International Justice Mission is a global organization that protects people in poverty from violence. We partner with local authorities in 29 program offices in 17 countries to combat trafficking and slavery, violence against women and children and police abuse of power.
Jubilee Centre empowers 350 churches and their leaders in Zambia to bring food security, education, and clean water to their communities.
In 2017, the Jubilee Centre began going through a bible study centered around poverty alleviation. From this study, the centre started to look for strategic and sustainable church-based solutions to address poverty in the local churches. One key area they identified was agriculture because most families from the local church depend on it for their livelihood.
They’re making a difference by… training farmers in conservation agriculture, allowing them to sustainably grow food for their families and small businesses without the use of expensive and harmful pesticides and chemicals. They train students in advocacy through their Junior Parliament program. These students are already helping to pass legislation around climate change, women and children’s rights, and more. Through the faithful work of clean water and sanitation initiatives, Jubilee Centre has provided clean water to hundreds of thousands of Zambians and rescued scores from preventable diseases like Cholera.
Kids Alive began ministering to children and youth in the Dominican Republic in 1989. Today, the growing campus serves over 2,000 children daily via seven schools, three residential sites, and an Independence Program for young adults. These ten program sites are spread across five cities including Jarabacoa, Constanza, Caraballo, Santo Domingo and Monte Plata.
KAI’s seven schools serve children from preschool through middle school and, in some cases, up to high school. The schools’ holistic approach includes high-quality education, nutritious meals, and emotional and spiritual care to ensure children have a safe and nurturing environment where they can thrive. When possible, care includes outreach to the children’s families.
West Side mission trips and prior Bless Big campaigns have supported the schools in Caraballo and Santo Dominigo East campus. Our gifts will go towards building a room over outdoor basketball courts and the purchase of a new van for the Santo Domingo campus.
ISRAEL/LEBANON/PALESTINE EMERGENCY RELIEF
In response to the war that is now expanding into parts of Lebanon, The Outreach Foundation is launching an Emergency Appeal. They are working with the Synod of Syria and Lebanon to help supply shelters they have opened for those fleeing southern Lebanon due to the recent escalation of fighting along the Lebanon-Israel border. These supplies will help provide basic care such as food, medicine, shelter, and clothing.
Path From Poverty (PFP) works “to transform lives and communities by partnering with women’s groups, empowering and equipping women to break the cycle of poverty and live into the God-given potential.” Gifts support the purchase of rainwater catchment water tanks thus opening the doors for women to pursue economic opportunities to support their children, families and community. Since 2000, PFP has worked in partnership with Kenyan Women’s Groups to provide 10,000 liter water tanks to over 2100 homes in the Ukambani region of Kenya. Clean water and energy are shared within communities, meaning that over the years PFP’s work has impacted the lives of over 25,000 Kenyans.
West Side’s gifts support the purchase of rainwater catchment water tanks thus opening the doors for women to pursue economic opportunities to support their children, families and community.
Nigeria has more polio than any other country in the world. There are uncounted tens of thousands of polio survivors who spend their lives crawling on the ground. Pastor Ron Rice and his Nigerian partner Ayuba Gufwan, a polio survivor himself, have a shop in Jos, Nigeria with 60 employees where they build hand-pedaled tricycles for $150.
Through the generous support of West Side folks and others, they were able to build and donate 3720 tricycle/wheelchairs in 2022. Since this ministry began over 20 years ago, they have given out 29,000 wheelchairs, transforming the lives of 29,000 polio survivors. This is far more than anyone else in this huge country of 217 million is doing for polio survivors, yet it is only scratching the surface of the enormous need.
World Vision's focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. They help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.
West Side has partnered with World Vision to aid relief in Ukraine. Visit their website for more information on how they are helping Ukrainian families.