FCA aims to gradually resume project work in Syria
With 16.7 million people in Syria in dire need of humanitarian assistance, it is crucial that FCA and all humanitarian organisations are able to resume their work as soon as possible.
Photo: Distribution of emergency response aid in Homs, Syria was carried out in October 2024. Credit: Ammar Barakat
DECEMBER 16TH, 2024. FCA staff in Syria will return to work this week, both in our country offices and project implementation in the field. FCA had put its humanitarian operations on hold in early December due to the security situation.
Syria is currently ruled by a transitional government since the ouster of the Assad regime with the installation of an official government still in process. FCA Syria staff will do their best to coordinate with local community and authority representatives to ensure that people receive proper support.
With 16.7 million people in Syria in dire need of assistance, it is crucial that FCA, and all humanitarian organisations, are able to continue their support.
In addition to humanitarian needs, Syria also faces extensive damage to critical infrastructure, like roads, hospitals and schools, caused by war and a series of devastating earthquakes. 90% of people are below the poverty line with international economic sanctions impeding growth. Youth employment is also extremely high with refugees and returnees from neighbouring countries adding to the country’s burden.
As so often with conflicts, women and children represent the most vulnerable. Since fighting escalated last month, 1.1 million people within the country are newly displaced. In Syria, 6.9 million children need urgent support for education. What is desperately needed now is the repair of destroyed schools, safe access to learning, and support for teachers working in difficult circumstances.
While FCA strives to be a part of Syria’s recovery, we believe that it is imperative that Syrians are empowered and enabled to take an active role from now on to decide their own future. That means accessing equal opportunities and influence to rebuild their country and, eventually, support to heal from past traumas caused by years of oppression, war and loss.
Finn Church Aid Uganda celebrates 10 years of lasting impact
On 8th October 2024, Finn Church Aid (FCA) marked a significant milestone, celebrating 10 years of physical presence in Uganda with a grand event held at Mestil Hotel, Kampala.
FOUNDED IN 1947 by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, FCA has been a pivotal force in humanitarian response for over 75 years. Although FCA has been active in Uganda since 1979 through implementing partners, it officially established its office in the country in 2014.
The anniversary celebration was graced by several distinguished guests, including Uganda’s Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees, Eng. Hon. Hillary Onek, who served as the chief guest.
Uganda’s Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees, Eng. Hon. Hillary Onek was the chief guest at the anniversary celebrations.
In his speech, he appreciated the tremendous work FCA is doing in Uganda, highlighting how providing appropriate education is indirectly fostering peace in their countries.
“The skills that refugees are gaining through FCA’s programmes are being used as means of livelihoods. Thank you FCA, for your tremendous contribution to peace and humanity for those affected,” he remarked.
Other notable attendees included H.E. Margaret M. Otteskov, the Ugandan Ambassador to the Nordic States, H.E. Tapiola Pirkka, the Ambassador of Finland to Kenya and Uganda, Dr. Tomi Järvinen, the Executive Director of FCA, The Most Rev. Dr. Tapio Luoma, Archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, and various donors, partners, and country directors.
In his address, FCA Uganda’s Country Director, Wycliffe Nsheka, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the donors and partners who have supported the organisation in achieving positive change. He highlighted FCA’s impactful work in education, livelihoods, and peace, noting that the organisation supports an average of 187,027 learners per term as of 2024.
FCA Uganda Country Director Wycliffe Nsheka giving his remarks at the country office’s 10-year anniversary event.
“FCA has been paying salaries to over 2,000 teachers every month since 2018 in partnership with UNHCR and has provided vocational training to 37,806 youths. Additionally, FCA has constructed 820 classrooms and 225 teacher accommodation blocks to support quality education,” he told the audience.
Dr. Tomi Järvinen emphasised that FCA remains committed to its humanitarian mission in Uganda, aiming to continue their important work and support the most vulnerable populations.
At the event, FCA launched the “We Don’t Give Up” campaign in Uganda. This campaign emphasises the organisation’s commitment to helping vulnerable communities thrive despite challenges.
FCA’s operations in Uganda focus on quality education, sustainable livelihoods, and peacebuilding, particularly in response to the massive influx of refugees from South Sudan, Sudan and DR Congo. The organisation works closely with Uganda’s Office of the Prime Minister and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to support both refugees and host communities across various settlements in the country.
Some of the guests at the FCA Uganda 10-year anniversary celebration
FCA’s work is supported by UNHCR, UNICEF, the United States Bureau for Populations, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), Education Cannot Wait, the European Union, European Union Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) and Appeal for Emergency Response through Act Alliance.
Trade for development? Finland’s development policy takes a new direction.
Poverty reduction as the top goal of development policy is absent from the recent foreign and security policy report of Petteri Orpo’s government, writes Tapio Laakso, Head of Advocacy at FCA.
FINLAND IS MAKING its foreign and security policy harder and more commercially oriented, including in its development policy. This is reflected in the Foreign and Security Policy Statement published by the government in the summer and the complementary Report on International Economic Relations and Development Cooperation. The two documents jointly guide Finland’s international action and should be read together because, according to the Government, they are based on the same analysis.
