Since the beginning of 2015 a mass influx of asylum seekers could be noticed in Hungary. According to latest data the number of asylum seekers has constantly risen from a few thousand in 2014 to around 83,000 until July 2015. Migrants are arriving from countries of armed conflict, deep poverty, or social unrest, like Northern and Middle Africa, Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Almost all of them are coming through the Balkan (Greece, Macedonia, Serbia), approximately 1,500 persons/day cross the border, authorities are scaling up their capacities, but needs are continuously growing.

A total of 200.000 migrants are expected
to arrive to Hungary by the end of this year.

So far Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA) have made preliminary surveys, have started to coordinate its activities and plans with the relevant authorities and is participating in the Coordination Mechanism for the largest NGOs. Collaboration with the Lutheran Church in Hungary and congregations is given priority during the work. The Lutheran Church was the first to support HIA’s actions provide assistance to children and their mothers in the form of children’s clothes, diapers, baby food and hygienic items. HIA have started to provide psychosocial services for children in two temporary reception centres: Bicske and Vámosszabadi. The target group of the project is children between 3-14 years.

HIA is planning to raise funds to be able
to go on with supporting migrants in Hungary.

 

A partner of the ACT Allliance Joint Programme in Zambia, the Zambia Land Alliance (ZLA) has made a difference in the lives of a Solwezi based family after helping them reclaim land that had been grabbed from them by a named local Church.

“I am very happy that our family land has been given back to us after so many years,” said the family representative, Mr. Alex Mukube Mwanza. “I am highly indebted to Zambia Land Alliance and appreciate the work they are doing in the lives of many other people facing similar challenges in the district.”

ZLA Enhancing Sustainable Livelihoods Through Land Tenure Security (SULTS) project Solwezi Coordinator, Marvelous Chansa, narrated how the problem began: “It all started in 2000 when the named Church rented a piece of land from Mr. Mwanza (now deceased) to temporarily use for their meetings,” he reported.

However after Mr. Mwanza’s death, the Church started to put up a permanent structure without the permission of other family members. Mr. Mwanza’s son, Mr. Alex Mukube Mwanza decided to follow up the issue with the Church and was surprised to learn that the church had even began the process of titling the land.

“We held several meetings with church representatives to try and resolve the matter but no progress was made and we failed to reach a conclusion,” said Mr. Mwanza. “This prompted us to seek solutions on the matter elsewhere and we approached various places and people but failed to get the kind of help we needed.”

In June 2014, a neighbour that had heard of the ZLA advised the family to seek the support of the organisation for advice on their land issues. He was advised to follow the matter using appropriate and well established channels.

“I was advised by the Paralegal Officer at ZLA to seek the attention of the Area Development Committee (ADC) as the starting point,” he said. “As soon as I delivered the referral letter given, the Rural Development Committee (RDC), took action and a letter was written to the church to convene a meeting to facilitate the hearing from both parties and seek the way forward.”

The church refused to attend the meeting and the ZLA advised the family to institute civil court proceedings against the church. On November 6, 2014, the court ruled in favour of the family and the church was ordered to vacate the premises before a set date.

The Zambia Land Alliance is a network of NGOs working for just land policies and laws that take into account the interests of the poor. The organization promotes secured access, ownership and control over land through lobbying and advocacy, research and community participation. The organization has district offices in Kitwe, Chingola, Petauke, Chipata,

Monze, Lusaka, Mansa and Gwembe. It is present in Solwezi through the European Union and DCA funded SULTS project.

The alliance began as a committee in 1997 to coordinate activities of member NGOs. The formation of the alliance was necessitated by the Zambian Government’s land reform process initiated in the early 1990s.

A partner of the ACT Allliance Joint Programme in Zambia, the Zambia Land Alliance (ZLA) has made a difference in the lives of a Solwezi based family after helping them reclaim land that had been grabbed from them by a named local Church.

“I am very happy that our family land has been given back to us after so many years,” said the family representative, Mr. Alex Mukube Mwanza. “I am highly indebted to Zambia Land Alliance and appreciate the work they are doing in the lives of many other people facing similar challenges in the district.”

