LWF supports communities north of Kyiv (LWI) - In Ukraine, humanitarian aid these days is also a race against time: Winter approaches, and many people don’t have inhabitable homes. Meanwhile, Russian attacks continue to destroy key infrastructure, such as power and water. The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) response in Ukraine is now operational and aims to serve 50,000 people in the areas of education; shelter; social cohesion; mental health and psychosocial support; and getting prepared for the cold winter months. In Chernihiv oblast, where LWF works now, families are still feeling the impac ..read more

Christian leaders call for practical measures to transform current “harmful and unsustainable” economic systems  (LWI) - The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has joined with leaders of other ecumenical Christian organizations in appealing to the G20 nations to “transform unsustainable and deadly systems” into “an economy of life for the benefit of planet earth and all humankind.”  The appeal comes in a letter to G20 leaders who are gathering for a summit meeting in Bali, Indonesia from 15 to 16 November. It is signed by the LWF, the World Council of Churches, the World Communion of Re ..read more

Addressing challenges to the churches’ call to serve, share and stand for justice  LWF’s member churches are united in the calling to proclaim the gospel and serve the neighbor through diaconal acts and advocacy.   The workshop of church social service work (diakonia) practitioners in  Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) will address some of the contemporary challenges for Lutheran churches in the region.  Participants will explore how the churches’ work gives witness to the biblical concepts of justice and human dignity amid growing inequality and diversity.  It is ..read more

LWF supports Oromia communities with drought-resistant grain (LWI) - Drought-resistant seeds are one way to support communities affected by climate change. The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has given improved teff seed to farmers in Bale Zone, Oromia – one of the Ethiopian regions most suffering from drought. In Ahmed Abdule's life, climate change is already very visible. The 42-year-old farmer had learned to time sowing and harvest according to the annual rains that could reliably be expected in spring and fall. But for years the rains have come late, with much less water than expected. In ..read more

Empowering lay and ordained for climate justice work in communities (LWI) – Since 2021, The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has offered an online course to train people in advocacy for climate justice. The Certificate for Climate Justice and Faith brings together cohorts of learners from around the globe, to equip one another for faith-based climate action in their local contexts. Now the course will be offered in Spanish for the first time. "The course strengthens people for leadership and advocacy for climate justice in their churches,” says Elena Cedillo, LWF’s Program Executive for Climate ..read more

LWF delegates from the Africa region at African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (LWI) - For the first time, a delegation from the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) participated in the sessions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR). The team, consisting of delegates from The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania and the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria and the LWF World Service country programs in Kenya-Somalia and Angola participated in forums and sessions, to highlight human rights challenges faced by communities they serve in the African continent. The NGO ..read more

LWF’s Rapid Response Fund continues to bring food relief and new income sources (LWI) – On her feet for 11 hours, from 4.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m., six days a week, Monday to Saturday, for a weekly wage of 500 Honduran Lempira (EUR 20) in a small tortilla factory in Comayagüela town, near the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa. This job brought María de los Ángeles Zavala barely enough income for her family’s basic needs and left her little time for her two daughters, eight and 12 years old. Even with her partner’s contribution from occasional work as a car painter, “It was difficult, and I was always ve ..read more

Food and hygiene items distributed in Krakow and other cities (LWI) - To support Ukrainian refugees in Poland, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and its partners have started to distribute food, hygiene products and baby care products to Ukrainian refugees in Krakow and other cities in Poland this week. The refugees will receive food like canned pasta, marmalade, cereals, coffee and chocolate, hygiene and baby care products such as shampoo, toothpaste, diapers, formula and female hygiene supplies, as well as cleaning detergent and toilet paper. The aid is meant for about 8,000 people. It wil ..read more

Informal Talanoa gathering at the start climate summit (LWI) – “Our commitment fundamentally is based on our faith,” said Romario Dohmann from the Evangelical Church of the River Plate. “As stewards of creation, we are not its owners but its caretakers.” Dohmann represented The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) on the panel contributing to the Talanoa interfaith gathering on the eve of COP27. Talanoa dialogues are Fijian indigenous peoples' way of solving community problems. It was introduced as a methodology for working together on challenging issues when Fiji held the presidency of COP23. A Ta ..read more

LWF partners with Faith to Action Network to showcase work of young activists at Geneva Peace Week (LWI) - ‘Peace is Possible’ is the theme for the 2022 Geneva Peace Week, which took place from 31 October to 4 November with the goal of bringing together diplomats, policymakers, researchers and grassroots peace activists to share valuable insights and experiences. For this year’s event, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) partnered with the Nairobi-based Faith to Action Network to produce two video interviews showcasing the work of young peacemakers who are building bridges across different fai ..read more