Department for Mission and Development
Project name : Indigenous Women Empowerment
Project holder : Bangladesh Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church
Results :
The LWF is supporting women from the indigenous ethnic minority, the Santals, who experience gender discrimination and poverty. Through the project, the church has implemented mass advocacy programs on women’s rights and gender justice and organized capacity building activities for 20 women’s self-help groups. With LWF support, 650 Santal women have improved their living standards. The project has also reinforced women leadership in the communities and given women more confidence.
One such woman is Sinthia (middle of picture, writing), a Santali from a poor family of day laborers. With loans from the local women’s group supported by a project to empower indigenous women, she was able to finance her and her sisters’ studies and obtain a master degree in social science. She now works as a social worker and is able to provide an income for herself and her family.
This project shows strong ownership and sustainability by putting in place a BNELC women’s federation which will continue the work after the withdrawal of LWF support in 2018.
Project name : Advocacy Program
Project holder : Bangladesh Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church
Results :
The Santal people are one of the most vulnerable ethnic minority groups in Bangladesh, often victim of everyday exploitation and discrimination. Low access to education and lack of employment lead to a downward spiral of poverty and marginalization.
With support from LWF, the BNELC (I suppose this in the title and so doesn’t need to be written out?) aims to improve life for the Santali people by helping them get better organized and to advocate for their rights more effectively (see picture 1). It also provides legal and humanitarian assistance to victims of violence.
The project has a strong focus on youth empowerment and has engaged 20 youth volunteers to engage in training and educational support for children. This year, more than 200 children have taken part in literacy training (picture 2).
Picture 1: Helping Santali people get better organized and to advocate for their rights more effectively
Picture 2: Youth empowerment through literacy training
Project name : Training of Lay Leaders
Project holder : Myanmar Lutheran Church
Results :
The project has addressed the issue of lack of pastoral care in rural congregations. In many villages, residents are unable to employ full-time pastors so they rely on lay leaders. Moreover, many young people wish to study theology and mission but their parents cannot afford the cost of studies. This project has trained leaders in theology, community-building and organic farming. Lay leaders are supported to take up voluntary pastoral positions in villages where there are no resident pastors and to help meet the needs of the village congregations holistically.
Other Projects:
| Project name | Project holder |
| Training of Lay Leaders for Village Congregations | MLC |
Project name : School operations
Project holder : The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land
Results :
Through this project, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land aims to integrate peace, cultural respect, democracy and gender justice into the pedagogical framework of five educational institutions over the West Bank. In doing so, the objective is to develop dialogue and teach non-violence, as well as holistic thinking among students. The Lutheran educational system is a model for public and private schools in Palestine. It stands out in terms of administrative structure, democratic processes and its coeducational approach. Since their creation, ELCJHL schools have served the youth of their communities, regardless of gender, race, religion, or ability to pay. It accounts for not only academic growth but also social, emotional, psychological, physical, artistic and spiritual needs. Gender balance and equality is a strong emphasis of the ELCJHL Schools, with all schools learning together in a co-educational framework in which 44 percent of students are female.
Other Projects:
| Project name | Project holder |
| School Operations | ELCJHL |
| Country | Project name | Project holder |
| India | Lutheran Youth Volunteer Movement | UELCI |
| Building a Communicating Communion | UELCI | |
| HIV & AIDS Awareness, Care, and Capacity Building Program | UELCI | |
| Women empowerment | UELCI | |
| Women Initiatives | AELC | |
| Diakonia Program | JELC | |
| Tribal People's Empowerment and Sustainable Livelihood Project | GSELC | |
| Community Based Detoxification and Rehabilitation | ELC-MP | |
| Indonesia | NK Accompaniment of MCs in Indonesia | |
| Good governance & empowering youth & women | GKPM | |
| Promoting Eco-Theology as a Pioneer Project for Lutheran Churches in Indonesia | HKI | |
| Empowerment of Pastors, Elders, Sunday School Teachers, and Co-church workers in Holistic Mission | GKPPD |
