Ecumenical Committee for Social Development

The Ecumenical Committee for Social Development (CEDES) is a non-profit religious organization founded in 1997 by the Christian Council of Mozambique, Federation Mundial Luterana (LWF) and Cáritas Moçambicana due to the transformation of the Repatriation, Resettlement and Reintegration Program (RRR) of refugees returned from neighboring countries, after the General Peace Agreement (AGP) in 1992. CEDES was created in 1997 and legally registered in 1999, symbolizing the only Ecumenical expression of practical actions for sustainable development and humanitarian assistance in Mozambique and works through Ecumenical Committees, local Churches, associations and development committees at community level which guarantees them a local presence in all areas of intervention.
CEDES is a member of the ACT Alliance, an alliance of more than 153 faith-based members (churches and groups) working in more than 120 countries for positive change in the lives of the poorest and most marginalized people. CEDES has its headquarters in Maputo, and implements projects in a decentralized manner through provincial offices and teams located in the districts. At the community level, CEDES works through local groupings that include Local Development Committees, Ecumenical Committees and groups of producers and/or farmers.

VISION

Mozambican society living in peace and harmony, with power socio-economic, moral and human dignity restored.

MISSION

Contribute to the viable and sustainable development of communities and households, empowering groups poorest, most vulnerable and disadvantaged in Mozambique.

VALUES

  • Christian Ethics;
  • Love for others;
  • Peace;
  • Solidarity;
  • Honesty;
  • Transparency;
  • Responsibility;
  • Accountability;
  • Participation;
  • Tolerance.

CEDES strategic areas include the following:

1. Livelihoods and food security

CEDES improves its work with the most important communities and families vulnerable areas in rural areas to enhance initiatives for viable development, conservation agriculture, storage, processing, marketing and other alternatives for generating income.

  • CEDES in 2023, works with 74 associations/agriculture (2.452 total members where 895 are men and 1.557 are woman);
  • 253 members are trained on income generating activities (1.320 men and 933 woman). The main activities are handicraft, agro processing, beekeeping, cutting and sewing, ceramics;
  • 173 saving groups with 3,830 woman and 1.051 man,saving around 530.000 dolares.

2. Preventive health and environmental sanitation

CEDES favors the construction and rehabilitation of infrastructures that facilitate access to water, in addition, CEDES leads to undertake the construction of improved latrines and education about environmental sanitation to reduce disease rates.

  • In 2023, CEDES constructed 14 water sources, rehabilitated 10, and trained 21 water committees
  • Conducted 28 campaigns of sanitation
  • Distribution of dignity kit for 100 girls on the schools.

3. Human assistance, adoption and risk reduction of disasters.

  • CEDES works with vulnerable communities and families of areas prone to natural disasters, in prevention, mitigation, preparedness and responses to risks and effects of changes climate, given that Mozambique is one of the most vulnerable to natural calamities such as floods, cyclones and dry.
  • CEDES assist 8.543 affected families distributed seeds: beans, onion, cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, and agriculture tools: axes and watering cans. Also distributed hygiene kit : soap, water purification.
  • 12 contingency plans were elaborated with local committee of risk reduction in the communities, and small grants for the same communities were distributed in order to prevent the impact of floods

4. Civic, economic and cultural rights of communities/lobby and advocay

CEDES is involved in defending rights and interests of the most disadvantaged communities and families, where the dissemination of information and policies, public rights human rights, prevention and mitigation of conflicts of interest to good governance, reconciliation and peace, as well as persuading those who have the right to respect the rights of communities and civil society when these are called into question.

  • CEDES works with 37 local committees of community management, and legalized 4 committees;
  • 6 local proposals (from the communities) are submitted to the national park in order to demand their rights;
  • 1 proposal submitted for the revision of national land law
  • Reintegration of 80 girls in to school

5. Organizational Development

CEDES prioritizes improving the profile of its team in order to respond to organizational needs

from ongoing training and training.

CROSS-CUTING  THEMES

  1. Gender
  2. HIV/AIDS
  3. Conservation of the environment
  4. Literacy training for young people and adults
  5. Promotion of girls’ education

Stakeholder Community

CEDES works through local associations of development and Ecumenical Committees. All members of communities regardless of their origin, race, ethnicity, sex, religion or party affiliation are included in the work of CEDES, with women and young girl constitute the highest priority.

Intervention areas

CEDES programs are coordinated with the CCM, Cáritas Moçambicana, and other partners to ensure complementarity and avoid duplication of efforts, is currently implementing its programs in following geographic areas:

  1. MAPUTO PROVINCE- Magude and Moamba districts
  2. GAZA PROVINCE-Massingir, Mabalane, Chicualacuala, Mapai
  3. INHAMBANE PROVINCE- Inhassoro and Govuro districts
  4. SOFALA PROVINCE- Chibabava, Marringue, Cheringoma, Nhamatanda,Buzi, and Caia .
  5. NAMPULA PROVINCE – Meconta – Corrane districts .

The organization is headed by the Board of Directors who exercise leadership, enterprise integrity and judgment in directing the organization to attain its set goals to act in the best interests of the organization’s values and constituencies served. The Directors consist of elected members of the Board who perform voluntary service. These are organization’s Board of Directors.

  1. Bishop Rodrgues Dambo- Patron of CEDES
  2. Bishop Dom Aberto Vera Arejula- Patron
  3. Agusta Leopoldina Nicolau- Chairperson of Financial Committee
  4. Agustão Jose Zita- Member of the Programme Committee.

Board functions will entail among others:

  1. Making decisions on policies and strategies of CEDES,
  2. Representing the organization,
  3. Accountability for the organization,
  4. Overseeing the organization’s work,
  5. Appointing the setting and agreeing on standards,
  6. Conflict and tension management and being the custodian of CEDES

The board of directors delegates managerial responsibility for day-to-day operations to the chief executive and other senior executives as below indicated:

  1. Teresa Paula Bernardo Ferreira- Executive director
  2. Ms Joseta Langa- Financial Manager
  3. Ms Marta Gabe- Human Resource Manager
  4. Mr. Luis Padeiro – Programme Manager

Number of staff: 82, 62 man and 20 woman

Donors:

  1. Bread for the world
  2. Tearfund
  3. Diakonie
  4. BMZ
  5. MISEREOR
  6. UNCHR
  7. FAO
  8. CESVITEM

You can follow us : www.cedes.org.mz ,

Siga-nos em

linkedin.com/cedes • instagram.com/cedes • facebook.com/cedes

Maputo, 25, November  2024