The reform comes at a time when Finland’s foreign policy environment has changed dramatically with NATO membership and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
At the heart of the report now seems to be a strong desire to develop development cooperation funding in a direction whose main motive is to promote the interests of Finnish companies above all. I will return to this later in this text.
From a development agency’s perspective, a key concern about the new report was whether Finland’s foreign policy would become all about NATO, Ukraine and a narrow security policy. However, the Foreign and Security Policy Report published in the summer takes a commendable look beyond the immediate partners. The guidelines also reflect the multipolarisation of geopolitics, in particular the rise of the so-called middle powers.
“Finland also seeks equal dialogue and expands its opportunities to cooperate and trade with countries other than those in our reference group.” is an important policy from the government in today’s world. Africa is dealt with extensively in the report and it can be said that Africa has finally entered the realm of realpolitik. This is reflected in the fact that Africa is treated in the same way as China.
The long policy line will be maintained in the new environment
Despite major external changes, there is a lot of continuity in Finnish foreign policy. While there is an emphasis on hard security, the emphasis on agreement and the multilateral system has not disappeared.
Finland promotes international peace, security and sustainable development. Finland defends international law and the rules-based international system. Finland promotes its objectives within the UN and seeks to strengthen the organisation’s capacity to act.
One might ask whether the “value-based realism” launched by President Alexander Stubb is more a continuation of Finland’s long-standing foreign policy than something entirely new.
Finland’s foreign policy values are real, but the realism of national interest limits the activism needed to promote these values.
“Finland’s foreign and security policy is founded on value-based realism. We stand by values we consider important and central to us, such as democracy, the rule of law, international law and human rights, peace, equality, and non-discrimination. At the same time, we are also ready to engage in dialogue with countries that do not share our views and values. We defend the rules-based international system and support its development. Finland’s security is safeguarded by three locks: a strong national defence capability as part of NATO deterrence and defence; our memberships in the European Union and NATO; and ever-stronger bilateral cooperation on foreign and security policy and defence with our key allies and partners.“ – from 2024’s ‘Government Report on Finnish Foreign and Security Policy‘.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo summed up neatly a situations where values should not be allowed to get in the way of realism at the Annual Meeting of Heads of Mission in Helsinki on 26 August 2024: “Regardless of the winner of the US presidential election, our bilateral cooperation with the United States will continue to be good, mutually beneficial and wide-ranging.”
Narrowing the focus of development policy and conditioning access to aid
“(The aim is)…to better support Finland’s commercial and economic interests in developing markets and to increase the economic independence of developing countries by strengthening their responsibility for their own development.”
Poverty reduction as the main (internationally agreed) goal of development policy is conspicuous by its absence. At least the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been included. The priority given to trade cooperation is likely to shift development funding away from the poorest and least developed LDCs. Last year, the indicator for the poorest countries’ share of funding disappeared from the budget book.
The priorities for development cooperation are as follows:
“Finland’s development policy priorities include improving the rights and the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls, which are also key in managing population growth, as well as education and climate measures.”
The focus of development cooperation is narrowing. The previous focus on “sustainable economy and decent work” and “peaceful, democratic societies” has disappeared. This is understandable in a context of drastic budget cuts. Since its peak in 2014, Finland’s actual development cooperation budget has been cut by well over 40%.
In addition to the priorities, the report’s strong themes include promoting exports by Finnish companies, supporting Ukraine, conditioning development aid and reciprocity with developing countries.
Also at the Heads of Mission meeting, Minister of Development Ville Tavio said: ”We are also continuing our work to support a well-functioning democracy, the rule of law, human rights and a vibrant civil society, all of which are prerequisites for sustainable societal development.”
Of course, even in this reduced framework, a significant part of Finland’s good development cooperation, support to international organisations and NGOs will be able to continue.
Promoting Finnish exports will not bring development to the poorest countries
The report seeks to bring trade and development policies together, but does not address trade policy from a sustainable development perspective. There is no idea of a development policy that would consistently strengthen the role of developing countries in all policy areas. As the introduction states, the aim is to strengthen Finland’s exports.
For example, sustainability regulation is only seen as a threat to trade. The recently adopted EU Corporate Responsibility Directive is not mentioned at all, even though it is a key new piece of legislation at the interface of trade and development policy.
In an interview with Development Today, Minister of Trade and Development Ville Tavio emphasises the importance of industrialisation for development. This is also supported in his aforementioned speech: “Finland supports the industrialisation of developing countries.” and “Development policy promotes the creation of industries and jobs in developing countries.” However, the report itself focuses on highlighting the export potential of Finnish companies, rather than supporting the virtuous circle of industrialisation and poverty reduction.
At the heart of the report seems to be an attempt to focus or tie development cooperation funding more to the interests of Finnish companies. However, international development policy has long recognised that tying aid leads to inefficiency, ignores local needs and neglects local businesses in developing countries.
Finland must also demonstrate the equal partnership it has promised in action
“Finland’s objective is to build sustainable partnerships with developing countries based on mutual benefit and respect.”
This line of the report is extremely welcome. However, mutual benefit and respect also means that Finland is ready to take into account the interests and views of developing countries.
