked closely with All We Can supporting their Harvest Appeals through collections, and have frequently invited along one of their speakers who can add so much more information and make the appeal and posters ‘come alive’. We have also been pleased to respond to emergency appeals, knowing the money was going to get to where it was most needed.

What are you most proud of in your work for All We Can?In 2011 we undertook a year of fundraising for the Partner a Project in Mali. We arranged several social events including a poverty lunch to launch the year, with a speaker from All We Can. Other events included a concert by the newly formed Town Band, a walk in some of the beautiful Hampshire countryside followed by tea and cake

Supporter stories

Left to right: Erica Taylor, Janet Woodward.

Our work would not be possible without the extraordinary commitment of our supporters. Here, we share stories of two supporters whose commitment and creativity have inspired others to get involved.

Jumping for joy Back in July last year, Erica Taylor of Bailgate Methodist Church in Lincoln celebrated her 80th Birthday and instead of presents, asked her friends and family to donate to All We Can’s Ebola Appeal, raising £140. However, with the news of the Ebola crisis in West Africa worsening, Erica felt strongly that there was more she could do to help. “At the back of my mind the idea of a tandem jump for sponsorship kept coming back,” she remarks. On 31 October, Erica bravely embarked on a sponsored skydive, raising a further £510. Reflecting on the skydive, Erica said she felt “Total exhilaration, thankfulness and gratitude to God for his upholding and taking away all fear”.

ActionFind out more about the different ways

you can fundraise for All We Can at

www.allwecan.org.uk. Find out

more about becoming an All We Can

Coordinator or sign up at

www.allwecan.org.uk/volunteer

PODCAST

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in one of the village chapels, a church breakfast to provide an update on the progress of the project, a circuit quiz and a Garden Party to name a few. The amount of money raised for Mali during that year was £1,860 and we also had a lot of fun and fellowship along the way!

What has motivated you to continue in the role for so many years? I could have done none of this on my own. The generosity of Bridge Street folk not only financially, but also giving their time by providing lunches, breakfasts, arranging concerts, preparing walks – the list is endless – is outstanding and has made my job so much easier and a lot of fun.

All We Can thanks Janet and Erica for their committed support.

“At our harvest service we always support a charity. We look for one which will stimulate interest;

one where it is clear that the money will be well used and one that can supply a speaker for our harvest service. All We Can ticked these boxes.

The service was stimulating, educational and very enjoyable. Claire Welch, the All We Can speaker, supplied a film describing All We Can’s work in Burundi and gave a very stimulating talk to expand on the work there. This was definitely one of our best harvest services for some time.

Before the service very few St Andrew’s folk had heard about All We Can, but having a visiting speaker has really

made a difference. Since then we have discussed our charitable giving at Church Council and we certainly plan to support All We Can in the future. We look forward to keeping in contact and hearing about future appeals”.

Harvesting inspiration St Andrew’s Methodist Church in Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire was one of several churches that booked an All We Can Speaker for their Harvest service last year. John Wood, a steward at St Andrew’s, explains why this Harvest service was “one of our best”.

Book a speakerAll We Can has a number of speakers, both

volunteers and staff, who enjoy sharing

stories from All We Can’s work and inspire

and inform audiences. Why not invite a

speaker to your church or event?

The Inspirational Women Appeal in

March provides an ideal opportunity

for an All We Can speaker to come to

your church. Visit

www.allwecan.org.uk/speaker

or call us on 020 7467 5132 for

more information

mic

Claire Welch, All We Can’s Churches and Volunteers Coordinator.

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GiveGet the latest updates and donate to the Ebola

Appeal at www.allwecan.org.uk/ebola. All

We Can supporters have donated more than

£70,000 to date. Thank you for your support.

In response to the outbreak, All We Can initially supported our long-term local partner AMAPEF in Mali to deliver awareness-raising activities to enable communities on the border with Guinea to identify the symptoms of Ebola and protect against infection. In October, we stepped up our response to the escalating crisis and launched an appeal to raise further funds for the relief effort in Liberia and Sierra Leone. We have provided support to our partners in the ACT Alliance – a coalition of more than 140 churches and affiliated organisations – as well as the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), and the Methodist Church of Sierra Leone.

