Emergency Response

Amity Foundation's Relief Work Continuing

September 9, 2008

Over 100 days after the earthquake, United Church partner Amity Foundation continues to provide relief goods, counselling, and long-term rehabilitation support in six counties in the Sichuan region of China. Detailed information can be found in their full update* with accompanying photos.

Update on Donations

August 11, 2008

The United Church has received a very strong response from its members designated for emergency relief efforts in China. As of August 6, we have received $71,477.18 for China earthquake emergency response.

Thank you for your generous contribution and for helping to save lives.

Partners Providing Relief Assistance

June 26, 2008

Donations from United Church members received to date: $54,000

Six weeks after the earthquake hit Sichuan, the China Ministry of Civil Affairs reports that the death toll has reached over 69,000 and more than 17,000 are still missing. The total affected population number 45.6 million and an estimated 5 million people are homeless.

Amity Foundation, a United Church partner and Action by Churches Together (ACT) member, immediately began providing relief assistance to survivors. In coordination with their local partners they provided food, drinking water, plastic sheeting, basic medicine, clothes, and other basic necessities. Contributions from ACT member organizations covered more than half of Amity's $1.47 million preliminary response. Since the people who evacuated to urban areas generally have better access to assistance, Amity has prioritized its relief aid to vulnerable rural communities.

In the counties of Chengdu and Mianzu, which were the worst hit, entire townships have been levelled. Approximately 99 percent of Mianzhu's residents are now living in tents. Despite the optimism and orderliness of the tent cities, the tremendous suffering and loss among the people is apparent. Many people are in need of psychosocial care. Amity has sent a volunteer team of trauma counsellors and social workers to the area to address their emotional and mental health needs.

Based on assessment of current needs on the ground, Amity has developed an 18-month relief and initial rehabilitation response with a budget of $4,354,372. Amity plans to assist 20,000 families through

• distribution of mostly non-food items
• provision of psycho-social care
• reconstruction of 500 houses, two primary schools, and five village clinics
• repair of 20 water systems
• provision of emergency preparedness training
• donating cash for the purchase of agricultural tools

The United Church, together with other member churches of Canadian Churches in Action (CCA), has submitted a proposal to CIDA for the amount of $1,156,000 to support the project. Donations collected by the United Church and other participating churches will serve as matching funds.

Local churches in Sichuan also have been engaged in providing relief assistance in their communities. Many churches were among the buildings that have been destroyed or damaged. In response to the appeal from the China Christian Council (CCC), the United Church has provided a grant of $6,000 to the CCC to support the relief and reconstruction work of the local churches.

We wish to thank United Church members across Canada who have donated and are continuing to donate funds in support of our sisters and brothers in China.

Canadian Government Matching Funds

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

The Government of Canada (Canadian International Development Agency—CIDA) has announced a program to match private donations for relief work in China on a one-to-one (1:1) basis. Matching grant status, however, is not automatically conferred. To qualify, Canadian organizations must submit a proposal to CIDA in accordance with specific criteria.

The United Church of Canada, together with several other Canadian church groups that work together on global relief initiatives under the banner Canadian Churches in Action, is submitting a proposal to CIDA requesting matching grant status. As soon as we receive a response from CIDA the information will be posted to this website.

Funds will be shared with United Church partner, Amity Foundation, which is working with Action by Churches Together (ACT) International.

Consulting with Partners on Funding

Thursday, May 29, 2008

The Government of Canada (Canadian International Development Agency—CIDA) has announced a program to match private donations for relief work in China on a one-to-one (1:1) basis. Matching grant status, however, is not automatically conferred. To qualify, Canadian organizations must submit a proposal to CIDA in accordance with specific criteria.

The United Church of Canada has not yet decided whether to apply for matching funds. Before such a decision can be made, it is necessary to consult with ACT International and Amity Foundation, a United Church partner in China and the member of ACT implementing relief aid. These consultations are underway. The United Church has already sent $5,000 to Amity for emergency relief work and donations by United Church members will also be sent to Amity.

Please read the most recent update* that ACT has issued on its emergency response efforts in China.

Update from Amity Foundation, United Church Partner in China

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Earthquake Casualties:

• Total death toll: 40,075
• Injured: 247,645

Amity Foundation Activities

Food, shelter, and other assistance:

Amity staff on the ground visited three villages in Mianzhu County for needs assessment and discussion with the villagers. They found out that local villagers did not have enough food or enough plastic sheeting for tents. Many families have to share one small tent. Oil and lighting supplies for are also in insufficient supply.

Later in the afternoon, Amity staff visited Renhe Village, Yinghua Township, and Shifang City and discovered that food is urgently needed there. Only three days ago were the elderly and children able to get one bowl of rice per day. Only this afternoon, two kilos of rice were distributed to each victim.

In light of the situation, Amity’s Relief Office has decided to dedicate more relief work in the villages of Mianzhu and Shifang. Quilts, plastic sheets, and oil will be distributed there. Amity plans to provide one month’s worth of food for everyone in the village. Amity is also distributing baby supplies including powdered milk and diapers, which were locally donated.

Trauma counselling:

A specialized counselling team consisting of six professors from Nanjing and Nanjing Normal University and two Amity staff will be setting out to Mianzhu via Chengdu on Friday. The professors are from the Sociology or Social Work departments and have strong backgrounds in social work and trauma counselling.

Report from Amity Staff in China

Friday, May 16, 2008

On May 16 the United Church received the following update from a colleague at Amity Foundation, a United Church partner in China that is working feverishly to provide relief to the victims of the massive earthquake that occurred May 12:

As it enters into the fifth day after the quake, I'd like to share the following information with you:

• 19,509 death toll
• 50,000 feared dead
• 12,300 confirmed buried under rubble
• 12,400 pulled alive out of debris
• 102,103 in hospital (source: China Daily, May 16, 2008)

The Chinese government and army, doctors, nurses, and volunteers are working hard around the clock, dedicating their lives to save the lives of tens of thousands. At the moment, Amity has a team consisting of three Amity staff and two Amity volunteers from Nanjing and Hong Kong who are working alongside our partners. 1,200 tents have been trucked today to Mianyang ready for distribution tomorrow morning. Mr. Zheng Ye, assistant director of the Integrated Rural Development Division, stays overnight in Zhong Xin Township, Mianyang City. The total population is 20,000, but now over 10,000 people live in the open air. Between 70 and 80 percent of the houses collapsed...

The World Christian Council Round Table Core Group Meeting finished today at noon time in Nanjing. Condolences were given to the victims of the earthquake. The meeting called for more support from partner organizations for earthquake relief in China.

Peace,

She Hongyu
Assistant Director
Research and Development Center
Amity Foundation

ACT International Update

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Action by Churches Together (ACT) International, is a global alliance of churches and related agencies, has launched a US$1.475 million preliminary appeal to assist close to 8,000 affected families. Read the appeal announcement* on the ACT website.