1   Preface

The past ten years have been very important in the history of Ethiopian Catholic Church. It was the time when both ECS and Diocesan offices have undergone a dynamic organizational development. There is substantial improvement both in the quality of program planning and implementation. The strategic planning processes both at ECS and diocesan levels have greatly contributed to strengthen our capacity, undertake effective social and pastoral work, strengthen partnership with our donor-partners and consolidated our unity locally. Good experiences have been gained in attaining attitudinal changes from individualistic move to a coordinated and unified approach to the social and development work.

The purpose of the bulletin is to (re)inform our partners, local and international, on the current realities in ECC/ECS strategies and actions in the mission of service.

ECS have undergone two cycles of strategic planning and restructuring since 1999. The first cycle (2001-2005) strategic plan focused on

·         Enhancing the capacity of ECS for effective coordination of the socio-pastoral and development work of the (DCSs)

·         Strengthening DCSs working relations and Cooperation

·         Strengthening partnership with international and local partners

The second phase (2007-2011) strategic plan focuses on:

·         Supporting strategic planning processes of the Diocesan Catholic Secretariats

·         Support to Diocesan Catholic Secretariats on organizational systems development

·         Concrete and Effective technical support to Diocesan Catholic Secretariats

·         Integration of the social and pastoral programs of the Catholic Church

The bulletin contains:

·         The achievements and impacts of ECS activities over the last ten years (2000-2009)

·         The direction and priority focal areas of intervention in the near future

In the bulletin, all ECS programs are explained in terms of their programs, achievements, challenges, lessons, and strategies and foreseen plan of action.

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2   Introduction

The Ethiopian Catholic Church (ECC) is the presence of the Universal Church in Ethiopia, and acts through Evangelization and the promotion of integral human development. Ethiopian Catholic Church (ECC) responds to ever increasing need-based demands coming from the Ethiopian People in the fields of social, pastoral and development. The Church is directly involved in integrated human development through its pastoral and development programs. 

Today Catholic Church is the leading Church in Social and Development activities in Ethiopia. The Church has been with the people during all the times, sharing the difficulties and caring and providing support to the needy.

The Church has a wide network of Parishes and Dioceses often extending into areas where few other organizations exist. As a result of its pastoral role, it has secured the trust and confidence of the people, especially the poor. The Church institutions operate at a community and national levels to provide health, education and community development programs with special attention to the poorest and most vulnerable groups.

In general, the Church is guided by the principles of local collaboration and international cooperation. Ethiopian Catholic Church, net-works with different NGOs and Civil Society Organizations. The Church is working towards strengthening partnership with faith-based organizations.

The mission of the church is evangelization that aims at transformation of human society; internal and social transformation in the light of the Kingdom announced by Christ.  The Church perceives that the social and development programs are part and parcel of evangelization process.

The overall vision and goal of Ethiopian Catholic Church is to contribute to the Social, Economic and Spiritual development of the society. The aspects of Wholistic approach include: broad understanding of human needs, following Christian model of witness and social services. It gives possible gate-way to evangelization work, integrating the spiritual and physical work.

The Church contributes to the alleviation of the overwhelming poverty in the country through its community based social and development programs. The education and health services, integrated community development programs, rural micro-financing of the Church aim at reduction of poverty through addressing its root causes. Above all, the Church believes that community empowerment to address its own social and development issues would be the basis for bringing sustainable integral human development.  

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3 Institutional Framework of Ethiopian Catholic Church

Vision, Mission and Core values of Ethiopian Catholic Church

Vision 

The Vision of ECC is to see a society where all its spiritual, physical, socio-cultural needs are met and where all peoples are living in harmony, solidarity, equality, justice and peace. Thus, the Church desires to see reconciled, just and prosperous society

“The Church, endowed with the gifts of her Founder and faithfully observing His precepts of charity, humility and self –denial, receives the mission of proclaiming and establishing among all peoples the Kingdom of Christ and of God, and she is on earth, the seed and the beginning of the Kingdom.”    (Vat.  II LG.  No. 5)

Mission 

The mission of Ethiopian Catholic Church is Promotion of integral human development - socio-economic and spiritual development of the Society to ensure growth and self-reliance through evangelization, awareness raising and capacity building.