In Liberia, ACT partner the Lutheran Church in Liberia has been providing food for quarantined communities and families of victims and hand washing supplies to help prevent infection. They are also raising awareness to help people understand how Ebola is contracted, and are providing psychosocial support for Ebola survivors and their families. In November, we began a new partnership with UMCOR to provide food, water hygiene kits and home-based care for Ebola survivors who have been ostracised.

In Sierra Leone, donations have supported ACT partner the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone. They are reaching out to

All We Can’s Malian partner AMAPEF running an awareness-raising session near the border with Guinea. © All We Can/AMAPEF.

9000 people in 180 communities to raise awareness about how to recognise the signs and symptoms of Ebola and support prevention and containment. All We Can is also supporting a community outreach programme and providing resettlement and psycho-social support for survivors at Nixon Memorial Hospital through a new eight-month partnership with the Methodist Church of Sierra Leone.

Responding to the Ebola crisisSince March 2014, the deadly Ebola virus has claimed more than 8,000 lives in West Africa.

💵

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Speak OutJoin us – and the whole Climate Coalition

– for a year to remember. Learn more and

register today: www.allwecan.org.uk/lobby

📢

The international climate negotiations in Paris this December are a crucial opportunity to establish a fair and legally binding global climate deal. In preparation, our climate campaign is stepping up a gear as we get creative ahead of the May general election and give our new government a reason to act.

Do something you loveAre you good at knitting? Writing poetry or music? Painting or filmmaking? To inspire more people to stand up for the things we love, we’re calling on you to get

creative and do something you love to help raise awareness about climate change. Once you’ve created your masterpiece, on your own or as a group, post it to us and it will become part of a large exhibition, touring Methodist Conference and other events in the build up to the Paris summit. Learn how you can get involved: www.allwecan.org.uk/exhibition

Speak out at The Big Climate LobbyOn 17 June 2015, you’re invited to parliament for a day of prayer and action on climate change. It will be our first

World AIMS students at Methodist School take part in the ‘For the Love of’ campaign. © Sarah Corbett

A year of action on climate changeLast autumn, over 600 individuals showed their love for their global neighbours affected by climate change by writing to MPs as part of our harvest campaign. Thank you to everyone who took action.

opportunity to speak with our newly-elected MPs after May’s general election. Let’s give the new government a mandate to act by showing just how much we care that climate change affects the things we love and our neighbours in the world’s poorest communities.

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Inspirational Women Appeal

Our Inspirational Women Appeal will celebrate the inspirational women involved in our partners’ work, our own lives, and the Bible, and raise money to support more women in some of the world’s poorest communities to become all that they can. Our engaging new worship resources, to use at services throughout March including on Mothering Sunday and International Women’s Day, are available now. To download or order your resources for free and find more information visit: www.allwecan.org.uk/inspirational. Alternatively call 020 7467 5132 or return the form opposite. You could also invite an All We Can speaker to speak at your service.

Do all you can

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📅British 10K London Run

All We Can has once again secured charity places in the British 10K London Run in July. Join All We Can staff and supporters for this fantastic run which takes in some of London’s most iconic sights. To find out more, visit www.allwecan.org.uk/10K or contact Rebecca Branch on info@allwecan.org.uk or 020 7467 5132. If running (or speed walking) isn’t for you, you can help us by spreading the word.

Pray

Dearest God, let the light of your love shine as the sun upon the beautiful island of Haiti, to strengthen its people, and build them up in love and joy. As your Son came to be human among us and to share all our burdens, help us who have so much to reach out with your justice, compassion and kindness, that all may be blessed as brothers and sisters of one family and children of one God. Amen

Gill Dascombe, Vice-President of the Methodist Conference

🏃 Dates for your diary

25-26 April 2015

Doing All We Can will bring together supporters and volunteers from across the UK for a special residential event at Lane End Conference Centre in Buckinghamshire. The event will inspire you and equip you to make a difference. If you are interested in being an ambassador for All We Can in your Church, Circuit or District, this free event is designed for you! Find out more and register at www.allwecan.org/doing or call 020 7467 5132.

