June 6th, 2016

Helping Families Create a Sustainable Future

We see families as the beneficiaries at the heart of what we do. Strong families build strong communities and in turn produce stable societies. Together, we can empower and give hope to families as they struggle to combat the daily and relentless challenges they face.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms “The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the state”

The year 1994 was declared “the International Year of the Family” by the United Nations General Assembly. Its theme was written “Family: resources and responsibilities in a changing world”. Twenty two years later, despite enormous progress and focus placed on the development of family, there exist today great and new challenges for families in 2016.

The continued and accelerating global migration crisis causes families to split apart, HIV/ AIDs still wreaks havoc on families and leaves grandparents as the forgotten heroes struggling to raise their grandchildren. There is no social welfare or safety net for the most poor and vulnerable in developing nations and “child headed” families (where an older sibling takes on the role of parent for all the other members) are extremely common.

At International Needs in the projects where we focus, we place the emphasis on resourcing, empowering and assisting families so that they can, in time sustain themselves.

So on May the 15th as the world recognises the “International Day of Families” every year, please join with us in praying for families caught in civil conflict, struggling in extreme poverty and lacking the basic necessities to sustain lives. Please remember the projects of our partners in over 30 countries around the world where we can make positive impact and demonstrate the love of God to families through child assistance in schooling, access to healthcare and fresh water, vocational training and programmes that support the whole family unit. God chose a family to demonstrate his love for the world when Jesus was born, we seek to follow this example by supporting families in crisis.

[photo of Aristides]

In the photo above, Aristides sits next to his Mother, his family were unable to afford him attending school so he would try and sell biscuits and sweets from a trader to pay for his education. In January this year, we met Aristides and his family in Burkina Faso, one of the group in attendance agreed to help him with school so now he has a sponsor and can concentrate on his studies.

Danny Morris, National Director