Niger

In Niger, the ELCA engages in ministry ecumenically.   Lutheran churches have a long tradition of working together in mission.   This ecumenical collaboration means:

• less duplication of effort and costs
• more access to operational, on-the-ground expertise
• access to places where there are few or no Lutherans
• stronger, more effective ministry.

In Niger, the ELCA works with Lutheran World Relief and Church World Service.

Lutheran World Relief

The ELCA  works in Niger through Lutheran World Relief (LWR). A ministry of the ELCA, LWR is a U.S.-based agency that works with community-based partners in 50 countries. ELCA World Hunger funds help support the work that addresses the root causes of food insecurity, explores ways of improving water supply and increasing overall food production and addresses issues of gender equity and women’s empowerment. LWR also works:

To respond to emergencies by:

• Distributing food to people most affected by food crises;
• Restocking depleted livestock;
• Building, repairing, and stocking community grain banks to reduce the impact of future crises. 

To create sustainable rural livelihoods by:

• Supporting the creation of market gardens for increased income;
• Providing training in sustainable agricultural practices, increased production, management, marketing and monitoring, as well as dispersing agricultural tools and seeds to cooperatives of small producers and women;
• Increasing availability of water through garden and village wells in order to increase food production and decrease malnutrition;
• Building awareness of HIV/AIDS, as well as teaching prevention, encouraging and providing counseling and voluntary testing, and creating village health committees.

To build peace and justice by:

• Providing women with access to training and credit for income-generating activities and small-business management in order to increase economic growth and alliances among women, in turn giving them a greater role in household and community decision making.

Church World Service

In addition, ELCA funds support Church World Service (CWS), which works in Niger. Supported by 36 denominations, including the ELCA, CWS is a U.S.-based ecumenical organization that works with partners to eradicate hunger and poverty and to promote peace and justice around the world.