CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: EMERGENCY RESPONSE OFFICE
CWS/ACT APPEAL: SOUTH AFRICA FLOODS
(In support of ACT Appeal AFSA-02 for $497,936)
CWS Target: $90,000
(Account # 6416)
November 2, 2000


SITUATION: The South African Council of Churches (SACC), a long-time CWS
partner, is seeking assistance for selected communities that are still
suffering from flooding that hit southern Africa earlier this year.

The situation in South Africa has been overshadowed by the media attention
on flooding in Mozambique, as well as unfulfilled promises of assistance
by the South African government, leaving many villages with vulnerable
families without any assistance at all.

In fact, the floods have highlighted the crisis of acute poverty that is
aggravated by the high unemployment in the rural areas.  The most
vulnerable affected by the floods have lost everything and have no hope of
getting back on their feet without external help. Many of these households
are headed by single parents, or women whose husbands have left to try and
get employment in towns.

In this program, SACC is seeking to assist some of the most vulnerable
families that have lost their homes and who are still struggling to
provide housing, along with families that have lost their means of
livelihood.


RESPONSE: The SACC proposal -- a post-floods rehabilitation program -
will, among other things, help provide housing and seeds to affected
families and communities. At least 337 homes will be rebuilt; seeds and
irrigation instruments will be provided to 1,000 families. In addition,
some road repair will be done in the North West Province.

The total cost of these proposals is $497,936; specific budget information
is available from CWS ERP. Or visit the ACT Web Site: www.act-intl.org


CWS SUPPORT: CWS is seeking $90,000 in denominational support for this
appeal. Denominations can support the appeal by sending contributions to
Church World Service in Elkhart (South Africa Floods, #6416). This account
is the CWS Southern African Floods account, but money designated for this
supporting South Africa floods appeal will be forwarded to ACT. For
further information on the overall ACT appeal, please contact the CWS
Emergency Response Office, or visit the ACT Web Site at: www.act-intl.org


CHURCH WORLD SERVICE, Attn. South Africa Floods, #6416, P.O. Box 968,
Elkhart, IN 46515.  Phone pledges or credit card donations:
1-800-297-1516, ext. 222.  On-line contributions to:
http://www.churchworldservice.org

Call the CWS HOTLINE for updates: (800) 297-1516, ext. 111.

For further information about disasters to which Church World Service is
responding, contact CWS Emergency Response.


Telephone: (212) 870-3151
After-hours emergency pager: (800) 780-0853
Internet Web Site: http://www.ncccusa.org/CWS/emre


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