The hoarding of COVID-19 vaccines and the insistence on patent protection, the inaction on ongoing human rights violations against Palestinians, the unwillingness to promote tax cooperation at the UN and the extremely strict immigration policy are Finnish policies in which developing countries have their own interests. Equal partnerships must mean that Finland’s own views are also open to negotiation. So far there is little evidence of this.
Let’s talk about menstruation – A simple way to eradicate period-related absences in a Ugandan school
Three out of four girls in Uganda miss school because they are menstruating. At Bukere secondary school, the problem has been solved by raising awareness about menstruation among both girls and boys.
Text: Elisa Rimaila Photos: Antti Yrjönen
THE EXCITEMENT of over a hundred teenagers combined with the glow of an equatorial afternoon have stirred up the air in the classroom so thick you could almost bottle it. The youngsters sit cramped in their desks, squealingas teacher Jolly Kyogabirwe begins a lesson on reproductive health and sexual rights at Bukere secondary school in central Uganda.
Now let’s talk about menstruation! The rumble slowly calms down..
“Menstruation is not an illness that should make you stay home and out of school,” says Kyogabirwe.
In the front row, a few girls look at each other. In the back, the boys lean forward with interest, letting the teacher continue.
“If your period starts during the school day, the school has disposable sanitary towels for emergencies. We will help you so that you can stay in school despite your period,” teacher Kyogabirwe addresses the girls.
IN REFUGEE SETTLEMENTS in particular, menstrual absenteeism is a real threat to education. Many girls are absent from school for several days each month.
Bukere secondary school is fighting absenteeism by organising menstrual hygiene lessons and distributing a bag of sanitary towels, soap and underwear to girls.
Teacher Kyogabirwe goes through the signs that the body gives before menstruation starts and reminds you to be aware of your menstrual cycle.
The boys in the back seat are keen to ask questions.
“Why are the pads different sizes – and that one so huge?”
“How long can you use one sanitary towel?”
Best Kemigisa, 20, a student in Bukere secondary school, shows other students the products she received as part of Finn Church Aid’s menstrual hygiene package.
Reusable pads save money
At the end of the lesson, girls and boys can talk freely.
“It’s interesting to know how things work. Some of us boys didn’t know anything before,” says Emmanuel Nsengimana, 20.
“It’s good to have a conversation together,” continues Best Kemigisa, 20.
The lesson makes Manzi Biraguma, 16, wonder whether it would be possible to make a business out of making reusable pads. The boy’s comment makes the girls laugh, but it’s actually not a bad idea, confirms Sonia Kyasiimire, an education specialist at the Finn Church Aid (FCA) office in Uganda.
“If we could get more funding, we could organise a workshop to learn how to make reusable pads for sale. The training could be combined with vocational studies, for example,” says Kyasiimire.
The life cycle of a single reusable pad is about a year, making them a better environmental alternative to disposable shelters. If girls made their own pads, they could also save money.
A five-piece package of reusable pads costs 25,000 Ugandan shillings (six euros), while disposable pads cost girls between 5.000 and 10,000 shillings (about 1.5-2.5 euros) per month.
In the refugee area, it is a significant amount. The cost of one package of disposable sanitary towels is equivalent to about half of the cash grant given to qualifying families by UNHCR each month.
“Many parents have not been educated about menstrual hygiene. It can be difficult for them to understand why girls should be provided with separate menstrual protection,” says Manzi Biraguma.
The girls nod. Lack of knowledge can lead to discrimination and exclusion from everyday activities such as socially important religious gatherings.
“There are communities here that may believe that girls are ‘unclean’ during menstruation or that they are somehow harmful,” says Patience Kabarokore, 17.
Manzi Biraguma and Emmanuel Nsengimana are happy boys have been granted an access to their school’s menstrual hygiene classes.
Emmanuel Nsengimana points out that girls themselves can avoid being stigmatised by taking the management of their menstrual hygiene into their own hands.
“Boys in particular may want to sit somewhere other than next to a girl who doesn’t have proper protection. They might be embarrassed. I’m serious, there are boys like that!”
The comment leads to a debate between girls and boys about whether menstruation is something to be ashamed of.
“Menses are part of normal life. The fact that you are menstruating just means that you are normal,” says Best Kemigisa.
“Sometimes it is difficult to participate in the joy and activities of others during menstruation. Especially if you’re not feeling well. Then I feel ashamed,” defends Fatumah Kenganzi, 17.
She says that as a Muslim she is not allowed to pray or fast during her periods.
“It’s quite understandable. Even a prayer mat can get dirty,” she reflects.
In Ugandan refugee settlements menstrual hygiene may be challenging to maintain due to lack of money. Menstrual hygiene isn’t a priority for families living on less than two dollars a day. This leads to girls staying home when they’re having their period.
Lack of sanitary towels robs girls their education
In Bukere, every young person knows someone who has missed school because of their period. And no wonder, because according to Uganda’s Ministry of Education 2020 data, three out of four school-age girls miss 2-3 school days a month due to menstruation. According to the same statistics, up to 65% of girls and women in Uganda feel unable to afford adequate menstrual protection.
“Girls would certainly like to use disposable pads, but they are not very accessible here,” says Sonia Kyasiimire, referring to the high price of sanitary towels.
Fatumah Kenganzi would like to use disposable pads if she had the money to buy them.
