wfn.org | CWS RESPONSE TO FLOODS AND DROUGHTS

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org (CAROL FOUKE)]

CWS Responds to Floods/Droughts
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the 
USA
Contact: Wendy S. McDowell, NCC, 212-870-2227
Internet:  news@ncccusa.org

75NCC8/6/98      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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EDITORS: When listing organizations receiving funds 
for humanitarian response to the Brazil Northeast 
Drought, Bangladesh floods or Tajikistan floods, 
please include:  CHURCH WORLD SERVICE, Attn: 
#976309, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515.  Phone 
pledges or credit card donations: 1-800-762-0968.

CWS works in more than 70 countries, including the 
U.S., in disaster relief, human development and 
refugee assistance.  It is a ministry of the 
National Council of Churches, which includes 34 
Protestant and Orthodox member communions with a 
combined membership of nearly 52 million.
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CWS RESPONDS TO FLOODS AND DROUGHT IN THREE 
DEVASTATED AREAS

 NEW YORK, NY, August 6 ---- Church World 
Service (CWS) is joining with ecumenical partners to 
help meet needs on three continents, responding to 
flooding in Tajikistan and Bangladesh and to drought 
in northeastern Brazil.  CWS is supporting three 
recent appeals by ACT (Action by Churches Together) 
addressing the needs brought about by severe weather 
conditions as follows:

  The climatic changes of "El Nino" have exacerbated 
the severe drought in northeastern Brazil, where 
some 10 million people are affected.  The drought 
has resulted in 80 percent agricultural losses in 
some areas.  ACT members Coordenadoria Ecumenica 
de Servico (ACT/CESE) and KOINONIA Presenca 
Ecumenica e Servico (ACT/KOINONIA) have requested 
ACT funding for an eight-month project to provide 
emergency assistance including water, cisterns, 
food, seeds, agricultural tools, and food-
producing animals to more than 11,000 vulnerable 
families.  The aim is to provide long-term water 
and food security.  The ACT appeal totals 
$1,074,536 and CWS is seeking to raise $50,000.
  In Bangladesh, the monsoon season is once again 
causing death, suffering and destruction.  
Torrential rain has caused flash floods and new 
floods have created further problems.  Some 350 
people have died and about 30,000 people are at 
risk for dysentery. ACT members in Bangladesh 
include the Christian Commission for Development 
in Bangladesh (CCDB), a long-time CWS partner; 
Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service (RDRS); Koinonia; 
Social Health & Education Development (SHED) 
Board; and The Church of Bangladesh Social 
Development Programmes (CoB).  They are requesting 
three-month projects to provide basic food and 
non-food items, and some repairs to houses and 
infrastructure to enable the most vulnerable to 
survive the current crisis.  The ACT Appeal totals 
$342,745.  CWS is asking its member denominations 
for $20,000.
  Heavy snowfalls and rains in April caused a series 
of avalanches, floods and landslides in the 
eastern and central parts of Tajikistan that 
destroyed villages, dikes, canals and reservoirs.  
Some 7,115 structures were damaged, 704 of them 
completely destroyed.  The Russian Orthodox Church 
and ACT member Hungarian Interchurch Aid are 
requesting ACT support to provide rehabilitation 
and continuing relief assistance to vulnerable 
flood survivors, including widows and orphans.  
Local emergency response capacity-building courses 
are also planned.  The six month programs will 
distribute food, cleaning supplies and clothing to 
some 3,000 people, as well as construction 
materials to 480 people, including Tajiks, Uzbeks, 
and Russians, both Christians and Moslems.  ACT 
has appealed for $661,976 and CWS has a goal of 
raising $20,000.

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