wfn.org | ELCA Funds 14 International "MAPP" Projects

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 29, 2000

ELCA FUNDS 14 INTERNATIONAL "MAPP" PROJECTS
00-204-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Office of the Bishop of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) approved grants for 14 international
ministry projects totaling $374,000.  The projects, intended to provide
direct assistance to people living in poverty, are part of the ELCA's
emphasis on Ministries Among People in Poverty (MAPP).
     The projects address needs of different churches and companion
Lutheran churches, said Belletech Deressa, director for international
development and disaster response, ELCA Division for Global Mission.
     We are very grateful to the bishop's office and to the ELCA,"
Deressa said. "Without these additional funds we would not have been
able to accompany so many people who live in poverty."
     In 1999, the ELCA Church Council established a $3 million fund for
MAPP projects.  The money was allocated from reserve funds.  The Rev. H.
George Anderson, ELCA presiding bishop, set up four work groups to
administer the funds.  One group was established to fund international
causes, and $900,000 was designated.
      The projects and their funding levels are:
     + Strengthening Womens' Economics Base and Community Building,
Kenya ($24,000). Women's centers, including some in Lutheran
congregations, provide activities and education on a broad range of
topics that are intended to benefit women and their families.  In many
centers, women have significant income-generating projects.  The funds
will enable these projects to be expanded to benefit more women in the
Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church.
     + Strengthening Womens' Economic Base, Tanzania ($20,000).  The
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania has developed Savings and Credit
Cooperative Societies (SACCOS) in several dioceses.  SACCOS is intended
to raise the economic level of families living in poverty but presently
doesn't include many women.  The additional funds would be used to
extend the program to more women.
     + Womens' Business Seminars, Tanzania ($10,000). The Christian
Conference of Tanzania (CCT) offers business seminars ranging from
understanding business terms to planning for entrepreneurship.  Last
year, CCT increased its original plan from training 80 women to training
as many as 300 women because of growing demand.  The additional funds
will be used to fund the expansion of the existing program.
     + Congregation-Based Community Organizing, Tanzania ($6,000).  The
Meru Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania, along with
other dioceses, said the church's greatest challenge is to alleviate
poverty among the people of Tanzania.  To help meet this challenge,
additional funds will be used to organize a week-long seminar on
congregation-based community organizing.  The seminar, for 75 to 100
pastors, will focus on how the church can enable people to improve their
economic situation and to identify resources to meet the goal.
     + Village Schools, Central African Republic/Cameroon ($100,000).
The additional funds will be used for a variety of purposes.  Teacher
training will be provided to raise their level of proficiency.  Primary
education will incorporate health and development, as well as general
education in an effort to reduce infant mortality rates and improve
nutrition.  ELCA companion synods   synods that serve as partners with
Lutheran churches in other countries -- will be involved in an effort to
strengthen their relationships with churches in these African countries.
     + Ministry Among Sengoi Women, Malaysia ($20,000). The Sengoi
people are aboriginal people living in the central highlands of the
Malaysian peninsula.  They move as the resources of land are depleted;
hunting and primitive farming are primary occupations.  Educational
opportunities remain low for women.  The funds will be used to provide
educational opportunities for women that focus on health issues and care
of children.
     + Ministry with Filipino Women Workers, Hong Kong ($25,000).  Many
women are domestic workers who temporarily reside and work in Hong Kong.
Most are separated from their families and support systems in the
Phillippines.  They earn low wages, have little time off and are often
tempted to turn to prostitution to earn more money.  The funds will
provide a support system as well as a safe place for women to gather.
     + Slum Women's Advancement Project, India ($18,000).  The project,
which began in 1985, includes six different project centers in the
northern section of Madras.  Children, men and women are served.  Funds
will be used to expand program activities, which include training in
employable skills, income generation projects, adult education,
preschool programs, health camps and community organizing.
     + Samrong Labor Development Center, Thailand ($18,000).  Funds
will be used to teach laborers in the Samrong Industrial area of
Bangkok.  Project activities include sessions on labor rights, assisting
local labor unions and vocational skills.  The project enlists the
involvement of local churches and is coordinated with labor unions and
other organizations.
     + Pattaya Child Prostitution Prevention Project, Thailand
($18,000). This project is a response to child prostitution in Pattaya,
a significant tourist center in Thailand.  Funds will be used to help
one of the project's aims to educate local congregations about the
problem of child prostitution in Pattaya and to enlist support of the
Christian community for the young people involved, most of whom are
under 18 years of age.
     + National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. (NCC) and
Church World Service and Witness Educational Materials on Vietnam,
Vietnam ($5,000).  The aim of this project is to help North American
Christians understand the history and culture of Vietnam.  It also aims
to examine the role of Christians and churches before, during and after
the Vietnam War.  The program will be carried out in cooperation with
the ELCA's ecumenical partners in the NCC.
     + Impoverished and Sex Workers, Nicaragua ($30,000).  A school in
Nicaragua, Escuela para Todos, serves people from marginalized and
economically deprived communities, especially unemployed and unskilled
people, sex industry workers and differently abled people.  The school
teaches computer skills.  The grant will enable the school to purchase a
permanent site for the training center.
     + Bakery for Street Children, Peru ($20,000).  This is a center
that provides an educational, nutritional and residential program for
street children in Cuzco.  The funds will enable the center to increase
its bread production capacity and improve existing dormitory facilities.
     + Displaced people, Colombia ($60,000). The Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Colombia is working with displaced people there to provide a
safer environment for reconstruction of  communities during internal
civil strife.  The funds will enable the church to accompany the
resettlement process of displaced people into their new communities.
     Earlier this year, four MAPP grants totaling $245,000 were
approved. The grants supported the Washington Office on Africa, AIDS
prevention and control in Ethiopia, amputees in Sierra Leone and a
resource center in Lebanon.
     Proposals for additional projects are being reviewed.

EDITORS: Details on MAPP grants approved earlier can be found on the
ELCA's Web site at
http://listserv.elca.org/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0004&L=elcanews&D=1&H=1&O=D&F=&S=&P=304

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html