A legend from India…
‘The traveller begged for shade. The tree gave it. Then he begged for food; the tree gave it.
Then the traveller felt like staying with the tree and building his home near it. He looked for an axe to fell the tree. Then he begged for a handle for his axe from the tree. The tree gave it.
But when his house was built, the traveller cried and felt lonely and left.
What was a house without a tree?’
…and a poem from Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka of our forefathers was a rich land.
Rich in the abundance of life and plentiful in its gifts.
From forest-clad mountains and jungles full of bird and beast, to the splendid reefs that lined our shores.
Bringing everything in plenty to animal and man alike.
A land respected and cherished for thousands of years.
Till our fathers were taught to think otherwise.
The Sri Lanka we inherit is but a shadow of the treasure that was taken from us.
Yet all is not lost.
So we come together to take a last stand.
A last chance to make people realise,
To give the children of tomorrow a chance to know…
The flight of the butterfly
The song of birds
The rich variety of life.
NATCOG is a small nature conservation group formed in 1992 in Sri Lanka. They study the natural resources, looking out for any activities which may be harmful to the environment, and collect information for sharing with schools and interested groups. NATCOG, 9 Balapokuna Place, Colombo 6, Sri Lanka
Turning the Tide by Dr Marie-Thérèse Feuerstein
Save the Children 226 pages ISBN 0-333-57421-4
Subtitled, Safe Motherhood: A District Action Manual, this book looks at what ‘safe motherhood’ means – the risks to women from pregnancy, childbirth, abortion – depending on their status and access to health care. It discusses in detail how to mobilise health services for safe motherhood at local and district level. Training for community involvement, partnership in health care, monitoring, record keeping and research are all covered in full. The book is designed for all who work in healthcare that involves women. It will also be useful to teachers, adult educators, agricultural and community development workers and all involved with women’s development. It uses clear and straightforward language and is well illustrated.
The book is available from TALC Order from… TALC PO Box 49 St Albans Herts AL1 4AX UK.
Sustainable Agriculture
A catalogue containing a selection of useful books on the subject of sustainable agriculture for development which has been put together by Christian groups in Germany. Details of about 40 books and newsletters are included, together with information about ordering the books mentioned. Write to…
Bread for the World, Postfach 10 11 42, 7000 Stuttgart 10, Germany.
Carta de Salud y Educación Popular
This is a regional newsletter, aimed at all health workers, describing local experience of popular education, health promotion and community involvement. It includes reports from health projects and resources. It is available quarterly, free of charge, in Spanish to health workers in South America. Write to…
CEAAL, Viña del Mar 12, Casilla 296-22, Santiago, Chile.
Population, Development and the Media Pakistan Press International
This special issue of the magazine Economic Outlook (40 pages) looks at a variety of issues concerning population, including reporting the issues, traditional family values and sustainable development.
Pakistan Press International, PO Box 541, Karachi, Pakistan.
Under the Bright Wings by Peter Harris Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN 030-580445
A paperback book that tells the story of the setting up of a Christian bird observatory and field study centre – A Rocha in Portugal. It provides a distinctly Christian basis for environmental conservation, showing how evangelism, conservation and research can be successfully combined.
NEWS
A Colombian Scientist, Manuel Patarroyo, is working on developing a new TB vaccine that may be able to protect adults. The present BCG vaccine gives good results for children but fails to provide protection for adults. He is carrying out trials with this new vaccine on mice and monkeys, with encouraging results. There is no news about when such trials could begin with people. He has also developed a new malaria vaccine, at present being tested in Tanzania.
From New Scientist, April 1994