Today, CCN works on a much more diffuse constellation of issues of interests that are of national interest and pertain to marginalized groups, including land reform, educating churches about LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex), rehabilitation of sex-workers, and engages with different groups to better understand the 1908 genocide of Namibians by Germans. The role of the CCN Secretariat is primarily that of convener, mediator, and facilitator.The CNN Secretariat hosts a twice-yearly annual meeting of church leaders, which sets the political, theological and humanitarian agenda for discussing contemporary issues. Ludwig also regularly meets with government leaders, civil society and trade unions to bring CCN’s ideas to their agendas and to mediate discussions between opposing groups.
Post-independence, CCN was faced with challenges as all of their donors reduced, with some cutting their funding, which greatly affected the operations of CCN’s mandate as a facilitating body for its member churches.
The financial struggle partly reflects the struggle many southern African organizations are grappling with—of how to regroup now that the bonanza days of donor money for HIV/AIDS is waning. Namibia was the first country to exceed many of the 90-90-90 targets set by UNAIDS, which call for countries to get 90 percent of people living with HIV diagnosed; 90 percent of those diagnosed accessing treating; and 90 percent of people on treatment to have suppressed viral loads by 2020. [3]
This, along with Namibia’s recent classification as a higher middle-income country, has resulted in reduced donor funding.
But Ludwig points to deeper, more fundamental challenges.
“What we find today is a vacuum of theology,” he says. “Before we had a common enemy: apartheid. Now, post-independence, the voice that was so strong is nowhere to be heard. I think we must come back to our prophetic voice.”
At the heart of that prophetic voice and vision, is CCN’s mission: to be a voice for the voiceless. According to Ludwig, that means using CCN’s access and influence to hold the government and others in positions of authority accountable for ensuring the well being of Namibia’s poorest.
In this vein, CCN has, with support from partners, analyzed government budgets to assess whether the budget is pro-poor and engaged the government to do better. They also supported a basic income grant project, which, initiated by one of CCN’s member churches, tested granting each citizen of Mitara a $100 stipend. They documented the impact the monthly grant had on people’s lives-income-generating activities were initiated, and women were able to provide the basic necessities for their families.
Namibia’s political environment continues to evolve. There are changes with the government and shifts in decisions that determine what programs are funded, which can be challenging. CCN’s role as a constructive partner of the government is continually impacted by these shifts and is still a key challenge to sort out how to best play this role.