_ LUTHERAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES (LDS)
The Lutheran Development Service is the diaconal arm of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ), a member of the Act Alliance and a former Associate Program of the Lutheran World Federation, Department of World Service. The LDS is registered as an NGO under the Private and Voluntary Organizations Act with the Ministry of Public Service, Labor, and Social Welfare (PVO:1/2003). The purpose of the LDS is to contribute towards alleviating vulnerability and suffering through rights-based relief, rehabilitation, development, and advocacy programmes as witness to the love of God. The purpose is pursued through the organization’s mission that promotes the empowerment of vulnerable and marginalized communities in Zimbabwe in a bid to have transformed, robust and resilient communities living a just, peaceful, and dignified life manifesting God’s love as per the LDS vision. The LDS has been implementing an integrated rural development project for over the past 20years. Currently the LDS holds memoranda of understanding with three districts of operations, Chiredzi (Masvingo Province) and Insiza and Gwanda in Matabeleland South. The LDS work falls under three broad pillars namely sustainable livelihoods, justice and peace and strengthening the Diakonia capacity of the ELCZ. The sustainable livelihoods pillar focuses on promoting household food security, stimulating income generation, skills and entrepreneurship development and climate change adaptation and mitigation. The justice and peace pillar focuses enabling communities to access and enjoy social and economic justice in all times even in the face of disasters. The interventions encapsulate transformation of power relations between men and women and boys and girls (gender justice), inclusivity and peaceful co-existence, access to Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) and disaster preparedness and response. The third pillar seeks to strengthen the ELCZ for effective engagement in community development through supporting parishes in areas where the LDS has no presence. |