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Causes: Health, Hospitals, International, International Development, Public Health
Mission: Christian connections for international health promotes global health and wholeness from a christian perspective. Ccih shares information and provides a forum for dialog, networking, advocacy, and fellowship to the spectrum of christian organizations and individuals working in international health.
Programs: Annual conference and workshops: ccih hosted its 28th annual conference in june, 2014, at marymount university in arlington, va, followed by an advocacy day on capitol hill educating congressional leaders about international health and faith-based organizations. The theme of the conference was "transforming lives: christians in global health. " the conference attracted about 150 participants in various plenary sessions and concurrent breakout sessions with time for worship, networking, and fellowship. The participants included students, developing country representatives, and professionals from many christian organizations working in global health. Presenters included high level us government officials as well as leaders in non-profit christian organizations.
networking and communication: the flagship communication to members is the monthly e-bulletin, the ccih connector, which provides information on best practices in global health, reports on member activities, upcoming events of interest, resources for faith-based practitioners, and information about sources of funding. Ccih managed several special interest google groups, and staff sent scores of emails weekly to members and others connecting persons with similar program and professional interests. Ccih attended multiple conferences, briefings and events, both secular and christian, representing the work of its members to the broader international health and development community. Ccih's use of social media, e. G. Facebook, twitter, linkedin, youtube, and its website, www. Ccih. Org, expanded this year. With support from a grant from gavi, the vaccine alliance, ccih educated the public on support among christians for life-saving immunizations. Ccih placed two opinion pieces in highly read christian publications (sojourners and christian century) about christian organizations providing vaccines and the long history of support among christians for vaccines. We also worked with a ccih board member to place an opinion piece supporting vaccination in his local newspaper in south carolina.
education and advocacy: realizing that appropriate policies and strategies by governments, international institutions and secular development organizations, as well as by christian organizations, have a huge impact on development outcomes and the improvement of people's health and lives, ccih continued its activities in educating decision makers and advocating for policies that affect the lives of developing countries and peoples. Grants from both private and public sources provided resources for a strong education and advocacy program in the us and in africa. One area of focus was family planning. Ccih educated various christian communities and federal decision makers about the importance of healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies for the health and well-being of both mother and child, and the health and economic benefits for the entire family. This was the focus of an advocacy day with the u. S. Congress and multiple visits to congressional offices as well as publications of various articles and fact sheets providing a christian perspective on global health topics. The importance of faith-based organizations in global health overall was another focus of ccih's education and advocacy services.