25 January 2015

Royal Mail has introduced a new Freepost system which means that All We Can has new Freepost envelopes. Old style envelopes received after 25 January will cost All We Can up to 20p more to receive, so please recycle any existing Freepost envelopes you have. If you need new envelopes please contact us on info@allwecan.org.uk or call 020 7467 5132.

Inspirational Women Appeal An invitation to:

Celebrate the inspirational women in our lives, the Bible, and All We Can’s partners

Raise money to support women in some of the world’s poorest communities to

become all that they can.

Dedicate a Sunday in March 2015 to holding an Inspirational

Women Appeal service using our engaging worship resources.

International Women’s Day (8 March) • Mothering Sunday (15 March) • Or any Sunday in March

Entrepreneur ProducerLeader

£

and enclose a cheque made payable to All We Can

I would like to be sent:This newsletter, three times a year

Monthly e-news

A prospectus introducing All We Can in more detail

leaflets about All We Can to pass on to othersA collection box for my home (if you would like a collection box for your church, please contact us on 020 7467 5132)

Inspirational Women resources

Inspirational Women Appeal 2015 CD-ROM resource pack. Order one per church/group. Includes 25 Gift Aid envelopes

A3 Inspirational Women Appeal poster

Extra Gift Aid envelopes

I would like to know more about: Setting up a regular gift to All We Can

Leaving a gift to All We Can in my will

All We Can’s current campaigns

Becoming an All We Can Coordinator in my Church, Circuit or District

Booking an All We Can speaker for my Church

Thank you. Return this form to: All We Can, 25 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5JR

Gift Aid: Make your gift give morePlease reclaim the tax on all donations I have made to All We Can over the last four years and all donations I make hereafter. I pay sufficient Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax to cover the amount that All We Can and all the charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify.

I understand that All We Can will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I give.

I am not a UK taxpayer Please advise All We Can if you wish to stop giving through gift aid.

Date:

Address:

Postcode:

Telephone:

Email:

First name:

Surname:

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I would like to make a donation of My details

NEWS03

Meet Jyoti Chaurasia, from Jharkhand, India. Jyoti is a Project Coordinator for the Srijan Foundation which All

We Can has partnered since 2012. The Srijan Foundation works with marginalised tribal women in Jharkland, Eastern India, working through Self-Help Groups to support women to find new ways to earn an income and claim their rights.

? How did you first get involved with Srijan?I heard about Srijan whilst studying at college. Srijan work on many social problems in Ranchi [the state capital of Jharkhand] and are well known for their work. They advertised an internship at my college and I was selected for the position. After completing the internship I was offered the role of Project Co-ordinator in women’s empowerment.

? What are the challenges of your job?My work with Srijan is based in a coal mining area. You have to be very determined to work in a coal mining area as

a female. There is more political influence in coal mining areas; we call it the ‘coal mafia’. It is really hard for a woman to work here but since I have worked with the Srijan Foundation I have learnt what women’s empowerment is and Srijan have supported me a lot.

? Could you tell us about where you are from and how you have seen the work of Srijan benefit your own community? I belong to a place called Kuju village. In Kuju, I have seen the lives of many women; they influenced me because the women used to be in a very bad situation. When the husband drinks and comes home, he may hit [his wife] but still she has to continue because this is the family and she has to feed the family. When I started working with Srijan in our village, the change has filtered through to the women. Now, if her husband tries to hit her, she can tell him that what he is doing is wrong. Before the children were never able to go to school, now they are able to go to schools and colleges.

? Has working at Srijan changed you in any way? When I came out of college I was just a

simple girl. When I started going to Srijan meetings, I learnt how to treat women in society and how they can access their rights. I learnt the importance of empowerment, I got an opportunity to go out and talk about women. Knowing the value of women in society has changed my life. I now know how to work in a community as a woman. When I see the changes in the women in the villages, I feel very happy. I am working for the women and I am happy for that.

Q & A

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All We Can helps people in some of the world’s poorest communities to become all that they can. Find out more: www.allwecan.org.uk 020 7467 5132 info@allwecan.org.uk

All We Can is the operating name of the Methodist Relief and Development Fund, a charity registered in England and Wales, number 291691

All images ©All We Can unless otherwise credited