Christian Aid Global

At around 1.5 million, Kenya has the fourth highest number of people living with HIV. The cost of responding to the virus has been immense for the country and while antiretrovirals and other medicines are provided free, nongovernmental organisations have had to step in to help meet people's other needs. Ahead of Christian Aid's Christmas Appeal, which looks at at a project run by ADS, Nyanza, Christian Aid and Virgin Unite, the non profit foundation of the Virgin Group, regional coordinator Amy Merone visited Kenya to find out more about our work. In this short reflection edited by BBC Merseyside, Amy talks about how this work is changing lives.

At around 1.5 million, Kenya has the fourth highest number of people living with HIV. The cost of responding to the virus has been immense for the country and while antiretrovirals and other medicines are provided free, nongovernmental organisations have had to step in to help meet people's other needs. Ahead of Christian Aid's Christmas Appeal, which looks at the work of local partners in Kenya, regional coordinator Amy Merone visited Kenya to find out more about our work. In this short reflection edited by BBC Merseyside, Amy talks about how this work is changing lives.

This World AIDS Day, Christian Aid and Magnum Photos present powerful stories of brave people around the world who are living with HIV under the shadow of stigma. Joanne from the UK was shocked to be diagnosed HIV-positive after her first sexual relationship 12 years ago. It is estimated that 85,000 people were living with HIV in the UK, as of 2009 (UNAIDS), but many people are unaware of their status. Although Joanne says there is ‘massive stigma and discrimination around HIV’, she is one of very few British women who talk openly about their status. Explore all our slideshows and help us challenge HIV stigma around the world: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/hiv

This World AIDS Day, Christian Aid and Magnum Photos present powerful stories of brave people around the world who are living with HIV under the shadow of stigma. James from Kenya was sacked from his truck-driving job on the Mombasa Highway when his employer found out he was HIV positive. In Kenya, 1.5 million people are living with HIV. Free antiretroviral treatment has revolutionised the lives of many, but stigma and discrimination continue to hamper an effective response to the virus and can discourage people from getting tested and seeking the support they need. Explore all our slideshows and help us challenge HIV stigma around the world: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/hiv

On 28 November, voters in DRC go to the polls for their second democratic elections in over forty years. In a process fraught with difficulties and challenges, we find out how EURAC, a european network of 50 ngos concerned about Central Africa, and Christian Aid are providing support. Christian Aid's communications officer Tori Ray, speaks with Donatella Rostagno from EURAC and ex-MP Judy Mallaber about the mission to send 100 international election observers to work alongside national civil society organisations to observe the elections. To find out more about Christian Aid's work on accountable governance across the world, visit www.christianaid.org.uk

Christian Aid has partnered with Magnum Photos to launch ‘Stigma Under The Lens’, a series of thought-provoking audio-photographic slideshows for World AIDS day featuring brave people around the world living with HIV under the shadow of stigma. In this podcast Winnie Ssanyu Sseruma, Advocacy officer for HIV at Christian Aid talks about HIV related stigma. Stigma Under the Lens launches on 28th November. Click this link for further information: http://www.richmix.org.uk/whats-on/event/stigma-under-the-lens/

In the lead up to World AIDS Day, Christian Aid Communications Officer Ally Carnwath reflects on how the Christian Aid-supported CAHAC campaign in the Democratic Republic of Congo led to the introduction of a law protecting the rights of people living with HIV and extended access to life-saving antiretroviral (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.

If it's been a long and difficult road for Sierra Leone to emerge from the shadows of its decade-long civil war, it's been an even longer journey for Sierra Leonean women to make their voices heard. But now things are changing... When communications officer Antoinette Powell visited some of the communities where they are working, she found that with the help of local organisations Network Movement for Justice and Development and the Methodist Church of Sierra Leone, women are not simply speaking out but are beginning to take the lead in building a stronger future for their communities.

In this interview we hear direct from two of Christian Aid’s partners in the Middle East who are working to improve labour rights for marginalised groups in their countries. Christeen Bushra works for Wadi el Nil, an organisation that helps quarry workers in Egypt. Quarry workers have to contend with hazardous working conditions, little pay, and even fewer human rights. Wadi el Nil has been working to establish trade unions to represent quarry workers, and provide training and equipment to improve safety in the workplace. Jesssica Nevo works for Christian Aid partner Kav LaOved, in Israel, and talks about how marginalised groups such as migrant workers are excluded from Israel’s labour laws, and subject to discrimination and abuse of their human rights. Kav LaOved has seen major successes this year in challenging the treatment of migrant workers and improving their legal rights.