FCA’s menstrual hygiene work involves more than just handing out sanitary pads and teaching lessons. At Bukere secondary school, changing rooms and water points have been built next to the toilets to make girls’ daily lives easier. According to 2020 statistics, only 60% of girls and women reported that they had regular access to water for washing and safe, sheltered places for changing.
Fatumah Kenganzi is the only girl who would prefer to use disposable protection if she had the choice. But her life with reusable pads is made easier by the fact that she lives in a school dormitory.
“The school has water for washing and shelter. At the primary school I went to, if there was an accident, you had to go home in the middle of the day to wash.”
The situations where girls are most nervous are when their periods start unexpectedly in the middle of the school day. The school day can become embarrassing, especially because of boys’ behaviour.
“They mock it, calling it a ‘blood skirt’, and everyone hears about it,” says Patience Kabarokore.
Best Kemigisa, Fatumah Kenganzi and Patience Kabarokore have had their share of listening to boys mocking girls when they find out they have their period. Sometimes the menstruation begins in the middle of a school day leading the girls leave home and skipping classes.
The comment makes the boys look at each other.
“I think we do it out of ignorance. It boggles the mind to even think about where the blood comes. We boys are sensitive,” Biraguma defends himself.
“Girls can talk openly about these issues. Come and tell us if you need help. We will help,” Nsengimana continues.
The last sentence makes all three girls burst out laughing. Patience Kabakore, however, is grateful that the boys are now getting information through school.
“I think boys are genuinely interested in these things. Now they have the opportunity to participate and learn. Until a few years ago, they were expelled from class when we started talking about menstruation.”
How will boys use the information they learn about menstrual hygiene at school?
“If I had a wife and she needed help with washing the pads, of course I’d help,” says Biraguma, after a moment’s thought.
The girls don’t believe him.
“No way! You don’t even know what menstrual blood smells like,” challenges Fatumah Kenganzi.
“Yes. I’m at least going to offer to help my wife when I have one some day. My wife is my responsibility. Of course I would,” Biraguma promises.
Menstrual Hygiene Day is an annual awareness day on May 28 to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management at a global level.
FCA Global Leadership Team strengthens partnerships in US and Canada
From left to right: Dr. Mohamed Elsanousi, Executive Director of the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers; Wycliffe Nsheka, FCA Uganda Country Director; Ikali Karvinen, FCA Deputy Executive Director; Patricia Maruschak, FCA Ukraine Country Director; Berhanu Haile, FCA Somalia Country Director.
Finn Church Aid America welcomed the five members of the FCA Global Leadership Team to Washington, DC and Toronto, Canada. The team met with leading government agencies and partner organisations supporting global peace and development.
THE WEEK-LONG MISSION sought to foster collaboration; promote FCA expertise in the areas of education, livelihood and peace; and advocate for continued resourcing in development aid.
The mission presented an opportunity for FCA to engage with the US government in Washington DC, including with the White House National Security Council and US Agency for International Development (USAID). FCA presented on its work on its thematic focus areas and engaged in lively discussions on innovative mechanisms to solve some of the most pressing challenges in fragile contexts.
Ikali Karvinen, Deputy Executive Director of FCA stands in the halls of the National Security Council at the White House in Washington, DC.
The mission involved engaging with US-based foundations, including Global Partnership for Education, DAI Global, Creative Associates and Dexis Consulting, emphasising FCA’s strengths in creative industries, localisation agendas, and country-specific programming, such as its programming in Ukraine, Somalia and Uganda.
During the week, the Embassy of Finland in Washington, DC worked with FCA and the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers (Peacemakers Network) to host a joint event titled, ‘Getting Peace Right: Strategies for Sustainable Peacebuilding and Community Development’.
Convening stakeholders from the United States Governments, DC-based embassies and broader civil society, this event underscored the importance of education, inclusion and innovative partnerships to strengthen sustainable peace and development around the world.
Mikko Hautala, Ambassador of Finland to the United States, opened the joint event. Photo: Embassy of Finland in Washington, DC.
Foundation of sustainable development
“FCA sees quality education as the foundation of sustainable development. It sustains democracy, provides the keys to solving the climate crisis and getting a decent job, and it is the cornerstone of sustainable peace efforts,” remarked Dr. Tomi Jarvinen, Executive Director of FCA, at the event.
A panel of FCA experts, academics and US government officials gathered for a special event at the Finnish embassy in Washington, DC.
Meanwhile, representatives from the US government were keen to learn about FCA’s and the Peacemakers Network’s experience in investing in partnerships, especially in fragile contexts.
“Under the nexus approach, we need to think about new partnerships to invest in fragile economies and build sustainable infrastructures to support sustainable peace,” shared Director Elizabeth Pelletreau, Director of the Office of Assistance for Africa of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration at the U.S. Department of State.
Canada meetings supported education, peace work
In Canada, FCA’s Global Leadership Team met members of the ACT Canada Forum.
In Canada, the team met with members of the ACT Canada Forum. Finn Church Aid is a founding member of the ACT Alliance and the team welcomed the opportunity to touch base with Alliance partners like the Primate’s World Relief and Development Foundation (PWRDF), United Church of Canada (UCC) and Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR). Canadian donors like the Canadian Foodgrains Bank are essential in our lifesaving cash support programmes in South Sudan and elsewhere.
