Media
Compassion is an international Christian child development and child advocacy ministry. Partnering with local churches, we are committed to the spiritual, economic, social and physical development of children living in extreme poverty.
Take a look at our Press Releases below or read all the latest news from Compassion.
For more information on the work of Compassion contact Nikki Sealey, Communications Director on 01932 836495 or e-mail info@compassionuk.org
30 November 2011 - Live58
Live58 is a global Christ-centred initiative to end extreme poverty in our generation. Compassion is delighted to be partnering with this exciting cause and is giving away free copies of 58: THE FILM to encourage its supporters to get involved.
19 August 2011 - Sponsored Child to Senator
A formerly sponsored Compassion child has gone on to be elected to the Ugandan Parliament. Margaret Makhoha will be representing her home district of Namayingo.
15 June 2011 - Compassion on Radio 4
On Friday 10 June, BBC Radio 4 broadcast a special feature on child sponsorship which featured the work of Compassion. The programme explored the impact it has on sponsored children, families and communities and sponsors here in the UK. It outlined the benefits of child sponsorship as well as the perceived dilemmas and challenges.
3 June 2011 - The other side of sponsorship
Compassion UK reveals how the added beneficiaries of child sponsorship programmes are the sponsors themselves, and how UK churches can be transformed by the act of giving together.
24 May 2011 - Fathers' Day 2011
Compassion often encounters two extremes of fatherhood. It's as if extreme poverty brings out both the best and the worst. In all cases, Compassion tries to meet the needs of the children whilst empowering parents to provide the best possible care for their children.
12 May 2011 - A Place to Play
The benefits of play have long been acknowledged here in the UK. The Government's recent Child Poverty Strategy states that 'a key influence on the early development of children is…the 'home learning environment'' and play is specifically listed as an activity 'associated with higher intellectual and social/behavioural scores.'
18 March 2011 - World Water Day
The Child Development Charity Compassion reveals that diarrhoea kills more young children each year than HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined. Furthermore, children suffering from diarrhoea fall behind in school and become prone to malnutrition and dehydration. Yet most bouts of diarrhoea can be avoided through access to adequate water and sanitation facilities.
Compassion is tackling this problem head on by working with local church partners across the world to drill wells, harvest rain water, tap springs and install water storage tanks.
In the last two years Compassion has invested more than three million pounds in water projects, benefiting around 650,000 people in 23 of the world’s poorest countries.
15 March 2011 - Christian charity empower mums across the globe this Mother’s Day
Compassion, through its Child Survival and Child Sponsorship Programme, empowers mothers around the globe to take control of their lives for the benefit of their families. This Mother’s Day, Compassion is urging churches across the country to take positive steps to support mothers across the developing world.
Although women make up approximately half of the global population, they account for over 70 per cent of those living in extreme poverty. Women work two thirds of the world’s working hours, but only earn one tenth of the world’s income and own only one per cent of the world’s property titles.
Mother’s, like Lucy from Medina in Ghana, struggle to make a future for their family in a world that seems pitted against them. When Lucy gave birth to her sixth child, Grant, she was overwhelmed with the responsibility and she sought support from the local church, the Adonai Chapel. Grant was instantly registered as a Compassion sponsored child, and whilst this eased some of the burden from Lucy and provided the family with additional resources, when her husband died in 2008 life became an impossible struggle.
Through a micro-enterprise venture run in conjunction with Compassion and Opportunity International, Lucy was given a small loan with which she purchased vegetables and Tilapia to sell outside her home. "I have learnt other things through this loan. They gave us some training on how to save effectively. That saving spirit has become a part of me," says Lucy warmly.
The programme has given Lucy back her freedom, independence and an opportunity to plan a positive, poverty-free future for her children.
Compassion has produced a number of resources to be used by churches, house groups and individuals this Mother’s Day, to raise awareness of the plight of mothers across the world. To take a look visit compassionuk.org/mothersday
For a full story and images contact:
Kate Sharma: kates@compassionuk.org 07985 259720
15 March 2011 - Christian charity works to save baby girls from abortion in India
In many parts of the world, a girl child is a second class citizen even before she is born. Cases of female infanticide are still widely prevalent across the world and particularly in India where it is estimated that up to a million babies are aborted each year simply because they are girls.
No efforts to curb this social evil have succeeded thus far, but Compassion is making positive inroads by working with families through their church-based Child Survival Programme (CSP) and Child Sponsorship Programme.
Mr Reuben is the project co-ordinator at the aptly named ‘Mercy’ CSP in Chellempatty, Maduri. "We have saved four baby girls from certain death by convincing the parents to give up these girls for adoption rather than killing them," reports Mr Reuben. "The CSP has also helped contribute in lowering the female infanticide rates through awareness programmes and also because we will help them care for their girls."
Despite the positive difference being made by Compassion, much work still needs to be done to break the customs and traditions which have held women and girls as second class citizens for centuries. The dowry system, which requires the bride's family to pay out a great deal of money when a female child is married, is a major contributing factor. The birth of a girl child is seen as the beginning of financial downfall whilst the birth of a boy is a source of inheritance.
But Compassion is firm in their resolve to continue fighting the damaging practices not only through the CSP but also their Child Sponsorship Programme. "Our girls have access to higher education only because of Compassion," continues Mr. Ruben. "Because of this and our gender sensitization programmes, our girls are becoming more vocal. They are also beginning to question their parents about the inequalities they experience at home."
Compassion has produced a number of resources to be used by churches, house groups and individuals this Mother’s Day. To help raise awareness of the plight of mothers around the world.
For a full story and images contact:
Kate Sharma, kates@compassionuk.org/ 07985259720
16 February 2011 - Compassion Announces Partnership with Spring Harvest
Spring Harvest and Compassion UK are delighted to announce their new partnership, beginning in April 2011.
Through its events and resources, Spring Harvest has built a reputation on equipping the church for action in practical, life-changing ways. With equal dedication, Compassion is committed to specific action which improves the physical and spiritual welfare of vulnerable children across the world. By working in partnership, they hope to support each other's mission and provide opportunities for the people of God to turn their faith into action.
Spring Harvest 2011's theme, 'Route 66: Biblical direction for the road we travel' will equip guests to better understand their Bible, to apply its teaching and to live out the powerful call of the Spirit. As part of this theme, Compassion are looking forward to giving guests a fresh perspective on some of the 2,000 verses of Scripture directly related to poverty and the Christian responsibility towards the poor.