Christian Aid Podcasts

West Africa Update

In July, Christian Aid launched an appeal to help ten million people going hungry in the Sahel region of West Africa. A combination of cyclical drought and irregular harvests had led to severe food shortages in countries including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Christian Aid partners responded to the crisis, providing emergency food relief for those most at risk - particularly children under five - and working with communities to help them better withstand periods of drought. There were hopes that the harvests of October and November would also alleviate suffering in the region. 

Download / play the podcast:

WAfricaupdate

West Africa emergency manager Cristina Ruiz recently visited some of the worst affected parts of the Sahel. In this interview, she explains what impact the recent harvests have had on the situation and describes how projects supported by Christian Aid are helping those most in need.

Useful links: 

• Christian Aid West Africa appeal

Ghana Refections - part 2

On a recent trip to visit Christian Aid’s work in Ghana, communications officer Sarah Filbey discovered why, for Christian Aid supported farmers, the misuse of agro-chemicals is the greatest issue affecting the health and welfare of poor families across the northern part of the country.

02 Ghana reflection two

This podcast touches on a little documented and largely hidden, yet widespread problem across Ghana’s rural areas and was recorded in Bolgatanga, the regional capital of the Upper East region – the poorest in Ghana.

Christian Aid is conducting further research into the issue as well as supporting its partners to provide alternatives for farmers affected.  A more in depth podcast programme, featuring key health, government and farmer representatives, will be available shortly.

 

Ghana Reflections

On a recent visit to northern Ghana to visit Christian Aid’s work, communications officer Sarah Filbey discovered how partner SEND Ghana is helping the poorest communities benefit from the Ghanaian government’s ambitious school feeding programme, which aims to provide all school children in Ghana with at least one nutritious meal a day.

01 Ghana reflection one

In this short podcast, recorded in Wa, the regional capital of Ghana’s Upper West district, Sarah reflects on the challenges she discovered in ensuring the poorest families and communities - those most in need but often far from the main towns and difficult to reach - are not overlooked and do not miss out on vital support that keeps children healthy, attending school and able to study well.

 

 

Human Rights work in Colombia

To commemorate Human Rights Day on 10 December, Rob Hawke from our partner organization Peace Brigades International (PBI) talks about his field work in Colombia, the human rights situation in the country, the gross violations against human rights defenders and the importance of international accompaniment work. 

 

Rob Hawke

Links to join the campaign: www.colombiadefenders.org

 

Climate change destroying homes

7 year old Juan David watches his house collapse into floodwaters in Guatemala. Is this a result of climate change and what can we do about it?

Climate Change - can we really make a difference_

Communications and Information Officer, Hannah Richards talks to one of Christian Aid’s Climate experts Amanda Farrant about how climate change is already affecting poor communities around the world and what Christian Aid is doing to change this.

Join our Climate Justice campaign www.christianaid.org.uk

Links

• Read more of Juan David's story on the Christian Aid website here - http://www.christianaid.org.uk/whatwedo/eyewitness/americas/guatemala-climate-change.aspx

HIV Campaign DRC

Christian Aid's Communications and Information Officer Ally Carnwath recently returned from DRCongo where he visited a number of HIV clinics. Here, he reflects on how the project gave thousands of HIV activists a renewed sense of health and self confidence, and also on how much remains to be done.

CAHAC campaign

In Democratic Republic of Congo, the Christian Aid-supported CAHAC campaign led to the introduction of a law protecting the rights of people living with HIV and extended access to life-saving ARV medication to some of the country’s poorest people.

Starting in 2005, Community Action against HIV/AIDS in the Congo, organised a range of awareness-raising activities, including the country’s biggest ever HIV demonstration, which saw almost 10,000 AIDS activists take to the streets for simultaneous marches across all 11 of the country’s provinces. Finance for ARV treatment remains a problem but thanks to CAHAC’s pressure on the government, the number of people under ARV treatment has risen from 4,000 to 32,000 in the past five years.

Useful links:

Christian Aid HIV information
http://www.christianaid.org.uk/whatwedo/issues/hiv.aspx

Follow Ally and his colleagues around the world on Twitter - http://twitter.com/ca_global