Emergencies under the radar: Christian Aid responds We’ve probably all heard about the tsunami, the Haiti earthquake and food crisis in East Africa, but what about the millions of people around the world affected by the smaller scale emergencies that don’t make the headlines. This podcast looks at emergencies caused by flooding, how they affect poor communities and how Christian Aid can respond even when they most people in the UK aren’t even aware of them. In October 2011, Christian Aid is currently responding to three flood related emergencies in Cambodia, the Philippines and Central America to find out more information about the emergency and Christian Aid’s response, or to donate to our emergencies fund, please visit http://www.christianaid.org.uk

In this podcast, Christian Aid’s regional coordinator for Oxford, Amy Merone, reflects upon her first trip to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. From conversations with soldiers in Hebron about humanity, to travelling with a mobile health clinic, Amy reflects upon the shock, inspiration and challenge behind visiting this part of the world.

A series of projects to help repair relationships between soldiers and civilians in troubled eastern DRC has brought the two groups together in unexpected ways. I spent several days with Congolese soldiers and villagers in North Kivu province to find out how Christian Aid partner CBCA has been rebuilding trust in an area blighted by violence towards civilians by armed groups. In this reflection a few weeks ahead of elections in DRC, I look at how CBCA has been supporting reform from within the Congolese army and how a church choir in the tiny village of Kibati provides a small glimpse of a more peaceful future for the region. Useful links: http://www.christianaid.org.uk & http://www.congonow.org/

It’s been a week of debate over the Indian governments newly drawn poverty line, with activists calling it an attempt to cut costs and hide India’s poor. More of the world’s poor live in India than in sub-Saharan Africa. So it’s fitting that last Sunday 2 October, the anniversary of Gandhi’s birthday and the UN international day of non-violence, representatives of Christian Aid partner Ekta Parishad began a 13-month long journey across India to transform the lives of hundreds of millions of Indians living in poverty. Its climax will see 100,000 landless people, some barefoot, march for a month from Gwalior to Delhi in October and November 2012, in one of the biggest non-violent campaigns the world has ever witnessed. Returning from a weekend of lobbying the UK government in Manchester at Christian Aid’s Bearing Witness event, communications officer Sarah Filbey reflects on the synergy between the weekend’s events here in the UK and those taking place in India and elsewhere. Ekta Parishad’s director Rajaghopal is amongst the group undertaking the more than year-long journey across 25 Indian states to mobilize and prepare people in advance of next year’s pinnacle March for Justice. Earlier this year we met Rajagopal ahead of his epic journey and in this podcast he helps us understand the motivation behind this ambitious and potentially historic venture. Links: More on Ekta Parishad’s epic march for justice across India on our corporate website: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/whatwedo/in-focus/india-march-for-justice/index.aspx and check out the photo stream on Flickr here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/christianaidimages/sets/72157627759508299/

Registered as the greatest humanitarian crisis today; drought, displacement and conflict continues to affect millions of people in the East and Horn of Africa. In this interview, Genevieve Lomax speaks with Natalie Dale, a member of the Christian Aid Humanitarian Team, who has recently returned from Dadaab refugee camp in North Eastern Kenya. Natalie considers the situation in the camps, the overcrowding people are experiencing, and the measures Christian Aid and ACT Alliance partner the Lutheran World Federation are taking to ensure the people’s immediate needs are met. For more information on our work in East Africa, and to donate to the appeal, visit: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies/current/east-africa-food-crisis-appeal/index.aspx - Many thanks for your much needed support.

In 2010, around 20 million people were affected by the horrific floods of the July/August monsoon season. At the time, 11 million people were made homeless, and an area the size of England was submerged under water. Through its partner Church World Service-Pakistan/Afghanistan (CWS-P/A), Christian Aid responded to the needs of 140,000 people in the twelve months after the floods. In this podcast Marvin Parvez - the director of CWS-P/A - speaks to Communications Officer Susan Barry about the challenges of working in this complex country, dealing with issues including increased levels of poverty and security threats. Find out more at: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/emergencies/past/pakistan-floods-2010/index.aspx