OUR HISTORY IN EMERGENCIES
In the 60 years since its creation LWR has evolved from a relief agency shipping material resources to Europe to an organization that provides development and emergency assistance throughout the world. As our understanding of poverty, injustice and emergencies has deepened, we have changed our approach to these issues, moving from short-term reactions to disaster to longer-term solutions and partnership building.
In our experience, much of conventional relief work still does not address the complexities, causes and long-term implications of emergencies. Too often disasters and complex emergencies are treated as isolated events rather than a negative culmination of events for impoverished communities. The immediate goal of saving lives in the aftermath of a tragedy often overshadows the need to address the conditions that caused the community’s vulnerability to the disaster.
In contrast, LWR’s approach to emergency response seeks to bolster impoverished communities’ assets and to increase their access to resources – even in the context of immediate response. LWR works with and supports local organizations to respond to disasters in their communities, leveraging the capacity of local people as disasters responders. We incorporate development concepts such as participation and empowerment into the work – both of which increase the effectiveness of the efforts.
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Our Expertise: Comprehensive Supports, Long-term Commitment, and Deep Roots in Focus Countries
LWR’s approach to emergencies and vulnerability reduction illustrates our role as a catalyst that accompanies and strengthens the capacities of our partners. LWR responds to emergencies through multiple avenues on the basis of situational need, its location in relation to our focus countries, and the activities of peer organizations on the ground. LWR works through existing structures where and whenever possible to ensure that the resources provided are used to maximum effect in addressing the crisis, and used in a sustainable manner.
We know that one organization – particularly a relatively small organization like LWR – cannot meet all the needs that exist. So we recognize that we must prioritize and focus in order to have the most lasting impact. Given the enormity of the need and LWR’s limited resources, we have chosen to focus on particular regions and countries where we have the greatest experience and greatest expertise. This strategy assumes that rather than breadth, LWR will have greater impact through depth – working with a limited number of needs, in fewer countries and in specific areas. Depth also enhances opportunities for learning and sharing those lessons, which in turn further enhances our impact.
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Our Tools
LWR uses four sets of tools to respond to emergencies:
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Cash and material resources: LWR provides funding and material resources for both the immediate response and rehabilitation phases of an emergency. In addition, we use these resources to strengthen the ability of partners to carry out their work in affected communities over the long-term. Over the years, we have found that judicious use of material resources builds the credibility of our partners and increases individual participation in, and acceptance of, our programs – yielding better results as more of the community takes ownership of the effort.
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Capacity strengthening of partners: LWR works with partners to develop their capacity so they are better prepared to take a leading or active role in emergency response. We provide training for partners working in disaster prone areas to broaden skills on a variety of related topics. LWR also supports strengthening partners’ capacity to advocate — at various community and governmental levels — for the changes needed to prevent or mitigate the impact of future emergencies.
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Rehabilitation and rebuilding planning and investment: As partners move out of the immediate response phase of the emergency, LWR works together with them to do continuing and future needs assessments, and to develop and implement strategies for reconstruction, rehabilitation and risk management.
- Constituent education, engagement, and mobilization: LWR works with partners to provide credible information regarding emergency situations to educate its constituency and targeted segments of the US public to encourage them to provide financial support for humanitarian response. When appropriate, LWR advocates — and mobilizes our constituents to advocate — for changing US policies that impact emergency situations and humanitarian assistance.
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The LWR Commitment
LWR’s lasting commitment to particular regions and countries, deep partnerships, longtime experience and quality programming mean that funds go further, last longer, and help more people because of the way in which we utilize them. We respond to emergencies, but long after the emergency ceases to make the headlines, the resources entrusted to us and implemented through our trusted partners will still be hard at work – doing double duty to allow people who we have helped make it through this disaster continue to make improvements that will make them less vulnerable to the next one.
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Focus Countries
LWR is committed to responding to natural and human-caused disasters throughout the world. However, our deepest relationships, and therefore greatest ability to respond effectively to emergencies, exist in our target countries.
Asia and the Middle East
In Asia and the Middle East, LWR has been helping its partners respond to the relief needs of victims of human and natural disasters for 50 years.
- The Asia Tsunami: Faced with an unprecedented natural disaster, LWR was on the ground in response within 15 hours and began immediately to work with local partners providing immediate cash, material resources and technical assistance. As part of a ten-year multi-million dollar response, LWR is now building on our long-term presence in India, and we have established programs in Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
- India: In addition to the tsunami response, in recent years LWR has provided critical assistance to those affected by cyclones, floods and super storms. LWR now works with our partners to reduce the vulnerability of marginalized communities affected by emergencies and living in crisis zones.
- West Bank & Gaza and Jordan: LWR works through Church and local organizations to support job training, community development and peace-building efforts for Palestinian refugees.
- Philippines: Most of LWR’s programming in the Philippines focuses on humanitarian support and peace-building efforts in Mindanao. Recently, we have supported the National Council of Churches of the Philippines in its response to devastating typhoons.
- Nepal: LWR is currently in the process of deepening our relationships with partners here in order to more effectively respond to disasters in the future.
Latin America
LWR's Latin America program currently works on alleviating poverty and promoting justice in six countries in Central and South America.
- Colombia: In response to what the UN has called the worst humanitarian crisis in the Western Hemisphere, LWR works in Colombia through our partners to address the needs of internally displaced persons, and to help empower IDPs as community peace-builders and advocates.
- Peru & Bolivia: LWR works with small farmers and indigenous communities in poor rural areas. Recently, LWR was able to respond quickly and effectively to the severe weather that devastated crops and livestock.
- Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador: LWR’s experience in Central America in the wake of Hurricane Mitch demonstrated our ability to respond quickly to immediate needs, while making a lasting investment not only in the region’s recovery, but also in its long-term development in rural communities.
Africa
LWR has an organization-wide commitment to the continent as a whole. However, our target countries lie primarily in East and West Africa.
- Sudan: With nearly $5 million in programming for Sudan, it is our single largest investment in one country. This work includes relief and rehabilitation efforts for Sudanese refugees in Southern Sudan and neighboring countries, emergency response work in Darfur, and livelihoods reconstruction and peace-building efforts in the South and with women’s groups in camps in Kenya.
- Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda: LWR has done considerable emergency response work in East Africa, working with our partners to support refugee populations, address food shortages, and support peace-building efforts.
- Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger: Most of LWRs programming in West Africa focuses on rural communities that are vulnerable to challenges of man-made and natural disasters, particularly on drought intervention, and on people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.
- Liberia: Working with longtime partners, LWR is helping to rebuild a critical regional hospital after the total devastation of the war. We also work with projects focused on agricultural renewal and support for the internally displaced.
- Angola: LWR also works in Angola with our partner to support clinic reconstruction, the re-establishment of basic health services and improved access to clean water, and to raise awareness on issues related to HIV/AIDS.
LWR recognizes that major emergencies also occur outside of our focus countries. In these cases, LWR contributes financial, material and/or personnel support through participation in Action by Churches Together (ACT).
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