The vision we have for our community can be summed up in two words: total transformation… ENLACE helps to shine the light on patterns within the church that created barriers in relating with people outside our walls. Now, I am so happy to say, we work hand in hand with our neighbors and that is essential to communicating our faith… We share the burden together and together we witness the results.
YENI MOLINA
General Coordinator, La Labor Economic Development Committee and Pastor, El Salvador
THE POWER OF WITH
The distinctiveness of ENLACE’s approach is found in our church accompaniment process. Our approach focuses on training and coaching church leaders to engage and partner WITH their community leaders and organizations to design sustainable initiatives that will transform their communities and regions.
ENLACE equips church and community leaders to develop programs and projects that target eight community transformation outcomes.
ALL PROJECTS ARE...
LOCALLY IDENTIFIED / churches listen, engage and collaborate with their communities effectively to identify and design projects that meet a felt need with local resources.
LOCALLY FUNDED / every dollar raised internationally is matched and leveraged through local contributions of funds, materials and labor. At least fifty percent of all project costs are contributed by church, community and local governments.
LOCALLY MANAGED AND SUSTAINED / churches and community organizations are connected, strengthened and empowered to maintain and develop future projects. 100% of projects are managed and financially sustained by church and community organizations.
ENLACE Develops LEADER Churches
Our long-term goal is that churches “graduate” from our partnership and become leaders of transformation in their own regions, creating and implementing their own projects while also mentoring other churches. The effect of creating churches that become LEADERS of transformation is exponential and is a powerful investment in the long-term future of under-resourced communities.
Over a five year-period, ENLACE equips churches to effectively mobilize volunteers to engage in and work with community organizations to lead long-lasting and measurable change in their communities and regions.
EIGHT CORE OUTCOMES
ENLACE equips church and community leaders to develop programs and projects that target eight community transformation outcomes.
1) DEVELOP LEADER CHURCHES
We accompany and coach churches through the process of becoming effective agents of change in their communities. As they do so, they begin to influence and guide surrounding communities through a similar process, and extend their impact within a given region.
2) BUILD THE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS
We help local churches identify, strengthen and partner with local community organizations (community associations, health committees, government, other non‐profits, etc) to identify, design, and manage sustainable initiatives that alleviate poverty.
3) ERADICATE EXTREME HUNGER AND POVERTY
We help church and community leaders to develop initiatives that contribute to improving the economic conditions of people who live on less than $1 a day. Our goal is that over the course of three to five year period, we reduce the number of people who live in extreme and severe poverty.
4) IMPROVE ENROLLMENT RATES AND INCREASE ACCESS TO EDUCATION
We support community initiatives that aim to surpass national averages for primary education enrollment rates, to greatly reduce primary education dropout rates and to reduce existing disparities between boys and girls in access to primary education.
5) ASSURE LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND BOLSTER COMMUNITY HEALTH
We support community initiatives that aim to reduce the current alarming rate of deforestation, to improve access to potable water by at least 50% in the next three to five years, and to ensure access to healthy sanitation facilities.
6) IMPROVE INFANT AND MATERNAL HEALTH
We support community initiatives that aim to reduce infant and maternal morbidity rates by 33% in the next three to five years, and to reduce the percentage of children under five years of age who suffer from chronic malnutrition.
7) PREVENT THE SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS AND VIRAL DISEASES
We support community initiatives that aim to dramatically reduce the mortality and morbidity rates due to diseases such as upper respiratory illness, diarrhea, dengue, and HIV/AIDS.
8) STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE
We support community initiatives that aim to increase the percentage of households that have access to roadways and electricity and to increase the percentage of families who live in a safe, well-built, and healthy home.
