Hunger is a harsh reality for many people worldwide, living below the poverty line.
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Bursting with Life: Reviving Soil and Soul
Ethiopia sits in the Horn of Africa, a landlocked country with a rugged landscape, divided by the Great Rift Valley. It is recognized as one of the oldest countries in Africa and is mentioned several times in the Bible.
Today, it is a country affected by a recent history of drought, famine and political instability. More than 80% of the population rely on small-scale farming and erratic weather and infertile soil make daily life a struggle.
Tearfund and Tearfund Ireland have been walking alongside church partners in Ethiopia for decades, including in Wolaita, in the southern highlands, where the striking red volcanic soil has been left dry and exhausted by years of unpredictable rainfall.
Local partner, Terepeza Development Association (TDA) works with local churches to provide training in conservation agriculture and vermiculture, to increase the yield of the soil. TDA works through a Church and Community Transformation Approach, in which the local church identifies the needs of its community and seeks to collaboratively address those needs.
Vermiculture, the use of worms to create rich compost, is an effective way to create natural, quality compost that improves the soil fertility and therefore the growth of crops.
Farmers like Ayelech once struggled with yellowing maize crops and expensive synthetic fertilisers. With the support of Tearfund, she received training in Conservation Agriculture and vermiculture. Supported by a local women’s Self-Help Group, Ayelech doubled her crop yield from 75kg to 150kg and gained true food security.
Through conservation agriculture and local support groups, yields are increasing by more than 50% and families are breaking free from the fear of hunger and building futures where entire communities can flourish.
Your support for the World Development Appeal will enable local partners to reach more families with the tools, training, and hope they need to thrive.
The World Development Appeal will also support a Christian Aid project in Colombia, where violence in the Catatumbo region has forced thousands of people to flee their homes in search of safety. Having lost homes, land and sources of income, many people now struggle to afford food, shelter and other essentials.
The project will help provide practical necessities, training and employment opportunities, as well as access to health, legal and emotional support. By promoting peace, inclusion and resilience, this work will benefit both displaced families and the communities welcoming them.
Due to ongoing work in the General Council to address concerns raised in 2025, the General Assembly has decided that the division of 2026 World Development Appeal contributions shall be as follows:
1. 5% of all contributions to the 2026 World Development Appeal will be allocated as normal to the Council for Global Mission, to assist with development work through Partner Churches.
2. The remainder of all contributions will be divided equally between Christian Aid Ireland and Tearfund/Tearfund Ireland, unless the Kirk Session decides in advance that this will go to only one of these agencies. Please note that to comply with charity regulations, any such decision must be clearly communicated to the congregation before contributions are collected. If you have any queries relating to the charity regulation requirements please contact [email protected]
Help support the World Development Appeal and prevent the pain of hunger, a reality for many across the world today.
Make a donationImage Credits: Chris Nelson, Storyhouse Films
Columbia Image Credit: IELCO (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia)