An ecumenical Christian commemoration of the millions of Africans who died in the barbaric cruelty of the transatlantic slave trade is also highlighting the continuing oppression of their descendants around the world.

An NGO in Mali has won the International Service Human Rights Award for the Defence of Human Rights of People Living with HIV/AIDS. The awards highlight the role development workers play in defending the human rights of vulnerable people.

The Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF) has held its first equipping conference for African partner organisations in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, from 22-26 November 2007. It was entitled 'Strength to Strength'.

A coalition of African and US Methodist church leaders are asking how African people and nations are being affected by Chinese long- and short-term investments in the region, often in exchange for mineral and mining rights.

Africa Action has welcomed revised estimates of the global AIDS pandemic published yesterday by the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) but cautioned that funding levels for tackling HIV/AIDS were still far too low.

A severe reminder from Africa of the wealth constructed "on the continued extraction and plunder of Africa's resources as well as on the exploitation of Africa's people" has been addressed to Christians living in the global North.

World Vision has launched its Alternative Gifts’ Christmas catalogue, encouraging the UK public to buy Alternative Gifts this Christmas and help make a life-changing difference to families and communities living with poverty around the world.

A global gathering bringing together representatives of all the world's main Christian traditions - Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican, Evangelical, and Pentecostal - has opened in Kenya with leaders saying they want new ways of working together.

A community tap given through Christian Aid can help provide children like Caralis Martínez Picado with a permanent, reliable source of clean water. As well as preventing sickness, it can save hours of back-breaking work fetching water from sources miles away. Visit Christian Aid's Present Aid site here

Often the solutions to poverty are quite surprising! A water buffalo and calf is a prime example. Sara Makram lives in a very poor community in Egypt. She has six daughters to care for and the water buffalo she was able to buy through a loan from Christian Aid partner COC Bless, has made an amazing difference to her family. Visit Christian Aid's Present Aid site here