Three Years in Review in Uganda

by Paul & Joy Vliem (Uganda)

A wonderful welcome at the Adult Literacy group in Adyeda, Uganda

Whether working in education, business, or community development, one of the most important pieces of programming is monitoring and evaluation--assessing the quality, the effectiveness, and efficiency of work that is being done in the community. In March we had the blessing of taking part in the three year evaluation of the partnership between the Diocese of Lango and CRWRC. Through this evaluation we took a deep look at the planning, implementation and monitoring of the programs funded by CRWRC in the Diocese of Lango. We also reflected on how CRWRC can better support the Diocese of Lango as they implement programs in their community.

We spent three days meeting with administration and talking with community groups in surrounding villages, discussing the strengths and the weaknesses of our work over the past 3 years in the hope of charting a better way forward. Three days of this kind of work may seem tedious, but it was necessary and incredibly helpful in assessing the way in which we are working together as stewards of our time, our money, and our abilities. This type of evaluation is not a test, but an instrument through which we can sharpen ourselves as more effective instruments in the Redeemer’s hands.

CRWRC and Diocese staff sit to discuss evaluation summary

We continue to press forward in our work as God’s instruments, and through our time of evaluation and reflection we hope to move forward in unison with our partners as we serve the community in Northern Uganda together.

This post is taken from the blog of Paul and Joy Vliem, serving with CRWRC in Uganda. To read more, follow their stories at living sacrifices.

Embrace AIDS ~ Dominican Style

by Joel Zwier (Dominican Republic)
Community transformation takes many sizes and shapes here in the Dominican Republic and around the world. One of these shapes is community level HIV and AIDS prevention. About two percent of the population of the country is HIV positive or has AIDS. 80% of those with HIV and AIDS are between 15 and 24 years old, clearly an at-risk population.

While government programs have had some impact in urban areas, most rural towns and villages have had little exposure to AIDS prevention education. This is especially true for communities where Haitian immigrants are the predominant population. Government services to this population group are few or nonexistent in most cases.

CRWRC partner Desarollo Comunitario Inc. (Community Development Inc., or DesCo) is implementing a three year program that will reach fifteen communities where Haitians live and work. It wants to create a groundswell movement in participating communities for sexual abstinence until marriage. Increased knowledge about HIV and AIDS, and consciousness-raising among youngpeople, parents and church/community leaders, will help create an environment that will allow teens and young adults to make a commitment to abstinence.