The BRAVE empowerment program for 100 teen girls (ages 12-18) includes an annual catalytic event in February, followed by an 8-week journaling program with mentorship in the spring, and a four-day camp for 10 teen girls in August. Participants come from vulnerable situations including foster care and homes with substance abuse or violence. The girls are educated on the realities of human trafficking, gangs, self-esteem, and healthy relationships with self and others.

A $4,560 World Day of Prayer grant helped cover camper subsides, food, journals and venue costs.

Dignity House (DH) provides safe independent supported housing for women recovering from significant trauma: human trafficking, sexual exploitation, violence, and substance abuse. A $2000 World Day of Prayer grant supported “Door of Hope Project – Stepping Stones”, an alcohol addiction recovery program for current and past residents of Dignity House as well as other women in the community seeking restoration. The support group offers a place of safety which is imperative for women’s recovery from trauma, meditative breathing and restorative stretching, praise and worship, a promotion of self-care and vision setting, group sharing, guided studies and journal writing, scripture exploration, prayer and event celebrations.

Door of Hope Project – Stepping Stones provided core support to a group of nine women with larger events reaching up to 16 women.

A $3,500 World Day of Prayer grant supported a meal preparation and food budgeting program to improve food security for residents who live in local low rental and community housing.

On average, 10 moms and 15 children attended “Cooking on a Budget” each week.  As they worked in the kitchen, stories from various cultural backgrounds were shared and a stronger sense of shared community emerged.

The WDP grant paid for fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement food bank contents used in the lunches and dinners as well as paying for cooking utensils and a cookbook with all the prepared recipes for the women to take home.

The mission of Elora House is to provide safe housing and support for individuals who identify as women and who are victims of sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

A $5,000 World Day of Prayer grant helped fund the Survivor Preparedness Project which provided transitional support for dozens of women moving into the community from Elora House as well immediate assistance for those remaining in residence.  Funded resources included a trauma specialist, Zoom hosting subscriptions to keep in touch with clients after exiting housing, a laptop for continuing education and other clinic materials.

A $5000 World Day of Prayer grant was used to promote food sustainability in the rural community of Bolsover. Forty families received one ambrosia and one honey crisp apple tree for planting in the late spring of 2023. To support the growth of these young trees, compost and a “growing healthy apple trees” instruction sheet were also provided. Interested families attended a pumpkin festival at the church in October 2022 where they could learn about food sustainability and apply for the trees.

A $5,000 World Day of Prayer grant supported the ‘Making Room for Recovery’ project offered by Harvest House Atlantic. 15 women participated in workshops on codependency, art therapy, nutrition, women’s health and more. Beyond education needs, the grant supported the women’s needs in practical and spiritual ways.

One lady entered into the recovery program at “rock bottom” and knew if she didn’t change her life now, she would die soon. Another woman, Tania, came into the program for a second time: “She will be the first to tell you that recovery is anything but linear! After graduation, Tania started working with us, and is now a Case Worker for the affordable housing program. Her relationship with her family is being restored more and more every day, and she is a shining light for what God can do!”

A $5000 World Day of Prayer grant was used to purchase hydroponic units, topsoil, and other agriculture equipment to help create community gardens to remedy food insecurity, especially for widowed/single seniors, working poor, individuals with intellectual disabilities, and those with mental and serious physical health issues.

In this farthest eastern point of Canada, the Saltwater Community Association provided 20 local individuals with 15 weeks of fresh produce.  As well, courses are ready to teach children, youth and families on how to grow vegetables in the upcoming season.

The Lydia Vocational Training Centre trains women from poor, rural communities around Nepal to become tailors. At the same time, the women improve their literacy, numeracy and cooking skills, as well as receiving education and awareness for important topics such as domestic violence, health care, and women’s rights. Each year, two classes of 44-52 women spend five months in residence at the Lydia Centre. Upon graduating, each woman receives a sewing machine. Newly empowered with marketable skills, the graduates return to their homes and put their training to use, often starting their own tailoring businesses.

The $5,000 WDP grant was used to purchase sewing machines for 25 graduates in 2022 (each machine costs roughly CAD$200).

“Threads of Hope” equipped and empowered 33 women in remote places of northern India in 2022 to be instructed in livelihood sewing skills. They learned to sew various Indian garments from Monday to Friday for six months at a designated sewing center.  The $2350 WDP grant was used to buy sewing materials, pay rent at the training centre, provide an honorarium for instructors and assist with internet costs.

Personal story of a participant: “My name is Kajol (name changed) from Assam state of India. I was born in a family that struggled with poverty. We are five in number in my family. Because of my mom’s sickness, all our family members were in pain. When I was studying class 9th, I fell sick and because of sickness, I could not study further. I was looking for opportunities to learn sewing so that I can help my family. I received the information about the Thread of Hope program. I joined the program and learned sewing to produce various women garments. I am thankful for this opportunity, and I will be using sewing skills to earn income and support my family.”

A health alert publication and thirty-six-page study guide on COVID and its variants were written for distribution in churches and communities to help encourage citizens “not to let their guard down” with this virus.  Consultation and promotion began with 56 leaders.  Finished materials were distributed within churches.

As well, the $4,800 World Day of Prayer grant helped with skills training for women and youth to help them generate employment income.

Food sustainability was also supported by the grant. Plots of mushrooms and papaya were started in family gardens to buffer against excessive costs of food.

Children who reside at Shalom Child Development Centre find themselves living there for varied reasons – poverty, orphans, lack of access to education and more. The Centre provides necessities for the girls – a safe residence, daily, healthy and nutritious meals, access to education and good foundations which will prepare them for their life after Shalom.

A $2,790 WDP grant was to be used towards school uniforms/shoes, school fees, tuition, travel to school, schoolbooks/bags and clothing for 13 girls aged 10 to 18 years. However, due to COVID related restrictions, there was a delay in the full re-opening of school. Not all funds were needed for school fees and many of the girls already had a new uniform and backpack which had not been used much during the school closures throughout the height of the pandemic. The funds were then re-distributed to pay for hygiene articles, medicine, pocket money for the children and a Christmas party and gifts.

Story of transformation: Gnanamathi stopped going to school when she was in the 8^th grade due to poverty. When she arrived at Shalom she didn’t know how to read or write. “After I came here my life has changed. I learnt to read and write. I have begun training on sewing and tailoring at the vocational training center.” She is now confident to face the world when she graduates.

This WDP supported project was implemented by Horizons in partnership the Guatemalan executing agency – The Association for Health Promotion, Research, and Education (PIES), and with the cooperation of the national government of Guatemala to directly impact 1,770 and indirectly help 37,000 youths aged 9 to 17 years.

A key area of focus for this project was to support the healing and human rights of survivors that are housed at the Department of Protection of Girls and Adolescents in Quetzaltenango, a government shelter that is focused on supporting girls and adolescents that are survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), most of whom have experienced sexual violence. Most of these girls and adolescents are Indigenous, but this shelter also houses survivors of human trafficking, including many vulnerable refugees and migrants.

A $5,000 World Day of Prayer helped fund related workshops for teachers, shelter staff and nurses, and materials required for parents and community members.

In 2022, the Battleford Family Health Centre supported three community gardens and worked with 120 community members ranging from infants to the elderly.

There are currently single, double and triple plots assigned to families based on need and want to help with food security and healthy meals.  A weekly “hands on” school program with kindergarten students taught them to plant, grow, and harvest their own vegetable sand edible flowers.

The Awakening grant of $1000 substantially helped in opening the third community garden site in partnership with a local church.

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