23 March 2009
Tearfund is urging people to turn out in force for a major rally and church service this Saturday in advance of next month’s G20 summit in London.
The 28 March rally and service concern the global financial crisis and aim to challenge world leaders to come up with sustainable policies focusing on jobs, justice and climate change.
Tearfund is joining more than 50 organisations including faith groups, trades unions, environmental and development charities in organising the rally, entitled Put People First.
It’s being staged prior to one of the most important gatherings of world leaders this year, the G20 summit on 2 April, which is being hosted by Gordon Brown and is focusing on the global financial meltdown.
Failed systems
Tearfund’s Paul Cook said: `World leaders must now work to ensure that failed systems are re-structured to fairly accommodate the poor in society.
Rising food prices are hitting poor communities hard. Picture: Layton Thompson/Tearfund
`In a biting recession, developing countries are hit even harder. And we are getting the church involved because, both locally and globally, the church is responding as systems collapse, livelihoods are lost and climate change impacts the most vulnerable communities.'
Victor Mughogho, from Tearfund partner Eagles in Malawi, testifies to the impact of the financial downturn: `Our work has already been affected by the global economic crisis. In particular, food and fuel costs are having an immediate impact for Eagles and our beneficiaries.
‘Poverty levels in poor communities have escalated as people struggle to manage. In Fombe village where we work, maize is almost unaffordable.’