Dignity and hope
As we celebrate God's good gifts at harvest, will you help others do the same?
It’s the time of year when we give thanks to God for the harvest, because we know how fortunate we are to have a reliable and secure supply of food. And yet it would not be right to give thanks without also offering our prayers and gifts for those without the same security.
Through this year’s Bishop’s Harvest Appeal, your gifts will help Friends of Mulanje Orphans (FOMO) bring hope to vulnerable children in Malawi, and help Christian Aid empower women in Honduras to take the lead in tackling climate change.
Download the Harvest Appeal leaflet here.
The two organisations selected to benefit from the Bishop's 2019 Harvest Appeal are:
Breaking the Barriers: This initiative will be the major beneficiary of the 2019 Appeal. Through training and sustainable energy business opportunities, women are being empowered to take control of their future.
The programme operates in four countries where those with the least power and influence (women in particular) are most vulnerable to the impact of climate change; Ethiopia, Malawi, Burkina Faso and Honduras.
In an unequal society like Honduras, women are less likely to be involved in community decision-making and are therefore less able to lift themselves out of poverty.
Climate change is also exacerbating these challenges; the seasons are less predictable and traditional farming methods cannot be relied-upon. But training, access to loans and new technologies, such as solar driers for crops, are giving Honduran women a voice.
More information here, where you will also be able to read more about the 2019 'minor partner' - Friends of Mularje Orphans
Friends of Mulanje Orphans (FOMO) is a Lancashire-based charity started by a group in Hoole/New Longton in 2000, with a heart for the vulnerable children of Malawi. From small beginnings in 2000, FOMO has grown and now looks after many thousands of children through a network of 14 centres covering over 90 villages in Mulanje district.
FOMO centres aim to meet basic human needs and develop the potential of all the vulnerable and orphaned children of Mulanje. They do this by providing healthcare, education and food. Vegetables are grown at the centres, and all children attending receive one meal a day – that’s over 1.2 million meals a year!
Back in March, Malawi was struck by Cyclone Idai, one of the worst tropical storms to ever affect southern Africa. In the immediate aftermath of the cyclone, FOMO were on-hand to offer help by supplying emergency food, blankets and clothing directly to affected families. There is so much more to be done to provide a secure future for the vulnerable young people of Mulanje, please donate to support this vital work.
2018 Harvest Appeal outcome
The Bishop’s Harvest Appeal raised £22,817
Bishop Julian thanks all the churches and schools which took part in the Appeal, as well as the team from the Diocesan World Development Group who organised it.
Commenting on the 2018 total Bishop Julian said: “In what are difficult times for many, the giving to my Harvest Appeal is cause for much thanksgiving to God and I am grateful to everyone who has made a contribution." The beneficiaries were Christian Aid Harvest in the Amazon and Kids in Kailahun.
