Images of hope from Bolivian rainforest to visit St Martin’s Church, Maidstone
Christian Aid supports communities to develop disaster preparedness plans so they can pass on local knowledge and techniques to adapt their ways of life to circumvent major risks and hazards. Here, in Capaina, the plan was developed using drama and music to teach schoolchildren about what to do when heavy rain comes.
The vivid colours of the Bolivian rainforest and the vital fight to protect the environment for its indigenous communities and the world are in Maidstone from 27 January – 9 February with an exhibition at St Martin’s church.
The Christian Aid photographic exhibition, Inherit the Earth, tells the story of three supporters who have given a donation to Christian Aid in memory of someone or have pledged to in their Will, and their journey to see the work the development charity is carrying out in South America’s poorest country.
The exhibition shows how the charity works with local people and organisations to give communities a voice, establish their right to land, and help them take advantage of new eco-technologies, such as water pumps and solar ovens.
The images also show how Christian Aid projects help communities become more resilient to flooding and, not only plant wild cocoa to help safeguard the rainforest, but also access markets so they can trade more easily.
Exhibition organiser, Rev Joyce Addison, of St Martin’s church, said: “Most people know about rainforests but have never visited any and may never have the chance to do so. Therefore, we are delighted to have this exhibition come to Shepway so that we can get a glimpse of how incredibly beautiful these forests are, but also how vulnerable they are given today’s climate change crisis. The exhibition also shows us that even though we are thousands of miles away from Bolivia, we can all still play a part in safeguarding indigenous communities and the rainforest so that people’s livelihoods, environment – and our environment - are protected for generations to come.”
“Please do come and visit us. Take some time to absorb the beauty of the images and to see the work Christian Aid work is doing that is transforming lives and providing a future.”
The exhibition is officially to be launched by Christian Aid’s Legacy coordinator for the South East, Adrian Whalley, at a special event at 6.00 pm on 27 January. The exhibition is open from 9.00 am – 12.00 noon at weekends, from 1.00 pm – 7.00 pm Mondays – Thursdays and from 1.00 pm – 4.00 pm on Fridays. For more information see the church website at http://www.stmartinsmaidstone.org.uk/ or facebook page: www.facebook.com/StMartin’swithStHilary’sMaidstone
Notes to Editors:
The Bolivian Amazon covers nearly 230,000 square miles (equivalent to nearly 2.5 times the size of the whole of the UK) and is home to more than 30 indigenous communities and more than half of the world’s estimated 10 million species (plants, animals and insects) live there.
The supporters who made the journey were Eleri Davies from Cardiff, Maggie Bridge form Scarborough and Trish Gentry from Kelso.
Exhibition photos attached. For further details contact exhibition coordinator Adrian Whalley on 07808 180071 or AWhalley@christian-aid.org . For latest news on Christian Aid, contact www.christianaid.org.uk
- Christian Aid works in some of the world's poorest communities in around 40 countries at any one time. We act where there is great need, regardless of religion, helping people to live a full life, free from poverty. We provide urgent, practical and effective assistance in tackling the root causes of poverty as well as its effects.
- Christian Aid’s core belief is that the world can and must be changed so that poverty is ended: this is what we stand for. Everything we do is about ending poverty and injustice: swiftly, effectively, sustainably. Our strategy document Partnership for Change www.christianaid.org.uk/images/partnership-for-change-summary.pdf explains how we set about this task.
- Christian Aid is a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of more than 130 churches and church-related organisations that work together in humanitarian assistance, advocacy and development. Further details at http://actalliance.org