What we do
E3’s vision is to bring transformation to communities affected by poverty, HIV and AIDS and gender-based violence in five countries in southern Africa.
In many of the communities where E3 partners serve in southern Africa, people face a daily struggle to provide for their families and even survive.
HIV and other health issues are rife. Employment opportunities are scarce. For many families, it is a challenge even to put one meal on the table each day, let alone send their children to school. But, there is hope. E3 Initiative empowers local Christian partners to find the best local and sustainable solutions to these challenges. They are changing people’s lives for the better and helping them step into a brighter future.
The activities we support are broad because we empower our partners to meet the specific needs of their communities rather than bringing our own development agenda. Each community has its own priorities and responses, incorporating some or all of the programmes below.
Emerging leaders
Many grassroots church and community leaders cannot access effective training and support as they seek to respond to the needs around them. That’s why an important part of E3’s work is the Emerging Leaders programme (EL). It enables leaders to understand local needs and how to respond in effective and sustainable ways, with a particular focus on HIV and AIDS, improving livelihoods and responding to gender-based violence and substance abuse.
HIV and AIDS support
Our local partners run HIV and AIDS support initiatives including: HIV counselling and testing, medication and adherence to treatment, support groups for people living with HIV and health clinics. With medication, good support and nutritious foods, people who are HIV positive can be healthy and productive well into old age. Amidst the pain and suffering caused by HIV, our partners bring hope for the present and the future as they reach out in word and action.
Back to School programme
The Back to School programme provides new uniform and shoes for orphaned and vulnerable children who otherwise would not be able to attend school. The children benefit from Life Skills classes to help them cope with the past, grow in confidence and look to the future with hope. Teenage girls also receive sanitary pads, so they don’t have to miss school each month. E3 also runs workshops to raise awareness of substance abuse and addiction in schools.
Improving livelihoods
Our partners seek sustainable ways to help people living in extreme poverty, including refugees and people living with HIV. Microfinance and Self-Help Groups give people a hand up out of poverty. Income from a small business empowers them to provide for their families’ most basic needs and contribute to improving livelihoods for others in their community as the group grows. Self-Help Groups also work together to start projects to benefit the whole community.
Advocacy against sexual and gender-based violence
Most E3 partners face the challenges of sexual and gender-based violence in their communities. It affects many families, directly harming children and adults alike. That’s why E3 is supporting our partners as they seek to bring change and protect those who are vulnerable. Activities include workshops to raise awareness among children, teenagers and adults, as well as counselling and healing work.
Advocacy against substance abuse & addiction
We run workshops to raise awareness of substance abuse and addiction in schools and provide meals and counselling to people living on the streets, many of whom are HIV positive and addicted to drugs in Pietermaritzburg.
Prison ministry in Zambia and Lesotho
Two E3 partners run outreach in prisons, sharing God’s love through preaching and prayer and providing practical items like toiletries, food, shoes and Christian literature for inmates, who live in very over-crowded conditions.
Refugee support services
This is increasingly important to help refugees affected by trauma, xenophobia and poverty through counselling, advocacy and workshops on how to seek asylum, integration in the local community and reconciliation and conflict resolution between refugees from different regions. This support runs throughout our work in refugee communities.
