NAMIREMBE – The Archbishop of Church of Uganda, The Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, has hailed Kerk in Actie for its role in transforming communities in Uganda and called for continued collaboration and support to expand the impact of their joint efforts.
Archbishop Kaziimba made the remarks this morning in a breakfast meeting at Church of Uganda’s Provincial Secretariat in Namirembe with Hilda Timmerman and Hette Domburg, Program Officers for Africa at Kerk in Actie (Church in Action), a Christian organization established to offer hope to people in the Netherlands and worldwide, helping them to realize their potential.
“Your involvement has not only strengthened Church of Uganda’s relevance to the communities but also made a meaningful impact on the lives of many individuals and households. Our partnership is of great value, and your commitment to support the Church of Uganda in both good and challenging times demonstrates the love of Christ that dwells in your hearts,” Archbishop Kaziimba said.
In his devotion, referring to Acts 4:32, Archbishop Kaziimba challenged Provincial Secretariat staff and partners to emulate the early Church both in character and deed. “The early Church was characterized by sharing what they had; they were believers of one heart, united together. Let’s be united for growth and service. We need to grow together as a Church by working together and sharing the little we have, as the early Church,” he said.
He added, “As we look forward to continuing this partnership, we need to think of sustainability and also incorporate other important sectors like agribusiness, capacity building, water hygiene and sanitation, youth skilling, gender, and social justice aspects.”
Archbishop Kaziimba requested Kerk in Actie to consider extending their support to more dioceses beyond Kitgum and Soroti to address the enormous needs at hand. “Our impact can only widen with your continued partnership and additional investment. Therefore, we would greatly appreciate your consideration of increased funding or resource allocation to us in other programmatic areas to foster greater change in our society.” Archbishop Kaziimba said.
The Director of Household and Community Transformation, Rev. Andrew Agaba, commended Kerk in Actie for their continued partnership. “The support from Kerk in Actie has been pivotal in driving sustainable development initiatives within our dioceses. Their focus on disaster risk resilience, climate change action, and community development has brought about substantial improvements in the lives of many Ugandans,” Rev. Agaba said.
Hilda Timmerman and Hette Domburg have been in Uganda for the last two weeks monitoring a number of projects, including Church of Uganda’s Strengthening Community Resilience through Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) project, which they fully fund. The project is being implemented in the District of Lamwo in the Diocese of Kitgum, covering two sub-counties: Palabek Ogili and Palabek Nyimur. The project, in its second year of the second cycle of implementation since its inception in October 2018, is expected to run for a total of 36 months.
Hilda Timmerman and Hette Domburg shared their experiences from the field, noting the positive transformations they observed in the communities. “We have seen remarkable progress in the village savings and loans associations. These initiatives have empowered many individuals economically, fostering a culture of savings and financial independence,” said Hilda Timmerman.
Hette Domburg highlighted the community efforts in environmental conservation. “The dedication of the local communities to conserving their environment is truly inspiring. Their efforts in tree planting and sustainable farming practices are making a tangible difference in combating climate change,” Domburg noted.
Mr Balaam Muheebwa, the Acting Provincial Secretary of Church of Uganda and Provincial Secretariat Staff attended the breakfast meeting.
