Sustainable Good

Uganda Rising

This week I have been attending a film festival in Kampala, Uganda, run by Makerere University Law School and the Refugee Law Project, aimed at spurring discussion on ways forward in the country’s peace process.

While things are more peaceful these days, Uganda has suffered from a devastating conflict in its northern region for some 20 years. Over 1 million people were forcibly displaced into camps by government troops, 25,000 children were abducted by brutal rebel forces that believe they are divinely inspired.  The country now faces the challenges of reintegrating former rebels, mostly abducted children.  It struggles with hope best to seek justice and accountability while also recognizing the need for reconciliation.

Last night I saw a particularly impressive documentary called Uganda Rising (available from www.ugandarising.com) that delves into the roots of this conflict, tells the story of survivors and provides sophisticated analysis from academics and policymakers.

Celebrate Halloween Justly!

 Trick-or-treating is right around the corner! On this Halloween, I hope we remember a couple things that are really important. First of all, we are privileged that our society is capable of having a holiday based around extravagant amounts of candy. Most of the people in the world could never afford this.

We also need to remember where the chocolate we are eating comes from. Many times, chocolate comes from very poor countries where the farmers are not paid enough for their crops. However, there is an alternative that is much better for farmers: Fair Trade. It is very fitting that October is Fair Trade Month.

UN Day- A Chance to Recommit!

Today is the 63rd Aniversary of the creation of the UN! I have the unique opportunity to celebrate UN Day with a day off work. My employer gives us a day off today instead of on Christopher Columbus Day, which every organization should consider doing.

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to visit the FDR Memorial and tour the maze of beautiful waterfalls and powerful quotes. Toward the end of the memorial, there is a statue of Eleanor Roosevelt with this quote beside it: "The structure of world peace cannot be the work of one man, or one party, or one nation, it must be a peace which rests on the cooperative effort of the whole world." Eleanor lived out her belief in cooperation by serving as US Ambassador to the UN for many years. She also was elected head of the UN Commission on Human Rights and helped write the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, one of the most important documents ever written.

It is sad to me that despite the United States' key role in creating the UN, we have recently undermined it's authority and failed to pay our share to make it effective.

The Gift of Goats: Sustainable Good in Zimwanda, Malawi

A small goat project in rural Malawi might seem insignificant in light of the many problems faced by  one of Africa's poorest countries.  However, in this short web video, you can see clips of my conversation with a family -- Teresa, Fabian and their seven kids -- whose lives have changed for the better thanks to a goat project organized by their community with the help of Outreach International.

The oldest debate in the world

Last weekend my husband suggested we go see the new Bill Maher movie, Religulous.  I immediately said no -- not because I didn't think parts of it would be really funny.  Anybody making fun of my favorite subject (religion) has a good chance of making me laugh -- but because I knew the jokes would be based on the age old debate: atheism vs. well.... theism. And that gets me riled up.  I'm sick of the debate.  It's stupid.  It's become the worst dichotomy of dichotomies.  I call myself a person of faith but in no way believe in this supreme being/old man in the sky that judges or tells us what to do, which is what the atheists are so much against.  (I feel my blood pressure rising right now.)

Long-term Peace and Poverty

A couple weeks ago I went to Northern South Carolina to talk with people about investing in long-term peace. My work, the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) sent me there to encourage people to ask their representative to prioritize peace in next year's budget. While I was there, I realized how much long-term peacebuilding and poverty go together. I also realized how much it related to the sustainable solutions that Outreach International works toward.

So what do I mean by investing in long-term peace? FCNL recommends 5 steps that Congress could take to invest in tools that will actually make our world a safer place, instead of increasing conflict. These are: 1) Fund Civilian Peacebuilders; 2) Fund Reconciliation Programs; 3) Full Funding for US Diplomacy (State Department); 4) Fully Fund UN Peacekeeping and Pay $1.2 Billion in Arrears; 5) Double Funding for Development Assistance.

Tips on Serving in the Developing World

Living in Uganda, I run across many young North Americans and Europeans who have come seeking to help out with aid efforts.  Uganda certainly has a lot of need, coming out of a lengthy civil war and burdened by high levels of poverty.

However, the influx of international charities, while spurring economic growth, has also contributed to inflation, especially in land prices. Many local people feel expectations of aid have not been met and are suspicious that foreign aid workers come for self-serving reasons such as career development, resume-padding, high paying salaries or ‘adventure.’

Such issues are unfortunately quite common in aid ‘hot spots’ – disaster and conflict zones that receive intensive international political and media attention. When the excitement dies down, additional problems arise from the rapid withdrawal of personnel and agencies moving onto the next big cause celebre disaster.

Based on my experience working as an aid worker, researcher and journalist in several such ‘hot spots’, I have observed several ways in which good-hearted young people can serve in the developing world while minimizing burdens on local people.

Blog Action Day 08! United against poverty!

