ACT Ubumbano supported The Circle of Concerned African Theologians to launch
A Time like No Other – COVID-19 in Women’s Voices, a collection of women’s stories about their lived experiences.
To get a hard copy of the book or to download a pdf version, click here
ELCSA Development Service (ELCSA-DS), as part of the holistic ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa (ELCSA), is a non-profit organisation engaged in Rural Community Development activities and Emergency Disaster Response, as well as Post Disaster Rehabilitation.
It is an expression of the diaconic ministry of the church, to the poor and marginalized of Southern Africa, in the context of poverty, deprivation and the scourge of the HIV & AIDS pandemic. Committed to the improvement of the quality of life of the poor, in areas of endemic need, ELCSA-DS is engaged in activities to alleviate suffering and reduce vulnerability. Therefore, ELCSA-DS, with its holistic people centred approach reaches out to people in need irrespective of gender, racial, religious, political convictions or other affiliations.
Key to ELCSA-DS’s strategic approach is the participation of community and group beneficiaries, in needs identification, resource identification, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and total ownership of their project. Therefore, in this approach there is no hand-over.
Activities include but not limited to:
To read more about ELCSA Development Service, click here.
Christian Aid first began working in South Africa in the 1950s with ‘clandestine’ grants, given to Black community programmes to signal support and solidarity. Over the next 60-70 years the programme evolved in different ways, responding both to shifts within South Africa and within the organisation.
The final stage of this journey was for Christian Aid, along with other European members of the ACT Alliance, and Southern African civil society organisations to establish ACT Ubumbano, a solidarity hub fighting for economic, environmental and gender justice. Throughout its long history solidarity was a key value in the programme, but what this meant in practice shifted as needs changed.
This review explores key themes in Christian Aid’s engagement in South Africa, noting in particular the depth of political analysis and strength of national partners in South Africa, and how this shaped the type of relationships and contribution that Christian Aid was able to make in this context. This was not a one-way process as our partners also influenced Christian Aid’s thinking and practice.
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Invitation to Lecture Three: "With one Ear at the Mouth of God and the Other at the Mouth of the People"
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“The Black preacher,” wrote Womanist theologian Katie Cannon, “lives with one ear at the mouth of God, and the other at the mouth of the people.” Here we will explore the relationship between Black theology and the Scriptures and the Bible as site of struggle. We will test James Cone’s assertion that “the Black theologian is an exegete of Scripture and of life.” We discuss the critical questions raised within Black theological debate about the role and the efficacy of the Bible for Black theology and for oppressed communities. Desmond Tutu has described the Bible as “the most radical, revolutionary book ever written.” To which I have added, “And the most dangerous.” “Today,” Vuyani Vellem has written, “I fear for the Bible in the hands of the African Christian.” As such, does the Bible have a central place in Black theology still today, and if so, why?
Registration for Lecture 3 will open soon. Follow ACT Ubumbano on Facebook to ensure you receive notification of the registration opening.
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The Ubumbano Solidarity Action initiative is a platform to facilitate connection of people and organisations, and to provide some financial support (max. ZAR30.000) to enable those connections and actions to take place. Proposals are again invited from all our partners in the region. We are particularly interested in connecting with organisations and initiatives in Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi and Eswatini.
The proposals for support should not be longer than 2 pages, and can be submitted via email to thabo@actubumbano.org. They should respond to the following questions:
The opportunity is open to any organisation or association that is part of the ACT Ubumbano network, or willing to work with ACT Ubumbano partner organisations in Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Any funding support that may be provided in this initiative is intended to help with taking action for change or in solidarity with those who are under stress. It is not intended for general or core support for organisations, although some of the funds will need to be used for organisational costs.
It is expected that proposals will need to be discussed in order to make the most of the opportunity for collaboration. For further information, please contact Thabo or Zanele.
The recent violence in KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng has prompted all sorts of analyses about causes and consequences. Political intrigue, insurrections and coups d’etat, racial tension and vigilantism are the words that dominate the discussion, even as simple acts of solidarity and care are happening.
Some speak of a Kairos in our country – a moment of truth where we must choose to transform, or perish. Kairos is ‘…the moment when desperation and courage collide’.
ACT Ubumbano invites organisations and people who work with communities affected, and those who wish to understand the realities of those involved, to a reflection space via Zoom. As we gain insight into the lived experience of affected communities, we open the opportunity for new connections and solidarity action to emerge.
Date: Friday 23 July
Time: 10h00 – 11h30
Please register here.
If you require data support, please email thabo@actubumbano.org.
