It’s bad enough for Africanfamilies to deal with thescourge of malaria, whether it’srepeated illnesses that sappeople’s strength andproductivity or theunspeakable horror of losing

the life of a child. But for refugees in war-torncountries that are also malaria-prone, their misery ismultiplied exponentially.

This has been the harsh reality for many people in theIturi Province of theDemocratic Republicof Congo (DRC) whohave been internallydisplaced by ongoingfighting. Most of themdon’t even have a bedto sleep in, much less aplace to hang a net, sothey are that muchmore vulnerable to malaria. Or so they thought.

Their lives changed thanks to a field visit to theDiocese of Boga by Cletus Asare, NetsforLife®’sprogram support and logistics officer. Volunteers hadjust finished hanging up 22,000 malaria nets in fourprogram sites, and Cletus traveled there to train themin the net phase of the effort — to build long-lastingcultures of net usage in their communities. At oneworkshop in the village of Bukiringi, somethingmagical happened.

“After about three and half hours of training anddemonstration on how long-lasting insecticide-treated

nets can be hung anywhere—even over a local matlaid on the floor—the level of excitement was so highthat a training that wasmeant for about 30volunteers almost becamea public awarenesssession,” Cletus recalled.

“The church building wasfilled to capacity, withpeople outside listeningthrough the windows,” he said. “Even the nationalarmy commander, who was leading a battalion ofsoldiers to keep peace in the area, was present to learnabout this simple but life-saving innovation. For once,the community members’ constant fear of attack andever-nagging feeling of hopelessness seemed to havebeen submerged in excitement and the hope that theytoo, in a way, are beginning to live normal lives.

“With some basic technology and training,NetsforLife® is transforming communities likeBukiringi across the continent,” Cletus said. “No

wonder the netretention and usagerates in our programareas are the highest inthe world. For me as apublic health scientist,this work couldn’t bemore exciting!”

IN THIS ISSUEHealing the Wounds ofConflict with NetsforLife®

A Special Message from thePresiding Bishop

Renewal & Hope in Haiti

A Dream Comes True

Join the Stewardship Circle

NetsforLife® Not Only Prevents Malaria; It Also Heals the Wounds of Conflict

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

Seek & ServeA Publication of Episcopal Relief & Development - May 2012

Cletus Asare teaches a class about netuse.

Men distribute nets in Boga, DRC.

Children in Boga DRC with their new net.

“Long-lasting insecticide-treatednets can be hung anywhere.”

Episcopalians strive to bring the reign of God here on earth,to build a just society that demonstrates love for ourneighbor. We do this by sharing God’s love in all we do,through actions big and small, in family, church, andcommunity.

Episcopal Relief & Development offers a powerfulopportunity to share God’s love on a global scale byempowering people to build a better life for themselves andtheir families. The Episcopal Church birthed this remarkableorganization and continues to enthusiastically andwholeheartedly support it. As Honorary Chair, I want tothank you for your support.

That support of Episcopal Relief & Development brings uscloser to a Godly society of peace and justice. Together, wecan help to build a world where all people have access tonutritious food, have a better chance at a healthy start tolife, where girls and boys have access to basic primaryeducation, where the gifts of women are honored anddeveloped in ways that have far too often been deniedthem, and where diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, andmalaria are prevented and treated.

Our Church has made malaria a special priority because ofthe horrific toll it takes on children—truly the “least ofthese,” as Jesus said in Matthew 25:40—and because ofthe transformative effects of tackling this disease.

NetsforLife® is a central focus of The Episcopal Church’sresponse to the United Nation’s Millennium DevelopmentGoals. We continue to urge dioceses, congregations, andindividuals throughout the Church to share in theNetsforLife® Inspiration Fund effort to raise $5 million forNetsforLife® by the end of this year.

We have accomplished a great deal thus far. As ofDecember 2011, NetsforLife® had distributed more than 8.5million nets, and trained almost 74,000 volunteers to helpwith community training, education, net installation, andmonitoring and evaluation. More than 37 million people havebenefited from NetsforLife®.

There is a great deal yet to do, given the estimated 216million cases of malaria and 655,000 malaria-related deathseach year. The NetsforLife® Inspiration Fund will take uscloser to our ultimate destination: a world where malaria

“The NetsforLife® Inspiration Fund willtake us closer to our ultimatedestination: a world where malaria nolonger diminishes or ends the lives ofGod’s children.”

Guest ColumnThe Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori,Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church

no longer diminishes or ends the lives of God’s children.

Episcopalianscan clearly seethe impact oftheir partici-pation in theNetsforLife®

InspirationFund. Itengages thegifts ofindividuals,congregations,dioceses, andthe entireChurch inconcrete ways,throughlearning aboutneighbors across the world, sharing financial resources, andparticipating in very particular corporal works of mercy.

The love of God can be seen in the most unexpectedways—a $12 bed net protecting three children while theysleep, a volunteer explaining to families the importance ofusing nets, and American children raising funds to save thelives of their brothers and sisters ten thousand miles away.May we continue to share the love of God—and theconcrete results of better health, nutrition, education, andopportunity—with all God’s children around the globe, byworking together to heal a hurting world.

To learn more about how to join Episcopal Relief &Development in the fight against malaria, and to support the NetsforLife® Inspiration Fund matching gift challengebefore the May 25th deadline, please visitwww.inspirationfund.org.

