Dear Friend
We ran, we walked, we crocheted, we puzzled, we read, we paddled and more, and together we surpassed our 2023 PWRDF Wild Ride goals! Thank you for investing your time, your energy, and your passion in this important cause.
While the Wild Ride offers a fun and flexible way to raise funds, the cause we are supporting is a very serious one. If forcibly displaced people formed a country, it would be the 14th most populous country in the world. PWRDF partners are working under very difficult circumstances to meet the needs of people who have been forced to flee violence, conflict, human rights violations and persecution. Your generous support ensures that they can continue offering care and comfort to people who are often traumatized by the devastating losses they have endured.
The Wild Ride is about continuing our efforts to help those living in these vulnerable circumstances by supporting our partners on the ground.
In Ukraine, the Voices of Children Foundation works in the Kyiv region, where the need for psychological support is intense. Displaced families in smaller cities and villages were unable to access services, so the foundation created a mobile psychological support program with teams of mental health professionals to reach out to displaced children and their parents.
In Kenya, Church World Service (CWS) is providing food relief to refugees in Tanzania. People living in a refugee camp receive rations from the World Food Program, but the food is the same each day with no variety, and there is not a lot to spare, causing health problems. CWS is providing seeds and tools and training people to plant vegetables using conservation agriculture methods.
Lead farmer Laliya Atondo
In April, PWRDF staff member Naba Gurung visited the Nyarugusu Refugee camp in northern Tanzania, which houses many refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country that has suffered through violence, conflict, and natural disasters for many years. Church World Service is providing seeds, agricultural inputs, and training to sustainably grow vegetables. Laliya Atondo participated in the project and because of her passion and commitment, her group members selected her as a lead farmer. She is now growing vegetables for her family and selling surplus vegetables at the market, as well as harvesting and storing seeds for future use. “Now they are calling me Mama Maua (mother of flowers) due to the attractiveness of my small garden,” Laliya shared.
With 22 teams and 93 participants raising 126% of our goal – just over $63,100 –to support programs for displaced people around the world, it is safe to say that thanks to you, the second annual PWRDF Wild Ride was a huge success. We look forward to having you join us next year!
In gratitude,
Carolyn Cummins
Director, Fundraising and Supporter Relations