By Rev. Wesley Litaba Wakugnuma, 17th Episcopal District Field Representative
The Delegates who considered Economic Development, Communication, Mission Alignment, and the Monitoring and Evaluation teams identified several areas of interest and commonality, both in the challenges experienced and the suggested solutions. The issues revolved around skills and knowledge gaps. The educational landscapes across the GDC Districts differ and, to a large extent, are unique, shaped by the needs and investments of each Episcopal District.
Skills development is essential for enhancing employability, boosting productivity, and driving economic growth by bridging skill gaps in a changing job market. It empowers individuals with better job prospects and higher standards of living while fostering innovation and adaptability, which are crucial for navigating the terrain of sustainable development.
There is a recognition of the roles of small enterprises in the economic life of the churches within the GDC Districts. In this regard, the committees recognised the need to promote entrepreneurial skills and to push for a self-sustaining model that will contribute to meaningful development. The identified skills included those in food and agricultural sectors.
At the core of the discussions was the availability of resources. The Committees were candid about the need to develop financing mechanisms to support the rollout of the initiatives. There is also a need to consider engaging the corporate mining houses in areas where some of the churches are based. These engagements will help the church to mobilise resources to support infrastructure development.
Besides infrastructure development, the committees proposed an approach that includes Environmental, Social, and Governance factors to build resilience in communities in highly resourced areas. Embedded in this approach is third-party risk management. This is a process for identifying, assessing, and mitigating cybersecurity, compliance, operational, and reputational risks associated with external vendors, suppliers, and partners. This aspect also refers to the legal entity that was earlier registered in South Africa but was later deregistered.
The author notes that some countries, such as Zambia in the 17th Episcopal District, have developed local content policies and support instruments to allow local citizens to participate in mining supply chains.
As part of documenting the processes and successes, there is need to invest in Outcome Harvesting for shared learning.
