DWS Associate Programs
Lutheran Development Service (LDS), Zimbabwe
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A women's
group from the Mupape Irrigation
scheme, Zvishavane district,
Zimbabwe, discussing an irrigation
project they set up to grow crops. |
The political, social and economic situation in Zimbabwe continues to be very difficult. The incomplete land reform program, sporadic violence, hyper-inflation, the shortage of most key commodities, droughts and floods, and the HIV/AIDS pandemic make daily living very difficult. Poverty is pervasive, and is aggravated by declining food security and health delivery.
In this difficult environment, Lutheran Development Service (LDS) Zimbabwe has achieved successes in its Integrated Rural Development Program and its Emergency Programs, mainly through participatory approaches and an emphasis on community empowerment that enables beneficiaries to make decisions about their needs and meeting them.
From January 2003, LDS Zimbabwe is an LWF/DWS associate program, carrying full responsibility for governance and management. A DWS Zimbabwe program was established in 1980 at the request of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ) to assist in the support and repatriation of refugees from neighboring countries. In 1981, the ELCZ Women's League began activities in water development. By the end of 2000, the DWS program transferred responsibilities to LDS with a local structure, governing body and director.
Integrated Rural Development
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Children
feeding support program. |
The Integrated Rural Development Program aims to promote sustainable development through a participatory approach involving local communities. Social analysis, transformation and action are key premises for the strategy, while development education and training are the principal means of achieving its aims. A holistic approach includes activities that focus on development education, environmental management and income generation, together with savings and credit, water development, food security, HIV/AIDS awareness and support to AIDS orphans.
Community education includes: meetings that emphasize dialogue among community members on specific development topics such as school construction, drought mitigation and opening new Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs). It also focuses on literacy workshops for project beneficiaries, with emphasis on reading, writing and record keeping skills and exposure visits.
HIV/AIDS dominates health sector activities that include: awareness workshops; focused youth workshops; support to AIDS orphans and child-headed households; and distribution of home-based care kits.
Environmental management activities include: conservation awareness workshops and development of sub-district environmental plans, which then guide community environmental conservation activities; management of water catchment areas; construction of toilets; tree planting and establishment of nurseries; and workshops on chemical disposal.
Economic empowerment activities include: income generating projects such as leather tanning, sewing and making candles and sweets; skills training in carpentry, building, welding and clothing technology. Once trained, these people become self-employed and often create local employment.
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Chombuyana Dam, under construction in Zimbabwe's Gwanda district for households hoping to engage in fish farming and livestock production. © LWF/ELCZ |
Water and food security activities include: training workshops and exposure visits related to water and food security; distribution of drought-tolerant seeds and nutrition garden seeds; water development to improve irrigation; construction and rehabilitation of dams; assisting communities to establish gardens with a variety of crops, vegetables and fruit; and supporting construction of rain water harvesting schemes.
Gender, human rights and advocacy emphasize gender issues and women's rights, to empower local communities to address human rights deficits in constructive ways throughout all program activities. The program works with other stakeholders, including the Ministry of Youth, Gender and Employment Creation, to facilitate community training in gender mainstreaming of development projects.
Emergency Response and Disaster Preparedness
In the continuing context of political and economic instability and recurring natural disasters, and with support from program partners, LDS responds to emergency situations with projects such as child supplementary feeding, and providing food for work to people working in development projects. Disaster preparedness workshops for communities and local leaders focus on risk assessment and establishing communication networks.
For more information please contact
Program Officer Mr Duane Poppe.
Local representative
Ms Sibongile Baker, Director.
