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:

• Improved Food Security
  • Training of subsistence farmers
  • Supporting the establishment of small-scale irrigation schemes
  • Training of livestock owners in livestock management
  • Household are trained on how to establish nutritional gardens
• Improved Income and Employment opportunities
• Entrepreneurial Training
• Increased awareness of environmental conditions
• Improved health and sanitation conditions
  • HIV and AIDS
• Stop Human Trafficking
• Cultural Diversity Education
• Lutheran Action Against Gender Based Violence (LAAGBV)

To read more about ELCSA Development Service, click here.