International Development

The Archbishop has a small but dedicated team at Lambeth Palace, working as 'Anglicans in Development' (AiD). On his behalf they build relationships with Christian and secular organisations in the development world, and pursue strategies for community based development and peace building. The department places a priority on collaborating with other organisations in the field to do joint visits, training and programme development. In particular it seeks to help governments, UN agencies and international NGOs understand how they can work more effectively with Anglicans and faith based organisations on development issues.

Most of the current focus is on educational provision in the Great Lakes regions of Africa, Southern Africa and Sudan. They see the classroom not just as a building, but also as a community-based platform for advocacy, peace building, health and nutrition programmes. Church schools are already connected with an extensive network of community leaders and families as well as children and their teachers. In collaboration with CMS Ireland and the Government of Ireland, the current projects in Burundi aim to reconstruct and expand schools; improve teacher training; and address nutrition and hygeine needs of children.

Key features of the team's work include:

Working with Governments

The excellent relationships with governments established by overseas visits grow deeper through concrete action and reciprocal visits.

Archbishop with First Vice-President of Burundi, Dr Martin Nduwimana

Mapping and Research

Assessing needs and resources to meet those needs is essential for coordination and for enabling the Church to participate knowledgeably in the devlopment of policy. There were over 400 participants from around the world at this conference in South Africa, representing most provinces in the Anglican Communion.
Such a large and diverse group coming together was a wonderful testament to the rich human resources we have in our church which, when coordinated, has significant capacity to effect change.

Working at Grassroots Level

Burundi Schools

The AiD team travels regularly to Bujumbura in Burundi to help the Provincial Office and their diocesan development workers formulate plans for school reconstructions. They work with DFID and UNICEF, as well as the Educational Ministry, to collect data on the current situation in the dioceses following the announcements of universal free education and the government calls for help from churches.

AiD is committed to seeing development happen at a grassroots level. For example, the meeting between development staff and partners from the Episcopal Church of Sudan involved group work and debate to look at strategies for addressing community and church development in post conflict Sudan. A collaborative approach and wide consultation early on ensured that the project addressed the community's real needs and untilised their involvement and support for the duration of the project.

The government of Burundi recognises the Church as a partner that has been running many schools, with little or no resources. Whilst the challenge to rehabilitate broken buildings for schooling and to provide scholastic and teaching materials is significant, the church continues to reach out to all groups in local communities, regardless of ethnic or religious identity. Each church school is more than just a place for academic learning. Through the holistic work of the church, it becomes a forum to mobilise and foster awareness amongst children and families, especially on important issues such as HIV and AIDS, peace building and climate change. Mobilising school children to plant trees is a simple strategy the church is using to demonstrate the importance of the environment as part of God's creation.

Recent articles about the Archbishop's development work can be viewed through the links below.