The LWF Department for World Service works through strategic partnerships and networks that are guided by internationally recognized codes, principles, and guidelines in humanitarian assistance and international development.
Joint Efforts for Those in Need
Our Implementing Partners
The LWF Department for World Service works through strategic partnerships and networks that are guided by internationally recognized codes, principles, and guidelines in humanitarian assistance and international development.
We are a founding member of the ACT Alliance – one of over 130 church-related organizations responding together to human need and addressing injustice. We often take the lead when ACT members respond to a crisis on the ground or advocate for human rights and sustainable change. The alliance provides the ecumenical movement with structures to mobilize rapidly in response to disasters – and to improve collaboration on development and advocacy issues. The LWF is often a leading ACT member on the ground in emergency and humanitarian response, and helps provide leadership through the ACT governance. ACT Alliance
The United Nations High Commissariat for Refugees (UNHCR) works to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. The LWF has a long-standing history and partnership with UNHCR. Currently, we are their fifth largest partner globally, supporting 1.4 million refugees in 2012. Our work with UNHCR includes refugee camp management, shelter, food distribution, water and sanitation, education, and community services – including support to host communities. We also engage in efforts to build peace, security, and protection for vulnerable groups. In addition, we advocate for pro-refugee policies at the national and international level. In 2012, new refugee operations were started in Jordan, Mauritania, South Sudan and Uganda. We partner in on-going and expanding operations in Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Nepal.
Lutheran World Relief (LWR) is a ministry of U.S. Lutherans, serving communities living in poverty overseas.
The Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (BPRM) of the United States Department of State provides aid and sustainable solutions for refugees, victims of conflict, and stateless people around the world. The LWF has been implementing BPRM-funded projects with refugees for the past 15 years, primarily through US-based Lutheran World Relief. Through this partnership, we have supported refugees in Kenya, Djibouti, Mauritania, and Nepal, and returnees in South Sudan. As part of our funding diversification strategy, LWF World Service is now registered with the US Department of State and able to pursue direct applications to BPRM in the future.
LWR | Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, US Department of State
The European Commission's Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO), formerly the European Community Humanitarian Office, is one of the world’s largest providers of funds for humanitarian aid operations. The LWF has been implementing ECHO-funded projects for the past 20 years in a range of sectors including water and sanitation, food aid, and shelter. Program countries have included Cambodia, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and India. In February 2013, the LWF regained its Framework Partnership Agreement (FPA) status with ECHO, which will enable us to pursue direct funding applications with ECHO in the future.
The EU Children of Peace initiative is a lasting legacy of the Nobel Peace Prize that the EU received in 2012 for its achievements in peace on the European continent. EU Children of Peace is supporting a severely neglected sector: education in emergencies. The initiative funds humanitarian projects for children in conflict regions, providing them with access to schools where they can learn in a safe environment, as well as with psychological support to heal their traumatic war experiences.
The Church of Sweden (CoS) is engaged in international mission and diaconia. Along with various partners, it works long-term on economic justice, peace, democracy and human rights, HIV and AIDS, disaster relief, climate and the environment, the church worldwide and Rural development. It participates in emergency relief work and pursues the work of shaping and influencing public opinion. We partner with the Church of Sweden in Central America, South Sudan,
The Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) is the overseas aid and resettlement agency of the Lutheran Church of Australia. It operates under a constitution approved by the General Synod of the LCA, and is consistent with the objects of the LCA Constitution. ALWS contributes to the collaborative strengths and experiences of the international network of LWF and Field Programs. We partner with ALWS in Burundi, South Sudan, Mozambique, Kenya, Nepal and Cambodia.
DanChurchAid (DCA) is rooted in the Danish National Evangelical Lutheran Church. It is an independent organisation, financed via fundraising campaigns, contributions from individuals, companies and funds from the Danish government (Danida), the UN, EU and other bilateral donors. DanChurchAid’s work focuses on Africa and Asia. In addition, they have programmes in the Middle East, Latin America and Central Asia and regional offices in Africa, Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. As a member of the global network ACT Alliance it focuses on development, relief aid and advocacy in more than 120 countries. We partner with DanChurchAid in Haiti, Sudan and Cambodia via shared offices and programme development as well as closer coordination. The organisation has a long-term framework agreement with Danida.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), an LWF member church, is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with about 4 million members in nearly 10,000 congregations across the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The ELCA is also active in humanitarian work. Together with the ELCA Malaria campaign we are implementing Malaria awareness and prevention in Jonglei state.
The German National Committee (GNC) represents the 11 German LWF member churches in Germany with 12.1 million members. It supports about 100 Programs of the LWF Departments for World Service and Mission and Development. The GNC is co-implementing the educational assistance of the Children of Peace initiative in Ajoung Thok, Yida and Maban refugee camps.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is one of the key UN agencies that partner with the LWF to support vulnerable communities and children. Currently, we are implementing UN agency programs including food security, food for work, and water and sanitation projects in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, and Nepal.