The Presiding Bishop during a visit to the DemocraticRepublic of Congo last year. Photo courtesy of Matthew Davies for Episcopal News Service

NetsforLife® by the Numbers# of nets distributed .....................................8,534,913

# of people reached ...................................25,079,403

# of volunteers trained ......................................73,988

# of children under five saved.........................103,780

# of churches participating in NetsforLife® Inspiration Fund ...........................2,713

NetsforLife® Inspiration Fund

It’s been more than two years since Haiti was rocked bya devastating earthquake in January 2010. Thoughmany organizations have packed up and gone home,Episcopal Relief & Development is more dedicatedthan ever to helping those who are still struggling torecover. Working in partnership with the EpiscopalChurch of Haiti and its relief and development arm,CEDDISEC, we’re bringing hope and healing to peoplein need.

Amelicia Elizee is now living in a new home she ownsin the urban center of Carrefour after 18 long monthsspent sleeping in a tent.

Mr. Pompee, age 72, gained the opportunity to earnsome needed cash and help clear more than 50 cubictons of rubble that still blocked a walkway in his town,as he worked on a 20-day project organized with theEpiscopal Parish Ascension of Thor.

Mme. Jean Heclaire owns her own home and isrebuilding her business as a traditional Haitian rural-urban trader in her hometown of Trouin after nearlytwo years of homelessness and destitution.

For all three people, it was the support of EpiscopalRelief & Development and our Haitian partners thatmade their new lives possible. But there is so muchmore still to be done.

“While two years have already passed, theconsequences of this terrible earthquake are stillpresent,” said Père Frantz (Fanfan) Cole, director ofCEDDISEC. “Here in Haiti we are reminded each day

of its effects, as we step outside our front doors andcontinue to see the destruction and debris.

“Yet through the action and collaboration of bothHaitians and our international brothers and sisters, wehave helped manypeople to rise upand take stepsforward towardhealing andrestored hope.”

The work ofEpiscopal Relief &Development andCEDDISEC ishelping people take both spiritual and physical stepstoward healing and reconstruction by providinghousing and work opportunities for those still leftwithout homes and jobs since the earthquake. ThroughCEDDISEC’s Shelter Program, 1,240 individuals haveleft makeshift tents and camps to move into newhomes, while another 1,000 people have been gainfullyemployed building the houses.

In addition, CEDDISEC has launched 137 cash-for-work community recovery projects, like the one thatemployed Mr. Pompee, providing short-term jobs for4,768 individuals that help them meet their need foreveryday food and goods, housing reconstructionsupplies, and repayment of debts to local merchants.These projects have community-wide benefits as theyimprove sanitation, support reforestation andimproved agriculture production, repair roads andditches, strengthen hurricane preparedness, and helprehabilitate markets, clinics, and schools.

This year, Episcopal Relief & Development andCEDDISEC are moving at full speed to help those stillsuffering the most from the quake’s devastation. Cash-for-work projects are being focused on youth andadults still living in urban tent camps, small businessowners who have been unable to recover the capitalneeded to re-launch their trades, and parents who hadto keep their children out of school for economicreasons.

Moving Toward Renewal and Hope in Haiti

“We have helped many people to rise upand take steps forward toward healingand restored hope.”Men clearing debris as part of a cash-for-work project.

60-1202Printed on Recycled Paper

815 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017 • www.er-d.org • 1.855.312.HEAL

Ken and his friend met several times with RichardHoff, an Episcopal Relief & Development Major GiftOfficer. Together, they were able to connect Ken’s goalswith our local partner in southwestern Kenya, theAnglican Development Services of Nyanza, which isworking on ambitious water projects in the area.

The community-based project Ken is supporting isinstalling 80 rainwater catchment tanks at schools,churches, and health centers. The tanks capture and

storerainwaterthroughgutters onthe roofs ofthe buildings,providingwater forpeopleduring thedry season.Residents

learned to manage the tanks, including how to addchlorine solution to make the water safe for drinking.With access to clean water, families and communitiesare improving their hygiene and health.

Now mothers and daughters in these areas have beenfreed from long hours of dangerous and exhaustingwork of collecting water each day. For Ken this truly isa dream come true, and we at Episcopal Relief &Development couldn’t be more grateful for hiscommitment to the people we serve.

If you want to understand the power we all have withinus to change the world we live in, you need look nofurther than Ken Adams.

Ten years ago, Ken—who just celebratedhis 99th birthday—viewed a NationalGeographic specialon the difficulties thatmany African womenand girls face daily infinding water fortheir families. As helearned about thelong distances they

have to travel, the dangers encountered on the road,and the health problems caused by drinking unsafewater, his heart went out to them. Since then Ken hadbeen haunted by what he’d seen, and he realized, “If Idon’t act now, I may never get the chance!”

With a friend from his home parish, Holy FaithEpiscopal Church in Inglewood, California, Kendreamed up a plan. He would make a donation of$50,000 to Episcopal Relief & Development, with astipulation: In order to double its impact, the giftwould match additional contributions raised for theproject.

Ken Adams is living proof it’s never toolate to make a difference.

Girls enjoy clean water from this new water tank.

A Dream Comes True

“If I don’t act now, I may neverget the chance!” -- Ken Adams

Join Episcopal Relief & Development’s Stewardship CircleStewardship Circle members commit to make amonthly gift of $10, $15, $25 or more. This steady,reliable flow of support provides the resources weneed to work in dozens of countries around theglobe and also help communities right here in theU.S. prepare for and respond to disasters.

Please consider joining the Stewardship Circle withyour own monthly commitment. People around theworld need us, and by making a monthly gift to

support Episcopal Relief & Development you willhelp make a difference in the lives of the peoplewho need us most. Together we will transformcommunities. Together we will heal a hurting world.

Become a Stewardship Circle member today byfilling out your monthly pledge information on theback of the enclosed form or visiting us at www.er-d.org/monthly-giving/ to sign up.