NEWS FROM
LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF
March 18, 2004
For more information contact Jonathan Frerichs at (410) 230-2802.
In this news release:
- As Street Violence Flares in Iraq, Lutheran World Relief Aids Street Children
- Ford Foundation Supports Lutheran World Relief Peace Project for Colombia
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AS STREET VIOLENCE FLARES IN IRAQ, LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF AIDS STREET CHILDREN
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Baltimore, March 18, 2004 - One year after the war in Iraq began and as violence in the streets increasingly targets civilians, Lutheran World Relief and its partners are launching a new project to aid street children in Baghdad. The project, which depends on local organizations and staff, will repair a shelter that provides street children in north Baghdad with protection, education and good hygiene.
Civilians, mostly Iraqis but including foreign aid workers and church personnel, are the target of a wave of shootings and bombings in Iraq as the war anniversary approaches. LWR is proceeding with its assistance as long as Iraqi partner staff - medical, relief and technical workers - are able to work and are accepted in the communities where they work.
“Since before the war, LWR’s aid for Iraq has focused on the critical health needs of some of Iraq’s most vulnerable children,” said LWR President Kathryn Wolford. “We reach them in a way that is possible despite the conflict there. We support small, local projects that have credibility and a good track record with the local community.”
The projects are part of a campaign for Iraq called “All Our Children.” Nearly one million dollars has been raised by six U.S. member agencies to open storefront clinics and supply clean water in impoverished communities, make critical repairs at children’s hospitals, provide fresh food to hospital patients and buy hospital beds. LWR has also provided a half million dollars worth of school kits, health kits and bedding for schools, homes for the elderly and refugee camps.
FORD FOUNDATION SUPPORTS LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF PEACE PROJECT FOR COLOMBIA
Baltimore, March 18, 2004 - Lutheran World Relief has secured a grant from the Ford Foundation for a Colombia-U.S. peace project. The project aims to improve grassroots peacemaking initiatives for Colombia, site of the world’s longest war.
The $164,000 project will document and share lessons from local peacemaking efforts in Colombia with faith-based peace advocates in the U.S. and national policymakers in both countries.
Innovative, church-based peace sanctuaries in Colombia are the impetus for the new initiative. Grassroots faith-based organizations in the U.S. will help identify successful peacemaking strategies in 20 of the sanctuaries and, with their Colombian counterparts, advocate for changes in U.S. policy as a result.
In the past year, the violence in Colombia has claimed the lives of 50 pastors and church leaders and forced the closure of some 300 parishes. The 40-year civil war is fueled in part by drug monies. In addition to local peacemaking initiatives, LWR supports humanitarian efforts among some of the 2.9 million Colombians displaced by the conflict.