At a meeting with the Canada Ukraine Foundation, the Leadership Team were able to present and discuss ongoing work in Ukraine supporting safe access to quality education, while also exchanging ideas on wider education in emergencies work.
Meeting with War Child Canada, the teams found many common interests, especially in South Sudan and Uganda where both organisations work with education and livelihood projects.
Thanks to robust support from our North American partners and donors, we are able to leverage these networks to continue our work to support the most vulnerable people.
Finn Church Aid’s work continues in Kenya and Myanmar, which are the targets of development cooperation cuts
Ville Tavio, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, recently presented cuts to Finland’s development cooperation.
VERY SIGNIFICANT CUTS are planned for development cooperation, according to Finland’s new minister for development cooperation. During the term of the government, which was inaugurated in June 2023, Finland will end the country programmes for Kenya, Myanmar, Afghanistan and Mozambique. After the cuts, in 2027 Finland will spend up to 280 million euros less than previously planned for actual development cooperation.
FCA continues its work in Kenya and Myanmar, partly with the support of Finland, but mainly with the support of other financiers.
“At FCA we are saddened to see that Finland is cutting support from precisely those countries where the need for development cooperation and aid is great. The countries in question are either very fragile themselves or, like Kenya, bear the burden of refugees from other countries,” says FCA’s Deputy Executive Director, Ikali Karvinen.
“We are committed to continuing our work in Myanmar and Kenya, where we work in many different ways to promote education, livelihood and stability.”
FCA’s work in Kenya and Myanmar focuses on strengthening quality education, livelihoods and peace, as well as humanitarian aid. While Kenya’s economic development in the region has been positive, the country is a significant recipient of refugees. FCA supports access to primary education in Turkana, Garissa and Marsabit, Kenya’s poorest counties, which host a large number of refguees.
Development cooperation is effective and is still needed
Tapio Laakso, head of Advocacy at FCA, says that the cuts demonstrated how Finland’s presence in the world is weakening.
“Development cooperation is part of Finland’s foreign and security policy. With the cuts, Finland’s presence and opportunities for influence in the world will decrease,” he says.
Mr Karvinen adds how even distant problems ultimately affect the stability of Finland and the safety of its citizens.
“We have seen that international solidarity is in danger at this time. In a networked world, we will encounter even distant problems at our doorstep eventually, if we do not react to them where they first appear. Climate change, refugees and difficult development issues are issues that affect all of us.”
“Of course, it is positive that civil society is still seen as an important actor in these countries.”
At the beginning of 2024, there will be 300 million people in the world relying on humanitarian aid. Before the beginning of this decade, the number was decreasing, but the situation has been dramatically worsened by the Coronavirus pandemic, the climate crisis and events such as the war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza.
Mr Laakso states that a humanitarian crisis is an extreme situation that can be prevented precisely through development cooperation.
“It is often said that nothing can be accomplished with development cooperation, but that is not true. Compared to the beginning of the 1990s, global extreme poverty has decreased, more and more children – and especially girls – go to school and, looking at the big picture, the world is doing much better. It is worrisome how many of the long-term development indicators mentioned above have declined while conflicts are also increasing,” he says.
Not feeling alone is crucial for survivors of gender-based violence
Finn Church Aid (FCA) works against gender-based violence in the Central African Republic by connecting survivors to healthcare services and psychosocial counselling.
WHEN ZITA KOUALET started her work as FCA’s psychosocial counsellor in Baboua, the hardest part was getting survivors of gender-based violence to consider sharing what they had gone through.
Koualet and her colleagues provide the first response in cases of rape, sexual harassment, or domestic violence in Baboua, Central African Republic. The project has been running for three years with UN Refugee Agency UNHCR funding. After careful awareness-raising in the community, people know how to approach Koualet in cases of violence or abuse.
“We pay for any transport or medical needs and provide counselling that focuses on the mental well-being. We can also help people file cases when they have been wronged”, she says.
“After that, the survivors are offered counselling. The more they feel they are supported, the more comfortable they are opening up about their experience and feel how it helps them move forward.”
Koulaet and her team also record the cases from their area in UNHCR’s database. Based on the countrywide data, NGOs know the needs and can tailor their responses nationwide.
Early marriage a key issue that leads to violence
Koualet mentions that early marriage is one of the core issues that leads to violence against women. When women are married off young, they are forced to interrupt their education – if they were in school in the first place. If women do not receive an education, they often end up staying at home doing housework and taking care of children, making them dependent on their husbands.
If a girl and her family refuse a marriage proposal, they might face consequences. In many cases of sexual violence, the perpetrator is someone they know from before, Koualet explains.
Usually, women with their own income suffer less from gender-based violence, which is why education is critical to preventing cases.
“Early marriage greatly slows down the development of young girls here. We work hard to discourage this custom and promote the benefits of education instead”, Koualet says.
After careful awareness-raising in the community in Baboua in Central African Republic, people know how to approach Zita Koualet in cases of violence or abuse.
Several of Koualet’s clients in Baboua, near the border to Cameroon, are only teenagers. One of them is 14-year-old Sylvaine. She was raped on her way home from an early evening event in her village. The assailant was a man who had earlier proposed to marry her, but Sylvaine and her family had declined.
