wfn.org | LWF World Service and Church of Sweden - New Model of Partnership

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LWF World Service and Church of Sweden in New Model of Partnership

Blog to Follow Five Workers in DWS Programs in Africa and Latin
America

GENEVA, 5 February 2009 (LWI) -The Lutheran World Federation
(LWF) Department for World Service (DWS) and Church of Sweden
(CoS) are collaborating in a new model of partnership involving
secondment of qualified young personnel to DWS field programs in
different parts of the world.

The two-year initiative kicked off in January 2009 with the
secondment of five persons from different CoS parishes to DWS
programs in Ethiopia, Liberia, Kenya, Sudan and Colombia. The
partnership offers additional professional support toward DWS
emergency and development activities on the ground, while at the
same time allowing the partner church, its respective parishes
and congregations to have closer links to the realities of
international diakonia, says Geneva-based DWS program
coordinator, Mr Rudelmar Bueno de Faria. â??It is expected that
people seconded to LWF/DWS country programs can enhance awareness
on specific contexts and situations, and on the work CoS is doing
in fostering dignity and justice in the world,â?? he adds.

"World Service Direct ­ 100 Days", a new Web-based initiative of
the LWF Office for Communication Services (OCS), will provide an
interactive platform for the five seconded staff to share their
diaconal experiences and discuss with the larger Lutheran
communion issues arising from their work. At
http://worldservicedirect.blogspot.com (
http://worldservicedirect.blogspot.com/ ) interested readers
can follow and respond to the workers' Twitter and blog posts
during 100 days of their respective assignments.

> Support, Learning

Eva Palmqvist, 30, one of the five participants, works as a
program officer for rights-based approach and peace building in
Torit, Southern Sudan, where the new DWS Sudan office is located.
She studied political science in Sweden, with a strong interest
in development and human rights, and has previously worked in
Kenya and Southern Sudan with a focus on child rights.

"I decided to join World Service since it gives me an
opportunity to work with important issues of human rights and
peace building in a fascinating region. I am happy to be part of
the big network of churches around the world and I hope that we
will be able to exchange experiences and support each other,"
says Palmqvist, a member of the Helga Trefaldighet parish,
Diocese of Uppsala.

Palmqvist underlines the significant link between CoS and DWS:
"As seconded staff from Church of Sweden, I have been sent out by
my local church back home in Sweden to work with World Service.
Their prayers and support are very important to me. I'm hoping to
learn more about the opportunities and challenges in
post-conflict Southern Sudan, to learn from people's experiences
and to work together for change and development."

Re-established as a country program in October 2007, DWS Sudan
is a relatively new operation, focused on facilitating the smooth
reintegration of locals returning to their home areas after
several years in neighboring countries as refugees or internally
displaced persons. Work with community members includes
rehabilitation and reconstruction, building up livelihoods,
fostering peace and reconciliation, gender issues, sustaining the
environment, response to HIV and AIDS, and community capacity
building.

The other CoS seconded staff include Henrik Halvardsson (to DWS
Colombia), Nils Bernhold (Liberia), Samuel Larsson (Ethiopia),
and Sofia Malmqvist (assigned to Kenya and Ethiopia).

> Communication

The CoS initiative will also help to mobilise more resources to
meet the ongoing humanitarian and development work needs in the
respective countries, says Mr Bobby Waddell, consultant for
resource mobilization at the DWS Geneva offices.

Waddell cites the role of Malmqvist, whose work includes
overseeing Swedish government assistance toward Somali refugees
and promoting regular communication with DWS donors through
monthly newsletters and visits among other means. "This clear,
open and timely communication is essential for managing good
relations with our donors," he adds. He underscores the need to
keep the donors engaged, especially given that with no
foreseeable improvement in the situation in Somalia, further
funding would need to be negotiated beyond December 2009.

DWS is the relief and development arm of the LWF. It has field
programs in 36 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin and Central
America, and Europe, and over 5,000 staff.

Church of Sweden is the largest LWF member church with over 6.8
million members. Its international work with various partners
includes initiatives on economic justice; promoting peace,
democracy and human rights; response to climate and environmental
issues, to HIV and AIDS; and providing disaster relief. (734
words)

More information about World Service Direct ­ 100 Days and the
DWS-CoS secondment partnership is available at
http://www.lutheranworld.org/What_We_Do/DWS/DWS-Direct100.html

> *        *          *

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the
Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF
currently has 140 member churches in 79 countries all over the
world, with a total membership of over 68.3 million. The LWF acts
on behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such
as ecumenical and interfaith relations, theology, humanitarian
assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects
of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in
Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the LWF's information
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(LWI), the material may be freely reproduced with
acknowledgment.]

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