I appreciate that the tagline for Covenant World Relief is “Partners in Transformation,” because in my time volunteering here I have become more and more attuned to what that means. Before spending time here I had this underlying assumption that all relief work and organizations were basically equal, but I have come to see the absolute importance of partnership that comes before the relief can even begin. Healthy transformation does not occur without healthy partnership. There is a sense of balance in the partnerships that CWR engages in, a balance that truly uplifts and empowers communities and individuals. Each project is designed by those who know the communities best, and therefore can best speak to the needs of the people. I enjoy hearing about the uniqueness of each area where CWR is at work.
For example, one of the first projects that I learned about was a micro-finance project in Oaxaca, Mexico with the local ministry organization, Fuentes Libres. This project empowers women to gain financial independence and stability through providing them with affordable loans. The women participate in training and in community groups to that give them the tools they need to be successful in their endeavors. This project is sustainable so it helps more than just a handful of women-it can continue to help more and more groups of women. When one core group of women becomes empowered in these ways, they can go on to transform their entire community. The project can then expand to reach more communities.
–By Victoria Gilmore, volunteer with CWR