ZLA Enhancing Sustainable Livelihoods Through Land Tenure Security (SULTS) project Solwezi Coordinator, Marvelous Chansa, narrated how the problem began: “It all started in 2000 when the named Church rented a piece of land from Mr. Mwanza (now deceased) to temporarily use for their meetings,” he reported.

However after Mr. Mwanza’s death, the Church started to put up a permanent structure without the permission of other family members. Mr. Mwanza’s son, Mr. Alex Mukube Mwanza decided to follow up the issue with the Church and was surprised to learn that the church had even began the process of titling the land.

“We held several meetings with church representatives to try and resolve the matter but no progress was made and we failed to reach a conclusion,” said Mr. Mwanza. “This prompted us to seek solutions on the matter elsewhere and we approached various places and people but failed to get the kind of help we needed.”

In June 2014, a neighbour that had heard of the ZLA advised the family to seek the support of the organisation for advice on their land issues. He was advised to follow the matter using appropriate and well established channels.

“I was advised by the Paralegal Officer at ZLA to seek the attention of the Area Development Committee (ADC) as the starting point,” he said. “As soon as I delivered the referral letter given, the Rural Development Committee (RDC), took action and a letter was written to the church to convene a meeting to facilitate the hearing from both parties and seek the way forward.”

The church refused to attend the meeting and the ZLA advised the family to institute civil court proceedings against the church. On November 6, 2014, the court ruled in favour of the family and the church was ordered to vacate the premises before a set date.

The Zambia Land Alliance is a network of NGOs working for just land policies and laws that take into account the interests of the poor. The organization promotes secured access, ownership and control over land through lobbying and advocacy, research and community participation. The organization has district offices in Kitwe, Chingola, Petauke, Chipata,

Monze, Lusaka, Mansa and Gwembe. It is present in Solwezi through the European Union and DCA funded SULTS project.

The alliance began as a committee in 1997 to coordinate activities of member NGOs. The formation of the alliance was necessitated by the Zambian Government’s land reform process initiated in the early 1990s.

A partner of the ACT Allliance Joint Programme in Zambia, the Zambia Land Alliance (ZLA) has made a difference in the lives of a Solwezi based family after helping them reclaim land that had been grabbed from them by a named local Church.

“I am very happy that our family land has been given back to us after so many years,” said the family representative, Mr. Alex Mukube Mwanza. “I am highly indebted to Zambia Land Alliance and appreciate the work they are doing in the lives of many other people facing similar challenges in the district.”

ZLA Enhancing Sustainable Livelihoods Through Land Tenure Security (SULTS) project Solwezi Coordinator, Marvelous Chansa, narrated how the problem began: “It all started in 2000 when the named Church rented a piece of land from Mr. Mwanza (now deceased) to temporarily use for their meetings,” he reported.

However after Mr. Mwanza’s death, the Church started to put up a permanent structure without the permission of other family members. Mr. Mwanza’s son, Mr. Alex Mukube Mwanza decided to follow up the issue with the Church and was surprised to learn that the church had even began the process of titling the land.

“We held several meetings with church representatives to try and resolve the matter but no progress was made and we failed to reach a conclusion,” said Mr. Mwanza. “This prompted us to seek solutions on the matter elsewhere and we approached various places and people but failed to get the kind of help we needed.”

In June 2014, a neighbour that had heard of the ZLA advised the family to seek the support of the organisation for advice on their land issues. He was advised to follow the matter using appropriate and well established channels.

“I was advised by the Paralegal Officer at ZLA to seek the attention of the Area Development Committee (ADC) as the starting point,” he said. “As soon as I delivered the referral letter given, the Rural Development Committee (RDC), took action and a letter was written to the church to convene a meeting to facilitate the hearing from both parties and seek the way forward.”

The church refused to attend the meeting and the ZLA advised the family to institute civil court proceedings against the church. On November 6, 2014, the court ruled in favour of the family and the church was ordered to vacate the premises before a set date.

The Zambia Land Alliance is a network of NGOs working for just land policies and laws that take into account the interests of the poor. The organization promotes secured access, ownership and control over land through lobbying and advocacy, research and community participation. The organization has district offices in Kitwe, Chingola, Petauke, Chipata,

Monze, Lusaka, Mansa and Gwembe. It is present in Solwezi through the European Union and DCA funded SULTS project.

