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The DfSD receives funding from
the United Evangelical Mission for the position of the Project
Director since 2003 and the DfSD is receiving programme funding
from Bread for the World and the Lutheran World Federation since
2006. All contributions are hereby gratefully acknowledged.
History
In May 2003, the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN) has set up the
Desk for Social Development (DfSD) in order to address issues of
mass-poverty especially given the effects of the HIV/AIDS
pandemic. Thereby - differently from ELCAP’s diaconical
approach - the DfSD looks at the broader social effects as well
as at the root causes of the pandemic.
Mission statement
Provide vision, direction, and
facilitate effective structures and strategies for ELCRN’s
involvement towards social development in the Namibian society.
Vision
The DfSD is tasked to build a
vision for strategic poverty interventions of the church as
poverty fuels the spread of HIV/AIDS and vice versa HIV/AIDS is
deepening poverty even further. The church through the Desk for
Social Development wants to take an active role in fighting mass
poverty by strategic interventions in society. Thereby Social
Development is different from diaconical approaches or a
community development approach based on e.g. income-generating
projects.
Social development as a function
of the church is a new approach in the social involvement of the
Church. However, the ELCRN has historically played a role on
political level to represent those, who otherwise were not heard.
In its prophetic voice the church became the voice of the
voiceless during the liberation struggle. The new challenges of
extreme poverty alongside high inequality and the HIV/AIDS
pandemic necessitate the church to be true to its calling to
stand in for the poor and marginalized. Therefore, the ELCRN
through the DfSD wants to ensure to be a true voice of the people
plights engaging constructively on societal level to overcome the
social and economic ills in Namibia’s society.
Three key areas have been
identified to accomplish this goal:
Research: Sound
research is needed to enable the church to effectively lobby for
the poor. While making also use of participatory methods the
church hopes to be true to its calling to be the “voice of
the voiceless” also regarding social issues.
Capacity building:
The capacity of local and regional development structures should
be build. In addition, links and networks with NGOs and
government are needed.
Pilot projects: Based
on sound research, pilot projects are envisaged to have
practical examples for lobby work.
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