Posts By: Eileen Schuhmann

The Continuous Struggle for Land Rights in Sri Lanka

By Herman Kumara | Chairperson of Praja Abhilasha, Joining Hands Sri Lanka   Praja Abhilasha (PA), the Joining Hands network in Sri Lanka, in partnership with its member organization the National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO), organized a 3-day land rights workshop in April 2017 to bring together land rights campaigners from across the country to… Read more »

Herakles Farms’ Cameroon Land Grab is Losing its Grip

By Joséphine Maidjane Mbara and Jaff Bamenjo | RELUFA, Joining Hands Cameroon The frequency of large scale land acquisitions for agro-industry projects has been exponentially on the rise in most African countries for the past decade. Land deals are always portrayed by investors and government agencies as necessary to improve economic growth and expand local… Read more »

Reviving millet production to ensure food security in India

By Spurgeon Raj | Coordinator of Chethana, Joining Hands India Once Millets were an integral part of the culture and diet of the tribal peoples of Srikakulum District of Andhra Pradesh in India.  However, over the last few decades, due to impacts from the green revolution and unsupportive measures by the state, nearly 85% of… Read more »

A Call To Action on NAFTA

Submit Public Comments on NAFTA’s Renegotiation By Rev. Pamela Lupfer | Presbyterian Hunger Program   The U.S. Trade Representative is currently accepting public comments on how it should renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).  Submit a Public Comment Now! Please demand that any NAFTA replacement deal prioritize the needs of working families and… Read more »

Responding to Famine in South Sudan

Following years of war coupled with extreme drought, South Sudan is experiencing major disruptions in food production and supply resulting in extreme food shortages and malnutrition.  According to USAID “An estimated 5.5 million people—nearly half of South Sudan’s population—will face life threatening hunger by July [2017].” In emergency disaster situations such as famine, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) partners with ACT Alliance to… Read more »

NAFTA Renegotiation: a call for proactive advocacy

By Eileen Schuhmann | Presbyterian Hunger Program Over the past several years, civil society and faith communities have come together to pressure the U.S. Congress and the White House to oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement between the U.S. and 11 Pacific Rim nations. Presbyterians have been very engaged in efforts to stop… Read more »

Haiti’s New President Worries Land-Rights Advocates

By Cindy Corell | Mission Co-worker, Joining Hands Haiti With more than 2 million of its almost 11 million citizens still suffering seven years after a catastrophic earthquake struck in 2010, Haitians living on the island took another harsh blow in October 2016 when Hurricane Matthew hit. The massive storm took lives, destroyed crops, livestock… Read more »

Serious Blow to Anti-Corruption Efforts in Africa

By Jaff Bamenjo | RELUFA, Joining Hands Network Cameroon In 2010, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act was passed by the U.S. Congress. The bill included an anti-corruption rule that required the disclosure of payments to governments by oil, gas and mining companies. The anti-corruption rule, “Section 1504,” was celebrated by civil… Read more »

Sand Mining in Sri Lanka Endangers Coral Reefs and Livelihoods

By Herman Kumara | Praja Abhilasha, Joining Hands Sri Lanka The Sri Lankan Government, in partnership with the China Communication Construction Company (CCCC), is moving forward with its plans to build a Port City, a business and tourism district that extends the city of Colombo onto a man-made island. The government promises that the Port… Read more »

Addressing Food Insecurity through Community Grain Banks

By Jaff Bamenjo | RELUFA, Joining Hands Cameroon For several decades, food insecurity and hunger have been a major concern in the extreme north region of Cameroon. The food insecurity situation has been attributed primarily to erratic rainfall, the semi-arid Sahel desert climate, rocky topography in some areas and inadequate food storage facilities. Hunger is… Read more »