The alliance began as a committee in 1997 to coordinate activities of member NGOs. The formation of the alliance was necessitated by the Zambian Government’s land reform process initiated in the early 1990s.

A woman carries her child from their half-submerged house in Nyaung Tone, Ayeyarwaddy Delta, about 60 miles southwest of Yangon, Myanmar. Friendly nations and international relief organizations are mobilizing to give disaster assistance to Myanmar, where 69 people have died and another 260,000 been affected by widespread flooding fed by more than a month of heavy monsoon rains and a cyclone. (Photo: AP/Khin Maung Win)

Myanmar is experiencing its worst floods in decades. Finn Church Aid local partners have already begun to assess the extent of damages and the needs for assistance. People affected by the floods are provided with shelter materials, food, clean water and supply packages.

The floods were caused by heavy rains brought to neighbouring Bangladesh by the typhoon Komen on 30 July.

According to international relief organisations, 260,000 people have been affected by the floods. Death toll is 69, but expected to rise, since not all affected areas have been reached due to challenging conditions.

Both coastal and mountain regions are flooding, and the rains have resulted in landslides in the mountains. The Myanmar government has declared four regions as disaster zones (Chin, Sagaing, Magway and Rakhine), but 12 areas in total have suffered damages. Floods have destroyed infrastructure, cut electricity and hindered communications.

Vast areas of farmland are submerged and cattle have died. Large scale damages to cultivated areas will have a long term negative effect on the food security of the impoverished population.

Donate to the FCA Myanmar flood relief:
Donations account: FI33 1572 3000 5005 04, message: Myanmar floods

A woman carries her child from their half-submerged house in Nyaung Tone, Ayeyarwaddy Delta, about 60 miles southwest of Yangon, Myanmar. Friendly nations and international relief organizations are mobilizing to give disaster assistance to Myanmar, where 69 people have died and another 260,000 been affected by widespread flooding fed by more than a month of heavy monsoon rains and a cyclone. (Photo: AP/Khin Maung Win)

Myanmar is experiencing its worst floods in decades. Finn Church Aid local partners have already begun to assess the extent of damages and the needs for assistance. People affected by the floods are provided with shelter materials, food, clean water and supply packages.

The floods were caused by heavy rains brought to neighbouring Bangladesh by the typhoon Komen on 30 July.

According to international relief organisations, 260,000 people have been affected by the floods. Death toll is 69, but expected to rise, since not all affected areas have been reached due to challenging conditions.

Both coastal and mountain regions are flooding, and the rains have resulted in landslides in the mountains. The Myanmar government has declared four regions as disaster zones (Chin, Sagaing, Magway and Rakhine), but 12 areas in total have suffered damages. Floods have destroyed infrastructure, cut electricity and hindered communications.

Vast areas of farmland are submerged and cattle have died. Large scale damages to cultivated areas will have a long term negative effect on the food security of the impoverished population.

Donate to the FCA Myanmar flood relief:
Donations account: FI33 1572 3000 5005 04, message: Myanmar floods

A woman carries her child from their half-submerged house in Nyaung Tone, Ayeyarwaddy Delta, about 60 miles southwest of Yangon, Myanmar. Friendly nations and international relief organizations are mobilizing to give disaster assistance to Myanmar, where 69 people have died and another 260,000 been affected by widespread flooding fed by more than a month of heavy monsoon rains and a cyclone. (Photo: AP/Khin Maung Win)

Myanmar is experiencing its worst floods in decades. Finn Church Aid local partners have already begun to assess the extent of damages and the needs for assistance. People affected by the floods are provided with shelter materials, food, clean water and supply packages.

The floods were caused by heavy rains brought to neighbouring Bangladesh by the typhoon Komen on 30 July.

According to international relief organisations, 260,000 people have been affected by the floods. Death toll is 69, but expected to rise, since not all affected areas have been reached due to challenging conditions.

Both coastal and mountain regions are flooding, and the rains have resulted in landslides in the mountains. The Myanmar government has declared four regions as disaster zones (Chin, Sagaing, Magway and Rakhine), but 12 areas in total have suffered damages. Floods have destroyed infrastructure, cut electricity and hindered communications.

