JELA Partners

Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church

The Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church (JELC) has a 100 year mission history in Japan, with 137 congregations and numerous social welfare institutions, including orphanages, homes for the elderly and educational institutions. Through the JELC Global Mission Committee, the church works in close cooperation with JELA to support numerous mission programs focused on helping children in need and providing volunteer service opportunities for youth. Link

ELCA Global Mission – Chicago, IL, United States

Through its Global Mission unit, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) engages in mission outside the United States and the Caribbean, and churches in other countries engage in mission to the ELCA. ELCA Global Mission works in cooperation with the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church (JELC) and, through the JELC, cooperates with JELA in a variety of ministries related to evangelism, education, disaster relief, and poverty alleviation. Link

ELCA South Carolina Synod

The South Carolina Synod of the ELCA works through the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church to support numerous JELA mission projects throughout South Asia and Brazil. Known as “The Gifts of Hope Program,” volunteers from throughout the synod raise funds to support projects related to the building of schools, the giving of medical supplies and equipment, and the provision of nutritious meals for young children. Link

Lutheran World Relief – Baltimore (ML), United States

Lutheran World Relief (LWR) works in 35 countries to combat the causes of poverty.   LWR teaches people to better care for themselves, their communities and the environment, and thus adds dignity to their lives.   JELA works in partnership with LWR by providing funds for disaster relief and funds for projects aimed at helping the "poorest of the poor". Link

Lutheran World Federation Cambodia – Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has been helping the poor in Cambodia since 1979. LWF Cambodia works in rural Cambodia in some of the most poverty-stricken regions.   LWF Cambodia staff facilitate and train people in rights advocacy, income generation, gender equity and household planning.   JELA works in partnership with LWF Cambodia to build schools, provide school supplies, and offer scholarship support to individuals in need. Link

Asia Rural Institute – Tochigi, Japan

The Asian Rural Institute (ARI) is an international, agricultural training center, located in Tochigi, Japan. Each year, ARI invites 25 to 30 grassroots rural leaders from developing countries in Asia, Africa and the Pacific to study at ARI for nine months. Participants learn sustainable, organic agriculture techniques, leadership skills and community development. JELA provides scholarship support to qualified Lutheran participants from poor nations in the Asia Pacific region. Link

Comprehensive Rural Healh Project – Jamked, India

The Comprehensive Rural Health Project (CRHP) in Jamkhed, India has been working among the rural poor and marginalized for over 37 years. By partnering with village communities and expanding upon local knowledge and resources, the project aims to effectively meet the immediate and long-term needs of those communities, focusing especially on the needs of women and children.   JELA  supports CRHP in various ways, such as providing medical equipment and scholarships, sending volunteers, and helping with construction projects, including the building of a new hospital in 2008. Link

Programa Comunitario da Reconciliacao

The Reconciliation Community Program is a non-profit charity which helps people living in the slums of Sao Paulo, focusing mainly on children and teenagers. Its main purpose is to offer a place where youths and families can participate in social and educational programs. JELA sends volunteers, and financially supports education and food nutrition initiatives. Link

Centro Comunitario Casa Mateus

The House of Matthew, known locally in Brazil as Casa Mateus, provides basic education and work skills to young children and teenagers. The comprehensive program also gives essential training to young adults and families living in the “favela” or slum areas. JELA supports the program by providing educational scholarships and by sending volunteers. Link

Centro Diaconal Evangelico Luterano (CEDEL) and Centro Infantil Lupicinio Rodrigues (CILR): CEPA, Comunidade Evangelica de Porto Alegre

CEPA, located in Porto Alegre, Brazil, provides basic education to needy children in the poor areas of Porto Alegre. JELA works closely with CEPA to support various child and young adult training programs. A current cooperative project includes the planning and construction of a new education training center. Link

Lutheran Health Care Bangladesh

Lutheran Health Care Bangladesh (LHCB) is a non-profit organization operating in southern rural Bangladesh. LHCB is dedicated to maternal and child health care, which encompasses community development, preventative and curative health care, and education in Dumki and other adjacent rural villages. JELA supports LHCB by providing a partnership grant for child education and nutrition programs. Link

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