Church & Community Mobilization

 
 

Overview
The organization Tearfund seeks to overcome poverty and transform lives by working in partnership with local churches. To facilitate this, one of the approaches they have developed is a process for mobilizing the wider community via the local church. Specifically, the aim of Church and Community Mobilization (CCM) is to assist church pastors and their congregations to work together with the community to bring about positive changes in the lives of those who are most vulnerable and the poorest in their communities. The approach is to build on individuals’ and communities’ own abilities and resources, enabling people to discover for themselves their potential to bring about change. GULL’s role is to recognize and certify the outcomes of CCM and to help to sustain the process by encouraging participants to cascade their learning to new participants. This is both a life- changing and lifelong journey that enables all community members to participate in active, holistic learning in the community. This case study profiles on-going CCM-GULL work in East and West Africa.

Header photo by: Abir Anwar

Mapping CCM outcomes criteria with GULL’s professional Bachelor pathway
CCM with GULL certification is implemented in three stages:

  1. Church Awakening: Building the confidence of the local church by helping the church to identify and utilize its own resources, so that it begins to realize that change is possible. When the CCM outcomes criteria (stage 1) have been met, participants are awarded GULL’s professional Bachelor level 2 Certificate.
  2. Church & Community Mobilization: Bringing the whole community together to discuss their situation, their needs and resources, to gather and analyze information, and to decide what they as a community can do. After attaining these CCM outcomes (stage 2), participants receive GULL’s professional Bachelor level 3 Diploma.
  3. Implementation with co-facilitators: Taking the dream, turning it into a plan and helping the community form structures that will help them take action. At this point, the community is fully engaged in a significant, on-going change process and after verifying the outcomes of stage 3, CCM participants are awarded GULL’s Bachelor of Professional Studies (Church & Community Mobilization).

Notes: As the initial group of participants (termed CCM facilitators) lead the process, they must train co-facilitators and others in their respective communities so that a wider group is equipped to facilitate each community’s own ‘cascade’ movement. These groups are also eligible to receive GULL certification as they in turn, demonstrate the attainment of CCM outcomes criteria.

 

 

1. Tanzania, East Africa, September 2010
The Africa Inland Church Tanzania (AICT) and Tearfund have been working together since 2001and in 2003; AICT began using the Church and Community Mobilization (CCM) process. It has greatly helped churches and the wider communities to envision and then implement a biblical mandate for holistic development.

Case example: Mwamadilanha, Diocese of Shinyanga
Mwamadilanha is located 27 km North West of Shinyanga. It has six sub villages and a population of 5,229 (1,901 men, 2,318 women and 1,010 children). The community is implementing its own ten year plan for sustainable development (socially, economically, physically and spiritually) drawing on both natural and external resources. A Community Development Committee facilitates, monitors and evaluates the development programme. Projects include:

  1. The construction of latrines and the community’s own primary schools;
  2. The repair and further development of the community’s water conservation resources (wells and dams) so as to ensure an adequate supply of safe and clean water;
  3. The establishing of income generating project teams;
  4. A road construction project;
  5. Food, water and community security projects;
  6. A transport and communications project (the community now has two motorcycles, one motor vehicle and a mobile telephone);
  7. An agricultural project team and new resources such as two power tillers and supplies of composite manure.
(Above) The community makes its own bricks and these will be used to build a store house for crops for community use. Crops that are surplus to requirement will be sold at local markets.

 

Inaugural CCM-GULL Graduation, Tanzania
The first GULL graduation event in Tanzania took place at the Africa Inland Church Tanzania (AICT), Makongoro, Mwanza on 27 September, 2010. The event was attended by 136 CCM facilitators from five regions of Tanzania: Geita; Kagera; MUD; Mwanza and Shinyanga who had completed one or more of the CCM-GULL stages. As participants had travelled for many hours to attend, it was a momentous occasion. The graduation event took place in a beautifully decorated church, with flowers, drapes, banners and decorative lighting. Guests included Canon Josia Mwebesa; Aman Chomola (choir); Bishop Peter Kitula who spoke on the Parable of the Talents and Bishop Daniel Nungwana.

