How can churches be better prepared to support their communities when disaster strikes? For the Anglican Church of Congo, that question was at the heart of a recent Partners in Resilience and Response (PiRR) accompaniment visit to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
From 14th-18th September, representatives from the Anglican Church of Congo, the Anglican Alliance, Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD), the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA) and Tearfund DRC came together to strengthen the church’s capacity to prepare for and respond to disasters. The visit followed a request from the Church of Congo’s provincial leadership for support in strengthening organisational systems and enhancing its ability to coordinate ministries and respond effectively in times of crisis.
The accompaniment brought together provincial staff, PiRR accompaniers and Tearfund staff, drawing on expertise in governance, finance, programme management, organisational development and disaster resilience.
During the week, the team conducted an institutional capacity assessment to identify existing strengths and areas for further development. Discussions focused on governance, financial management, human resources, programme management and operational systems. Alongside the assessment, participants shared experiences, practical resources and lessons learned from their own contexts.
The visit also provided an opportunity for church leaders and partners to reflect on priorities for the future and consider how ongoing accompaniment can support the Church of Congo’s vision for effective ministry and disaster resilience. Conversations took place in French, English and Kiswahili, reflecting both the diversity of those involved and the collaborative nature of the process.
As a result of the discussions, partners explored practical ways to support the next phase of accompaniment through training, coaching, mentoring, technical support and resource sharing. The visit also facilitated valuable peer learning, with church leaders and accompaniers exchanging knowledge and experience across a range of operational areas.
Nicholas Pande, Anglican Alliance Lead for Disaster Response and Resilience, said:
“This visit demonstrated the value of accompaniment and partnership. By bringing together different experiences and areas of expertise, we were able to identify practical ways to strengthen the Church of Congo’s capacity and support its vision for serving communities before, during and after times of crisis.”
The findings from the assessment will help shape the next stage of the accompaniment process, with further support aimed at strengthening organisational systems and enhancing the church’s ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies.
During the ongoing Ebola outbreak in DRC, the Anglican Church of the Congo have been carrying out a response including awareness raising on hygiene practices, transmission and prevention and training for religious and community leaders. The Anglican Alliance have continued to support the church as they respond and the accompaniment visit will strengthen existing procedures used as part of the response.
As disasters and humanitarian challenges continue to affect communities across the region, locally led preparedness and response have never been more important. Through the PiRR initiative, the Anglican Church of Congo and its partners are investing in the relationships, skills and systems that enable churches to respond effectively and strengthen community resilience. Please join us in praying for the Anglican Church of Congo and its partners as we continue to walk alongside one another in this shared journey of learning and accompaniment.
The visit forms part of the Partners in Resilience and Response (PiRR) initiative, a partnership between the Anglican Alliance and Episcopal Relief & Development. Through accompaniment, peer learning and capacity strengthening, PiRR supports Anglican churches around the world to build resilience and develop effective, locally led approaches to disaster preparedness, response and recovery. You can read more about the initiative here: Partners in Resilience and Response – Anglican Alliance
