Humanitarian and Development work
LWF World Service is the humanitarian and development arm of the LWF
From LWF’s beginning in 1947, its member churches have mandated World Service as their key actor in international diakonia (service to others) to assist all those in need without discrimination of any kind. Today, World Service is a widely recognized, international, faith-based organization present in 24 countries, serving 3.47 million people in need.
We are particularly known for our timely, compassionate, and professional humanitarian work, and for our field presence in hard-to-reach areas. Our work is people centered and community-based. Above all, we work with the most vulnerable, and in order to claim and uphold their rights, we engage proactively with local government and community structures.
A defining feature of World Service is its local rootedness and global connectivity, linking local community voices with international dialogue, advocacy, and peace work.
A young boy drinks from a well installed by the LWF in the Viengphoukha District, Laos. Photo: LWF/Thomas Lohnes.
Our emphasis on linking relief with recovery and development enables a flexible approach to meeting human needs and upholding human rights in multiple, demanding environments, as requested. Our emphasis on linking relief with recovery and development enables a flexible approach to meeting human needs and upholding human rights in multiple demanding environments, as requested by the member churches of LWF. We are committed to longer term solutions, consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), that address root causes of poverty so that all can enjoy their rights and a life with dignity.
World Service actively engages with churches, related organizations, interfaith partners, and secular actors, including the United Nations (UN). As part of LWF, we have relationships with our member churches and their development and humanitarian organizations. We are the largest implementing member of the Action by Churches Together (ACT) Alliance, an international network of Protestant and Orthodox churches and organizations engaged in development, humanitarian response, and advocacy.
Working together with others enables us to prepare for and respond to emerging challenges in a variety of fragile contexts all over the world.
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