Global Cymru: Unstoppable hope – Cymru to Kenya

Mari Tutesigensi, Head of Christian Aid Cymru / Cymorth Cristnogol Cymru

Hope: to trust or believe. To want something to happen or to be true and usually have good reason to think that it might.

In a world where the news can leave us feeling helpless and hopeless, Christian Aid Week brings people together to put their faith – and hope – into action.

Across Wales, churches and schools have been preparing, ordering resources, organising events and hanging bunting. Many people’s fundraising challenges have been underway for week, including my own family’s 70K in May challenge.

During Christian Aid Week, from May 10-16, thousands of inspiring and hopeful acts are led by volunteers, churches, schools, communities, families and individuals who choose to give their time and energy in ever more creative ways – from art exhibitions to quizzes and coffee mornings to coastal walks.
All to help towards lasting change for people living in poverty, struggling with the impact of the climate crisis, living through conflict, working against injustice.

This year’s Christian Aid Week appeal comes just days after the Senedd elections, another time of hope.
Christian Aid’s Cymru supporters are no strangers to advocating for a globally responsible Wales – many of us have been involved in campaigning to see Wales become the world’s first Fair Trade nation, to see Wales’ carbon emissions enshrined in law and the introduction of the ground-breaking Wellbeing of Future Generations Act.

With a new Senedd falling into place, people and churches will be starting to engage with Members of the Senedd, asking them to prioritise action which continue to build on these achievements.

Wales is part of a global economic system which is driving inequality and trapping hundreds of millions of people in extreme poverty. While the richest and most polluting companies and individuals amass record levels of wealth, the consequences of huge debt carried by low-income countries, coupled with the impacts of the climate crisis, have hit people living in poverty the hardest.

We know all too well, weather has become more severe and erratic which means crops are failing and people are struggling to feed their families. On top of this, many at risk of climate disasters are also in a debt crisis; debt payments prevent governments from addressing their citizens’ basic needs or responding to the climate crisis.

And in areas of conflict, the violence is becoming more protracted and complex, forcing communities to live through cycles of violence and displacement, with millions forced to flee their homes and live in temporary shelters, praying and hoping for peace.

The Senedd elections are a defining moment, and we hope our new MSs will respond with urgency and responsibility to help shape Wales’ role in tackling poverty, injustice and the climate crisis. We call on those governing our nation to stand up for the choices needed to create a more just, equitable, sustainable and peaceful world.

In the meantime, we continue to do all we can to campaign and fundraise to help the work of Christian Aid’s partners, working with communities on practical and sustainable initiatives.

Kenya

During this Christian Aid Week, we are sharing stories of families in Kenya, for whom it’s a daily struggle to feed their children: with secure jobs hard to find, and most people earning less than a dollar a day to cover school costs, rent and water, some days there isn’t enough for a meal.

Meanwhile, Kenya is trapped in an economic crisis, spending more on repaying external debt than it does on healthcare and education.

But work is happening to change things for people, sometimes in the smallest of spaces. With tools, seeds and specialist training, families are learning how to make the most of places like alleyways and rooftops to grow a steady supply of fresh vegetables to cook and sell.

They are working with Christian Aid’s partner, Beacon of Hope – a faith-based NGO in Nairobi – on projects such as Imarisha Kilimo, which means “strengthen agriculture” in Swahili. The aim is to tackle food insecurity by providing training and practical support to set up climate-smart, small space, urban farms.

Passion

I recently met the founding Director of Beacon of Hope, Jane Wathome. We spent a few days together in Wales meeting supporters, hearing about Jane’s inspiring work in Nairobi and sharing our own stories. Jane said she would take the sense of Welsh determination, warmth, passion and commitment back with her.

Connection is powerful, it transforms lives and bring us hope which leads to action – action that is certain and unstoppable.

The actions and efforts of Christian Aid supporters in Wales, especially during Christian Aid Week, help fund transformational projects like Imarisha Kilimo. But they also bring people together in hope.
So, why not join us this month and do something fun, generous and hopeful.

Get involved: caweek.org.uk

A Million Acts of Hope

This year’s appeal also coincides with a UK-wide initiative called A Million Acts of Hope. Christian Aid and dozens of other charities, communities and faith groups have come together to bring hope out into the open.

A Million Acts of Hope is an invitation to celebrate the everyday acts of kindness, care and connection happening across the UK. At a time when division can feel loud, this movement brings together all these everyday acts of hope and shine a light on the people and communities making them happen