HOTLINE - week of November 14, 2005

Nearly one year after last December's deadly tsunami, the people of Indonesia's Aceh province are beginning to rebuild their lives and livelihoods--with an emphasis on building for a better future.

With so many fishing boats lost to the tsunami, says CWS-Indonesia director Maurice Bloem, a return to productive fishing is fundamental to Aceh's recovery. And that is happening.

"I get fish enough for our daily needs and installment payments," says Ramli, who lost his house and boat in the tsunami, and is taking part in a Church World Service shelter and livelihood recovery program in Aceh. He now lives with his wife and three-year-old son in Lampoh Kawat in a new 388-square-feet house they built with the help of CWS. Ramli explains that he has been able to resume his work as a fisherman with a new boat provided by CWS.

"We are very happy. We have our own house now. Compared to former days, now we have our private water and sanitation facilities," he says.

CWS is also providing livestock farmers in Aceh with new stocks of pigs and chickens, vaccination supplies, and training in animal husbandry and sanitation procedures. Furniture makers, who have received new machines and tools from CWS, are fulfilling a first order for window frames. Local carpenters are building windows and doors for houses that CWS is helping local people and future owners to build. CWS is also providing farming groups with seeds, tools, and training in vegetable planting techniques, use of organic fertilizer, and organic pesticide production.

For more on tsunami recovery in Indonesia, visit www.churchworldservice.org.

On November 1, CWS-Cambodia launched a Water and Sanitation Cooperation Project in partnership with Svay Rieng Provincial Department of Rural Development, in southeast Cambodia. "There is a long and challenging history here," says CWS Cambodia director Josephine Barbour, "so it was a great day of celebration." Through this project, CWS-Cambodia is working toward five of the eight UN Millennium Development Goals: Reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating disease, ensuring environmental sustainability, and developing global partnerships.

CWS has worked in Cambodia since 1979, helping to form community-based organizations and self-help groups focusing on rural credit, food production, access to water, sustainable agriculture, and animal husbandry.

People in south Florida are recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Wilma, which hit on Oct. 24. Nearly half a million people in eight counties have registered for disaster assistance.

"It's important to remind people that southern Florida is the retirement capital of the world," says Lesli Remaly, CWS Disaster Recovery and Response Liaison. "There are huge numbers of elderly and disabled persons that may still not have access to basic necessities for helping agencies to be concerned about."

Thus far, CWS has provided 3,970 CWS Blankets and 100 "Gift of the Heart" Emergency Clean-up Buckets.

Remaly has been in contact with several long-term recovery groups that are responding to immediate needs and planning to address long-term needs. New groups are in various stages of planning in Broward and Monroe counties, and in Clewiston (Henry County).

CWS has provided 16,200 CWS Blankets, 20,858 "Gift of the Heart" Health Kits, 4,045 School Kits, 975 Baby Kits, 200 Emergency Clean-up Buckets, and two UNICEF recreation/education kits to assist survivors of Hurricane Rita in Texas and Louisiana.

CWS is working with local partners to provide assistance to hurricane-affected people – particularly the culturally diverse, as well as elderly, undocumented, low-income, or illiterate people. CWS has provided more than $1.8 million in assistance for families affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The deadliest tornado to hit Indiana in three decades swept through Vanderburgh and Warrick counties early on Nov. 6, killing at least 22 people. It destroyed a mobile home park in Evansville and an apartment complex in Newburgh. Housing rebuilding and repair will be principal issues in recovery efforts, reports CWS Disaster Response and Recovery Liaison Lura Cayton, who is working with long-term recovery organizations in the area.

Your prayers and support - and your participation in CROP WALKS and the TOOLS & BLANKETS Program - make possible these and other life sustaining programs. For information on how to get involved, please call your Church World Service/CROP Regional Office toll-free at 1-888-CWS-CROP, that's 1-888-297-2767.

For information about free loan videos, please call 1-800-297-1516, ext. 338, or e-mail us at: videos@churchworldservice.org.

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