All Nations Halifax CRC
Monday, Nov. 17 2014:
Renewing our World Through
Transformational Community Development

1) Background to World Renew
2) Strategy and Programs
3) Approach to Community
Development
4) Future Strategy
5) Communicating World Renew
6) Q & A

• Established in 1962 as CRWRC – Christian
Reformed World Relief Committee
– Name changed to World Renew in June
2012 (committee? relief?)
• Registered charity in Canada and USA that serves as agency of choice in disaster response and international development for
Christian Reformed Church (CRC)

Background to World Renew
Board
• 7 Board Representatives serve 3 year terms and meet quarterly
• Ensures that World
Renew achieves its mission and avoid doing harm
• Operates according to
Carver Policy
Governance Model which emphasizes strategic leadership
– End Policies
– Executive Limitations
– Board-Director Linkage

Compelled by God’s deep passion for justice and mercy, we join communities around the world to change their story from disaster/despair to hope, from poverty to multiplied resources, from injustice to reconciled relationships and restored environment .

Global Imperatives
Community Development
• Transformative practices
(community capacity)
• Partner organizational capacity indicators
Disaster Response
• Helping individuals recover from disaster
Education and Justice
• Constituents (focusing on youth) involvement
Organizational Competency
• Staff: Staff diversity (ethnic and gender) and competencies
• Finance: Sufficient working capital, general program contributions

In response to Typhoon Haiyan, we received over $6 M (as of Oct., 2014)
• Emergency food, water, kitchen utensils, hygiene items, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, kitchen stoves, fuel, generators and trauma counseling to 3,973 families.
• After that: rehabilitation.
• Now and into the future: development

Overview of Strategy – Mainstreaming
Community Development + Disaster Response

3) Approach to Community
Development
• On-site consultation, technical assistance and financial support to partners
• Empowering communities to set their own development agenda and mobilize local volunteers and resources
• Established several registered and sustainable community-based institutions that now manage their own development initiatives

Approach to Community Development
Strategy 1
Strengthening vital community sectors:
– Healthcare, focus on maternal and childhealth
– Literacy
– Agriculture and food security
– Livelihoods and village savings
– Education

Approach to Community Development
Strategy 2
Integrating justice program strategies throughout:
 Gender justice
 Environmental care and restoration
 Peace-building and conflict resolution
 Civil society and policy change
 Land rights
 Human rights

Approach to Community Development
Examples of Strategy 2
Civil Society: Establish justice committees in
Mozambique following a training. Youth in Senegal joining together to improve their communities
Land Rights: Train community members, especially women and marginalized groups, on land rights and the procedures for gaining title from the government
Human Rights: Addresses a widespread concern with gender justice, particularly the issues of transactional sex and abuse in schools

Approach to Community Development
Strategy 3
Building capacity of community leaders and partner organizations to foster the transformation of their own communities

Approach to Community Development
Strategy 3 (continued)
Priority objectives related to community governance
1. Improve ability of community groups to use participatory processes to assess local needs and priorities, to develop their own plans, and to mobilize local resources
2. Enhance ability of local community groups to network with and influence actors in government and civil society
3. Improve gender balance in community leadership and ability of women and girls to participate in decisionmaking and priority setting

Approach to Community Development
Community Capacity Indicators
Community Transformation:
1. Shared Vision
2. Sense of Community
3. Ownership
4. Leadership
5. Resources, knowledge and skills
6. Ongoing learning
7. Spiritual / Worldview

Approach to Community Development
Building Capacity of Partners
• Builds capacity of partners in both organizational and technical program areas
• Strengthens, supports and equips partners in their community facilitation role
• Partners build capacity of communities
• Communities engage in the decision-making and action that leads to their own development
Capacity building of partner organizations is for the purpose of community transformation

Approach to Community Development
Partner Organizations
• Partnerships are integral to World Renew’s way of working
• Partners include national church development organizations, local community development organizations, and registered non-profits
• Partners commit to a shared set of principles and values with World Renew

Approach to Community Development
Capacity Indicators of Partners
Community-Based Orgn
1. Results Monitoring
2. Community Ownership
3. Human Resource
Development
4. Financial Stewardship
5. Board Development
6. Gender Equity and
Environmental Care

Approach to Community Development
Encouraging Partner and Community Connections
Connect them with Local Govt, Private Sector,, and
Coalitions
• Connect community groups with businesses
• Work closely with government offices, including at local levels
• Encourage participation of partners and community groups in ACT and Integral forums and Micah networks

1. Food Security: Small-scale farmers (men and women) are trained and mentored in improved agriculture methods
2. Sustainable Economic Growth:
Men and women are being organized into village-based saving and lending groups and provided with training
3. Community Governance
Capacity: Community leaders are trained in participatory needs assessment and planning

Promoting Sustainable Livelihoods
Tanzania
Evarist Kasuguli
Story: "My family has seen a light in agriculture and our lives will never be the same again."
Mr. Evarist's land Neighbour's land

Promoting Sustainable Livelihoods
Implementation Highlights
• Training participants on sustainable agriculture methods
• Establishment of demonstration sites for testing crops and farming techniques
• Formation of new saving and lending groups
• Delivery of literacy instruction
• Strengthening the capacity of community groups to manage their own planning and networking
• Identifying women with potential to serve in leadership roles and training them
• Forming linkages and collaborative relationships with local government institutions and MFIs

Strategic Planning for the Future
1. High capacity and performance that enhances community transformation
2. Churches around the world promoting shalom in and from their local context
3. Proactive justice
4. Disaster response and community development work in synergy and interdependence

World Renew joins communities around the world to change their story from disaster/despair to hope, from poverty to multiplied resources, from injustice to reconciled relationships and restored environment
**Vision**
LIVING TOGETHER IN
HOPE AS GOD’S
COMMUNITY

• Christian / Church
• Community
• Collaboration
• Capacity-building
• Change

5) Questions & Answers