THE JCTR UPDATE: PEOPLE AND ACTIVITIES
WHAT KEEPS US BUSY AT THE JCTR? HERE ARE SOME RECENT ITEMS OF INTEREST
SOCIAL CONDITIONS PROJECT
In December 2004 the Social Conditions Research Project held a meeting with input from field assistants in the collection of information for the Basic Needs Basket. The meeting discussed the Basic Needs Basket, advocacy issues around it, reviewed its methodology and content, re-looked at the guidelines for collecting the data, etc.
In addition team members of the Social Conditions Research Project attended several local meeting organised, for example, by the UNDP, Central Statistical Office and civil society groups.
COLLABORATION WITH SILVEIRA HOUSE
Three staff members of the JCTR visited Silveira House, a Jesuit project in Zimbabwe, in December 2004. The visit was done in the context of exchange visits between the JCTR and Silveira House. Its purpose was threefold. First, to participate in the 40th anniversary of Silveira House. Second, to share work experiences and in particular visit some of Silveira House “grassroot” project sites. Third, to share approaches to addressing common problems with the ultimate result of common understanding and strengthened entry points into discussions of regional socio-economic situations and policies.
CHURCH’S SOCIAL TEACHING
On 20 December 2004, the Church’s Social Teaching Project launched a research paper and a policy brief on Zambia’s critical question of our time: Zambia’s Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and why these rights should be in the new Zambian Constitution. Certainly this topic is very relevant to the current constitutional making process and JCTR hopes that it will influence the way Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will be handled in the new Zambian constitution.
In October, Elias and Pete traveled to the Southern Province of Zambia to give workshops with faculty and students at the Jesuit teachers training college and the Jesuit secondary school. The focus was on the vocation of education in Zambia today and for the future.
In the same month the CST project co-sponsored with the Catholic Commission for Justice Development and Peace (CCJDP) a one-day theological reflection conference. The theme was: “Faith Reflections on Forty Years of Independence: Forty Years in the Desert?
DEBT PROJECT
In addition to local meetings that keep the Debt Project and indeed the entire JCTR extremely busy, the Debt project did participate in international meetings.
In October 2004, Charity Musamba participated in a three-week campaign tour aimed at making poverty history with a focus on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), debt and trade justice. The campaign took place in the United Kingdom and was organised by the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) and the Jubilee Debt Campaign.
In the same month of October, the Debt Project launched a study entitled The Link Between Domestic and External Debt: Implications for Poverty Reduction in Zambia. The study revealed that domestic debt was owed to various institutions in the country including suppliers, financial institutions and pensions schemes. The study also established that in some cases, the government borrowed domestically in order to service external debts.
The Debt Project continued through the Provincial Outreach Coordinator its activities on building capacities of the Provincial Teams. The areas for capacity building included economic literacy on debt, Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, HIPC, debt sustainability, etc.
JCTR TASKFORCES
The JCTR taskforce on Integrity of Creation continued with its work of tree planting in Kabangwe. These efforts were particularly intensified in the month of December to take advantage of the rainy season.
The Inculturation taskforce has been translating the pamphlet on traditional healing into three local languages.
STRATEGIC PLANNING
The JCTR devoted much of its time in 2004 to strategic planning. A series of meetings were held to plan carefully the activities for 2005 and thereafter. This process will undoubtedly continue for the centre to respond accurately and in a helpful fashion to the challenges of Zambia and Malawi.
RESOURCE ROOM
The JCTR, with assistance from William Chilufya -- a student from the University of Zambia on internship with the JCTR -- has been finalizing the organisation of the JCTR resource room. We hope the resource room will facilitate effective implementation of the strategic plan.