“I had refused to marry because I wanted to continue my studies. Not too much later, I met the man when I was on my way home in the dark, and he assaulted me”, she says.
Sylvaine was first afraid to speak about the rape with anyone, but when she started feeling sick, she decided to confide in her sister. Her sister persuaded Sylvaine to talk to her mother, who had heard about FCA through an awareness campaign. FCA’s staff immediately took her to the hospital.
The doctor who treated her injuries quickly told Sylvaine she was pregnant.
“Our first thought was that we wanted to press charges against the perpetrator, but we decided that it would be disadvantageous for my future, my studies and marriage potential”, Syvlaine says.
Counselling comforts and helps building a way forward
The mental health consequences of gender-based violence are often paralysing. Ana is a 30-year-old single mother who takes care of her five children alone after divorcing her husband a few years earlier. Ana used to run a successful business as a vendor at the weekly market near the town of Bouar.
One day, she was assaulted and robbed by members of an armed group. They beat Ana and took all her possessions. Forced down on the ground, the men accused her of collaborating with another armed group. After driving over her with their motorcycles, they left her lying on the road.
“I lost all the money I had for supporting my children. They are now out of school, and during the month after the assault, I have not been able to work”, she says.
A dignity kit distributed to women in Baboua, Central African Republic contains a mosquito net, torch, underwear and other necessities, including a whistle to raise alarm in case of an attack.
The people who found Ana referred her to FCA, who took her to treatment for her injuries and covered her hospital costs. Ana still feels pain in her ribs and back but is able to walk. While still fearing to visit the local market, Ana feels grateful for the psychosocial support she receives weekly.
“Thanks to that, I have been able to live, and the hospital helped me back on my feet”, she says.
Ana and Sylvaine say that the most important reason for their recovery is understanding that they are not alone. Sylvaine also says that the counselling has been comforting and helped her realise that what happened to her was not her fault. Her goal is now to go back to school and continue her education.
“Speaking with the counsellors has made me realise I also want to work with something that makes a difference. Caring for my child does not stop me. My siblings and mother will support me”, Sylvaine says.
The names of the survivors of gender-based violence have been changed due to the sensitive nature of their stories.
The decision is based on the changing geopolitical situation, such as the war in Ukraine, which has widely impacted the funding of NGOs like FCA in recent years.
FOLLOWING A DECISION from its Board of Directors, Finn Church Aid (FCA) closes its operations in Cambodia at the end of the year. FCA has had a Country Office in Cambodia since 2011.
“During the exit process, FCA continues to work with key stakeholders and partners to complete the program implementation to fulfil its accountability for the beneficiaries and toward its donors”, says Marja Jörgensen, Director of International Programmes.
The decision is based on the changing geopolitical situation, such as the war in Ukraine, which has widely impacted the funding of NGOs like FCA in recent years. This has put traditional long-term development funders under increasing pressure to cut development funding or direct Overseas Development Aid (ODA) towards refugees and asylum seekers on their own soil.
While the overall financial situation of FCA is solid in 2023, there are challenges facing funding in 2024 and onwards. Long-term, predictable funding is decreasing, and unearmarked funding available is becoming limited. Growth in international funding sources brings, however, its own challenges, such as securing staff when funding fluctuates. This also affects efforts to strengthen our core functions, which traditionally have been financed by unearmarked funding sources.
“To face these realities, it financially makes sense to exit from Cambodia in a well-organised manner, allowing FCA to reallocate the available resources efficiently whilst reducing its operational complexity. Therefore, it requires the cooperation and understanding from all relevant stakeholders to support this exit process and possibly take over the responsibilities to contribute to building local ownership and sustainability in Cambodia,” says Jörgensen.
Though the decision to commence an exit process is largely the consequence of the changing geopolitical situation, Jörgensen highlights the sustainable impact of FCA’s work and wants to thank all FCA’s stakeholders who have been working torward assisiting those people whose human rights have not been fully realised in Cambodia.
“The impact of FCA’s work on the right to quality education, right to livelihood and right to peace in Cambodia for more than a decade is considered a solid base for a positive change that is no longer acutely dependent on FCA.”
In the last 12 years, FCA has supported the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MoEYS) in creating Cambodia’s career counselling system. The work led to career counselling being included in the national curriculum, and career counsellors are now trained for nationwide needs. Youth have also gained skills and participated in development work and the labour force. Communities have been supported in the sustainable management of natural resources and in alleviating and adapting to the consequences of climate change.
The Poorest Countries in the World: 10+1 Things to Know
The poorest countries of the world remain poor year after year,decade after decade – or so it might seem. What do these countries have in common? Why are they stuck in the mire of poverty – and what can we do about it?
1. SHORTCOMINGS IN HEALTH AND EDUCATION.
What are the poorest countries in the world?One way to define them is the UN’s list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs). The list, updated every three years, currently includes 46 countries, mostly in Africa, some in the Asia/Pacific region and one, Haiti, in the Caribbean. The LDCs are ranked on the list according to factors like income levels, health, and education.
