‘Together we are powerful’

NEWS

Sally Foster-Fulton

TOGETHER this Harvest, we rejoice as we celebrate leadership on climate change with Christian Aid’s 2018 Harvest Appeal.

This Harvest, we in Scotland can stand together with women like Aster in Ethiopia, who are leading the charge in a drive towards a renewable future. The Harvest tradition reconnects us with the earth and each other, our shared planet home gives life to us all. As we celebrate and praise God for providing what we need, we can also stand in solidarity with our sisters whose harvests are uncertain.

Scotland’s emissions of greenhouse gases have halved since 1990. This is a huge achievement – well ahead of countries such as Germany and Denmark, where emissions have only fallen by around a quarter. Just as women like Aster provide leadership in their communities, so nations and governments must also demonstrate leadership on this defining issue.

For women like Aster, whose life holds constant struggles, climate change has created chronic challenges and made harder simply because she is a woman. Farming, cooking, carrying irewood – no matter how hard she worked, she was unable to save enough money to support her family. But Aster refused to be beaten by poverty.

She came together with women in her village to set up their own solar-powered shop. With training from our partner, Aster and her sisters have turned this shop into a thriving business that beneits her, the community and the environment.

In Aster’s own words: ‘“Coming together as a women’s group, it’s like adopting sisters; another family. We share happiness and sorrow together. They share my burden and help me face my challenges.”

Solar energy has given Aster’s village not just literal power – they once had no access to electricity – but also the power to change their lives for good. Now they can save for the future, build sustainable paths for their children, show leadership in their communities, and challenge traditions while caring for the planet. All this in an environment where climate change hits women and girls the hardest.

Aster’s sister, Ari, says: “In the past women were not recognised and we were not free. Having money as women was difficult. We didn’t have any reserves for the hard times or the drought.”

Now thanks to your partnership, women like Aster have the power to own their own businesses, adapt to climate change, and nurture their environment for future generations. They have the power to transform their lives and communities.

‘There are many members, yet one body in Christ. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it.’ (1 Corinthians 12:20,26)

When we stand together as one body, we see the world transformed. With your support this Harvest, we can expand on these solar energy initiatives across Ethiopia, Malawi, Burkina Faso and Honduras. Your gift will help rural women improve their lives through access to sustainable energy – £75 could train a group of women to use solar power to run their own businesses.

This Harvest, your gift goes further. Every £1 you give will be worth £5, thanks to funding from the European Union. That’s five times the number of lives you can help transform this year.

Together we’re powerful. And together, we can create a world where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty.

To donate to our Harvest Appeal please go to https://www.christianaid.org.uk/harvest-appeal

Our Scottish Climate Change Campaign

Although Scotland has so far made great progress in tackling climate change, we find ourselves at a crossroads. The Scottish Parliament will soon debate a new Climate Change bill, and – as it stands – the draft laws don’t do enough to keep Scotland at the forefront of tackling this crucial issue. This would be a huge missed opportunity – both for Scotland, and for communities and people like Aster, most affected by climate change. With enough pressure from people across Scotland, we can celebrate Scotland’s climate leadership for decades to come.

To learn more about our climate change campaign please go to https://www.christianaid.org.uk/get-involvedlocally/scotland

This article appears in the September 2018 Issue of Life and Work

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