Vast areas of farmland are submerged and cattle have died. Large scale damages to cultivated areas will have a long term negative effect on the food security of the impoverished population.

Donate to the FCA Myanmar flood relief:
Donations account: FI33 1572 3000 5005 04, message: Myanmar floods

Cyclone Haruna hit south-west Madagascar in mid-February 2013, while many people on the east coast were still recovering from Cyclone Felleng, which had struck on 30 January.

Haruna killed 75 people and injured many more. It caused widespread damage to housing, power lines, schools and other infrastructure. Our members took part in the nationally coordinated emergency response.

Many people were evacuated to safety from some of the worst-affected areas before Haruna hit, and we helped provide rescue support and immediate life-saving humanitarian assistance to those who were affected.

ACT response

Our response reached out to 1,200 families. We sourced food for distribution from 900km away in the capital Antananarivo (supplies having been washed away elsewhere).

We distributed rice and vegetables, non-food items such as soap, medicines, water-treatment kits, tents, candles, clothes and blankets, amid significant challenges in some areas where roads had been washed away.

Due to damaged sanitation systems and high floodwaters, cases of malaria, dysentery and diarrhoea began to rise.

The flood created good conditions for locusts to breed, which led to locust swarms that affected half of the country’s farmland – causing crop destruction, food shortages and high food prices over many months. Japhet Asukile, convenor of the ACT Forum in Madagascar, highlighted the role of climate change in the increasing weather disasters.

He said: “Climate change is affecting us. There are more cyclones now, which is what climate change scientists have predicted. It is happening now. To say it is having a negative impact is an understatement. We have to be aware of this trend and plan our work around increased risks from climate change.”

“Personally I feel that what we do is like a drop in the ocean. But when I see the smiles on the faces of the people we try to assist, I realise how important this drop in the ocean is…” a statement by Azzam Alsaqqa, from ACT member Christian Aid, which has for years been working to provide humanitarian relief for people living in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (oPt).

On 8 July 2014, Israeli forces launched military operations on Gaza that lasted 50 days. The onslaught included frequent aerial bombardments, which according to the UN killed 2,200 people, including more than 1,600 civilians, a third of whom were children. In total, 11,000 Palestinians were injured, 1,000 of whom were permanently disabled. During the conflict, five Israeli civilians and 60 Israeli soldiers were also killed. Over a quarter of the 1.8 million people living in Gaza have been displaced because of the conflict, and the destruction has left approximately 108,000 people homeless. Tens of thousands of homes have been reduced to rubble, and hospitals and educational establishments damaged or destroyed. Extensive infrastructure damage left many areas without electricity and around 450,000 people without access to clean water, posing a major threat to public health.

Providing life saving relief

ACT members provided support primarily to those who have been identified as vulnerable, such as children, pregnant mothers, the injured and the grieving. Thirteen hundred expectant mothers received antenatal visits from healthcare professionals in the targeted district, and 100 newborn kits were distributed. Alliance members provided 350 hygiene kits and 27 medical kits to assist injured patients, and psychosocial projects were set up in the most heavily bombed areas of Gaza to try to heal emotional wounds.

The blockade and conflict made humanitarian access challenging, however food was distributed where possible to families who had lost their livelihoods, and 11,000 one-litre bottles of mineral water were provided to those without access to clean water. Alliance members also provided 835 children in the Shijia area with vouchers for school equipment, such as stationery.

Ongoing crisis

The Israeli blockade of Gaza, by land, air and sea, has continued since 2007 and severely restricts the entry of goods and food to Gaza. The blockade has been heavily criticised by the UN, as well as humanitarian and human rights organisations. Currently, building materials that are needed to rebuild after the massive destruction caused by the bombardments are heavily restricted. According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, approximately 1 million of the 1.8 million population were already receiving food aid before the recent escalation of violence.

ACT members have been working in Gaza for more than a decade.

Fawzi Abu Jame’a, with his 7-year old daughter Raghad, sit in the ruins of what was once his parents’ home Khan Yunis, Gaza. Houses in the area were destroyed by Israeli air strikes during the 2014 war between the state of Israel and the Hamas government of Gaza.  ACT/Paul Jeffrey