Church World Service

Today is the three-year anniversary of Kabul’s fall to the Taliban. As I go about my life in Durham, I cannot help but relive my memories of Afghanistan.  I was born a girl, which many would consider my first sin. Instead of protecting the rights of women as Islam commands, Afghan men forbid girls from studying, attending school, working, or ... Read More

Before the war in Ukraine, 13-year-old David was like many pre-teens his age. He attended a good school, had friends and dreamed of becoming a professional footballer. His family was proud and encouraged him to pursue his dreams. Little did they know that life would change drastically, creating new challenges for the close-knit family.  When the war broke out, David ... Read More

During July, CWS joined the United Church of Christ (UCC) in celebrating its long-time partnership at UCC offices in Cleveland, Ohio and marking a pivotal moment in CWS’ history: the creation of new Covenant Members. Earlier this year, on May 13, CWS members held a historic meeting where they voted to transition from corporate members to a new role as ... Read More

Washington, D.C.—Church World Service today celebrated the reintroduction of the NO BAN Act, legislation that would shield against future attempts to ban entry into the United States on the basis of national origin or religion. The bill would expand immigration protections to prohibit discrimination based on religion and limit executive authority to issue restrictions prejudicial against those displaced from counties ... Read More

The people of Kitui County, Kenya, which is east of Nairobi, had three seasons of failed harvest. The communities in this county were feeling the effects of climate change, and life was extremely hard without successful harvests. CWS started working with these communities in 2021 to improve their resilience by increasing the utilization of technology in climate change information. Earlier ... Read More

[VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL AQUÍ] Are you prepared in the event of a disaster? Have you made an emergency kit? Does your family have a plan? September is National Preparedness Month. Here are some tips for how to prepare for any disaster— for more information and more resources, visit ready.gov! Stay Informed: Monitor Trusted Sources: Keep an eye on weather forecasts ... Read More

Over 15 years ago in a ‘flash’ my life changed both figuratively and literally. It’s a cool spring evening in May with plenty of stars lighting up the night sky in the rural highlands of Guatemala. My wife and I are living in a small home on the hillside just outside of town. We’ve been in Guatemala for over a ... Read More

For most of her life, Neema has had to conquer dangers and challenges that threatened the safety of her and her family. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Neema’s stability was shattered by the violence of war when conflict broke out in her own family as relatives fought over the land she and her husband had inherited. These challenges reached ... Read More

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In July, the United Church of Christ (UCC) Great Lakes and Western Regional Youth Event, held at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, showcased the power of youth activism and community service. In collaboration with Church World Service, over 200 youth from the West Regional Conference and the Great Lakes Conference came together for a special project aimed at combating ... Read More

Context: The asylum seeker Case Management Pilot Program (CMPP) is a new program within the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) that was first funded in the FY 2021 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act. The pilot, which is beginning to enroll its first group of asylum seekers in 2023, provides trauma-informed core services like mental health care, ... Read More

Tools and Resources to Take Action: Civic Engagement and Get Out the Vote: – Use the newly updated CWS Strengthening Welcome Through Civic Engagement Toolkit, and use and share the CWS virtual voter pledge card for New Americans.  Engage Elected Officials In Your Community: – Join the Welcoming Refugees Campaign and urge your state and local elected officials to support ... Read More

On September 30, 2023, Congress failed to update legislation (as it had done previously in 2022) to extend authorization for newly-arriving Afghan humanitarian parolees to access key refugee services and mainstream benefits. Even as benefits were retroactively restored to arriving Ukrainian parolees in an April 2024 supplemental funding package, Congress failed to include the same fix for Afghans. As thousands ... Read More

Appropriations season is in motion and funding for the coming fiscal year – which starts October 1 – is currently being negotiated in Congress. In the House of Representatives, appropriators have proposed budgets that slash funding for crucial affordable housing programming and supportive services by $4 billion. It is imperative that these cuts to basic human services are minimized, and ... Read More