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.
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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.
Programmes
Accomplished
programmes
- During the first year the DfSD conducted a
fact-finding mission on the poverty situation within the ELCRN area. The
DfSD conducted semi-structured interviews in 26 congregations within all
six ELCRN circuits. The results were discussed and evaluated on a monthly
basis within ELCROS and culminated in the Strategic Plan - DfSD.
- Together with staff from ELCAP and the
Project Office the DfSD completed a Feasibility Study ELCRN Hostels
focusing on the churches support for children from disadvantaged
backgrounds with a focus on OVCs.
- The DfSD led an ELCROS exposure visit to
the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection in Lusaka. The results are
summarized as lessons for the various ELCROS departments: A report and
resource booklet - ELCROS exposure visit Zambia 2003.
- In collaboration with the Institute for
Public Policy Research the DfSD conducted a study for the Ministry of
Women’s Affairs and Child Welfare: Review of Social Grants in Namibia
2003.
- In workshops with ELCAP national staff,
Project Office, and the regional offices, and volunteers from the
congregations, teams were trained in participatory research methodology
and a Research Methodology Manual ELCRN was developed.
- Conducted case studies on best practise
models of ELCAP congregational AIDS committees care for OVCs.
- The DfSD conducted an international
conference titled “Strengthening income security in Namibia: Poverty,
HIV/AIDS and the need for a basic income grant” in November 2004. This conference
brought Churches, Government, NGOs, Unions and international experts
together. This conference resolved to establish a Basic Income Grant
Coalition and mandated a working group to that effect chaired by the DfSD.
The Basic Income Grant Coalition was then launched in April 2005. The BIG
Coalition is a broad based coalition including the Council of Churches in
Namibia (CCN), the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), the Namibian
NGO Forum (NANGOF), and the Namibian Network of AIDS Service Organisations
(NANASO) and, besides the organisations represented through their umbrella
organisations, the Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) and the Labour Resource
and Research Institute (LaRRI) are members of the Coalition.
- Developed together with the ELCAP Regional
Offices a practical Social
Security Manual for ELCRN Congregations on how to access Government
Grants.
- The DfSD edited a Resource book:
“The Basic Income Grant in Namibia” 2005. The resource book compiles
background information, speeches of the launch of the Basic Income Grant,
the NAMTAX findings, and the latest research results on the developmental
impact and on financing a Basic Income Grant in Namibia. The book also
includes the results of the Desk for Social Development’s Microsimulation
model on the BIG. The book is intended to serve as a resource book for
policy makers in particular and all relevant role players. It was launched
with the Speaker of the National Assembly in September 2005.
- The DfSD taught students at the
theological seminar Paulinum in the Social Development approach and
participatory research methodology as part of the fourth years Ethics
course.
Current programmes
- The DfSD chairs the Secretariat of the
Basic Income Grant Coalition, which is responsible for the day-to-day
running of the BIG Coalition. The DfSD has compiled the translations of
the BIG Flyer with the basic information on the BIG and FAQ into six Namibian
languages. (Download)
- The DfSD is the local implementing partner
for the ILO’s Socio-Economic Security Programme conducting the Namibia
People’s Security Survey (NPSS). This national survey is chaired by the
Ministry of Labour and the National Planning Commission and co-funded by
the ILO and the UNDP. The NPSS is conducted in 5 regions focusing on:
Household composition, Basic Needs and Health Security, HIV and Aids,
Mortality, Labour Market Security, Employment Security, Job Security,
Skill Security, Work Security, Income Security, Representation Security,
Social Justice
- Research and analysis of the financial
costs and developmental impact of a Basic Income Grant in Namibia.
- Research and workshops with regard to
“Squatter camps” with the aim to understand the root causes of a new
social reality in Namibia
- Looking into the concepts, myths,
realities and the role of ‘Extended Families’ within a poverty and
HIV/AIDS stricken society (together with ELCAP).
- A bible study led by Bishop Kameeta and in
collaboration with ELCAP with the topic: “Community leadership, legitimate
authority, or abuse of power – ‘They trample on the heads of the poor as
upon dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed.’ (Amos 2,7a)”
- Capacity building in the congregations and
circuits of the ELCRN in economic literacy training, research methods like
“Listening surveys” and case studies.
Synergies
The DfSD works in
close co-operation with ELCAP as, although an independent institution, part of
the broader HIV/AIDS strategy of the ELCRN. The DfSD has a co-operation
agreement with ELCAP to work through the Regional ELCAP offices and the
congregational AIDS committees in order not to duplicate and overburden local
capacity but to strengthen and further build it. In this regard the regional
office staff and teams of volunteers from the AIDS committees were trained in
basic participatory research methodology. Currently the research teams are
involved in data collection for the above mentioned research foci.
Contact Details
Desk for Social
Development (ELCRN)
c/o Rev. Dr. Claudia
Haarmann & Rev. Dr. Dirk Haarmann (Project Directors)
P.O. Box 5069
Windhoek, Namibia
Tel: +264 - 61 - 235466
Fax: +264 - 61 -
235499