HOTLINE - week of April 28, 2008

In the midst of a global crisis that threatens millions with possible starvation, Church World Service continues to call for meaningful changes in how food is produced and distributed across the globe.

"This shows now more than ever how the world's hungry are forgotten in the global marketplace," says CWS Executive Director and CEO Rev. John L. McCullough. "In our work across the globe, we're finding even those who were once able to buy food are now in danger of malnutrition or even starvation."

World Bank President Robert Zoellick has warned that rising food prices could push an additional 100 million people in low-income countries into poverty.

Read more about the current situation and CWS's efforts to improve food security.

The 16,500 people of Unyaa and Kaikungu villages, in Kitui and Mwingi districts, are gaining two wells--and increasing their food security, with the help of Church World Service.

Most crops in the area are not irrigated, and losses due to drought are common. Without the new wells, women and children in the communities walked up to five miles to the local river to collect water for the household. Spending so much time fetching water takes away from other activities that could help to improve the families’ lives, such as gardening. The families are often short of food and normally eat only one meal a day.

Church World Service helped with digging the wells, while the communities provided the stones, sand, and unskilled labor, and are now operating and maintaining the wells.

With clean well water now close at hand, the families are spending more time tending irrigated gardens, and growing their own food. That's significant in this day of escalating food prices worldwide.

Since December, 19 hospitals in some of Iraq's most violent cities have received needed basic medical supplies through Church World Service assistance.

The April 10 and 15 distributions went to two hospitals in Sadr City--a section of Baghdad--following a week-long curfew that limited movements in the city. Three facilities will receive additional medical kits in coming days. Forty medical kits were also delivered to Basra hospitals on April 2, and distributions reached two hospitals in Sadr City just before the curfew was imposed. Supplies range from surgical gloves, bandages, and umbilical clamps, to IV supplies, blood infusion sets, and thoracic drainage equipment.

"Hospitals in these volatile zones are without even the most basic medical supplies and are consuming what they have at a great rate," says Church World Service Middle East Regional Coordinator Steve Weaver. "The problem," he continues, "is one of safe distribution and access as well as hospitals lacking financial resources to purchase supplies."

Hospitals and health care centers are treating people wounded directly or indirectly from the conflict, as well as those who have fallen ill due to poor water and sanitation facilities, displacement, and poor nutrition.

Church World Service is also assisting Iraqi refugees being resettled in the U.S. and is playing a key role in influencing U.S. policy towards Iraqi refugees.

Church World Service had provided relief and medical assistance to the people of Iraq for more than a decade before the current war. CWS has continued to provide material aid, social, economic, and health service projects for Iraqis affected by the war, including psychosocial programs for children and capacity building assistance to local Iraqi development organizations. CWS was also lead agency in the All Our Children campaign, which raised more than $1 million to assist children affected by the conflict.

"If there is a time when the presence of humanitarian assistance is required in Zimbabwe, it is now," says Rev. Forbes Matonga of CWS partner Christian Care, of the current economic decline there. "We are on the verge of seeing the total collapse of what was once the most promising economy in Africa." CWS continues to aid the work of Christian Care through financial support of food assistance programs and by providing shipments of material resources for distribution to families and individuals in need.

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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