Church and Community Mobilization Project (CCMP-GULL) graduation 27 Sep 10
Mapambano Jakobo CCM coordinator for Shinyanga and General Secretary, AICT Dioceses of Shinyanga explains the benefits of GULL recognition arising from the many years of work in Shinyanga region:
Reverend Emmanuel Isaya, CCMP coordinator for Tanzania explains how GULL is able to recognize and certify the sustained efforts of the CCM team of facilitators.

 

 

 

 

2. Sierra Leone, West Africa, October 2010

Francis Njoroge facilitates the inaugural CCM-GULL group in Freetown, Sierra Leone

The Republic of Sierra Leone, West Africa, is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic ocean to the west and southwest and has an estimated population of 6.5 million. The country is rich in mineral resources, possessing most of the known mineral types - many of which are found in significant quantities. Yet despite this, the vast majority of its people live in poverty. Between 1991 and 2001, it is estimated that about 50,000 people were killed in Sierra Leone's civil war. Hundreds of thousands of people were forced from their homes, and many became refugees in Guinea and Liberia. Although the country is now stable, there are numerous economic challenges including high unemployment. Sierra Leone is the third-lowest-ranked country in the UN’s Human Development Index and seventh-lowest on the Human Poverty Index. Adult literacy is estimated at 38.1 per cent and life expectancy is just 41 years. Two-thirds of the population engages in subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 52.5 per cent of national income.

Tearfund has been implementing CCM with its partners in Sierra Leone and Liberia since 2008. Each partner and one other organization nominated participants for the CCM programme managed by Francis Wahome, Tearfund’s Country Representative and facilitated by Francis Njoroge. Prior to graduating, the participants had to awaken and mobilize church and community organizations and train co-facilitators. It is a long, demanding process and the initial group has already played a significant role in facilitating change that is helping to transform many churches and their communities. In the following case videos drawn from the briefing sessions, Francis Njoroge speaks about aspects of church and community mobilization:

 

 

 

Inaugural CCM-GULL Graduation, Sierra Leone

The first GULL graduation event in Sierra Leone took place on 13 October 2010 at the Central Christians in Action Church, Freetown. The event was attended by 13 CCM facilitators from Liberia and Sierra Leone – each of whom had completed the entire CCM training process and were therefore eligible to receive GULL’s Bachelor of Professional Studies (Church & Community Mobilization) degree. The event was also attended by family, friends, partner organizations, church leaders, Sierra Leone Broadcasting Services (national television & radio) and the press.

The graduation guests and speakers included: Bishop Jonathan Achibald Cole, New Life Ministries; Siaka Charles, Director, Christian Development Association of Sierra Leone; Martin Jennings, Head of Region, West Africa, Tearfund; Reverend Solomon Kampbell, General Secretary, Baptist Convention of Sierra Leone; Donald Manley, National Director, Scripture Union of Sierra Leone and Reverend Titus Williams, General Secretary, Evangelical Fellowship of Sierra Leone. (Pictured right) The inaugural CCM-GULL graduates who performed a song that that they had written for the occasion. The case videos also include the address given by Francis Wahome, Tearfund Country Representative, Sierra Leone.

 

 

Case example: Godrich Baptist Church, Freetown

Goderich is one of many churches that has been mobilized by the inaugural CCM group. It now has its own co-facilitators and key resource persons so that the key principles of CCM – creating an environment where people discover for themselves how to make improvements – can flourish. Prior to CCM the church had its own small school, with just 23 pupils but in the past two years it has expanded to more than 300 pupils. Goderich uses the Government’s curriculum and despite the cramped conditions in its packed classrooms, the school has a perfect record (100%) of pupils who have passed the examinations required for entry to secondary school. Now Goderich would like to start its own secondary school too so that the community’s children do not have to commute long distances to central Freetown.

