JUNE 2024 NEWSLETTER

As the President and CEO of Episcopal Relief & Development, few things are more gratifying than traveling to parts of the world where our programs are thriving and seeing up close the difference our work is making in people's lives.

In January, I had the good fortune to go on a pilgrimage to Tanzania and Zanzibar with sixteen leaders from the Episcopal Church, including four board members and three members of the Church's Executive Council. It was wonderful to be able to share our work with them, particularly our efforts helping communities increase their resilience in the face of a changing climate.

On one of our site visits we learned about a Savings with Education (SwE) group that had transitioned away from using paper currency and coins to e-banking. The members of the group now use their phones to save and borrow funds, a method that is greatly facilitating the process. As long as cell coverage continues to expand in the region, the opportunities for e-savings will grow.

Our local partner, the Anglican Church of Tanzania's Diocese of Central Tanganyika Development Services Company, has partnered with Episcopal Relief & Development for more than a dozen years, and like many of our partnerships, our relationship evolved from initially supporting small disaster and relief grants to building long-term programs that leverage the Church's social, spiritual, human, material and financial capital for lasting impact. It's always heartening to see how difficult experiences can become opportunities to create meaningful change.

After the pilgrimage, I got to spend time in Liberia with Anwar Khan, former President of Islamic Relief USA, our friend and partner. We visited the work we are carrying out with the Episcopal Church of Liberia to reduce gender-based violence against women and girls through engaging faith leaders. The changes in mindset and behavior are real and are making a difference in communities. It was inspiring to hear about these changes firsthand.

And I'm happy to be able to share them with you because your continued commitment makes all our work possible. Thank you, as always, for your steadfast support.

Faithfully,

Robert W. Radtke
President & CEO
Episcopal Relief & Development

Women Empowering Women in Liberia

Mother Susanna is a pastor working to end gender-based violence in her home county of Grand Cape Mount in the northwest part of Liberia. She's one of the community leaders involved in a program launched in 2015 by Episcopal Relief & Development in partnership with the Episcopal Church of Liberia Relief and Development (ECLRD).

"I used to be hesitant to speak up about violence against women and girls," Mother Susanna said. "I used to feel discouraged and despised, but I gained knowledge through the program and learned how to stand my ground. Now, I proudly raise my voice to reduce violence in my community and at the same time actively support survivors."

While a majority of religious leaders in Liberia are men, this program has provided training to 92 women leaders — both Christian and Muslim — and engaged 113 women's faith groups. Leaders like Mother Susanna are equipped to provide the survivors of gender-based violence with emotional and spiritual support and referrals for health, legal and social services. They also accompany survivors to receive the services they need and can provide access to the program's temporary shelter and dignity kits containing personal care items for those who've had to leave their homes.

With dynamic women leaders such as Mother Susanna, alongside the program's trained male and youth leaders, Liberian communities are continuing to expand their work to end gender-based violence so that more women and girls are treated with dignity and respect, live free from violence and can empower themselves to pursue their goals. Mother Susanna's experiences bear that out, too.

"They're motivated," she said of the young women in her community. "As a leader, I've realized I'm a role model and that it's important to help create spaces for all women and girls to learn, grow and thrive."

Strengthening Resilience in Brazil

In Brazil, we're partnering with the Episcopal Diocese of the Amazon to serve marginalized communities through the Amazônia Resilience Initiative. Many of those served by the program are among Brazil's 1.7 million Indigenous people, over 300 different tribes with rich cultural and spiritual traditions dating back tens of thousands of years. The initiative is improving food security and strengthening the economic resilience of families disproportionately impacted by climate change and the food crisis. The project provides food baskets and food cards and promotes financial inclusion and livelihood development through Savings with Education (SwE) groups.

Cristiane is a member of one of these SwE groups. "I'm grateful for this experience," she reflected. "But six months ago, when I first heard about it — I was wary." Taking loans, paying interest and investing in a business are unfamiliar concepts to many Indigenous people. To bridge cultural gaps and build trust, we and our partners work closely with local faith leaders. One such ally is Father Orlando, a respected Indigenous spiritual leader with deep ties to local communities and a strong relationship with the Anglican Church. With his encouragement and support, the program is already making an impact.

A few weeks after joining the savings group, Cristiane took out a loan to jumpstart a business inspired by her Indigenous heritage. "I'm working as an artisan," she said, "making decorative items like baskets, boxes and jewelry that I sell near hotels and other tourist spots."

Without the cash boost from the loan, Cristiane would have had to travel hours every week to harvest supplies. With the time and energy saved, she's been able to concentrate on increased production. As a result, she paid back the loan — and turned a profit — in just a couple of weeks. While a portion of the earnings go right back into the business, Cristiane is excited that she can also contribute to household bills. "This is the first time I've made my own money," she said. "I feel independent and almost like I just woke up."

More Ways to Create Lasting Change

Here are a few ways you can consider making an annual gift or a planned gift to support Episcopal Relief & Development's work that gives hope and improves lives for millions.

Planned Gifts
Donor-Advised Funds (DAFS)
Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)
Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs)

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Planning Your Gift for Impact Today and the Future

Making a planned gift is a wonderful way to make a difference far into the future. Olive Liechty-DePonte is a longtime supporter of Episcopal Relief & Development, and she says the decision to include Episcopal Relief & Development in her estate plans was an easy one.

I had the opportunity to meet Olive at a program event in California, and she told me she values our unique ability to partner with local Episcopal and Anglican churches who have established roots in the community. Her earliest donations were for the NetsforLife® malaria prevention program. She had worked in the Peace Corps in West Africa after college, and she witnessed the ravages of malaria firsthand.

As someone who is guided by her lifelong faith, she says that putting Episcopal Relief & Development into her estate planning felt like the natural next step. "It's kind of a thanksgiving for all the good that has come my way over the years, she explained.

Through her thoughtful engagement and giving to support our programs, Olive has been a generous partner in our work — and her planned gift will continue that stewardship. None of our efforts around the world would be possible without people like her ... and like you.

Planned gifts from you, our philanthropic partners, support our long-term development work and the many people we reach. Our combined efforts have an impact that is transformative and advances lasting, meaningful change. Every gift you make — and however you give — helps many women and children and entire communities recovering from disasters. I'm grateful for your thoughtful giving, which has a profound impact for Episcopal Relief & Development's transformational work.

With appreciation,

Betsy Deisroth
Vice President, Advancement

Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?

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