“The Church is effectively and concretely at the service of the Kingdom of God. This is seen especially in her preaching, which is a call to conversion. Preaching constitutes the Church’s first and fundamental way of serving the coming of the Kingdom in individuals and in human society.

The Church serves the Kingdom of God by spreading throughout the world the “Gospel Values” which are an expression of the kingdom and which help people to accept God’s plan.

The Church contributes to mankind’s pilgrimage of conversion to God’s plan through her witness and through such activities as dialogue, human promotion, commitment to justice and peace, education and the care of the sick and aid to the poor and children.

In carrying on these activities, however, she never loses sight of the priority of the transcendent and spiritual realities”.

Core Values 

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• Dignity of the human person - The poor is subject of their own development and agents of change.
• Creating options for the poor and marginalized - Restoring the sense of co-responsibility in building a better world, underlining the position of women.
• Solidarity with the poor/most needy 
• Stewardship  - empower the poor, commitment to justice and peace, raise and voice on behalf of all the poor and socially marginalized.

Overall strategy for the social and development work of the ECC

• Promotion of Gospel values. The social and development work of the church is based on the core values and the social teaching of the Catholic Church aiming at Integral Human Development
• Integral development means meeting the spiritual, economic and social needs of the person. All Church activities aim at meeting one or more of these needs.
• The work on peace and reconciliation, family life promotion, human rights (children and women’s, marginalized and neglected, minorities rights) is typical reflection of the integral approach to social and development work of the Church.

•          Poverty Reduction by integrated approach to social services and development work.

Approaches

•          People centered development work - Community empowerment

•          Promotion of social justice at all levels

•          Advocacy and lobbying for the neglected, marginalized, underprivileged people

•          Linking humanitarian assistance (emergency) with development

•          Strengthening Partnership at local and international levels

•          Net-working - Local level collaboration and cooperation with like-minded organizations

 
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4 Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat

The Ethiopian Catholic Bishops’ Conference has established the Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat with the mandate to initiate, promote and coordinate the Social and pastoral activities of the Church in Ethiopia

4.1 Historical records of ECS

1965                ECS was established in its present form

1971                ECS got its first organizational structure

1973               The first constitution of ECS was approved  

1974-1985    ECS engaged in major emergency relief operations  

1987               The first ECS evaluation undertaken

1997-1998    Series of evaluations were carried out

1999               ECC-SADCO established and a new Memorandum of Association developed, new constitution put in place, new departments created, 

2000               ECC – SADCO registered as the NGO wing of the Ethiopian Catholic Church with the Ministry of Justice. ECS is structured into two wings; Pastoral Activities Commission (PAC) and Social and Development Commission (SADCO).

2000               The first ECS Strategic plan (2001-2005) developed

2001               ECS coordinated Special Operations Appeal (SOA 33)

2001               Water and sanitation program established with in ECS

2002               ECS coordinated Special Operations Appeal (SOA 17)

2002               ECS coordinated emergency relief operation in four dioceses

2002               Food security and emergency coordination unit established

2003               social rehabilitation (OVC) coordination unit established

2003               ECS implemented SOA  51

2003               Justice and Peace coordination unit established in a structured manner

2006               The second strategic plan (2007-2011) developed

2007               A new diocesan capacity support program started

2008             The revised organizational structure of ECS approved

2008               ECS implemented emergency appeal (EA 17) in six dioceses 

2009               Family and Laity unit established within ECS

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4.2  The revised (2008) Organizational Structure of Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat

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4.3  ECS Mandates and Responsibilities

1.             Programmatic and organizational capacity building to the Diocesan Catholic Secretariats

·         Organizational issues – financial and human resources systems development, technical staff capacity building through training

·         Technical issues – technical staff capacity building through training, visits, etc.