Today is Blog Action Day as you can see by the pic. Bloggers all over the world are writing about poverty! Over 12,000 blogs are participating. I love the goal-change the conversation, change policy. I also really believe that people working together on a common issue is POWERFUL!

So what is our unique contribution to the poverty conversation? I believe Outreach International looks at poverty differently and comes up with a different solution than many organizations. Wanna find out more? Check out our Development Process on our website.

-Stephen

Action on Cluster Bombs

Sometimes I am amazed at how connected different parts of work and life are.

One of the issues that the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) (the organization that I work for) is working on is banning cluster bombs. A couple of months ago, Matt wrote about how cluster bombs affect the poor. His video post on August 26th called "How Cluster Bombs Impact the Poor." is very good. Then a few weeks ago, one of my collegues that is working on the cluster bomb issue told me that Senator Voinovich from my home state of Ohio was critical to legislation to ban cluster bombs. So I went to his office with my collogues and asked him to sign the bill to ban these terrible weapons. We were met with some resistance, because Voinovich's staff said they hadn't heard from constituents on this issue. Never understimate the power you have to influence your Congressional representatives!

While you're trying to keep what's left of your money, think about giving some away

Are you getting sick of hearing about the failing economy? Me too.

At least this time, we're not being told to "Shop! Shop! Shop!" in order to heal this crisis. That's the last thing we need to do right now. Although, I must urge you to give some of your money away. I know this sounds crazy but our situation right now in this world is ripe with opportunity for systemic change and organizations like Outreach International need you now more than ever.

Take some time as you watch your stocks fall to think about ways you can change your life to live more simply and give something to organizations that can really make a difference in the next few months.

-Karyn Wingard-Manuel

Ceremony Highlights Plight of Children in War

Today my wife and I attended a very moving ceremony at St. Mary's school in Aboke, northern Uganda, commemorating the twelfth anniversary of the abduction of 139 girls by rebel troops, many of them younger than their victims.

In an act of incredible bravery, two teachers, John Bosco and Sister Rachelle Fassera, had pursued and tracked down the rebel unit and negotiated the release of 109 girls. However, most of the remaining 30 were forced to become 'wives' for top commanders of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).  The parents of the abductees formed a local pressure group, the Concerned Parents Association, to push for the children's release and advocate for peace.

The 'Aboke Girls' are among the over 30,000 children who have been abducted by the LRA since 1986. Since the LRA has had little support among the civilian population, they turned to forced recruitment of children to fill their ranks. According to some estimates, over 80 percent of the LRA's ranks are abductees.

Creating Signal Communities Around the World

Two weeks ago, I didn't know what a signal community was...and now I know that I am part of one!

This past weekend I went to one of my favorite events of the year- the Community of Christ Peace Colloquy in Independence, MO. This year's theme was Signal Communities: Hope of Zion. the Colloquy was very inspiring as always. It helped me to re-realize that we are not alone, that there are lots and lots of people working to create peace in the world. I was intellectually stimulated by a history of "signal communities" from Jesus to today. I was challenged by the stories of struggling to maintain community from the leaders of Koinonia Farms, a well-established intentional community in Georgia. And I was reminded how important the work we are doing on this blog is by a testimony by Karyn.

Possibilities In India

India has held a special place in my heart since the second time I went there in the summer of 2005. The richness of culture, the multitudes of people, languages, and religions…along with the best food in the world, make India special in my eyes. India has also held a special place in the work of Outreach International. The Gummiguda School in one of the poorest states in India, Orissa, is one of Outreach International’s first projects. We have funded this school for 30 years.

Perhaps the best thing about India is its possibilities. In the last few decades, India has developed tremendously. There are many economic opportunities for Indians to lift themselves out of extreme poverty. However, most of these opportunities have been limited to the elite. The gap between the rich and the poor is widening quickly in India. There are also a myriad of possibilities for Outreach International in India to help the poorest of the poor, which are some of the poorest people in the world.

Malawi Site Visit Video

Seeking to see the impact of sustainable change in rural communities, ten American supporters of Outreach International visited Malawi last week.  They visited Outreach International's program areas, met people in their homes, viewed development projects and engaged in cross-cultural dialogue.

Click on the video above to see a short film about the Site Visit.  Click here to read an article from The Examiner (Independence, MO) about Outreach International's work in Malawi.

It's just a post office

Right now I'm spending time with the Navajos in New Mexico.  (Pictures will come later when I have the technology to load them)  As the Native American Advocate for the Friends Committee on National Legislation, I've come here to get a better grasp on the priorites some American Indians have for this next year -- hopefully priorities that I can help move in Congress. 

It's been a wonderful experience so far.  I'm staying with an older woman who grows her own vegetables and keeps two sheep for pets.  She loves to tell stories and I've been intently listening to her wise lessons.  I've also hung out at the Chapter house, making friends with the communtiy, learning a few Navajo words, and eating the pinon nuts that are grown locally.  Tomorrow I plan to drive through more areas of the reservation with an older man who has a deep sense of this land and its history.