On the penultimate day of Christian Aid week we look back at the Challenging Poverty Conference the Empathy Action team attended at Trinity School in Belvedere on Saturday 9th May and consider how you can work with us to make a difference.
Awareness and Response
The conference was organised the Bishops of Rochester and Tonbridge in order to raise awareness of poverty, understand its causes, explore appropriate responses and to ask the question, ‘what next?’
We were delighted to be invited by Bishop Brian and we spent the day listening to different perspectives on poverty, selling some of our fairly-traded products in support of marginalised communities, and of course spreading the word about Empathy Action!
Archbishop Jacob Chimeledya of Tanzania spoke candidly about the causes and effects of poverty in his diocese of Mpwapwa and how we might approach the ongoing problems in that region.
Dr Susan Durber, Theology Advisor to Christian Aid, spoke engagingly about her own experience in developing countries like Tanzania. She told us not of “the poor” but about real individuals with their own stories to tell.
Empathy
It was interesting how often both the concept and the term “empathy” cropped up during the day’s seminars, whether in talking about politicians canvassing for votes on the doorstep, hearing people’s day to day struggles at drop-in centres or foodbanks, or addressing concerns about wealth distribution and aid both at home and abroad.
Our immersive, experiential activities are designed to generate empathy and provide a kick-start for compassionate action. Whether you attended the conference or not we’d love to speak to you and find out how we can help engage people in the topics you are passionate about.
Our thanks go to Bishop Brian Castle for the invitation and to Trinity School for hosting the event. Please do contact us to talk more about our simulations or to enquire about the fairly-traded products we were displaying at the event.
Over 1,200 couples descended on the Kent Showground in Detling last Sunday to seek out guidance on planning for their wedding. Among the 200 or so exhibitors was a small team from Empathy Action, one of only a tiny number of charities present at the event.
Buying fairly traded, hand made gifts from marginalised communities can help support the manufacturers and provide them with sustainable livelihoods. It’s an expense that the wedding party may not notice but that will have a hugely positive impact on the people they buy from.