2.             Coordinate the activities of Diocesan Secretariats and assist and work in close collaboration with them 

3.             Facilitate for smooth functioning of the Diocesan Secretariats

4.             Represent the Catholic Church at Federal and International levels

5.             Make the Diocesan Catholic Secretariats aware of government policies and issues that may influence their work.

Regarding relationships with the Government, the ECS shall:

• Represent the Church’s position on the socio- pastoral matters at the Federal Government and in international fora  
• Liaise with Government Ministries and Bureaus at Federal level and, if requested, at Regional level.
• Make the Diocesan Catholic Secretariats aware of Government policies and issues that may influence their work

 Mandates and functions of Diocesan Catholic Secretariats (DCSs) and Congregations

•          Coordinate, facilitate and represent the diocese, parishes and congregations

•          Socio-pastoral and development activities by the secretariats or undertake congregations and in few case by parishes.

Mandates and functions of Congregations

•          Run social services and development work – mainly schools, skill training, health institutions

•          Each congregation undertake social and development projects and programs based on the local needs.

•          Carry out pastoral activities

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4.4 Major ECS General Strategies 

The ECC/ECS second phase strategic plan (2007-2011) made the following major strategic choices:

Programmatic

• Review/revise the approved policies and strategies, and finalize the ones still in the process before the end of 2006. In addition, justify to the ECBC the need for follow-up of applications of the endorsed policies, present options and implement upon approval.
• Familiarization of the ECC sector policy guidelines and strategies (on HIV/AIDS, food security, social rehabilitation, education, gender and development, medical ethics for Catholic Church health institutions) 
• Develop an effective emergency response mechanism systematic early warning information flow between ECS/DCSs and partners and preparedness
• Standardize child focused social development (child rights based programming) programs of the ECC institutions
• Design family focused socio- pastoral and development strategic approach for the church institutions

• Mainstream cross cutting issues (gender, HIV/AIDS, social justice, etc.) in the social, pastoral and development programs of the Catholic Church institutions. 
• Program-specific data collection systems feeding into the general database and management.  ECS should be able to represent DCSs with comprehensive and quality information. Support programs to develop their own specific tools for data base management. Ensure compatibility or usability of the generated information for ECS overall management and reporting
• Integrate the Catholic micro-finance institution with the social and development works of ECC and the Dioceses

Organizational

• Take a comprehensive measure to improve ECS governance:
• Adjust the organizational stricture: aggregate or merge related Units/Sections into major engagement areas as appropriate.
• Redefine the roles and membership of the Governing board
• Revitalize and operationalize the ECS Governing Board and Administration Board and the General Assembly of ECC-SADCO
• Strengthen the Capacity of ECC institutions in Advocacy and Lobbying in the areas of social justice, gender equity, in favor OVC, socially and marginalized groups, HIV/AIDS infected and affected individuals and groups.
• Self-sustainability strategy – on the basis of the progress made so far (mainly by ECS) develop ECC-wide self-sustainability strategy to guide DCSs move in same direction.

      ECS-DCSs working relations and cooperation

• Revise the roles of ECS and the Guidelines for the Working Relationship between ECS and DCSs so as to ensure a more proactive operation, broader replication and application of supports, inclusion of clear provisions for enhanced monitoring and reporting arrangements and clarified role for advocacy and representation.
• Provide technical support to the diocesan offices to implement the basic organizational structure and assign counterpart desks in Education, health, HIV/AIDS, gender and development, social rehabilitation, and food security, pastoral activities, justice and peace, social communication, etc.
• Provide technical support in development of organizational systems (financial and human resources management and development, etc.) and support technical capacity development efforts of the diocesan offices and religious congregations.
• Give emphasis and priority to building the organizational capacities of the emerging Dioceses. ECS should support more the needs of the smaller dioceses that don’t have much experience in socio-development activities.  
• Provide technical support to the diocesan offices in fund raising for their programs through production of quality project programs/plans and linking with potential donors.