Goderich is serving the whole community as the children of Muslim families attend the school and church services too. Prayers are said for the sick every morning at the church and many attend – Christians, Muslims and those with other faiths. Among other initiatives, the church operates a micro finance scheme for women (now with more than 40 beneficiaries) to start small business enterprises. These initiatives are managed by the CCM co-facilitators and church and community key resource persons who were trained by members of the inaugural CCM group. In these and other ways, Goderich is improving life for its community – hence its nickname – ‘The solution centre’.

 

 

 

 

3. Celebrating community-based learning, Nairobi, Kenya, June 2011

A Maasai group opens the award ceremony celebration on 25 June 2011 in Nairobi, Kenya with more than 370 GULL participants.

GULL’s work in Kenya started in September, 2009 with a small pilot representing the leadership teams of the participating agencies (Compassion Kenya, Free Pentecostal Fellowship in Kenya, Tearfund and World Vision Kenya). Significant growth and advances are now occurring. On Saturday 25 June, more than 370 GULL participants received professional Bachelor, Master or Doctor level awards – some were starting the journey at level 1, others concluding at level 5 (e.g. Bachelor of Professional Studies). The senior leadership group from the participating agencies attained Advanced Diplomas and they are scheduled to complete their respective Master or Doctor of Professional Studies awards in December 2011. The award ceremony featured joyful Maasai singing and dancing and a large number of community volunteers from different parts of the country.

The award ceremony opened with an exposition by Jonas Ngelango, Tearfund Sudan Country Representative. Francis Njoroge, Church and community mobilization pioneer, speaking at celebration on 25 June 2011 (Below right).

 

 

 

Dr Francis W Njoroge is regarded by his peers as the foremost pioneer of church and community mobilization in the continent of Africa and it was a privilege to recognize his work at the event as a GULL Ambassador for Africa. Francis has for many years, developed an action learning process that empowers people to transform their own situation holistically, using their God-given resources. In recent years he has trained facilitators in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Congo, South Sudan, North Sudan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Chad. There are remarkable outcomes in all these places as the local church awakens to fully serve its community.

 

 

 
Dr Sarone Ole Sena, Regional President, GULL East Africa explains The process of community-based action learning and the role of GULL:
Dr Francis W Njoroge speaks about the importance of recognizing community-based action learning:
Closing remarks: Girma Begashaw, National Director, World Vision Kenya and Newton Midamba, Compassion International Kenya:

 

 

 

 

4. Lifelong Action Learning for Community Engagement

 

How does GULL help to professionalize the process of church and community mobilization?

This video was recorded in Kajo Keji, South Sudan in January, 2012.
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How does GULL help to recognize the efforts of those who are leading transformation?

This video was recorded in South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya in January, 2012.

 

 

 

 

How does the church and community mobilization process (CCMP) with GULL help the church, the community and others to address poverty?

This video was recorded in South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya in January, 2012.
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How is the church and community mobilization process (CCMP) with GULL helping to sustain and widen the impact of self-directed development?

This video was recorded in South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya in January, 2012.

 

 

 

During the period 2009 – 2015, the Church and Community Mobilization Process with the Global University for Lifelong Learning has been used to recognize the outcomes of community transformation in Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Chad and Burkina Faso.

CCMP with GULL example applications (PDF)

 

 

How can my organization get involved?
Thank you for reading this case study. Do please think about what you can offer and how you might inspire others in your organization to get involved. Together, we can bring hope and opportunity to the many people around the world who do not have access to lifelong learning. GULL works with organizations that share our vision for universal access to learning in the workplace and in the community. If you would like to affiliate with GULL's network movement, please review the 'Affiliation' section at the GULL website - www.gullonline.org. There are no membership fees or other barriers to participation - we'd like to work with you to harness all the skills and abilities that your organization can offer in order to help others to learn, grow and develop. Please note though that GULL does not have the resources to support individual learners and it is for this reason we can only correspond with organizations via their nominated representative(s).

 

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