HOTLINE - week of October 08, 2007

In parts of the central highlands of Guatemala, women are growing vegetables in the cool climate--and on rocks and hillsides--with the help of Church World Service and the Conference of Evangelical Churches in Guatemala and its local partners.

"We are trying to provide opportunities for people in the region," says Don Tatlock, CWS Central America and Caribbean representative.

Participants are increasing food production on their small parcels using greenhouses and tire gardens, developing new water collection and filtration methods, using available natural resources, growing new crops, and making their own fertilizer, and improving family nutrition with the new produce they are growing--now year-round.

Many families are growing warm climate vegetables such as tomatoes, green peppers, and cucumbers in greenhouses made from plastic sheeting stretched over wooden frames. One greenhouse shared by five families has had five to six crops of vegetables in its two years of operation. The families are now growing enough to sell at the market, boosting their income and helping them better provide for their families.

In the warmer months, families are now also growing a variety of vegetables outside of the greenhouses to help improve family nutrition, including radishes, peas, squash, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots.

As we recognize International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction, on October 11, Church World Service continues its response to floods and other disasters, globally and locally, often working with partners on preparedness to mitigate future disasters.

More than 3,000 people in three communities in Haiti hard-hit by August’s Hurricane Dean are being helped to recover through Church World Service partners: Some 500 are gaining grants and management counseling to restart businesses, and more than 2,500 small-holder farmers are learning about sustainable farming techniques, and gaining seeds, tools, and replacement livestock. Many are also receiving building materials to rehabilitate houses, and learning about disaster preparedness.

In Jamaica, 1,435 vulnerable families recovering from Hurricane Dean are meeting their immediate needs for food and other items such as mattresses, tarpaulins, shelter materials, blankets, hygiene supplies, school and baby items, with the help of Church World Service partners. Another 1,000 families are restoring their livelihoods--including chicken farmers who are restarting production, and cash-crop farmers who have received seedlings to plant. In addition, community members are learning how to cope with any future disasters.

Several villages in Thatta District, Sindh Province, Pakistan, that were devastated by heavy summer rains and flooding are gaining 150-200 hand pumps, 1,200 jerry cans for storing water, and training in health and hygiene, through Church World Service. Villagers are also learning about the installation and operation of the pumps and the construction of a platform and drainage system.

In Amhara and Gambella states in Ethiopia, more than 60,000 people have lost homes, farmland, and access to roads because of severe flooding. Church World Service is prepared to support a response from partners there to assist the most vulnerable families.

Summer storms and flooding have also affected many communities across the central U.S. Vulnerable low-income families in parts of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin are finding help with immediate and long-term unmet needs through local emergency recovery groups that have received training and support from Church World Service.

Contributions for Church World Service response in these and other emergencies are urgently needed.

Hurricane Dean (Haiti and Jamaica)

Pakistani floods

Summer 2007 U.S. flooding

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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