• Develop a pooled fund for Diocesan development, which would be governed by a board comprising the donors - but facilitated by ECS.  Develop strategy for motivating and facilitating application and trickling-down of capacity building supports by the DCSs to the ECC structures below the diocesan levels.
• Take proactive roles in issues of common interest and national significance to facilitate for and coordinate the pastoral, social and development work of the Catholic Church in Ethiopia.
• Design and implement intensive, focused and modular training courses and exposures for ECS and Diocesan staff 
• Develop a well organized development information system and coordination
• Re-establish confidence between ECS and Dioceses. Establish regular visiting schedules with Diocesan offices and ‘stick to them! Deliver relevant training, such as PCM, participatory approaches, livelihood concepts, etc. Concentrate on really relevant issues in this regard, e.g. assist in formulation of project proposals. ECS could also provide the diocesan offices with regular information on the national policies and different funding opportunities.
• More and regular dialogue with diocesan structures (confidence building). More information sharing, more regular working meetings with diocesan staff, more facilitation of inter-diocesan exchange and dialogue. 

Partnership building

·         Facilitation of exchange with all partners, initiation of real dialogue with all relevant partners in the elaboration of guidelines and strategic papers in close collaboration and discussion with the diocesan structures, offering of required services and trainings.

·         A more pro-active, transparent and professional approach to maintain the cooperation with the donors. Continue to organize the yearly ECS Coordination Meeting (including field visits)

·         Attain a diversified donor base through joint fund raising with DCSs Search funding from donors beyond the traditional ones (UN agencies, multilateral international organization, etc).

·         More presence on national and international meetings and communication of results and relevant information to the interested dioceses and other Church structures and partners

·         Networking within the Catholic Church institutions and the local and international agencies

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4.5     Diocesan Capacity Support Program

The activities included in the diocesan capacity support program are:

• Strategic planning process
• Sharing best practices among diocesan programs/projects – learning space
• Organizational Systems Development
• Training to Church Personnel

Outputs so far

• ECS has facilitated the strategic planning process of four dioceses  
• Establishment of the Learning Alliances Leadership, education, Health & Human Resource & finance Management.
• Development of financial management system -  install software/system and train staff   
• Trainings of management and technical personnel

The following trainings have been conducted to senior management and technical       staff of Diocesan Secretariats, congregations & their institutions and ECS on the following themes.

•   Project Cycle Management

• Advocacy and Lobbying techniques
• HIV/AIDS internal mainstreaming and workplace policy

• Gender mainstreaming and Gender auditing
• Peace and Development
• Appreciative Inquiry for Leadership
• Appreciative Inquiry for Organizational Development
• Saving and Internal Lending Communities (SILC)
• Learning and Knowledge Management

Future plan of the diocesan capacity support plan

ECS plans to provide support to diocesan offices and their institutions in the following areas:

• Strengthen ECS capacity to achieve efficient organizational systems and program quality
• Continue with supporting the diocesan offices in strategic planning
• Enhance the organizational systems development efforts of the diocesan offices focusing on the financial systems development and human resources management and development
• Provide hands-on support to diocesan offices through establishment of intra and inter-diocesan sectoral Learning Alliance to share the available knowledge and best practices within the Catholic Church
• Provide trainings on various issues at diocesan levels and well targeted groups

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4.6 Highlights of the Major Achievements    

1.             Improved organizational capacity and systems – the technical and financial capacity of ECS shows progressive improvements. ECS financial management follows standard financial management and has been able to support the diocesan offices. 

2.             Different diocesan capacity building measures have been implemented; organizational and programmatic capacity assessment of DCSs as a means to identify and fill gaps, strategic planning processes, financial systems development, experience sharing visits and initiation of inter-diocesan learning alliance, different training programs, etc.

3.             ECS-DCSs Relations and Cooperation is showing progressive development. The diocesan offices participate actively in different training workshops and experience sharing forums.  Teamwork is being recognized and strengthened.

4.             ECS capacity to provide diocesan capacity building plan has been successfully implemented. ECS supports the diocesan offices in organizational development – organizational and programmatic capacity assessment, strategic planning, direct support in program planning and implementation, organizational systems development and modular training on various issues of importance to fulfill the twin mission of the Catholic Church.

