welcome welcome home: Inside ARC - 5.17.13 - Darfur, Nyabiheke, Sustainers

Hi jay,

Here's a quick summary of what’s been happening at ARC, including a monthly sustainer challenge issued by ARC Board Member Sheila Leatherman. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

-Daniel

Daniel Wordsworth, President

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*Congolese Refugees Relocate*

One week ago, ARC began welcoming to Nyabiheke Camp in Rwanda a first wave of nearly 10,000 Congolese refugees. The new arrivals had been waiting at Nkamira Transit Center on the border with DR Congo while more appropriate accommodations were prepared. Because Nkamira was built to house only 2,600 refugees at one time, families went without a lot of important support and services.

For several weeks, ARC has been preparing as smooth a transition as possible for these families to life in Nyabiheke Camp. They’ve been digging new latrines, installing new water stations and building shelters for the families. For the last week our health staff have been working tirelessly to help the new arrivals, many of whom suffer chronic diseases and urgently need care. Check out a photo of the operation on our Facebook page.

Hats off to the team in Nyabiheke Camp for making this transition as easy as possible for these families!

*Displaced in Darfur*

There has been escalating unrest in the Darfur region of Sudan. In the first few months of 2013 more than 5 times as many people were displaced from their homes as during the whole of 2012. The UN estimates 150,000 people have been displaced.

ARC is responding. We’ve mobilized our team on all fronts to reach out to newly displaced families with lifesaving support and services. We will keep you updated on the situation in Darfur as it develops. We are actively fundraising to support the team in their response. If you would like to make a contribution, go to: www.ARCrelief.org/donate .

*Sustainer (x 5) Challenge*

Last Sheila Leatherman – Vice Chair of ARC’s Board of Directors – has issued a challenge. When you become a monthly sustaining donor by June 20 (World Refugee Day), Sheila will MATCH your gift times 5! If you signup for $10 per month, she’ll give $50. $20 a month – she gives $100. That’s five times as many people you can help.

To become a Sustainer, you can go online to www.ARCrelief.org/monthlygiving or call us at 1-800-875-7060.

*Study on Gender Issues in South Sudan*

ARC has published an important study on attitudes toward gender and gender-based violence in South Sudan. We partnered with the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative to interview 680 men and women. Some of the findings:

82% of females and 81% of males agreed that ‘a woman should tolerate violence in order to keep her family together’.
68% of females and 63% of males, also agreed that ‘there are times when a woman deserves to be beaten’.
69% of respondents knew at least one woman who was beaten by her husband in the past month; 42% of respondents knew at least one man who forced his wife or partner to have sex.

The report - “An Assessment of Gender Inequitable Norms and Gender-Based Violence in South Sudan” – can be accessed here: http://www.conflictandhealth.com/content/7/1/4. Upon reading the report, a Member of Congress who works to promote women’s rights immediately reached out to learn more about the issue!

*Engage*

https://twitter.com/ARCrelief

http://instagram.com/arcrelief

http://www.youtube.com/chriskatarc