2. POVERTY IS A REALITY FOR A VAST SHARE OF THE GLOBAL POPULATION.
Over a tenth of the world’s population lives in a country classified as “fragile” and, according to the World Bank, around eight per cent of people face extreme poverty. Signs of dire poverty include high maternal and infant mortality rates, low status of women and low levels of education. Most of the work performed in such countries takes place outside the formal labor market, such as in domestic labor. Tax revenues are thus inadequate for providing government services, and basic services like education and health care remain lacking.
3. THE SHADOW OF COLONIALISM STILL PUTS A BRAKE ON DEVELOPMENT.
The legacy of colonialism continues to cast a shadow over many poor countries. The borders of modern-day states, once artificially drawn by their former colonial masters, frequently do not follow patterns like ethnic lines or traditional settlements. Natural resources have been made into a tool for accumulating wealth for a small proportion of the population. Societies maldeveloped in this way are prone to conflict, ethnic violence, and undeveloped governance, rife with practices such as corruption and misuse of funds that clash with the idea of good government.
4. SEVERE OBSTACLES TO GROWTH.
Poor countries’ development may be hindered by conflict, poor governance (especially in small countries) or resource-based economies. The neighbourhoods of the countries also play a large role, especially for countries that do not have a ready connection to the ocean. Access to world markets and secure transportation of goods are important requirements for maintaining a growing economy.
5. OBSTACLES CAN BE CIRCUMVENTED.
Botswana and Vanuatu demonstrate that leaving the UN’s LDC list is possible. Even in the most fragile of countries education offers one pathway to development, and developing vocational training can be an effective way to provide routes to employment and sustenance. Nevertheless, even when development happens, women, people with disabilities and marginalized ethnic groups often face exclusion. It is important to keep everyone on board in order for progress to reach the whole of society.
6. LOCAL IDEAS ARE IMPORTANT.
We say that development must reach the entire society, but what kind of development are we talking about? As ways to define development, measures like the gross domestic product (GDP) and life expectancy are fundamentally based on the Western mindset. A current trend in development cooperation, though, is a shift towards primarily local ownership, with local people themselves defining the agenda of development. In this process, in addition to GDP and other indicators, the status of individuals and their opportunities to live their own lives are also of fundamental importance.
7. WHEN AID WORKS, IT IS FUTURE-ORIENTED.
Humanitarian aid is seen as immediate disaster relief, but it is also acutely needed for protracted conflicts and for refugees. Focusing only on acute relief is short-sighted – raising people up from poverty requires education, jobs, and other opportunities for livelihood. The best way to help fragile countries is combining different forms of aid and thinking beyond what is acute; casting an eye to the future and visualising the permanent eradication of poverty. In this process, peacebuilding plays a crucial role.
8. ENRICHMENT SHOULD NOT MEAN EXPLOITATION.
This, we know already; development should not be a byword for a consumption-centered Western lifestyle, unsustainable both in terms of nature and the climate. When defining our preferred model of development, we must also always keep this in mind; Western lifestyle also needs changing. A consumption-centered, exploitative model of development is fundamentally not an option.
9. DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION IS A SOLUTION, NOT A PROBLEM.
Development cooperation gets a lot of criticism, and its controversial aspects were also highlighted in Finland’s recent government negotiations. Giving aid is not only a moral and ethical obligation, but also something that can advance a better life for all. Trade relations, innovation, and the promotion of technology, for example, impact the entire world positively.
10. FOSTERING DEVELOPMENT MEANS A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL.
Education and jobs – these are the best ways to keep destitute people from negative pathways like joining extremist groups. Just as conflicts can spread from one country to another, the stabilisation of one country also increases stability in neighboring countries. Thus, foreign aid is also in the interests of the donor countries. Development cooperation also helps rectify past errors, including in the case of Finland, a country that has – like others – grown from the exploitation of the global South’s resources.
+ 1: FCA – A DRIVER OF PERMANENT CHANGE.
Thework of Finn Church Aid and the wishes of our donors highlight the importance of women and youth in development. Enabling the participation of women and young people in decision-making and governance allows positive changes to occur in entire societies. Educated women also want their children to be educated, and this fosters the development of the whole local community.
Sources: interview with Ikali Karvinen, Executive Vice President of KUA, and UNCTAD, UNDP, World Bank and Paul Collier’s book The Bottom Billion.
Across the world, FCA’s local workers come face to face with catastrophes both in their work and in their personal lives
Karam woke up when the earth started to shake. Marianna fled a war. Susan skips workdays to fetch water. These FCA workers now tell us what it’s like to live in the middle of a catastrophe.
DID YOU KNOW that Finn Church Aid employs over 3 000 people? Or that 95 % of them are locally hired experts? Our local workers are the most crucial part of our relief work. For many people, catastrophes are a remote affair – for them, they’re a part of everyday life.
In this article we meet some FCA experts who have lived through the war in Ukraine, the drought in East Africa and a devastating earthquake in Syria. They don’t see their work as just a job. What is at stake for them is the future – for their families and for their countries.
Syrian Karam Sharouf has lived his entire adult life surrounded by catastrophes: a decade of war, pandemic and in February 2023, a devastating earthquake tore down thousands of homes and schools in North Syria. PHOTO: KARAM SHAROUF / FCA
Karam Sharouf from Syria has lived through a variety of catastrophes for his entire adult life. Still, he sees light at the end of the tunnel.