5.             ECS has proved to be a center of excellence for facilitation of diocesan programs. As one aspect of facilitation role, ECS has successfully facilitated the formulation of policies and strategic framework for Education, Health, HIV/AIDS prevention and control, food security, social rehabilitation (OVC), Gender and Development 

6.             ECS could represent the Catholic Church in front of the international partners and at the federal government levels. ECS has very successfully lobbied in the discussion on the new draft proclamation on Charities and Societies. Furthermore ECS leadership has been informing its partners, Bishops Conference and the diocesan offices on the issues and their implications.

7.             ECS has developed effective Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) system. The PME at ECS level develops tools for PME, establishes the system and trains ECS and diocesan staff in PME.

8.             ECS has developed its new organizational structure that fits into its current level of organizational development and meets the expectations of the Catholic Bishops Conference and the diocesan offices. Along with the revised organizational structure ECS governing board has been established and has resumed its function.

9.             Partnership with international partners and local diocesan offices. The restructuring and strategic planning process opened renewed opportunity for effective partnership building.  The regular annual Ethiopian Catholic Church Coordination Meeting served as a good forum for understanding each other. The quarterly donor partners (present in Ethiopia) – ECS meeting brought ECS closer to the partners for joint planning and action. The content has progressively changed from emergency to broader issues of the socio-pastoral and development work of the Church.

10.          Efforts towards local level income generation - the construction of the Office Complex and Guest House is completed and the capacity of the printing unit is showing progressive improvement. 

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4.7 The future scenario - Need for coordinated actions

ECS likes to see more coordinated effort and programmatic linkage within the Catholic Church. Coordination to ensure a more united Church is found necessary in the current realities in the country

Visibility of the local Church need to be enhanced in front of the government and public at large

The new Charities and societies legislation requires for a united and strong Church

Fragmentation would result in lack of voice to claim rights – for identity of the Church and advocate on behalf of the marginalized/neglected part of the society

The added values of the coordinated approach

•         Knowledge and Experience shared among the diocesan offices

•         Capacity built in all the diocesan offices

•         Program quality improved

•         Funding opportunity improved

•         Efficient and effective service to the Society

•         Overall capacity of ECC improved to contribute to poverty reduction
 

Effective coordination requires organizational and technical capacity in the area of

• Enhance the capacity of Catholic Church in research, information generation and application
• Enhance the capacity of the Catholic Church institutions to deal with issues of current concern; climatic justice, ecology, migration, emergency preparedness, etc.
• Strengthen the documentation, database and communication capacity both at ECS and diocesan levels.

• To efficiently and effectively address the needs of diocesan offices, ECS needs to work on improving its capacity as a learning organization

Linkages and expected outcome of local Church capacity building

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4.8 Required Actions 

§  ECS should continue working to improve its organizational and programmatic capacity and extend its service to DCSs on mutual understanding and common interest

§  Strengthen the cooperation with Diocesan Secretariats. The diocesan capacity building efforts should show progressive improvement for planning organizational development measures and establishment of the sectoral learning alliance for improved program quality and effectiveness

§  Adopt programmatic approach to all Catholic Church programs to create visible image of the Catholic Church and intensify efforts and show progress

§  Work closely with the Diocesan offices and institutions to collect, store, analyze and communicate the relevant information to all stakeholders – strengthening database and ICT

§  Develop the capacity of the Catholic Church to better involve in disaster preparedness and timely response, Research and generate information on impacts of climate change, displacement and migration, child abuse, etc. 

§   The relationship and partnership with international (based in Ethiopia or abroad) should continue in a more coordinated and strong manner

Explore and make use of the opened opportunities through the new Proclamation on Charities and Societies

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Address: 

                        Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat
                        P.O.Box 2454
                        Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
                        Tel:  (251) 111 55 03 00
                        Fax: (251) 111 55 31 13
                        e-mail: ecs@ethionet.et

This page was last updated on 10/10/2009