CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM
CWS/ACT APPEAL:
SIERRA LEONE RELIEF AND REHABILITATION
EMERGENCY ACCOUNT #6414
(In support of ACT appeal AFSL-11 for $1,968,345)
CWS goal: $200,000
MARCH 9, 2001


SITUATION: Sierra Leone has sustained at least nine years of civil war,
and the result is a country in chronic fragmentation with physical
infrastructures and local services destroyed or severely depleted. Rebels
fighting the government still control half the country; meanwhile,
government-held areas, including Freetown, host large numbers of people
including thousands if internally displaced (IDPs).

While accurate statistics are hard to determine, it is estimated that the
war to date has claimed more than 75,000 lives. Half a million Sierra
Leoneans are living as refugees and a third of the country's population of
4.5 million are internally displaced.

The situation has been exacerbated recently by fighting that broke out
Guinea along its borders with Sierra Leone and Liberia, trapping more than
250,000 Sierra Leone refugees in a war zone. The refugees are under attack
from the Guinean population who blame them for cross-border raids. This
Guinean crisis has made many refugees return back to Sierra Leone despite
the continuing civil war in the country. Thousands have already made it
back to Sierra Leone under very difficult and dangerous circumstances.


RESPONSE: Church World Service is responding ecumenically by assisting
efforts of the Action by Churches Together (ACT) International network.
ACT members in Sierra Leone -- Christian Aid/ the Council of Churches in
Sierra Leone, the Baptist Convention, the Methodist Church and the
Wesleyan Church -- have been active in responding to the basic needs of
the affected population who are returning to villages in safe areas around
the southern and part of the eastern regions.

Urgent assistance is required to increase the capacity of villages to
absorb these returnees, and includes needs for food and non-food items,
shelter, improvements of water and sanitation facilities, improvements of
school and health facilities, provision of seeds and tools and also trauma
counseling.

By program, the ACT appeal seeks to assist the work of the following
agencies:

Christian Aid/Christian Council of Churches of Sierra Leone. Targeting
140,000 beneficiaries, for food crop production, food security and
assistance (including seed distribution and planting) community
infrastructure building, peace building and civic education, latrine and
well construction.

The Baptist Convention of Sierra Leone: To provide assistance to 3,000
farm families, including the rehabilitation of health centers, provide
agricultural inputs (including seeds), construction of wells, educational
programs.

Methodist Church of Sierra Leone: To provide assistance to 27,400 families
with food security and assistance, such as crop production and animal
restocking, water and sanitation aid, health and psycho-social service
programs.

Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone: Provide food assistance, drugs, medical
supplies, educational materials and equipment for farm communities for
some 5,000 people, including at least 200 farm families.


CWS RESPONSE: Given the grave situation in Sierra Leone, CWS is urging
strong denominational support for the ACT efforts and is seeking $150,000
in denominational support.

For further details about the response, including specific budget items,
contact CWS ERP. Or visit the ACT web site at www.act-intl.org

To support Church World Service Response efforts in Sierra Leone please
send support to Account # 6414.


CHURCH WORLD SERVICE, Attn. Sierra Leone Relief and Rehabilitation, #6414,
P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515.  Phone pledges or credit card donations:
1-800-297-1516, ext. 222.  On-line contributions to:
www.churchworldservice.org

Call the CWS HOTLINE for updates: (800) 297-1516.  For further information
about disasters to which Church World Service is responding, contact CWS
Emergency Response.

Telephone: (212) 870-3151
E-mail: cherlinger@ncccusa.org
After-hours emergency pager: (800) 780-0853
Web site: www.cwserp.org


distributed by
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