“It started with a bomb-like sound, just like what we have been hearing throughout the war. I thought we were under attack again. Eventually, I realized that the earth was shaking.
It was the morning of February 6, 2023. I was asleep in our home, on the fourth floor of a building, in the Syrian capital Damascus. In a state of shock, I grabbed my wife and child. Things were falling and breaking apart around us, but fortunately there were no injuries.
I am Syrian. I am 33 years old. I have lived my entire adult life surrounded by catastrophes: a decade of war, then the pandemic, now a devastating earthquake. Our country is going from a crisis to crisis, and many Syrians are just waiting for a chance to get out.
I have been working with FCA since 2019, when I became FCA’s first local worker in Syria. Even before that, however, I had ten years of experience in the organization. The earthquake has kept us extremely busy. In Syria, we have not had the opportunity to prepare for catastrophes like the earthquake and the pandemic, since we have dealing with bombs and attacks for the last decade. How to deal with something like an earthquake? We have had no idea.
Just before the quake, Finn Church Aid had expanded its reach to Aleppo, as well as Raqqa, often remembered as the capital of ISIS. People in these cities have been living under enormous pressure and, after all the bad things that have happened, all they have wanted is a moment of calm. What they did not need was another catastrophe, like this earthquake – causing many to lose their homes or families.
So, all things considered, it’s all very difficult, but I still see light at the end of the tunnel for us Syrians. That’s what keeps me going. After all, our mission is making people feel empowered.
The future of Syria depends first on us, the locals, even if the international community’s help is also necessary. When people work hard for their country, this creates a sense of togetherness and unity. What annoys me is how white people treat us Middle-Easterners. I’ve seen none of that while at FCA, even though we are in constant contact with Finland and our other countries of operation. Almost all of the staff at FCA’s Syria office are Syrian. That is quite exceptional and gets us a lot of positive feedback.
Marianna Zhurbenko, who has fled the war in Ukraine, would not hesitate to open her home to other refugees.
Marianna Zhurbenko fled the war herself before becoming a humanitarian worker. She now works as planning coordinator in FCA. PHOTO: Antti Yrjönen / FCA
“I remember staring incredulously at the sky from the window of my home in Gostomel, west of Kiev. It was 24 February 2022, helicopters were flying overhead, and my phone kept ringing incessantly as my friends called in distress, telling me and my family to flee. All the sudden the war had started, and the front line was only 500 metres from our home. It felt like they were playing a movie just outside our window.
The artillery fire started in the evening. That’s when my husband and I decided to flee. We packed our 9-year-old son, our six-month-old baby, and our dog into the car. We fled first to Kyiv and then to western Ukraine.
I and my sons lived there for the next few months. I stayed awake, listened to my 9-year-old crying. Fortunately, the baby didn’t understand anything about the situation.
Unknown families took us in to live with them. We tried to offer them payment for water and electricity, and they refused to accept it. The war has united us Ukrainians like never before. I, too, would open the door to other families if they were facing such a situation.
My own values have also been changed by the war. Material goods no longer matter to me, while life, health, family, and love are vastly more important than before.
We were able to return home in May 2022. Kyiv was empty and our yard was full of mines and ammo fragments. The mines were cleared, and now our children can play there safely again.
Before the war, I was a supervisor in a sewing company. After we returned home, it soon became clear that this couldn’t continue. Although my workplace had not been destroyed in the fighting, all the workers had fled elsewhere and had no intention of returning.
I started in June as a planning coordinator at the Finn Church Aid. I’m in charge of obtaining aid and making sure that all aid going to FCA’s schools, for example, finds its way there.
I was an internally displaced person and I know how that makes people feel. It’s great to be able to help children, and I like what I’m doing here.”
Susan Abuba Jackson fled to Kenya from South Sudan in 2017. She now works in a refugee camp as a teacher. PHOTO: BJÖRN UDD / FCA
Susan Abuba Jackson, living in a Kenyan refugee camp, is a teacher. Sometimes, however, she must spend a whole working day just fetching water.
“I am a teacher. The ongoing drought makes life hard for my students, but also for me. I have five children at home. Some days, instead of going to work, I must fetch water to keep my children from suffering. If I can’t feed myself, I don’t have the energy to teach. There are four of us teachers in the school. The class sizes are so huge that teaching while hungry and thirsty becomes impossible.
I came to Kenya from South Sudan in 2017, fleeing the war. I remember seeing one person shot I fled with my children here to Kenya while my husband stayed in South Sudan as a soldier.
I worked as a teacher in South Sudan for 12 years. Upon arrival here, I started as a primary school teacher. For the last two years, I have been working as a kindergarten teacher in a school run by Finn Church Aid in the Kalobeyei refugee camp.
I like working with children. They are flexible, they learn quickly and are very outspoken. Early education is also especially important for children. It is foundational to all sorts of learning.
The drought is currently our biggest problem. Normally we have 500 pupils, but many are dropping out of school because there is no water in the school, either. We can’t even offer them food if there is no water.
The children here have a lot of special needs. Many have seen war, have been traumatized. Their parents may have died, and they may be living alone with older siblings. It is up to us to look after these children and make sure they get a good education, but in a situation like this, that is very difficult.”
