Relief

Two years after a devastating earthquake killed an estimated 300,000 people in Haiti, Christianity is fast replacing Voodoo in the lives and practices of the people, a missionary has revealed.

According to the Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook, there is a fusion of beliefs in Haiti – 80 percent of people profess to be Catholic, and another 16 percent are Protestant yet roughly half of the population still practices Voodoo.

However, it is no secret that Christianity has been expanding as a religion in Haiti – and a host of Christian missionaries and charity organizations who flew to the Caribbean nation to help the millions in desperate need have also contributed to a large conversion movement. more >>

Bill Gates, perhaps the world's best known entrepreneur-turned-philanthropist, announced Thursday during the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland that the charity foundation he steers with his wife, Melinda, will donate $750 million into the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been battling diseases threatening thousands of people across the globe annually, but the organization is also committed to fighting poverty - including in the United States - and providing the underprivileged with resources to live healthy lives and be able to educate their children.

"By supporting the Global Fund, we can help to change the fortunes of the poorest countries in the world," Gates said in a statement, as quoted by CNN. "I can't think of more important work." more >>

A hunger crisis is rapidly spreading across several West African countries with some estimates suggesting that more than 6 million people are slated to face famine conditions within months.

The food crisis is impacting the people of Niger, Mali, Chad and Mauritania in West Africa's Sahel region. The food crisis is being caused by drought, escalating food prices and poor harvests and experts have expressed concern that the crisis could spread to neighboring Burkina Faso and Senegal.

Food production in the region has dropped significantly, with production of national staples in countries such as Chad and Mauritania falling as much as 50 percent, according to Oxfam International. more >>

International Justice Mission, a human rights agency fighting for victims of slavery, has launched a petition encouraging Americans to sign their names in an effort to get President Barack Obama to help end modern-day slavery, which affects millions of men, women and children globally. 

The "Stand for Freedom" campaign has acquired 7,641of the 27,000 necessary signatures – with one name said to represent 1,000 people who need freedom. According to the petition, there are 27 million people worldwide who are enslaved today.

IJM outlines five points that will help the U.S. government become a leader in the fight for this basic human right. "Americans want to end slavery once and for all," the petition reads. "The U.S. government can play a powerful role in fighting this crime by supporting robust law enforcement and victim relief at home and abroad." more >>

The Bowery Mission is giving New Yorkers the chance to answer the question "How can I help the homeless?" during one of the coldest months of the year.

The goal of its new four-week initiative, "Don't Walk By," is to offer every homeless person on the streets of Manhattan the opportunity to change their lives.

Many organizations try to help the poor with a handout, but Bowery, a faith-based organization, gives those on the street the chance to engage in long-term solutions to their problems. more >>

An earthquake rocked northeastern Iran Thursday, injuring 100 people and setting off a wave of aftershocks throughout the region.

The magnitude-5.5 earthquake hit at 4:05 p.m. local time and caused damage to Neyshabour, a city around 550 miles north of the Iranian capital of Tehran.

Homes and buildings in Neyshabour faced minor damages, such as shattered windows, while homes in nearby rural regions faced more significant damages, such as downed walls. more >>